Intel has disclosed today that it will halt further development of its small form factor Next Unit of Compute (NUC) PCs. The tech giant expects its partners to take over and keep serving markets served by its NUC systems as it focuses on much more profitable chips businesses.
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I've been buying small fanless PCs from a couple of places recently.
I think OnLogic will be OK. Not sure about SimplyNUC ...at minimum they may change their name, lol.
There are a ton of mini PC vendors on Amazon, just check the PC thread here. They way undercut Intel on price and have options throughout the performance range.
Beelink PCs for example have been a popular option.
While I have always loved the Intel NUC's looks, there are plenty of other min pc's out there now.
I also tend to like the business level mini pc products that folks like Lenovo, HP, Dell make.
What would compete with this for just over $600 ($619)?
https://www.newegg.com/p/2SW-000B-004J6?Item=9SIB68EJV96654&Tpk=9SIB68EJV96654
Now check the amount of (D)RAM: 8GB vs 32GB
Who cares. You won’t use that much for this service and a few docker containers. It’s the cpu that pretty much matters here.
The machine that I posted will never run Channels DVR. It will however run applications that will require more than 8GB of ram.
Anyone else got anything? Anything at all?
(am I the only one that finds it mildly offensive that if you increase the ram to 24GB on that mac mini m2
link that it increases the price to $1000?)
Why not look at business mIni/micro pcs. You can often upgrade the ram.
Dell Optiplex, HP Pro/Elite Desk, Lenovo ThinkCenter/ThinkStation
https://www.microcenter.com/product/667482/dell-optiplex-micro-7010-desktop-computer
https://www.microcenter.com/product/667478/dell-optiplex-micro-7010-desktop-computer
Older gen hardware is fairly cheap
https://www.microcenter.com/product/652802/hp-prodesk-600-g5-mini-desktop-computer-(refurbished)
There also is other brand "Barebones" mini pcs.
https://www.microcenter.com/product/644179/asus-pn50-minipc-w-ryzen-r7
As far as I understand it, it is not just RAM u are upgrading, but it is shared Unified memory for the whole cpu and gpu with their Apple Silicon. It is very different than PC architecture.
Different how? Please expand.
essentially RISC vs CISC and their evolution. Google can expand.
I only seen a few keynotes on their tech, but not care enough to dive too far into it.
For one thing, it is ARM based cpus, and not x86/64 like the past Intel CPU's they used.
You can't run bootcamp and dual boot windows natively on the new macs anymore.
Long answer, provided to you by ChatGPT...
Intel CPUs and Apple's M CPUs, also known as Apple Silicon, differ significantly in their architectures. Here are the key architectural differences between the two:
- Instruction Set Architecture (ISA):
- Intel CPUs use the x86-64 instruction set architecture, which is widely used in the PC industry and compatible with most software designed for Windows and other x86-based operating systems.
- Apple's M CPUs are based on ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) instruction set architecture, commonly used in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. ARM-based CPUs are known for their energy efficiency and are widely used in mobile devices due to their low power consumption.
- Manufacturing Process:
- Intel CPUs are manufactured using Intel's own foundries and process technologies. In recent years, Intel has faced challenges in transitioning to smaller process nodes, resulting in delays in their product roadmap.
- Apple's M CPUs are manufactured by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) using a more advanced and efficient 5-nanometer (5nm) process technology. This process provides better power efficiency and performance compared to Intel's older manufacturing nodes.
- CPU Core Design:
- Intel CPUs traditionally use a complex, out-of-order execution architecture with multiple cores and higher clock speeds. This design prioritizes raw performance and is well-suited for workloads that benefit from parallelism and single-threaded performance.
- Apple's M CPUs utilize a unified, high-efficiency core design. These cores are based on the ARM architecture and are known for their power efficiency. Apple's M-series chips also incorporate performance cores for demanding tasks, delivering a balance between power efficiency and performance.
- Graphics Processing:
- Intel CPUs typically feature integrated graphics processors (GPUs) designed for general-purpose computing and basic gaming. Intel's integrated GPUs have improved over the years, but they are still considered entry-level in terms of performance.
- Apple's M CPUs incorporate Apple's custom-designed GPUs, which offer superior performance compared to Intel's integrated GPUs. Apple's GPUs are optimized for tasks such as machine learning, video editing, and graphics-intensive applications, making them suitable for professional workloads.
- Memory and System Integration:
- Intel CPUs have traditionally relied on a separate chipset for functions like memory control, I/O, and connectivity. This approach allows for flexibility in system configurations but can result in increased power consumption and complexity.
- Apple's M CPUs integrate various system components onto a single chip, including the CPU, GPU, memory controller, I/O interfaces, and security features. This integration improves power efficiency and performance while simplifying the overall system design.
It's worth noting that the architectural differences between Intel CPUs and Apple's M CPUs impact software compatibility. While most software is developed for x86-based systems, Apple has implemented translation layers like Rosetta to enable compatibility with x86 software on their M-based Macs. However, some software may require specific adaptations or updates to fully optimize performance on Apple's architecture.
There also is these:
The NEXT MINI PC I buy has to have Thunderbolt 4.
TB4 isn't that much different than TB3. Both have 40gbps data transfer ability. faster than most common storage devices out there real world. TB4 does support more monitor out put though, but, that is really is only usefull in the Mac space or mobile laptop space, as they only use the USB-C port now. PC gpus have plenty of outputs these days.
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