The iKOOLCORE R2 Max is an Alder Lake-N-powered firewall/gateway/server/mini PC that is offered with either an Intel Processor N100 or Core i3-N305 CPU, and equipped with two 10GbE ports and two 2.5GbE ports.
It builds upon the iKOOLCORE R2 mini PC and router which we reviewed with Promox VE, Ubuntu 22.04, and pfSense and features four 2.5GbE ports in a smaller form factor. The new R2 Max model uses the N100/Core i3-N305 CPU instead of the N95/Core i3-N300, supports up to 48GB SO-DIMM memory, features a wider yet thinner design, and provides support for both 10GbE and 2.5GbE networking.
iKOOCORE R2 Max specifications:
- Alder Lake-N SoC
- Intel Processor N100 quad-core processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel UHD graphics; TDP: 6W
- Intel Core i3-N305 octa-core processor @ up to 3.8 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD Graphics; TDP: 15W
- System Memory – 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB DDR5 4800 MHz SO-DIMM memory (tested with up to 48GB)
- Storage
- 2x M.2 Key-M 2242/2280 sockets for NVMe (PCIe 2.0 x1) SSD
- MicroSD card slot
- Video Output
- HDMI 2.0 up to 4Kp60
- USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt. mode up to 4Kp60
- Dual independent display support
- Networking
- 2x 10GbE RJ45 ports via Marvell AQC113C-B1-C network cards (connected through PCIe 3.0 x2)
- 2x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports via Intel i226-v 2.5GbE controllers (connected through PCIe 3.0 x1)
- USB
- 2x USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) Type-A ports
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port with DisplayPort Alt. mode
- Misc
- Power button and LED
- Cooling
- Full-copper heatsink for processor and network chipset, CNC metal top cover for passive cooling
- Optional 2x 4010 PWM-controlled fan for top cover
- AMI BIOS/UEFI with Auto Power-on, WOL, and PXE support
- Power Supply – 12-19V via DC jack or USB-C PD 20V
- Dimensions – 157 x 118 x 40 mm
- Weight – 1,050 grams (but the wiki says 880 grams, both net weighs)
Support for WiFi and Bluetooth modules is apparently gone, and so is the not-so-useful USB-C audio port found on the R2… As an x86 system, the company says it is compatible with Windows, Linux, pfSense, OPNsense, OpenWrt, Proxmox VE, VMware ESXi, Unraid, and other operating systems and virtualization solutions. The wiki has more details and also lists compatible (tested) DDR5 SO-DIMM modules and USB-C monitors.
While I think it’s the first complete Alder Lake-N system with 10GbE networking that we’ve covered so far, we did write about the MW-100-NAS Intel N100 mini-ITX motherboard with one 10GbE and two 2.5GbE interfaces earlier this summer.
The company is taking pre-orders for the iKOOLCORE R2 max starting at $299 for a barebone model with Intel N100, no memory, no storage, and no OS. Price goes up to $709 for the top system with a Core i3-N305, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB NVMe SSD. Oddly, you can ask for a fanless system without fans by leaving a note when placing an order…
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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STH reviewed similar systems and found you need the n305 for speeds over 2.5gbps Intel Core i3-N305 and N100 2-port 10G 2-port 2.5GbE Appliance – Page 4 of 4 – ServeTheHome
That one is a different design based on an Intel 82599ES instead of Marvell AQC113C-B1-C, let’s see what the tests show. I may get a review unit, but it’s not sure yet.