Purism has been known for its Linux-based secure and privacy-focused laptops for years, and more recently they developed Librem 5 Linux smartphone with the same philosophy in mind.
But now the company has introduced Librem Mini based on an Intel Core i7 Whiskey Lake processor with up to 64GB DDR4 RAM and running PureOS Linux distribution, and Coreboot based PureBoot bootloader that disables and neutralizes Intel Management Engine (IME).
Librem Mini specifications:
- SoC – Intel Core i7-8565U quad-core/octa-thread Whiskey Lake processor @ 1.8 GHz / 4.6GHz (Turbo) with Intel UHD Graphics 620; 15W TDP
- System Memory – 2x SO-DIMM slot for up to 64GB DDR4-2400 RAM
- Storage – 1x SATA III 6Gbps SSD/HDD (7mm thickness), 1x M.2 SSD (SATA III/NVMe x4)
- Video Output – 1x HDMI 2.0 up to 4K @ 60Hz, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 up to 4K @ 60Hz
- Audio – 3.5mm audio jack (Mic & Headphone), digital audio via HDMI
- Connectivity
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Optional WiFi Atheros ATH9k Module for dual-band (2.4/5.0 GHz) 802.11n WiFi 4
- Optional Bluetooth 4.0 using Ar3k driver & firmware
- USB – 4x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, 1x USB Type-C port
- Misc – Power button
- Power Supply – DC-IN Jack
- Dimensions – 12.8 x 12.8 x 3.8 cm
- Weight – 1 kg
The mini PC is actively cooled with a fan and supports Librem Key USB security token to prevent hardware and/or software tampering.
The company expects the mini PC to be used as a standard privacy-focused desktop computer, a media center, a mini server, or a digital signage player. If you’d like to see some benchmarks for the Intel Core i7-8565U processor, Techspot has some results and charts while tested in Windows 10. I’ve taken PCMark 10 as an example which shows the processor getting 3,868 points at 15 Watts, and a bit higher when TDP up (25W) is configured.
Availability will depend on consumers’ interest in the Purism Librem Mini mini PC, as the company is now taking pre-orders for $699 with 8GB RAM and a 250GB M.2 SATA SSD, and shipping will start one month after reaching the pre-order goal of $50,000. A niche product will always come with a higher price tag, and for reference, a similar Intel Core i7-8565U based mini PC with 8GB/256GB configuration is sold for $460 on Aliexpress.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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I don’t mind paying more for a computer from a real company that will respond if their product is defective and it’s their fault (unlike some unknown entity on Aliexpress), but paying $100’s of dollars more for that is not going to happen – ever.
They’ve well passed their $50,000 target so it should be shipping soon.