Tiny Fanless Mini-PC Runs Linux Or Windows On Quad-core AMD SoC

DeviceGuru writes CompuLab has unveiled a tiny 'Fitlet' mini-PC that runs Linux or Windows on a dual- or quad-core 64-bit AMD x86 SoC (with integrated Radeon R3 or R2 GPU), clocked at up to 1.6GHz, and offering extensive I/O, along with modular internal expansion options. The rugged, reconfigurable 4.25 x 3.25 x 0.95 in. system will also form the basis of a pre-configured 'MintBox Mini' model, available in Q2 in partnership with the Linux Mint project. To put things in perspective, CompuLab says the Fitlet is three times smaller than the Celeron Intel NUC.

Comments

Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[damn_registrars]

These guys are claiming barebones PCs will start at $129. I find this a relief in comparison to the companies that keep offering barebones rigs like these starting at $400 or more.

Re:Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[PPH]

with Windows 8.1 preinstalled

And since nobody likes Windows 8.x, its pretty much a fanless PC as well.

Re:Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[jellomizer]

If you buy the top of the line model for around 2k you get about 6 years out of it, so that is $300 per year. If you buy a starting PC for $400 you will get about 2 years out of it $200 per year.

Now if these barbone PCs will be able to operate modern OS and websites without being unbearable for over a year we are still making out.

Re:Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[Tough Love]

Their previous offerings have been in the $300 range, I have two of them from a few years back. Beautiful, understated and rugged engineering. Due to the technology of the day, somewhat underpowered but they still manage debian with KDE, short of smooth video playback or 3D animation. With wifi and a hard disk they run a bit hot at 11 watts, but with 100 MHz ethernet and a SSD they drop down to less than 4 watts.

I certainly do not begrudge them their relatively high price point in the past, it allowed their boutique business to survive until technology caught up with them. Now, with the kickass AMD graphics, improved mips/watt, more memory and half the price, they land firmly in the buy it and try it zone. Remember Shuttle? We all hoped they would keep pushing the envelope of light and tight, but they lost the plot and devolved to just another mediocre box maker.

This new generation of Fit PCs should now be just about perfect for video playing, and even work decently for legacy 3D games, but don't even think about the latest Far Cry. Or the latest Windows for that matter, if you want it to be not a toy then it better be running Linux, you have been warned.

These little boxes are just about as perfect as you can get for a home server. Completely silent, can be exanded to as much usb storage as you want, the right network connectivity, enough memory. The tiny power envelope means "always on" is a no brainer. Also decent for a non-professional browsing/emailing box capable of running drawing programs but not engineering CAD. Gimp but not Photoshop (unless you are truly patient...) Blender but not Maya.

I really appreciate the return to the straight box form factor. Their previous couple of generations are curvy and cute, but what practical sense does that make? I will take squat and homely, but stacks nicely, any day. That is beautiful to me. Much like the way I like my stero amplifier.

So long as Android fails to gain the UI functionality you actually need for productivity apps, these tiny PCs have a niche to grow in, and needless to say, these are fully functional with completely "libre" software with all the benefits that entails, not at all the case with Android.

No, they didn't pay me to write this post or send me a free machine. I just really like the way they engineer their boxes, their general attitude, and their stick-with-it-ness, and needless to say, their first class Linux support.

Re:Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[Jane Q. Public]

That said it's not three times smaller, it's three times less volume. It's only 2cm on a side smaller, not much bigger than a Raspberry Pi B+, which let's be honest, isn't game-changing at this point. 2012 was a long time ago.

"Times smaller" is an excruciatingly ambiguous phrase anyway. It is very much open to interpretation, even if you presume they mean volume.

Re:Perhaps at last an affordable mini PC?

[WuphonsReach]

Give it a SSD and 8GB of RAM and useful life might approach a decade. It might add $100 to the cost, but will definitely make it into something that will be useful for more then 2-3 years.

Frequency

[Anonymous Coward]

clocked at up to 1.6GHz

Actually we might as well stop mentioning the CPU clock speed of devices already. :) They all hover around 2GHz and still vary wildly in performance. At this point the clock speed is essentially just a trivial configuration parameter of the chip.

Network appliance

[phorm]

Depending on how well the ethernet interface performs, this looks like it would make a decent little network appliance (PFsense, etc). Of course with the R2 graphics, it's probably good for more than that, but since Via seemed to slow down on their stuff I've had issues finding good mini-boards for firewalls etc (not enough interfaces on a Pi, which is also a bit slow).

It looks like the 6200T also has some AES acceleration, but I wonder if there's anything like Via's padlock (which was quite nice for VPN's or SSL tunnels).

Only thing missing is a fan

[Russ1642]

I have a Chromecast, which is a mini PC on a dongle. It has a fanless design, but it desperately needs on. Trying to keep it cool in the summer is difficult and after ten minutes it's too hot and stalls.

Hope it has GigE.

[Mal-2]

I have an E-350 laptop, and although it has only two cores at 1.6 GHz, it can easily keep up with 1080p video. (Having maxed it out at 8 GB of RAM doesn't hurt.) The thing that tends to be an issue is WiFi bandwidth. If wired to the network (it has GigE) or if the file is copied to local storage first, it's fine. Otherwise, you're just asking for the darn thing to burp several times during your movie.

Even 100Mbps Ethernet (using some old three-pair cable already in the wall) can prove insufficient for pulling 1080p off the NAS box, if there's any kind of contention at all.

Goddamnit ...

[thomst]

<RANT=ON>

... I simply DESPISE the locultion "(x) times smaller than." It's lazy, stupid writing, and it needs to die in a fire.

The proper way to phrase the concept would be "(suitable fraction) of the size of", as in "one third the size of".

<RANT=OFF>

With name like "MintBox"

[chispito]

It if doesn't fit in an Altoids tin, I'm suing for false advertising.

Re:Benchmarks for that AMD chip look bad...

[Tough Love]

Intel is two generations ahead on semiconductor process technology.

One generation. Atom is at 22nm and AMD is at 28nm. When Atom goes to 14nm TSMC/AMD will be at 20nm. Intel could move it along a little faster if they really wanted but they won't because, firstly the shiny new tech always goes to the high end chips, and secondly, they fear cannibalizing their own markets.

Another point: the generation advantage isn't what it used to be, remember when the speed would double and the cost would halve like clockwork? Those days are gone forever.