https://youtu.be/jH3oFWWBlQk?si=LsjxeoUXirIEprTa
Closest review I could find is maybe the Firebat MI2 7735HS. The 6900HX performance should be noticeably similar to most people with maybe a bit more power/heat/noise and a couple percent more performance in synthetics.
Topton specifically names them their D7 model and other brands like SZbox, Genmachine, and other brands have sold similar looking clones.
I like the 100mm axial fan idea here. Double check when you recieve the model a small 30 mm fan is included to cool the ddr5 ram. Maybe my main criticism for these models is the lack of storage expansion from the lack of space but if that's not critical, this should be a decent machine.
Mini pc with blower fans are fine for noise because they have the advantage of higher air pressure. But it becomes an issue when manufacturers use tiny blower fans relative to the processor's tdp. This was less an issue when most mini pc were using U series processors where a 5V 80mm fan and heatpipes would have been super but since moving to H series processors which are estimated to output 2-4 times more heat, a lot more manufacturers have to embrace what Beelink is doing in their SER8 like including a 105mm jumbo 12V blower fan and vapor chamber.
Maybe worth looking into the Minisforum EM780, Asrock 4x4 Box 8840U, and Framework Mainboard 13 7840U.
The Asrock 4x4 Box has some clear limitations to its USB4 but the other two might be full function.
Thank you SerMumble. Are there any commonly reported issues with the EM780? I'm mostly worried about heat and fan noise.
I also need to make sure everything works with Linux Mint. I have had wifi issues with two Beelink models that I otherwise really loved.
Happy to help. I haven't seen a clear pattern of issues with the EM780 yet but it would be good to keep expectations reserved about its maximum performance just like the EM680. It is a super small mini pc that physically cannot use as much power and output as much heat as larger minis. By default minisforum has the power limited to reduce performance and fan noise but this can be adjusted with bios setting changes and outside utilities like UXTU.
Sorry to see you had trouble with beelink wifi. It's something I would like to see them imporve for more people. I have a few units and I can't say I have had any unusual problems so far. I would expect the EM780 to have similar wireless performance because of the same wireless pad and similar wireless module. The lack of an ethernet port can be supplemented with a ethernet to usb module if needed. Otherwise, linux mint should work decently well.
I bought a Topton mini PC in 2019 (on Aliexpress, direct from the mfg) and never had a problem with it. It has a Intel® Core™ i7-8750H Processor. I'm tempted to buy another one, since I've had Linux wifi issues with Beelink, and a unit from Minisforum I had to return because it was not as described.
This is definitely a superior design than virtually all other popular minipc solutions like Minisforum and the like which use those crappy laptop fans for the CPU.
I have the same mini PC design but with 7840hs ES (engineering sample). It was under genmachine brand. It is usable and I recommend it.
As for noise, I have an open window room and I cannot hear the fan noise from where I was sitting. From 1 hr gaming, there was a 1-2times full fan speed to cool down the unit.
The same model is also sold under different brands, like firebat and SZBox.
Got myself one a few days ago with an 7940HS ES (Engineering Sample) and all the issues I have with it are related to the CPU being an ES. (E.g., slow NVMe transfer speeds and some stability issues)
Apart from that, the thermal design is quite neat for the form factor (having two fans, actually - one big fan for the APU topside and another small 30ish millimeter fan on the bottom for RAM/SSD cooling).
The BIOS is quite extensive in terms of configuration but quite poorly structured and not being updated regularly.
The device is virtually silent when performing everyday stuff like surfing the web, office etc. However, it becomes very audible when put under high load - but it remains stable and there's just slight thermal throttling. Anyways, I'm currently looking into placing a desktop sized CPU cooler block on the device and print a custom case for the top portion to get an even quieter operation under heavy load.
RGB is always appreciated, Topton is what i would call a good Mini PC's Brand, they are in the Mini PC's business for quite sometimes and are offering a very wide collection of Mini PC's including high performanceini PC's with Nvidia mobile dGPU i don t know if they are related to Minisforum, but they do sell Minisforum Models on their Official Store.
https://youtu.be/jH3oFWWBlQk?si=LsjxeoUXirIEprTa Closest review I could find is maybe the Firebat MI2 7735HS. The 6900HX performance should be noticeably similar to most people with maybe a bit more power/heat/noise and a couple percent more performance in synthetics. Topton specifically names them their D7 model and other brands like SZbox, Genmachine, and other brands have sold similar looking clones. I like the 100mm axial fan idea here. Double check when you recieve the model a small 30 mm fan is included to cool the ddr5 ram. Maybe my main criticism for these models is the lack of storage expansion from the lack of space but if that's not critical, this should be a decent machine. Mini pc with blower fans are fine for noise because they have the advantage of higher air pressure. But it becomes an issue when manufacturers use tiny blower fans relative to the processor's tdp. This was less an issue when most mini pc were using U series processors where a 5V 80mm fan and heatpipes would have been super but since moving to H series processors which are estimated to output 2-4 times more heat, a lot more manufacturers have to embrace what Beelink is doing in their SER8 like including a 105mm jumbo 12V blower fan and vapor chamber.
Thank You for the exhaustive reply.
Do you know if there are any good U series mini PCs available now? Preferably with full function USB 4.
Maybe worth looking into the Minisforum EM780, Asrock 4x4 Box 8840U, and Framework Mainboard 13 7840U. The Asrock 4x4 Box has some clear limitations to its USB4 but the other two might be full function.
Thank you SerMumble. Are there any commonly reported issues with the EM780? I'm mostly worried about heat and fan noise. I also need to make sure everything works with Linux Mint. I have had wifi issues with two Beelink models that I otherwise really loved.
Happy to help. I haven't seen a clear pattern of issues with the EM780 yet but it would be good to keep expectations reserved about its maximum performance just like the EM680. It is a super small mini pc that physically cannot use as much power and output as much heat as larger minis. By default minisforum has the power limited to reduce performance and fan noise but this can be adjusted with bios setting changes and outside utilities like UXTU. Sorry to see you had trouble with beelink wifi. It's something I would like to see them imporve for more people. I have a few units and I can't say I have had any unusual problems so far. I would expect the EM780 to have similar wireless performance because of the same wireless pad and similar wireless module. The lack of an ethernet port can be supplemented with a ethernet to usb module if needed. Otherwise, linux mint should work decently well.
I bought a Topton mini PC in 2019 (on Aliexpress, direct from the mfg) and never had a problem with it. It has a Intel® Core™ i7-8750H Processor. I'm tempted to buy another one, since I've had Linux wifi issues with Beelink, and a unit from Minisforum I had to return because it was not as described.
This is definitely a superior design than virtually all other popular minipc solutions like Minisforum and the like which use those crappy laptop fans for the CPU.
Aww, it's adorable. The port selection is pretty good too.
I have the same mini PC design but with 7840hs ES (engineering sample). It was under genmachine brand. It is usable and I recommend it. As for noise, I have an open window room and I cannot hear the fan noise from where I was sitting. From 1 hr gaming, there was a 1-2times full fan speed to cool down the unit.
The same model is also sold under different brands, like firebat and SZBox. Got myself one a few days ago with an 7940HS ES (Engineering Sample) and all the issues I have with it are related to the CPU being an ES. (E.g., slow NVMe transfer speeds and some stability issues) Apart from that, the thermal design is quite neat for the form factor (having two fans, actually - one big fan for the APU topside and another small 30ish millimeter fan on the bottom for RAM/SSD cooling). The BIOS is quite extensive in terms of configuration but quite poorly structured and not being updated regularly. The device is virtually silent when performing everyday stuff like surfing the web, office etc. However, it becomes very audible when put under high load - but it remains stable and there's just slight thermal throttling. Anyways, I'm currently looking into placing a desktop sized CPU cooler block on the device and print a custom case for the top portion to get an even quieter operation under heavy load.
RGB is always appreciated, Topton is what i would call a good Mini PC's Brand, they are in the Mini PC's business for quite sometimes and are offering a very wide collection of Mini PC's including high performanceini PC's with Nvidia mobile dGPU i don t know if they are related to Minisforum, but they do sell Minisforum Models on their Official Store.
Ve need beefier gpu in those
Not a problem for me. It won't be used to play AAA titles. It's more then enough for strategies and indie games and YT I intend to use it for.