MeLE PCG02 Pro ultra slim fanless mini PC gets an Intel Processor N100 upgrade

MeLE PCG02 Pro N100 slim mini PC

The MeLE PCG02 Pro “mini PC stick” is now available with an Intel Processor N100 Alder Lake-N CPU after being first introduced with an Intel Celeron J4125 (Gemini Lake Refresh) or Celeron N5105 (Jasper Lake) processor in 2022. Just like the MINIX Z100-0dB mini PC we’ve just reviewed, the MeLE PCG02 Pro has a fanless design, but with a slim design that’s just 20mm thick, up to 16GB RAM, up to 256GB eMMC flash, two 4K-capable HDMI ports, Gigabit Ethernet and WiFi 5, three USB 3.2 ports, a microSD card, and a USB-C port for power only. MeLE PCG02 Pro “Surpass” specifications: SoC – Intel Processor N100 quad-core Alder Lake-N processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel HD graphics @ 750 MHz; TDP: 6W System Memory – 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x @ 4266 MHz Storage –  128GB or 256GB eMMC flash Video Output – 2x […]

MINIX Z100-0dB review – Part 3: A fanless Intel N100 mini PC tested with Ubuntu 22.04

MINIX Z100-0dB review Ubuntu 22.04 Linux

After the first part of the review with an unboxing and a teardown of the MINIX NEO Z100-0dB mini PC, we tested the fanless Intel N100 mini PC with Windows 11 Pro in the second part, and we are now ready to report our experience with Linux, and more specifically Ubuntu 22.04, on the MINIX Z100-0dB mini PC in the final and third part of the review. We will go through features testing, run some benchmarks to evaluate the performance in Linux, perform storage and network performance tests, check the cooling ability of the mini with a stress test, and also check its power consumption under different scenarios. We will also compare the MINIX Z100-0dB to the actively cooled GEEKOM Mini Air12 mini PC that uses the same Intel Processor N100 CPU. Ubuntu 22.04 installation We will install Ubuntu 22.04 alongside Windows 11 Pro in dual boot configuration, so we […]

CTL Chromebook NL73 Series to support 5G RedCap with a Snapdragon X35 modem

Chromebook 5G RedCap

CTL Chromebook NL73 Series based on Intel Processor N100 or N200 SoC will be offered with a Snapdragon X35 modem to support the new 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) standard. 5G RedCap – also known as 5G NR-Light – keeps some 5G features such as low latency, low power consumption, enhanced security, and network slicing while limiting the bandwidth to around a few hundred Mbps. It was initially designed to target industrial IoT applications, but Qualcomm also mentioned its Snapdragon X35 modem could be used in smartwatches and XR glasses when it was first announced, and it might be used in other cost-sensitive devices such as Chromebooks. Chromebook NL73 “5G RedCap” key specifications: Alder Lake N-Series SoC (one or the other) Intel Processor N100 quad-core processor up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel HD graphics; TDP: 6W Intel Processor N200 quad-core processor up to 3.7 GHz (Turbo) with […]

MINIX Z100-AERO is an Intel N100 mini PC with triple 4K display support, dual Ethernet

MINIX Z100-AERO mini PC

The MINIX Z100-AERO is an actively-cooled Intel Processor N100 mini PC with a form factor similar to the company’s Z100-0dB fanless mini PC but offered with a different choice of interfaces including dual Ethernet (1Gbps + 2.5 Gbps), and three video outputs through HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort, and USB-C connectors. The mini PC supports up to 32GB DDR4 memory via a single SO-DIMM slot and M.2 NVMe SSD storage,  and features four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (5Gbps), plus one full-featured USB-C 3.2 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. MINIX Z100-AERO specifications: SoC – Intel Processor N100 quad-core Alder Lake-N processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel HD graphics @ 750 MHz; TDP: 6W System Memory – 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB DDDR4-3200 via 1x SO-DIMM socket, upgradable to 32GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB M.2 SSD (PCIe Gen3 x1?), upgradable up to 4TB MicroSD card slot […]

CWWK “Magic Computer” is a fanless Alder Lake-N mini PC with a PCIe x8 slot

magic computer

CWWK Magic Computer is an unusual fanless mini PC offered with a range of Alder Lake-N processors from the Intel Processor N95 to the Core i3-N305 and a PCIe x8 slot allowing users to connect all sorts of PCIe boards on the side of the device for example for networking and/or storage. The mini PC supports up to 32GB DDR5, an M.2 NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x1) SSD, two SATA drives, and up to four 4K capable monitors through HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C interfaces. It is also equipped with two 2.5GbE RJ45 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and a range of internal headers for a COM port, USB 2.0, a TPM, and optional fans. CWWK Magic Computer specifications: Alder Lake-N SoC (one or the other) Intel Processor N95 quad-core processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel HD graphics; TDP: 15W Intel Processor N97 quad-core processor @ up […]

MINIX Z100-0dB review – Part 2: A fanless Intel Processor N100 mini PC tested with Windows 11

MINIX Z100-0dB review Windows11

We’ve already done an unboxing and a teardown of the MINIX NEO Z100-0dB fanless mini PC powered by an Intel Processor N100 CPU, and equipped with a 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM and a 512GB M.2 SSD before quickly trying the preinstalled Windows 11 Pro operating system in the first part of the review. We’ve now had time to test Windows 11 in the MINIX Z100-0dB fanless mini PC in more detail. So we’ll report our experience in the second part of the review with features testing, benchmarks, some storage and networking performance tests, measurements of fan noise and power consumption, and more. We’ll also compare the MINIX NEO Z100-0dB against other Alder Lake-N mini PCs such as the actively-cooled GEEKOM Mini Air12 that we reviewed at the end of last year. Software overview and features testing The System->About window confirms the Z100-0dB mini PC features an Intel N100 processor at 800 […]

Avnet MSC C10M-ALN – A COM Express Type 10 Mini Module with Intel Alder Lake-N CPU, LPDDR5 memory

MSC C10M ALN COM Express Type 10 Module

Avnet MSC C10M-ALN is a COM Express Type 10 module powered by the Alder Lake-N family of processors including the Intel Core i3, Intel Atom x7000E, and Intel Processor N-Series. The design allows for easy adaptation of applications between various Intel CPU models, ensuring compatibility across different performance and power needs. The module supports up to 16GB LPDDR5 memory with optional In-Band Error Correcting Code(IBECC), eMMC 5.1 storage, and features an Intel i226 2.5GbE controller. It can handle up to two 4K displays through DDI and eDP video outputs, ten USB ports including USB 3.2 Gen 2, and four PCI Express Gen 3 x1 slots for expanded connectivity options. Avnet MSC C10M-ALN Com Express Module Specification: Alder Lake-N SoC (one or the other) Intel Core i3-N305, eight-core, 1.0GHz/1.8GHz, 32EU Intel UHD Graphics, 9/15W, PUC (PC Client Use Conditions) Intel Atom x7425E, four-core, 1.5GHz, 24EU Intel UHD Graphics, TCC, 12W, EUC […]

Review of Blackview MP80 Processor N97 mini PC with Fedora 39 Linux (Part 2)

Blackview MP80 mini PC N97 Fedora 39

After reviewing the Blackview MP80 (Processor N97) mini PC with Windows 11 in detail, we now had time to test it with Fedora 39 Workstation to find out how well it works in Linux. In this second part of the review, we’ll explain our “choice” of Linux distribution, go through benchmarks and features testing, as well as measure fan noise and power consumption, among other test Finding a Linux distribution that works with Blackview MP80 Last year, we reviewed the Blackview MP80 model equipped with an Intel Processor N95 CPU and after the Windows 11 review, we were unable to install Ubuntu 22.04 on the machine with the company eventually telling us Linux was not supported. But several months after the review, a reader commented he could install Fedora 39 on the Blackview MP80 and that it “worked like a charm“. We thought maybe the BIOS had been updated and […]

UP 7000 x86 SBC