If anything is clear from having walked around this year’s Computex, then it is that the mini PC is here to stay. Beyond plenty of socketed boards using Intel’s new STX form factor from just about every vendor, there are also plenty of other mini PC’s on display. One that caught our eye at the show was ECS’ new Liva, tentatively named the Z. The following specifications were revealed by ECS: SoC – Intel Apollo Lake System Memory – 2x DDR3L SO-DIMM’s Storage – 32GB/64GB eMMC flash + 1x M.2 2280 for SSD (unclear if it supports PCIe drives) Video Output – Mini DisplayPort, HDMI (no revisions mentioned) Audio – DisplayPort, HDMI and 3.5mm headphone jack Connectivity – 2x Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 1x USB 3.0 Type-C, 3x USB 3.0 ports Power Supply – 19V/2.1A It’s so far the only Intel Apollo Lake system we’ve […]
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 […]
Vorke V1 mini PC Features Intel Celeron J3160 Processor, 4GB RAM, a 64GB SSD, and Supports 2.5″ SATA Drives
Vorke V1 is a Windows 10 mini PC powered by Intel Celeron J3160 quad core “Braswell” processor with 4GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, and support for an internal 2.5″ SATA drive, as well as support for dual monitor setups thanks to VGA and HDMI ports. Vorke V1 specifications: SoC – Intel Celeron J3160 quad core processor @ 1.6/2.24 GHz with Intel HD 400 graphics GPU @ 320/700MHz – 6W TDP System Memory – 4GB DDR3L alledgedly upgradeable to 8GB, so it must be using SO-DIMM memory (TBC) Storage – 64GB internal storage + 2.5″ SATA drive support + micro SD slot Video Output – HDMI 1.4b and VGA Audio Output – HDMI and 3.5mm headphone jack; ALC269 audio codec Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 USB – 2x USB 2.0 ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports Misc – Power button & LED, IR receiver. Power Supply […]
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 […]
Moly PcPhone Runs Windows 10 Continuum on Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 Processor, Costs Less than $400
Mobile and PC convergence is slowly happening both on Ubuntu with devices like BQ Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet, and various Windows 10 Continuum smartphones. The most affordable offering is likely to come from mainland China vendors, such as Moly PcPhone 6″ smartphone based on Qualcomm 617 octa-core Cortex A53 processor with 3GB RAM, and running Windows 10 Continuum. Moly PcPhone specifications: SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 Octa core Coretex A53 processor @ 1.5 GHz with Adreno 405 GPU System Memory – 3 GB RAM Storage – 32 GB flash + micreo SD slot up to 200 GB Display – 6″ Full HD (1920×1080) LTPS display; Gorilla Glass 3 Cellular Connectivity Dual SIM Dual Standby, Adaptive SIM Slot 2G GSM: Band 2/3/5/8 3G WCDMA: Band 1/6/8/9/19 4G FDD-LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/7/8/9/19/26/28B 4G TDD-LTE: Band 38/40/41 Wireless Connectivity – Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC Camera – 13MP auto-focus rear camera […]
Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Upgrade May Cost You After July 29, 2016
The first Bay Trail TV sticks and mini PCs were all pre-loaded with Windows 8.1, and so far Microsoft has let users upgrade to Windows 10 for free. I tested the upgrade on MeLE PCG01 and PCG03 last year, and while it took many hours, I could eventually get Windows 10 running on both systems without paying anything. But Microsoft is reminding users that the Free update offer will end soon: The free upgrade offer will end on July 29 and we want to make sure you don’t miss out. After July 29th, you’ll be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119. So if you’ve purchased a device with a proper Windows 8.1 license, you may consider upgrading to Windows 10 soon. If you do this on a devide with 32GB storage, you’ll get very […]