GOLE1 Pro mini PC comes with 5.5-inch touch screen display, Gemini Lake processor (Crowdfunding)

GOLE1 was quite a unique mini PC when it launched in 2016 as it included a 5-inch touchscreen display. HIGOLE is now back with the GOLE1 Pro based on a similar design, but a slightly larger 5.5-inch touchscreen display, and much better specs suitable for 2022’s software and entry-level use cases. The Atom x5-Z8300 “Cherry Trail” processor found in the original device gives way to an Intel Celeron N4200 or J4125 Gemini Lake processor, and the GOLE1 Pro mini PC, which the company sometimes also calls “HIGOLE PC 2022”, comes with up to 8GB LPDDR4X, a 128GB SSD, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFI 6 or 5, four USB 3.0 ports, and more. GOLE1 Pro specifications: SoC (one or the other) Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core processor @ 2.00 GHz / 2.70 GHz (Turbo) / 2.4 GHz (Turbo all cores) with 12EU Intel UHD Graphics 600 @ 250 MHz / 750 MHz (Turbo); 10W […]

Compact fanless firewall appliance offers 6x 2.5GbE ports for $230 and up

Firewall appliance 6x 2.5GbE ports

KingNovy has introduced a small fanless firewall appliance powered by an Intel Celeron J4125 Gemini Lake Refresh processor, equipped with six 2.5GbE ports through Intel i225-V Rev 3 Ethernet controllers, and selling for as low as $230 for the barebone model. The system supports up to 32GB RAM, mSATA and 2.5-inch SATA storage, features HDMI output and four USB 3.0/2.0 ports, plus an RJ45 console port, and is said to work with pfSense 2.5.x, OPNsense 22.1, OpenWrt, ROS7, ESXI, Proxmox, CentOS, and more. Specifications: SoC – Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core Gemini Lake Refresh processor @ 2.0 / 2.7 GHz (Turbo) / 2.4 GHz (Turbo all cores) with Intel UHD Graphics 600 @ 250/750 MHz; 10W TDP System Memory – Dual-channel Memory DDR4 (2400MHz) supporting up to 32GB RAM in total Storage – 1x mSATA socket, 2.5-inch SATA bay for SSD or HDD Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4K […]

Hardware security flaw impacts Intel Apollo Lake & Gemini Lake processors

Hardware security flaw intel-atom, celeron, pentium Apollo Lake, Gemini Lake

A few years go the Spectre and Meltdown hardware security vulnerabilities impacted a wide range of processors from Intel, AMD, Arm, and others. But a newly discovered hardware security flaw impacts specifically the Atom, Celeron, and Pentium from the Apollo Lake, Gemini Lake, Denverton … low-power processors we often feature on CNX Software. Researchers have managed to activate test or debug logic at runtime for some low-power Intel processors, which they could use to escalate privilege, retrieve the “fuse encryption key” aka “chipset key fuse” unique to each processor, and access encrypted data. Most people do not need to panic though, as the hack would require physical access to the machine, and Intel says it is releasing firmware updates to mitigate the vulnerability. High-value targets should care though as the hack only takes 10 minutes, and if a laptop is stolen or lost, a skilled attacker should be able to […]

Pantera Pico PC ultra-compact mini PC ships with Windows 10 or Ubuntu (Crowdfunding)

Pantera Pico PC

The Pantera Pico PC is an ultra-compact Gemini Lake Refresh mini computer similar to the Chuwi Larkbox Pro, that was supposed to launch in December 2020 through an Indiegogo campaign. Let’s say there have been delays, and the company – XDO Tech – has only just launched the Pico PC on Kickstarter for $149 and up. Pantera Pico PC specifications: SoC – Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core Gemini Lake Refresh @ 2.0 / 2.7 GHz (Turbo) / 2.4 GHz (Turbo all cores) with Intel UHD Graphics 600 @ 250/750 MHz; 10W TDP System Memory – Dual-channel 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4 Storage – 64 GB to 1TB M.2 2242 SSD, MicroSD card socket Video Output – HDMI 2.0 up to 4Kp60 Audio – 3.5mm speaker/microphone jack, digital audio via HDMI Connectivity Dual-Band WiFi (allegedly WiFi 6, but limited to 422 Mbps?),  Bluetooth 5.1 USB – 3x USB3.0, 1x USB2.0 Misc – Power button, […]

Intel Gemini Lake mini PCs offered with 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage for under $200 (Promo)

GK3V Mini PC discount

With new Intel Jasper Lake mini PCs just starting to coming down the pike, and Intel phasing out some of their Gemini lake processors, we may expect some discounts on selected Gemini Lake mini PCs. Today, I’ve been tipped about two mini PCs with 8GB RAM, and 128 or 256GB storage that sells for under $200, namely: GK3V mini PC with an Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core processor, support for a 2.5-inch SATA drive, two HDMI ports, a VGA port, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, and a few USB 2.0/3.0 ports. Sold for $175.36 with 128GB storage, and $194.98 with 256GB storage with the prices including shipping. CHUWI Herobox mini PC with an Intel Celeron N4100 quad-core Gemini Lake processor, a 256GB SSD, one HDMI port, one VGA port, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, and five USB ports. The company sells it for $189.99 shipped, but you can get a $5 discount with […]

GMK NucBox Review – A palm-sized Windows 10 mini PC

GMK NucBox Power Adapter

GMK released their diminutive mini PC called the NucBox a while ago however they have recently updated the BOM with a new fan and WiFi module together with changing their logo from GMK to GMK TEC. GMK sent the new NucBox for review and the results from various testing are detailed below. Hardware Overview The NucBox physically consists of a 62 x 62 x 42mm (2.44 x 2.44 x 1.65 inches) rectangular metal case with a plastic top and base plate. As an actively cooled mini PC, it uses Intel’s 14 nm J4125 Gemini Lake Refresh processor which is a quad-core 4-thread 2.00 GHz processor boosting to 2.70 GHz with Intel’s UHD Graphics 600. The front has just the power button whilst the rear includes two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, and a Type-C USB port for power. The left side has a microSD card slot and a headphone […]

MeLE Quieter2 Review – Windows 10, Ubuntu 20.04, and eGPU

Mele Quieter2 review

MeLE has recently released a passive mini PC called the Quieter2. What is particularly interesting is that whilst it only has a low-powered Intel Celeron CPU it also supports an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD drive which theoretically makes using an eGPU possible. MeLE provided a 99% discount coupon so that I could purchase one for review and the results from various testing are detailed below. Hardware Overview The Quieter2 physically consists of a 131 x 81 x 18.3mm (5.16 x 3.19 x 0.72 inches) rectangular plastic case with a metal base plate. The top half of the case is finely grooved to mimic the fins of a heat spreader but is made of plastic rather than metal to allow reception to the WiFi antennas as one is directly connected to it. As a passively cooled mini PC, it uses Intel’s 14 nm J4125 Gemini Lake Refresh processor which is a […]

QMiroPlus-201W – Arm router and Intel NAS in one device with Qualcomm IPQ4019 & Celeron J4125

QNAP QMiroPlus-201W

QNAP QMiroPlus-201W is an unusual networked storage device that’s acting both as a 2.5GbE & WiFI 6 router and NAS combining Qualcomm IPQ4019 Arm SoC for the router functions, and an Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core Gemini Lake processor for the NAS functions. Usually, you’d get the choice of either an Arm or Intel processor, but here QNAP decided to use both to keep the same performance as having separate Arm-based router and Intel-based NAS, but in a much more compact form factor. QNAP QMiroPlus-201W hardware specifications: SoC/memory/internal storage For router SoC – Qualcomm IPQ4019 quad-core Arm Cortex A7 @ 716.8MHz Memory – 512MB DDR3 Internal Storage – 4MB SPI NOR Flash & 4GB eMMC flash For NAS SoC – Intel Celeron J4125 quad-core Gemini Lake processor @2.0 GHz Memory – 4GB DDR4 Internal Storage – 4GB eMMC flash Data Storage – 2x 2.5-inch SATA 3Gb/s (Compatible with 6Gb/s SSD/HDD) bay Networking […]

EDATEC Raspberry Pi 5 fanless case