Biostar is a long time maker of mini-ITX boards for industrial and embedded applications, but at Computex this year they revealed a new mini PC for consumers, which they claim is the world’s smallest. At 129 x 82 x 29.6mm the Racing P1 is small, but we’re not sure it’s the world’s smallest. Spec wise you’re looking at: SoC – Intel Atom x5-Z8350 (up to 1.92GHz) System Memory – 4GB onboard DDR3 Storage –64GB eMMC flash, MicroSD card slot Video Output – HDMI Audio –HDMI and 3.5mm combo jack Connectivity – 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 1x USB 3.0, 4x USB 2.0 ports Power Supply – 5V/4A The Racing P1 also has an RGB LED hiding behind the logo on the top of the unit and apparently this has some kind of user control via software. It might not be the most exciting mini PC […]
Beelink BT7 mini PC Unboxing and Teardown
Beelink BT7 is one of the few mini PCs based on Atom x7-Z8700, the fastest Intel “Cherry Trail” processor on the market, and should provide a decent alternative to Voyo V3 for people wanting an Ethernet port, and better cooling. The company sent me the version with 128 GB eMMC flash and 4GB RAM, and before reviewing the tiny computer, I’ll post some pictures and check out the hardware, especially the thermal design. Beelink BT7 Unboxing The package looks very similar to Intel NUC retail packages. It will show the complete specs, with highlights for Intel Atom x7-Z8700 processor, and 4K display support. The storage can be 64GB, 128GB or 320 GB, and a sticker on the side shows which model you’ve got. I’ve got the 128 version, but more on that later… The mini PC ships with a 12V/2A power supply (US, UK, EU or AU as requested, a […]
Zotac PI330 Cherry Trail mini PC Supports Dual Monitor Setups with HDMI and DisplayPort Outputs
Several low power Intel mini PCs coming out of Chinese manufacturers support dual monitor setups, but usually they combine HDMI and VGA with models such as Vorke V1 or MeLE PCG03. Zotac PI330 mini PC powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8500 processor offers instead dual independent display support via HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. Zotac PI330 hardware specifications: SoC – Intel Atom x5-Z8500 quad core processor @ 1.44 GHz / 2.24 GHz) with 2M Cache and Intel Gen8 Graphics System Memory – 2GB LPDDR3 Storage – 32GB eMMC flash + micro SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader Video Output – DP1.1a, HDMI 1.4b Audio – DisplayPort, HDMI and 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 1x USB 3.0 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 port Misc – Power LED, Power Supply – 5V/3A Dimensions – 115 x 76 x 20.7 mm The fanless mini PC is pre-loaded with […]
Updating Star Cloud PCG02U to Ubuntu 16.04 with WiFi and HDMI Audio Support
I completed my review of PCG02U Ubuntu TV stick a few days ago, and I was quite satisfied with the device, but since Ubuntu 16.04 was released last month, I thought it might be fun to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu. I’m go through the complete steps including building a new kernel for HDMI audio, and the drivers for WiFi, but you should be able to install Ubuntu 16.04 for Bay Trail and Cherry Trail processor with the image made by Linuxium and a USB stick. Star Cloud PCG02U OS Support and Warranty Before I go through the instructions, you may want to read the conditions on MeLE’s Aliexpress PCG02U page. They meant Ubuntu 14.04 instead of 14.0.4, but the important part is that if something goes wrong trying alternative OS, you may lose your warranty. Upgrade Ubuntu 14.04 to Ubuntu 16.04 Upgrading from one LTS version to […]
Star Cloud PCG02U Ubuntu 14.04 TV Stick Review
Star Cloud PCG02U is the first Ubuntu product from MeLE. After taking a few pictures of the TV stick and the board, I’ve tested the performance and functionality of the device. First Boot and Setup You can either connected the stick directly into an HDMI port, or using the provided female to female adapter via an HDMI cable. I’ve opted to insert the device directly into the AUX port of my Onkyo A/V receiver itself connected to my TV. Since there’s only one USB host port, USB keyboard and mouse are not convenient since it would add a USB hub, so I went with Logitech MK270r wireless mouse & keyboard combo instead. You can either used Ethernet or WiFi for Internet connectivity, and I opted for the latter for most of the review, but WiFi is also working fine. The final step is to connect the power supply into the […]
GOLE1 is a $79 Intel Atom x5 Windows 10 / Android 5.1 mini PC with a 5″ Touchscreen Display (Crowdfunding)
PiPo has been one of the first company to take advantage of Microsoft policy of providing a free license for Windows 10 for devices with smaller touchscreen displays with mini PCs such as PiPo X8 that includes a 7″ display, saving $25 to $35 on the Windows 10 license for such products without displays. Shenzhen Qianhai Gole Technology (Gole) has also been selling similar devices on their Aliexpress store, and the company is now taking to Indiegogo to launch their latest model, dubbed GOLE1, featuring a 5″ touchscreen display, and fitting in your pocket. Gole1 specifications: SoC – Intel Atom x5-Z8300 “Cherry Trail” quad core processor @ 1.44 GHz / 1.84 GHz with Intel Gen8 HD graphics (2W SDP) System Memory – 2 or 4 GB DDR3L Storage – 32 or 64 GB NAND flash + micro SD slot up to 64GB Display – 5″ capacitive touchscreen display with 1280×720 […]
Beelink BT7 mini PC Powered by Atom x7-Z8700 Processor Features 4GB RAM, Up to 320 GB SSD
When I reviewed Voyo V3 mini PC based on Intel Atom x7-Z8700 processor, I was quite satisfied with the experience thanks to very fast storage with decent capacity (120 GB), the fastest Cherry Processor available combined with 4GB RAM which made for a pretty good experience under Windows 10 for just under $200. However, the mini PC networking capabilities suffer, with the lack of Ethernet, and WiFi limited to 802.11n @ 2.4 GHz. Beelink has been working on their own Atom x7 mini PC, namely Beelink BT7, with both Gigabit Ethernet & dual band WiFi, as well as various SSD options up to 320 GB. Beelink BT7 mini PC specifications: SoC – Intel Atom x7-Z8700 Cherry Trail quad core processor @ 1.60 GHz/2.40 GHz (turbo) with Intel Gen8 HD graphics @ 600MHz with 16EU (2W SDP) System Memory – 4 GB DDR3 Storage – 64, 128, or 320 GB SSD […]
Star Cloud PCG02U Ubuntu TV Stick Unboxing and Teardown
Star Cloud PCG02U is one of the rare device selling pre-loaded with Ubuntu 14.04, and MeLE, who owns Start Cloud brand, sent me one sample for review. While many Android & Windows devices can be “hacked” to run Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Star Cloud PCG02U is the first device that I’ve ever received that’s actually shipped with Ubuntu 14.04. So it will be very interesting to find out how it performs, but today, I’ll check the device and its accessories, as well as the hardware design. Star Cloud PCG02 Unboxing The TV stick ships in a Ubuntu orange retail packaging with Star Cloud branding, and mention of Ubuntu and Intel. I had already published the specifications in my first post, a confirmation on the package is always good. The TV stick ships with a 5V/2A power adapter and multi-country plug adapters, a female to female HDMI adapter, a Quick […]