The integrated GPU will increase by at least a third, from 0.75 GHz to 1 GHz. However, the N100/N150 only has one RAM channel for DDR4-3200 or DDR5-4800. Therefore, the GPU can only use relatively slow data transfer speeds. Also, many cheap mini PCs are designed for slow DDR4 RAM. As a result, the GPU remains quite slow, despite the increased clock speed.
Mini PCs with integrated power supply
Apple’s latest generation Mac mini shows that an integrated power supply can also fit within the footprint of an Asus NUC.
Some Chinese mini PC manufacturers also offer devices with integrated voltage converters, such as Beelink’s EQR5, EQi12 and EQ13 devices with AMD or Intel mobile processors.
Beelink is already offering the Intel N150 in its EQ14, which is available to order.
Maxtang also offers a mini PC with integrated power supply, the MAX-N100 with the Intel N100. Built-in power supplies not only take up space in the case, but also increase the effort required to develop and certify the device. This is because the power supply must meet relevant standards such as electrical safety and efficiency, and these standards also vary from country to country. Therefore, it is much easier for PC developers to design their devices for low-voltage power supplies only and incorporate an external power supply purchased depending on the delivery country.
Other Twin Lake Minis
Chinese company Newsmay is currently producing the second generation of its fanless Mini PC AC8-N, which is equipped with Intel N150 or N250. The previous version used N100/N200. The Newsmay AC8-N comes with an external power supply and is also listed as Szbox AC8-N on AliExpress. A special feature is that in addition to HDMI and DisplayPort, it also has a VGA output. Unlike the Beelink EQ14, which has a USB socket up to 5 Gbit/s, the Beelink also uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 at 10 Gbit/s.
The GMKtec NucBox G3 Plus also uses the Intel N150, but has both an external power supply and a fan cooler. The device has a built-in network chip for 2.5 Gbit/s Ethernet
