The portability of electronic equipment is the most valuable quality for both companies and ordinary users. The less space the equipment takes, the more efficient the use of usable space. Some of the best in terms of portability are computers in the flash drive form factor. Inserted into the HDMI connector of a monitor or TV, and enjoy a full-fledged desktop PC, not only compact, but also almost silent.
There are not so many high-quality devices of this type, new models are released relatively rarely. In general, let’s see what you should pay attention to from what has appeared over the past year.
T6 Pro
This is one of the more recent models and costs about $180 depending on the configuration.
Here are the specifications of this baby:
• Intel Celeron J4125 processor
• 6GB LPDDR4 RAM
• 128GB eMMC storage
• HDMI 2.0 connector
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A ports
• 1 x DC input
• WiFi 5
• Bluetooth 4.2
The device supports Windows 10 Pro , respectively, is substituted with this OS. But there are also suppliers who ship the same device with Linux on board.
We can expect that in the near future, manufacturers will release an updated model with Jasper Lake on board instead of Gemini Lake, as it is now. In this case, the performance of the mini-PC will rise by about a third, which is very good. See the best mini desktop pc at Apcsilmic.
Mele PCG02
Another great mini PC that supports Windows 10 Pro. The device is completely silent – the cooling is passive here. Like the previous model, Mele PCG02 connects to the HDMI port of a monitor or TV. It’s slightly bulkier than a regular USB stick, but still much smaller than most other form factors.
Device Specifications:
Processor – Intel Celeron J4125.
GPU — UHD 600.
RAM – 8 GB.
The drive is 128 GB eMMC, supports microSD up to 1 TB.
Connectors: HDMI 2.0, audio, 2 USB 3.0, micro USB (for power), gigabit Ethernet.
Wireless modules – WiFi 5 and BT 4.2
This PC supports 4K video playback, although there is some stuttering in some cases. The cost of the device is about $200.
XCY Mini PC Stick
An excellent model that can be used as a full-fledged workstation. It is equipped with a Celeron N4100 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory.
In addition, the mini PC includes LPDDR4-2133 RAM, eMMC 5.1 storage, 802.11ac WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.2. There are two more USB 3.0 ports, a microSD card reader, plus an audio jack.
According to the manufacturer, the system is capable of working with 4K video. In general, its hardware capabilities should be enough for surfing the web, working with documents, playing videos and other simple tasks that are undemanding to hardware.
The mini PC is compatible with both Windows and Linux operating systems. As far as I can tell, it works best with Ubuntu. Yes, unlike the previous two models, this one has a small fan, so the system is not completely silent. The cost is about $180.
MINISFORUM S40
Here are the specifications of the device:
Processor – Intel Celeron N4000 dual-core Gemini Lake processor
Video – Intel UHD
RAM – 4GB LPDDR4 memory
Internal Storage – 64GB eMMC
Wireless Modules – 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0
This is not a silent system either, the mini PC has a small fan. But there is something to cool here – according to the manufacturer, the system supports not one, but two 4K monitors at once. The first is usually connected using an HDMI port. The second is via DisplayPort.
Well, there is also a USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Type-A port, plus a microSD slot. The device comes with Windows 10 Pro. Well, it costs $190.
VivoStick TS10-B174D
Well, this is an updated model from ASUS, which received a good upgrade – RAM and internal memory have become twice as large as its predecessor. In addition, the device comes with Windows 10 Pro instead of the Home version.
In total, the miniature PC has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage. In addition, there are USB 3.0, USB 2.0 ports, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 wireless communication modules. well, plus the developers equipped it with a micro-USB port for power supply.
Perhaps you use similar PCs at work or at home? If so, tell us in the comments in more detail – what kind of model, how much it justifies its price and corresponds to the declared capabilities.