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 […]

GEEKOM Mini IT12 Mini PC with Core i5-12450H CPU, USB4, 2.5GbE, WiFi 6E goes for less than $400 (Sponsored)

GEEKOM Mini IT12 coupon code

GEEKOM has launched a new promotion for the Mini IT12 mini PC with an Intel Core i5-12450H, 16GB DDR4 memory, and a 512GB SSD which you can get for under $400 when using the coupon code cnxsoftwareit12 for a $20 discount on GEEKOM US or a £20 discount on GEEKOM UK. The mini PC also supports up to four displays thanks to two HDMI ports and two USB4 ports, offers 2.5GbE and WiFi 6E networking, and comes with a total of six USB ports for expansion. GEEKOM Mini IT12 specifications: SoC – Intel Core i5-12450H 8-core/12-thread Alder Lake hybrid processor up to 4.40 GHz with 12MB Cache, 48 EU Intel UHD Graphics @ up to 1.2 GHz; PBP: 45W System Memory – 16GB DDR4-3200 via SODIMM sockets upgradeable up to 64GB Storage 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD, expandable up to 2TB M.2 2242 SATA SSD socket up […]

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 […]

GEEKOM Mini IT12 Review – Part 3: Ubuntu 22.04 Linux on an Intel Core i7-12650H mini computer

GEEKOM Mini IT12 mini PC Review Ubuntu 22.04 Linux

We first checked out the hardware of GEEKOM Mini IT12 with an unboxing and teardown, before testing the Intel Core i7-12650H mini PC with Windows 11 Pro in the second part of the review, and we’ve now had time to test the device with Ubuntu 22.04 to see how well (or not) it works with a Linux distribution. In the third part of the review, we will report our experience with installing Ubuntu 22.04 on the GEEKOM Mini IT12, checking all main features, and benchmarking the system to evaluate its performance. This includes some networking and storage performance tests, a stress test to check CPU temperature and cooling performance, and the measurement of the fan noise and power consumption. Ubuntu 22.04 installation on GEEKOM Mini IT12 Since we wanted to install Ubuntu 22.04 alongside Windows 11 Pro, we shrunk the Windows 11 partition by about half in the Disk Management […]

GEEKOM Mini IT12 review – Part 2: Windows 11 Pro tested on an Intel Core i7-12650H Alder Lake mini PC

GEEKOM Mini IT12 Mini PC Review

We first checked out the GEEKOM Mini IT12 with an unboxing and teardown of the Intel Core i7-12650H Alder Lake mini PC in the middle of December 2023, and we’ve now had plenty of time to test the mini PC with Windows 11 Pro since the device was out of stock for a while and we were asked to postpone the review… Now that the mini PC is for sale again, we will report our experience with the Windows 11 Pro operating system in the second part of the review of the Mini IT12. This will include an overview of the software, features testing, various benchmarks including storage and networking performance, 4K and 8K YouTube video streaming, cooling performance, fan noise, and finally, we will provide some power consumption numbers. Software overview and features testing The System->About menu wrongly shows we have a “Mini Air12” mini PC instead of a […]

GEEKOM Mini Air12 mini PC review – Part 3: Ubuntu 22.04 Linux

GEEKOM Mini Air12 mini PC Review Ubuntu 22.04 Linux

After going through an unboxing and teardown for the GEEKOM Mini Air12, we tested the Intel Processor N100 mini PC with Windows 11 Pro, and we’ve now had time to check Ubuntu 22.04 on the device and will report our experience with Linux in the third part of the review. We tested the hardware features, networking and storage performance, YouTube video streaming, and ran some benchmarks in Ubuntu 22.04, before checking out the cooling performance, fan noise, and power consumption of the GEEKOM Mini Air12 in Linux. We installed Ubuntu 22.04 alongside Windows 11, after having shrunk the Windows 11 partition by about half before inserting a USB drive with Ubuntu 22.04.3 ISO, and the installation went smoothly with no drivers missing. Ubuntu 22.04 system information The About window in the settings confirms we have a mini PC with a quad-core Intel Processor N100 SoC, 16GB of RAM, and a […]