Byte Fanless Mini PC – Built for Linux
us.starlabs.systems
us.starlabs.systems
Full disclosure: they said I broke it. My side of things is that it's stayed on my desk or in a bag most of the time. It never got subjected to rough handling, and this has never happened with any other laptop I've owned. I think it was an issue with build quality if even gentle handling can break it.
The whole experience was very disappointing. I'd really hoped that supporting a smaller company like this would mean I'd get more personal support, but that wasn't the case with Star Labs. This isn't a reflection on the Byte mini PC, of course, but just be cautious about dealing with companies if their products break easily and they don't offer good customer support.
Seems to me both are for similar use cases. I'm using mine as firewall appliances for example.
The annoying thing with a lot these mini-PCs is the external power brick which ends up being nearly as large again. I'd like to seem more with an integrated power supply
The downside for the company is that they'll have to field complaints from people who use underpowered power supplies. Although I suppose that could mostly be prevented by shipping an approved power supply with the computer.
I recently got a couple of Asus Deskmini X300s. Great little machines. But the power supply is 1/3 of the size of the machine and has really long cables on both sides.
It's become a kind of hobby of mine, once a month or so, to search AliExpress to see if there's any way I can replace my 240w MSI charging brick with a GAN version yet. I keep finding GAN chargers that almost work - either not quite powerful enough, or don't have the right adapter.
Or is video over USB C a Thunderbolt thing and not a USB C 3.0 thing?
On another note, this is why it was never a big deal for Intel to get out of the NUC market, another company would fill in the niche.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Alternate_Mode_partner_s...
https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/07/14/star-labs-byte-mk-ii...
Which is just to say it is a different niche than any desktop.
Great wee device. Just not good fit for my project. I love fanless: lavalier microphones pick up rediculous amounts of throb from fans!
(I'm on a radxa 4 drive USB to SATA bridge hat on a pi4, so all the pain of USB and a jmicron SATA bridge which isn't being upgraded.)
As if that existed.
Also, I ponder what is the threat vector presented by an "unpatchable mystery blob" that is not already present without one.
Let me explain what unique threat the blob poses:
https://securityaffairs.co/58656/hacking/intel-management-en...
I thought you were talking about proprietary microcode, which all of these chips you mention do come with. Or even worse, since they are all SoCs.... You'd have to e.g. avoid using the Ethernet controller on them (which generally has flashable eeproms with code) which would also happen to be an effective prevention of any ME issues even if were running an ancient version of ME.
I.e. the only threat vector you mentioned does not apply and can't possibly apply. A mac shares more firmware with your average intel laptop than this.
There are good ARM CPUs, like in the NVIDIA Orin modules, or in some boards offered by MediaTek and Qualcomm, which are derived from their smartphone products, but all these are very expensive in comparison with the Intel products.
If you are not scared by much higher than Intel prices, you can look e.g. for products including these:
https://www.mediatek.com/iot/products/genio1200-devkits
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/autonomous-machines/embedded-sy...
(at the NVIDIA site you must ignore any module or devkit that does not include the word "Orin" in the name, everything else is too old junk, even if it appears to be cheaper)
For cheaper than Intel, but with performance at the level of the previous Intel Atom CPUs (i.e. Tremont-based, like Jasper Lake and Elkhart Lake) there are many products using the Chinese Rockchip CPU RK3588, for which much more public information is provided than for any Intel or AMD CPU, so I would trust it much more for implementing a secure appliance like a firewall, but not all of those products are well designed and some are overpriced (i.e. anything more than $200 for a complete computer with RK3588 is grossly overpriced).
The advantage of ARM in laptops are clear - the battery life/performance/heat tradeoff is better. It’s also clear for server farms.
But if I’m just running Linux on a desktop anyway, why would I care about ARM vs x86 unless I’m targeting my builds for other ARM computers.
The "uncompromised security" line suggests that the product is targeted at this group. The Intel CPU shows that it's actually aimed at people "just running Linux on a desktop anyway".
On the other hand, for a very cheap, secure and fanless (i.e. reliable and silent) network appliance, like a firewall/router/NAT/Web server/e-mail server etc., a small ARM-based computer, e.g. one with RK3588, may be the best choice. (but not all ARM CPUs are documented well enough to make them more trustworthy that the Intel/AMD CPUs)
If your insecure personal computer is shielded from the public Internet by a secure firewall, you need not worry that its remote management features, which are supposed to be disabled, can in fact be activated without your knowledge.
And that would depend on the processor more than anything else. E.g. raspberry pis consume more power on idle than some of these x86 boxes which are more powerful (but more expensive)
Note that 0 in dB scale indicates a 1:1 ratio with something, and not a zero in linear scale. Indeed, a zero in linear scale corresponds to -infinity in dB scale.
I think most people would intuitively conclude as much without knowing the specifics, so it’s not unclear or wrong to label this device as 0 dB (unless it actually does produce an audible sound, or course).
https://www.servethehome.com/the-gowin-r86s-revolution-low-p...
That review is old, meanwhile R86S has been updated to use the newer Intel CPUs, N100 (4-core) or i3-N305 (8-core).
However it has some flaws, e.g. it is not fanless.
That's because it is top of the line and very few devices actually need that kind of bandwidth. For switch-to-switch links I can see the point (and for specialized datacenter applications) but for home use it is mostly overkill.
That's not what I want from a vendor. I want clarity.
There are adapters from USB 4/Thunderbolt to 10 Gb/s Ethernet.
Moreover, when 2 computers are close enough, you can connect them with a Thunderbolt cable and you will have the equivalent of a fast Ethernet connection. The operating systems will show extra network interfaces that can be configured and used for communication between the two computers.
Now all new Intel and AMD low-power CPUs include a controller for two USB 4/Thunderbolt ports, so there are no good reasons for any new small computer or laptop to not have them.
If the USB 4/Thunderbolt ports are not occupied by a monitor or power supply, so both are free, you can daisy chain a large number of small computers in the equivalent of a 10 Gb/s Ethernet network, without expensive switches, adapters or NICs.
https://www.ahead-it.eu/en/shop/servers/embedded-iot/intel-a...
Those?
Technically they are fanless but I wonder how well they would work outside of a rack with high ambient, they seem to be fanless themselves but still rely on having plenty of air pulled across the casing. Mounting them vertically might work. 850 euro though!
I feel these machines in particular are probably for office work where everything needed is online. I don't do IT but I would imagine that these machines would make the reduction of windows licensing fees pretty straightforward if your business is all done online.