Introduction and Design
A fanless Apollo Lake mini system with upgradable storage
Azulle might not be a familiar name unless you have been browsing for mini PCs lately, as the company offers various small form-factor computers and accessories on Amazon.
Today we will take a close look at their Intel Apollo Lake-powered Byte3 mini PC which starts at $179.99 (and goes up to $337.99 depending on configuration), and provides another fanless solution to this category. Does our $199.99 quad-core version, which includes Windows 10 Pro, stand out? Read on to find out!
Specifications:
- Processor: Quad-core Intel Apollo Lake N3450
- RAM: 4 GB / 8 GB
- Storage: eMMC 32 GB / 2.5" SSD or M.2 SSD Supported
- M.2 Slot: AHCI (SATA)
- GPU: Intel HD Graphics 500
- Wi-Fi: Dual-Band 2.4 GHz / 5.0 GHz
- Ethernet: 1 Gigabit
- Bluetooth: 4.0
- Display Output: 1x HDMI (4K @60Hz), 1x VGA
- USB Ports: 3x USB 3.0 / 1x USB 2.0 / 1x USB Type-C
- SD Slot: Up to 256 GB
- BIOS: Wake on LAN / PXE / BIO Reset
- IR: IR Control
- Audio Output: 3.5 mm jack
- OS Support: Windows 10 Pro / Ubuntu Linux
- Power Supply: 12V
- Dimensions: 5.6 x 4 x 1.5 inches
Thanks to Azulle for providing the Byte3 for our review!
- Azulle Byte3 Mini PC (N3450/4GB/32GB/Win 10 Pro): $199.99 – Amazon.com
We'll start with a quick look inside the box:
The Byte3 has a small, rectangular form-factor of some 5.6 inches wide and 4 inches deep, with a height of 1.5 inches.
The Byte3's enclosure feels very well made, and has a nicely finished appearance. The only disruption of the low profile form-factor is the rear-mounted antenna, which should help provide better Wi-Fi reception.
I/O is good for a mini system, beginning on the right side where there is a standard SD card slot and one each USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.
On the back, left to right we find a 3.5 mm audio jack, two more USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, and USB Type-C.
The other side of the Byte3 offers some ventilation
The top of the device is a metallic material that is part of the heatsink:
From the bottom there is access to the system board – and the storage upgrade options – by removing the metal plate.
Next we'll take a look inside the Byte3 and then check out the results with some performance benchmarks.
I’d like a fanless 2400G
I’d like a fanless 2400G based mini-pc even if it has to be much larger than this thing.
The single threaded performance of this thing just doesn’t look acceptable for even moderate office use. I find even my i5-6300 frustrating at times; especially when Outlook, OneDrive or Dropbox are syncing
Oh Man, That Intel has the
Oh Man, That Intel has the dosh to buy their way into so many design wins! And AMD needs to hopefully get enough Epyc based revenues going to have some extra dosh available to do likewise.
All these divice OEMs are so dependent on their CPU and GPU parts suppliers for the funds to create their products in this Superman Bizzaro Comic World where parts suppliers dictate to the Device OEMs on what will be done.
This kind of market did not exist as much until about the last few decades in the PC/Laptop world.
I too am looking for a Raven Ridge APU based option like this as well as many others if an when AMD gets the funds to purchase some OEM clout of its own!
I would love a 2400g version
I would love a 2400g version that can run Linux. I recently built a 2400g itx system which flies.
It looks like Intel’s ability
It looks like Intel’s ability to fund all these OEM design wins is forcing all of use to eat Intel’s dogfood graphics once again. I for one will not forget that Intel has forced it’s dogfood graphics down on the entire market’s throats for more than a decade now and no matter what graphics Raja cooks up for Intel I’m not in a forgive and forget mood.
Folks better start asking Zotac and others if they are ready for some serious angry consumer boycotting if they don’t make with at least one Mini-Desktop sort of option that uses those Zen/With Vega Graphics RR desktop, or even mobile(For Fanless), mini sorts of SKUs.
It’s still going to take Intel a good lomg time even with Raja’s/His Team’s working long hours to properly vett and certify any New GPU design and Intel does not have the IP/Patent rights to use unified shaders in any of its in-house GPU designs without licensing from either AMD, Nvidia, or others who have the patent IP for unified shaders.
Nvidia and AMD do not even attempt to challenge each others GPU patents for unified shader/Other GPU IP as they both fear any that any court may invalidate any of their current Patent IP.
Look what happend to Nvidia when it tried to strong arm Samsung/others in court over some overly broad GPU patents the courts invalidated one overly broad Nvidia GPU IP patent and Nvidia withdrew a few others from consideration for fear that they would also be invalidated by any cout review.
Folks Patents are usually not even scrutinized at a greater detail even by the USPTO compared to any patent that is brought before a court to scrutinized by opposing patent attorneys and courts can and do invalidate patens brought before the courts in any legal filings. The USPTO often times grants patents that they have no business granting in the first place!
I would have liked to see the
I would have liked to see the CPU/heatsink side of the board. Where there is a will, there is a way.
The antenna does not look
The antenna does not look like it can be unscrewed and replaced. I hope I’m wrong.