I use my Intel NUC with Atom N2820 processor daily. It’s quiet, neat and runs Openelec like a dream. It was cheap too but now I’m wondering if I should have waited. The Ainol Mini PC comes with RAM, storage, a Windows OS and a 26 Wh battery for just $129. It’s silent too!
Ainol Mini PC
It doesn’t have a Gigabit Ethernet port but it does have USB3.0 so adding an adaptor is no problem. Retro-fitting an infra-red reciever might be a problem though and of course this Baytrail-T ‘tablet without screen’ is not going to allow for any expansion. The storage won’t be as fast as what’s possible with the SATA interface on an Intel NUC. The biggest problem I see though is that you might have problems installing your favorite Linux distro on this due to the 32-bit UEFI bug. Some tablets come with a 64-bit Windows not but you can clearly see that this 64-bit CPU is running a 32-bit Windows version on the Geekbuying sales page.
Along with the Baytrail-T-based dongles these are interesting IoT-style products (and with a 3G dongle could be the perfect malicious hotspot) but until they allow you to boot your chosen 64-bit OS they’re not flexible enough. If anyone finds a similar one with 64-bit UEFI bootloader, let us know.
Update: Voyo has a similar product with a smaller battery.
Voyo mini pc with battery.
Hat-tip: Liliputing.
Wonder how long it could work with a USB powered screen attached.
i have a lenovo lt1423p usb+wireless display, would give it a goal and let you know.
The bigger story hiding here is how successful Intel has become at getting the Chinese ARM manufacturers (of which Ainol is one of the best) to build atom devices (and MS at getting them to use Windows). Yes, these have come in part because of subsidy, but ARM/android was looking placed to completely dominate the tablet and mini-pc space, and wintel have managed to rescue some potential of building some brand loyalty out of what was looking like a completely lost cause– especially in China and the lower cost end of the market.
As for the device and article.. it comes with RAM and storage? I hope so! How much might be a bit relevant!!
received from taobao (a chinese online shopping website like ebay amazon). it is light, build quality is good, ‘one touch power switch and it is on’ which is quite bad. charge via usb to dc 2.5mm power cable, the maximum power draw is 1A so it will take a few hours to charge. no problem to charge it with a mobile phone power bank.
the os is in simplified chinese, so backup the original driver using Double Driver, then create a bootable usb drive using ‘rufus’ with ‘windows 8.1 with bing en 32bits’, no problems at all.
the wifi is N and get around 120, same as my note3. after dozens windows update it is not even warm.
it feels smoother than a Lenovo G50-30 N2830 (N2830 with 2G ram) or as good as a Lenovo Miix2 8. haven’t test the storage, usb3 and TF speed.
I got it for RMB$699 US$112 (some vendor offer as low as RMB$599 US$96) and it is good value, as long as it can last a year or two.
The reason of getting this is. thinking of pairing it with a Nexus9 or a iPad Pro, remote desktop/vnc to the Ainol minipc while on the road.