We’ve seen x86 mini PCs for under $100 a few times, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one going for under $50, and that’s exactly what the Wo-we HU-MNPC05-L mini PC has to offer as the system is sold for $44.99 on Amazon with an old Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core Gemini Lake Refresh processor first introduced in 2019.
What’s even more surprising is that it’s not a barebone model like cheaper mini PCs usually are, but it ships with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB eMMC flash. No sane person would likely attempt to use the thing as a Windows Desktop, but it may be an option for Linux distributions for workloads similar to what you would typically run on a Raspberry Pi 4/5, or for older Windows applications, or as a basic HTPC.
Wo-we HU-MNPC05-L specifications:
- SoC – Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core Gemini Lake Refresh processor @ 1.1 GHz / 2.8 GHz (Turbo) with 4MB cache, Intel UHD graphics 600; 6W TDP
- System Memory – 4GB DDR4
- Storage
- 128GB eMMC flash
- MicroSD card slot
- Video output
- HDMI 2.0a output up to 4K
- VGA connector
- Dual independent monitor support
- Audio – 3.5 mm audio jack (stereo + mic)
- Connectivity
- Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port
- Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0
- USB
- 2x USB 3.0 ports
- 2x USB 2.0 ports
- 1x USB Type-C port)
- Misc – Power button and LED, CMOS reset pinhole
- Power Supply – TBD via power barrel jack
- Dimensions – 120 x 80 mm
The mini PC ships with a power adapter and a mounting bracket. The title mentions it comes pre-installed with Ubuntu Linux (password: 123456), but the description contradicts that, saying Windows 10 is preinstalled. I’d bet on Ubuntu Linux for that one. Not that it’s too old for Windows 11, which won’t work, at least not without hacks.
Gemini Lake (Refresh) processors will feel quite slow in 2025, and for reference, an Intel Celeron J4105 quad-core SBC got 1753 points in PCMark 10 and 472 points in 3DMark Fire Strike. As a dual-core CPU, the Celeron N4020 will even be slower than that. Note that there aren’t any M.2 sockets for expansion either, and the RAM is not upgradeable. Alternatively, there’s a $59.99 version with the same specs, but 8GB RAM (TBC since 4GB is also shown in the description).
The Wo-we store has other ultra-cheap mini PCs based on older x86 Intel or AMD processors, which may be worth a look if you’re after a single-use computer, or in other words, do not need to run multiple programs at the same time. Somehow, the company does not have an AliExpress shop, and it’s difficult to find N4020 mini PCs or similar in that price range unless for “welcome deals”. People who want an inexpensive desktop computer for their kids or elderly parents would be served by purchasing an Intel Alder Lake-N or Twin Lake mini PC with 16 GB+ RAM and M.2 NVMe/SATA storage for $100 to $150+ from various vendors.
Via Tom’s Hardware
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Indeed, that looks like a pretty interesting RPi alternative that comes with an enclosure and storage by default for the price. For various tiny always-on services it can easily make sense, and has more chances of still working out of the box in 10 years than arm-based SBCs that are sold with incomplete support.
Better than an RPi in every way except one — availability.
In a few months, it may be gone — never to be seen again. This limits it’s utility for anything except one-off projects.
Additionally, do you rely on the build quality?
I know RPIs can work for years even powers on 24/7, with no issues (except SD cards in some cases), but I don’t know if this SBC will keep up with the RPI quality.
However, for this price I don’t see something equal or better.
According to geekbench 6 the CPU of a RPI 5 is twice as fast.
But 45$ will not buy a working pi 5, you need power adapter, case, SD card fan, and RTC.
“No sane person would likely attempt to use the thing as a Windows Desktop”.
I must be insane then because I am typing this on my daily use laptop, filled with ancient tech like an N3350, 4Gb RAM, 32Gb eMMC and full Windows 10.
Once you find ways to get rid of the Windows bloat it runs surprisingly well and does more than even I expected.
I’m not surprised to see an X86 model this cheap because of how tech has moved in since the N4020 came out.
For those, like myself that now tend to live more on the breadline, something like this could be attractive but I also concede that it is perhaps likely to be of far less interest to most people in more advanced societies.
But perhaps a good indicator of things to come where if we were to find similar things in the near future with more capable processors in the N5105 range, then perhaps a nice little niche market share could be filled.
And of course, we also have to remember that there are a number of nations out there where the ability to spend over $45 might seem like a pipe dream.
Complete scam, two whole reviews in broken english… unlikely to be anything it appears to be!
Also , doesn’t ship to California? WTF ?
California USA!!1!!11!!
N4020 1.8 GHz turbo. ~6 W?
Nvidia, Intel , AMD AI hardware accelerator approach high-power consumption, expensive requiring costly driver writing and maintenance ca be challenged by low-power, low-cost fast platform, single-task OS, fast memory software technologies?
What’s going on with the shopping? Says: sorry this item cannot be shipped to select location😭 no shipping to the USA ?😂
My Amazon address is the White House. It can still ship there, but the cheaper 4GB RAM model is out of stock, and only the $60/8GB variant is available.
[ 🙂 (thx) ]
Can you get more of such posts?
I think everyone are interested in a SBC that costs total 50 $ or less with at least 2gb ram good thermals and low power consumption.
Odroid are good, but shipping makes it too expensive.
I always try, but it’s not every day a company sells devices at a deep discount.
Seems like it might be useful for Home Assistant or maybe a Jellyfin transcode box.
Might be nice for a Home Assistant OS starting point. Fully supported and doesn’t need to deal with maintaining HA Supervised…
I’m a big fan of (cheap) mini-pcs and I’ve had one of these (just the n4000, so strictly speaking it is technically 200MHz slower than the n4020) for six years, running FreeBSD 24/7 as a utility server (mainly ZFS back-ups, plus NFS, NTP, DNS, DHCP services for the main home and guest networks, as well as odd things like CVS and Git servers and 3 permanent Bhyve VMs).
Here’s the thing, though. If I’m actually working on the machines, I would generally prefer to log into my 10-year-old Z8350 Atom (2GB mem), as that 4C/4T machine just feels faster than the 2C/2T n4000 (note here that I’m only using xterm shells on both machines, not a GUI). If I’m spinning something up on a VM, the little Atom would also be my first choice.
I’m fairly certain that part of this is that I really -expected- the n4000 to run rings around the Atom when I bought it (four years after the Z8350) and was just completely underwhelmed by the performance of the dual-core n4000 from the start. It -has- been a good, solid, reliable machine (and I really like the multiple USB3 ports), but subjectively, I’d definitely classify these dual-core models as pedestrian.
Absolutely fine if you want something with a very low power draw to sit on the shelf and provide NTP, DNS and DHCP services 24/7 (and don’t forget that, unlike the RPi, these machines come with an RTC with battery backup).
At this price/performance level you are better with refurbished Futro S740 or Wyse 5070, you’ll get quad core gemini lake with one or two ddr4 slots (so up to 16 or 32GB) for same price. A week ago got S740 for 44 EUR including shipping from ebay.de or I can see over 100 in stock on quantelectronic.de
or if you don’t mind extra battery,keyboard,matte 1080p display you can get Wyse 5470, that one is about 50eur on ebay and has two ddr4 slots, 16GB emmc + M2 for SSD with two pcie lanes, and quad code N4100 – which can be TDP modded to 15W from linux command line and match J4105 performance.
All of them are passively cooled with no fan.