Mini PC

ASRock has announced three new Intel NUCs based on the chipmaker's Tiger Lake-U architecture. The NUC 1100 BOX series will be available with up to the Core i7-1165G7, although all SKUs will offer the same connectivity and plethora of ports.

Last year, AMD started its anti-NUC initiative, as many of its embedded and laptop-grade APUs can now easily be included in mini PCs. This initiative could soon culminate with gaming mini PCs that are based on AMD's Project Quantum presented 5 years ago at E3.

An eagle-eyed Redditor has spotted that Intel just introduced the Core i3-10100F with minimal fanfare. This direct successor to the i3-9100F still has no integrated graphics - although it does have hyper-threading, which is a first for its nascent series. It also has the same recommended price range as its preceding generation.

Razer wowed the tech world when it showed the Tomahawk PC case off at CES 2020. It is made of all-tempered-glass panels and SPCC steel reinforcements, and also boasts inbuilt cable management. The OEM has finally launched the mini-ITX variant of this case, alongside new accessories that include a new gaming chair, audio equipment and Sneki Snek in plushie form.

The Simply NUC Aspen is a new series of Mini-PCs based on AMD Ryzen 4000 Renoir APUs. The Aspen can be configured with up to 64 GB of dual-channel RAM and a 2 TB PCIe NVMe SSD.

CTL has announced the Chromebox CBx2, which as the OEM asserts, is versatile enough to take on the demands of a retail display as it is those of a remote worker. It has a range of up-to-date connectivity options; plus, with 2 variants with CPU choices between 1 Intel Celeron and 1 Core i7 processor, it may indeed be configurable to a range of use-cases.

The GMK NucBox has arrived on third-party retailer Banggood, following its successful Indiegogo campaign. The NucBox will begin shipping from the retailer before October 21 and starts at US$219.99. GMK still sells the NucBox for less, albeit only on Indiegogo.

Equipped with a quad-core / quad-thread Atom x6425RE low-power CPU, the SPC-6000 mini PC is specifically designed for IoT / AIoT applications that require advanced features like Time-Coordinated Computing and Time-Sensitive Networking. The system also supports up to 32 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, plus an NVMe SSD and a SATA III SSD/HDD for storage.

The new BRIX PRO mini PCs are powered by either the i3-1115G4, i5-1135G7, or i7-1165G7 Tiger Lake-U CPUs. Users may add up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, while the systems offer support for a PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe SSD, another PCIe Gen 3 x4 NVMe SSD and a SATA III SSD or HDD. There is a Thunderbolt 4 connector and the integrated Xe-LP GPUs can output through the included 4x HDMI 2.0b ports.

As promised, the world's smallest mini PC with a discrete graphics solution — the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB GDDR5 — is now available for purchase. With a price tag that reads US$869, the most potent configuration features Intel's Core i7-9700F processor, 16 GB of DDR4 memory, and a 512 GB SSD (with room for adding a 2.5-inch drive).

Last week, we heard about its arrival. Now, we have some official test results and technical details that make the upcoming MINISFORUM X35G even more tempting, such as a maximum TDP of 25 W that allows the 15 W Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor to perform up to 60% better than usual, but without overclocking.

The upcoming Tiger Canyon NUCs come in tall and slim variants with i3, i5, and i7 CPU options, and highlights include support for up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, PCIe 4 NVMe SSDs, dual Thunderbolt 4 connectors and one HDMI 2.1 video out.

The DeskMini X35G is a Mini PC with an Intel Ice Lake processor, a stylish design and a host of connectivity. MINISFORUM has not scrimped on storage either, as it has included two drive bays and a microSD card slot. The 15 W Mini PC even has a Thunderbolt 3 port.

ASUS has unveiled a new Mini PC, the PN62S. The PN62S builds on the PN62 and offers Intel 10th Gen processors, a host of connectivity and up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM.

Next week, the smallest desktop PC with NVIDIA GeForce 1050 Ti graphics will hit the market. The MINISFORUM H31G will launch with the Intel Core i5 9500F (US$659) and Intel Core i7 9700F (US$799) processors inside, both setups also featuring 16 GB of memory, a 256 GB SSD, and the aforementioned video card.

Lenovo US has announced a major sales event running for this weekend only, with up to 70% off some PCs of various types. Among these are the 7th- and 8th-gen ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabooks, which are down to under US$1000 in some cases. The Ryzen 7 Pro 3700U-powered T495s also features here at an excellent price.

The new HP EliteDesk 805 G6 compact PCs can be equipped with up to a Ryzen 7 Pro 4750G APU, which in turn can be coupled with up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 3 storage solutions, plus an optional GTX 1660 Ti dGPU. Additionally, the port selection is quite generous with 7x USB ports and up to 7 video outs.

In the event that Nvidia compromises most processor-related ARM IPs, SiFive's RISC-V scalable CPUs could see increased adoption even from mobile and smartphone OEMs. SiFive is already prepared to meet the increased demand with its updated AI-focused RISC-V microarchitecture that enables different classes of performance, efficiency and features for server-grade, HPC and even desktop PC systems.

ASRock has launched a trio of Ryzen 4000 Mini-PCs. Called the 4X4 BOX-4000, the series utilises Renoir APUs up to the Ryzen 7 4800U within a chassis that weighs 1 kg. The 4X4 BOX-4000 has a host of ports and connectivity, too.

Users of the A300 mini PC barebones discovered that the ASRock A300-STM motherboard is compatible with the latest X300 BIOS, so the more affordable enclosures can now be equipped with up to a Ryzen 7 Pro 4750G, as well. However, the X300-STM motherboard offers unique overclocking features that can boost the CPU and iGPU performance.

Jasper Lake is thought to be Gemini Lake's impending successor for low-end notebooks and mini PCs launching in early 2021. A website that focuses on the latter has listed what it claims as the product names for these possibly Tremont-based CPUs. Should they prove genuine, it seems the new mobile and desktop categories get one Pentium and two Celerons each.

Tipster @patrickschur_ revealed details for a number of upcoming AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 SoCs, ranging from 10W parts like the Ryzen Embedded V2718 to 54W parts like the Ryzen Embedded V2748.

The Beelink GT-R is a well-built and aesthetically pleasing mini desktop PC. Its AMD Ryzen 5 3550H w/ Radeon RX Vega 8 Graphics offers enough horsepower for smooth streaming and some light gaming.

Zotac has unveiled its latest mini desktop, the ZBOX QCM7T3000. The machine incorporates an Intel Core i7-10750H processor, an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 and can be equipped with up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-2933 RAM. The machine has multiple ports too, including four display outputs and Gigabit Ethernet.

The Mele PCG02 is a compact PC stick that has plenty of connectivity despite its size. The device connects to external monitors and TVs via an HDMI 2.0 port, and is based on the Intel Celeron J4105 Gemini Lake processor. The Mele PCG02 also has 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, a 64 GB eMMC drive, Gigabit Ethernet and Windows 10 Pro.

The Odyssey Blue is a mini-PC that Seeedstudio has based on the ODYSSEY-X86J4105800. The device is equipped with an Intel Celeron processor and an Arduino-compatible coprocessor for added flexibility.

The XCY X51 is a mini-PC and an incredibly small one at that. Based on the Intel Celeron N4100, the X51 features 8 GB of RAM, a 128 GB M.2 2242 SSD and a host of ports. The 62 x 62 x 42 mm device weighs 121 g and can be purchased for US$179.

Tipster @momomo_us leaked what appears to be a picture of ASRock’s refreshed X300 DeskMini small form-factor PC, set to feature an AMD Renoir Ryzen 4000 APU. This potentially offers workstation users better value for money, with Ryzen 4000 performance in the sub-US$500 range.

The NucBox will be one of the smallest 4K-cable mini PCs you can find when it hopefully launches later this year. Specs-wise, it's looking to be an upgrade from the Chuwi Larkbox in terms of CPU performance, WLAN, and RAM.

Intel's own Phantom Canyon NUCs will most likely be targeting budget gamers, so if you are looking for more affordable mini PCs powered by the upcoming Tiger Lake CPUs for IoT and HTPC applications, you could check out the single-board computers offered by Aaeon, Kontron and Advantech.

While Intel is yet again postponing the launch of its 7 nm processors, Chinese chip makers like Phytium are rising with big dreams of providing decent competition for AMD in the next few years. Phytium currently specializes in server-grade CPUs with 64 cores, but, by the end of 2021, the Chinese company intends to ready 128-core server chips built on TSMC's 5 nm nodes, along with 14 nm desktop and embedded CPUs.

The 4x4-V2000 single-board computer has not yet been officially announced by ASRock, but it appears to be powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 4600U APU coupled with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. This new version seems like a solid upgrade over the older V1000 model powered by a Ryzen Embedded V1650B processor.

Lenovo has also added new tower-form PCs to its new Legion gaming line-up. Its Tower 5 variant can have up to the Ryzen 9 3950X as a processor, as well as RTX 2070 SUPER graphics. The IdeaCentre Gaming 5 is a Ryzen 7 3700X/RTX 2060 machine with improved thermals.

The MINISFORUM S40 keeps the dream of the Intel Compute Stick alive. Featuring a Gemini Lake processor, active cooling and 64 GB of storage, the S40 is available for under US$150. Its manufacturer claims that it can output to two 4K monitors simultaneously at 60 Hz too.

The Kingdel NC980 is compact yet still manages to include a 45 W Core i7 processor and a dedicated GPU. The Mini-PC is available in multiple configurations and features nine USB ports among other ports.

The Beelink GT-R comes with premium features like a fingerprint scanner, magnesium alloy case and triple heatpipe silent cooling system. Besides the Ryzen 5 3550H APU with Vega 8 iGPU, there is support for up to 32 GB of RAM, and the storage solutions can include PCIe 3.0 4x NVMe and SATA 3 SSDs, along with a 2.5-inch HDD. There is support for four video outputs, as well.

The NH-L12 is a cooler that, according to its maker Austria-based Noctua, offers many advantages for compact PC builds. However, it did not completely fit in the Ghost S1 case by the Swedish company Louqe. Therefore, the 2 firms have collaborated on a new variant for self-building fans of both PC-component brands.

The first Geekbench 5 results of the Apple Mac Mini Developer Transition Kit (DTK) powered by the A12Z Bionic running macOS 11 Big Sur Developer Beta 1 have surfaced despite Apple's developer NDA being in force. The benchmark is running under a Rosetta 2 emulation and the performance deficit, though significant compared to the Core i5 MacBook Air 2020 and the iPad Pro, is understandable and in many ways, encouraging.

More compact than the GPD Win Max, One-Notebook's OneGx1 is now up for pre-order in both 4G and 5G variants, but it doesn't come cheap: the US$839 model only sports WiFi, 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of internal storage, and the price goes as high as US$1,318 for the 5G + 16 GB + 512 GB model.

Even though it comes in a palm-size case, the DeskMini DMAF5 still packs some serious Ryzen power. It ships with a Ryzen 5 3550H APU that integrates a Vega 8 GPU, but users can further upgrade the processor to models with 45+ W TDP. It also supports up to 32 GB of DDR4-2400, plus NVMe / SATA storage combos, and it comes with a pre-installed Wi-Fi 6 card.

The ZBOX Cl622 nano mini PC barebones come with CPU options such as the Core i3-10110U and i7-10510U models from the laptop-grade Comet Lake-U family and also offer a fanless design, making these systems ideal for HTPC setups.

Need a supercharged AMD-based small form factor PC? Corsair has got you covered with the new One a100 mini tower system that resembles an Xbox Series X console. The One a100 systems feature high-end AMD Ryzen 9 3900X/3950X CPUs, RTX 2080 Ti / Super GPUs, plus Asus ROG Strix X570-I Gaming motherboards with 32 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and 1 TB Corsair Force MP600 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD + 2 TB Seagate Barracuda HDD storage combos.

The upcoming Asus PN50 mini PCs will offer four APU options: Ryzen 3 4300U, Ryzen 5 4500U, Ryzen 7 4700U, and Ryzen 7 4800U. As always, these are barebones models so users still need to provide RAM and storage. That said, the included motherboard offers support for up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and an M.2 slot along with a 2.5-inch bay for storage.

The Kaby Lake G platform is unique in that it combines an 8th-gen Intel Core CPU with Radeon Vega M graphics. Attractive a proposition as this - and some of the PCs on which it is based - sounds, it quickly ran into support issues. Now, it seems it has a new one: it can't install newer drivers, which are normally supplied by AMD.

Intel has announced that a raft of processors based on the Coffee Lake architecture have reached the end of their life. This new notice encompasses Core i3-, i5- and i7-8xxx CPUs. It also extends to certain Pentium Gold and Celeron desktop chipsets.

Along with the recent launch of the new 8 GB variant of the Raspberry Pi 4, the Raspberry Pi foundation also decided to give its customized Linux variant a new name. Raspbian is now known as Raspberry Pi OS going forward and brings with it a new 64-bit beta variant designed to take full advantage of the RAM upgrade.

This mini PC is designed for industrial or commercial applications that require rapid prototyping, as well as for entertainment and DIY projects like arcade-style video game systems, as it comes with the latest Arduino programmable coprocessor.