The Nuts About NUC Klub

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
NUC Background

The Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing) is a family of small form factor PCs which debuted a few years earlier in 2012 and are now a few generations down the road.



intel-nuc-toggle-kits-16x9.png.rendition.intel.web.864.486.png





Intel


NUC Overview


intel-nuc-features-2media-16x9.png.rendition.intel.web.1072.603.png



Wiki

NUC



to be contd...
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
But before that was Braswell from year 2015


Intel Braswell
14nm System On Chip (SOC) design introduced in 2015 as successor to BayTrail (22nm)
Intro
Kodi Forum



What's New With Braswell
4K, hevc video, dual channel RAM support etc...
LR Intro
Asrock claims that their Beebox supports Up to 48CH H.265 IP Cameras in D1 (704x576) resolution!



Asrock Beebox N3150
The Beebox is Asrock's vision of the NUC which was introduced in Computex 2015.

Proudly touted as the World's First NUC Mini PC with a USB Type-C Port - it's meant to be small, light and fast like the hardworking bee.






...
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
Asrock Beebox N3150
Asrock Beebox Series
Asrock Beebox Microsite





Features
- cool running, low power CPU (just a parsimonious 6W)
- tiny size (maybe half a dozen stacked handphones, thereabouts)
- quiet (totally fanless in N3000 model)
- multiple communications option viz. GLAN, dual channel Intel 802.11ac wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, IR remote
- multiple video connections viz. DP, 2 x HDMI
- multiple storage options viz. eMMC, SATA, m-SATA
- multiple RAM slots with dual channel feature
- up to date ports eg. USB-C, Displayport 1.1a, HDMI 1.4


Suggested Usage

- home theater system (due to new H.265 support in Braswell)
- daily computing PC
- quiet bedroom PC or office desktop
- other users of NUC eg. kick-proof PC, VM testing etc...


Do not get this for...
- first person shooters
- heavy data crunching eg. video encoding
- bleeding edge hardware chasers, butt itchy frequent upgraders =:p


...
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
Choice Of OS
Windows or Linux or even both, why not?!
The case for Linux (& its variants)

* This is a decidedly impt decision as the Windows HD Audio driver from Intel still does NOT support HD Audio passthrough (will it ever?) despite long repeated requests from endusers.
Intel - the case against a HTPC on Windows

Thus, the current intention is to run both OS on the Beebox for the best of both worlds experience
- Win 10 Home on the bundled 128GB mSATA SSD for daily operations like surfing, email etc...
- Linux Mint on the onboard 32GB eMMC or Kodi/Openelec on a flashdrive, purely for entertainment eg. video watching and streaming
- file storage on an add on cheap spinning 2.5" HDD



Kodi/Openelec Discussion
Asrock Beebox's very own dedicated Kodi/Openelec thread with developer support!



Team-Kodi Developer, fritsch with Openelec
This guy is doing a great job with his releases, the other releases to look out for come from another developer, Matt Devo

fritsch Openelec
v17
Suggested settings



...
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
48,423
Reaction score
7,556
Imho.
This one n series cpu too weak liao.
Should at least get one with i3-6100u or i5-5200u.

But those are quite expensive at least around $430 after $100 discount on Qoo10 and after that still need to top up more for ram ssd/hdd and os.

Unless you really want the small form factor otherwise I think buy a laptop with same cpu better.

Can go as low as $599 at show including ram hdd os display screen and windows 10.

Alternative go itx and uses i3-6100T.
Not as much power saving and bigger size cost almost as much as the laptop.

In the end I feel that the power saving cost does not make it worth while for me to make such investment.
 

watzup_ken

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2003
Messages
25,491
Reaction score
1,931
I think it really depends what you wanna use the NUC for. In my case, I have been using a version with an Intel Core i3 5010U, and it works very well as a light gaming and HTPC. So the base of an i5 really depends on what the user plans to do with it.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
48,423
Reaction score
7,556
I think it really depends what you wanna use the NUC for. In my case, I have been using a version with an Intel Core i3 5010U, and it works very well as a light gaming and HTPC. So the base of an i5 really depends on what the user plans to do with it.

i3-5010U quite good liao.
Compare to N3150 which is KNS.
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
Imho.
This one n series cpu too weak liao.
Should at least get one with i3-6100u or i5-5200u...

I think it really depends what you wanna use the NUC for...

Good fair arguments both ways, guess it is always a balance of several factors eg. cost$ vs speed vs power savings vs size and coming to an acceptance of such compromises eventually.

Before jumping blindly over to newer is better, there seems to be quite a lot of enduser feedback about persistent Skylake NUC issues over at Intel.
Intel NUC
Intel Communities

Braswell may be older and slower but remember it has been well battle tested over the last year. :)
 

Op_Valkyrie

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
12,632
Reaction score
880
Bump for Macclipper Kor Kor.... Long time didn't see ur hardware review liao.... :D
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
Greetings!

Yah, taking it real slow and easy for hardware these days... =:p



Braswell vs Android Media Boxes
Discussion

Kodi forum warning about certain cheap Android boxes
"Its very common with dirt cheap Android devices to come with lots of Bugs and no after sales support. Most are absolute rubbish, using pump and dump Marketing techniques to seduce unwary newbie buyers. False product reviews are very common."




Posted earlier but worthwhile repeating here
Intel Iris Pro NUC

Perhaps, this is the one to look forward to next month if anyone wants a much speedier NUC rather than the present troubled Skylake models out there.



...
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
48,423
Reaction score
7,556
Greetings!

Yah, taking it real slow and easy for hardware these days... =:p



Braswell vs Android Media Boxes
Discussion

Kodi forum warning about certain cheap Android boxes
"Its very common with dirt cheap Android devices to come with lots of Bugs and no after sales support. Most are absolute rubbish, using pump and dump Marketing techniques to seduce unwary newbie buyers. False product reviews are very common."




Posted earlier but worthwhile repeating here
Intel Iris Pro NUC

Perhaps, this is the one to look forward to next month if anyone wants a much speedier NUC rather than the present troubled Skylake models out there.




...

:s13:
Too high end and expensive for entry level moi.
 

watzup_ken

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2003
Messages
25,491
Reaction score
1,931
Before jumping blindly over to newer is better, there seems to be quite a lot of enduser feedback about persistent Skylake NUC issues over at Intel.
Intel NUC
Intel Communities

Braswell may be older and slower but remember it has been well battle tested over the last year. :)

When I first got my NUC, I was quite surprise how bad Intel's BIOS is actually. Right off the bat when I first booted it up, I ran into issues as it will not boot up when I am using the mini DP output. So I had to wait for a couple of days before the mini HDMI converter arrive before I can get it to boot up, and this was a common problem I read online with the existing BIOS. So when I got in, the first thing to do was to flash to the latest BIOS. Very bad idea because the next time I try to use it, it will not start up. In the end, they replaced a new one for me, and when it worked fine, I stopped short of doing anything to the BIOS at all. It seems that fragile to me. :o

Anyway, the reason why I chose an Core i3 NUC was the price. Its not overly expensive like the i5 and i7 ones, and not too pricey as compared to an NUC running a Braswell SOC when you consider the difference in the performance.
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
Yah, that Iris Pro model is super high end and Intel is asking for your arm/leg... but... but it has i7, Iris Pro leh and also TB3 which can use higher end external video cards for gaming!

So perhaps, either wait a while longer for this high end high cost Iris Pro model or settle now for good enough Braswell at much lower cost since current in-between range models are still inconsistent.

For now imo, the Braswell Beebox really makes more for a good budget Openelec HTPC than a daily usage Windows PC though.
 

watzup_ken

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2003
Messages
25,491
Reaction score
1,931
Yah, that Iris Pro model is super high end and Intel is asking for your arm/leg... but... but it has i7, Iris Pro leh and also TB3 which can use higher end external video cards for gaming!

So perhaps, either wait a while longer for this high end high cost Iris Pro model or settle now for good enough Braswell at much lower cost since current in-between range models are still inconsistent.

For now imo, the Braswell Beebox really makes more for a good budget Openelec HTPC than a daily usage Windows PC though.

Actually I feel at 650 USD for the bare bone rig, I think its not overly expensive since its really a power house despite its size. That's about SGD 910 (using exchange of 1.4). Currently, the last gen i7 NUC are already cost close to this range locally and yet nowhere as powerful as this.
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
So when I got in, the first thing to do was to flash to the latest BIOS. Very bad idea because the next time I try to use it, it will not start up...
Skylake models also suffered similar serious fates with their recent BIOS, took v36 to bugfix
bios-version-36


Actually I feel at 650 USD for the bare bone rig, I think its not overly expensive since its really a power house despite its size...
Adding on RAM, SSD etc... and it's easily over 1K SGD, may be a tough sell to most of the dwindling endusers still remaining on a desktop PC.

Anyway, with such high hopes/pricing, let's hope that at least Intel gets it stable enough from the get go BIOS v1 this time round.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
48,423
Reaction score
7,556
imho, $1000 i rather go build a M-ITX PC.
Although M-ITX size will be alot bigger and power consumption will be more, but can add in GPU and if mobo spoil can replace.

NUC don't have the option of replacing mobo or adding in GPU.
External GPU addon via thunderbolt is sibei expensive.

I will continue to tan gu gu for Intel Atom to improve bah.
x7-Z8700 already beat N3150 liao.
I tan gu gu to see Apollo Lake performance.
 

poor_poor

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
2
This configure very good for user who need cloud server or host web site using WAMP server and FTP server as well.

Add-in Samsung Momentus 4TB SATA III 5400 RPM 2.5-inch Hard Drive - Free delivery from amazon into the devices and you can download torrent file and access your file from anywhere.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Momen...1460944340&sr=1-2&keywords=2.5inch+hard+drive



Install PLEX on your windows and you can stream all your video over air into your android or windows.
Stream everything
Now you can stream every single movie, TV show, home video, song and photo in your collection to any device, anywhere. Whether your files are scattered across computers and the cloud or perfectly catalogued in one place, Plex organizes it all and presents it beautifully on any screen. This means your phone, tablet, or PC, as well as your big screen through your PlayStation, Xbox, or favorite streaming device.
https://plex.tv/ad/getstarted


There are lot of option you can make use of this product.
 

MacClipper

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
33,617
Reaction score
4
imho, $1000 i rather go build a M-ITX PC...
Case of diminishing returns as one throws more and more money at it.

imo, best is to buy what one needs at the maximum cost performance instead of just throwing $$$ at it hoping to make something beyond its intended purposes. Adding $$$ external boxes with gaming video cards... total NUC footprint gets larger, more and more cumbersome too, might as well get a m-ITX or even a more versatile/cheaper m-ATX rig.
eg. my fave portable gaming case with handle

It all depends on how one can think outside the box and make use of its best potential. For Braswell, the super low power of the chip and its improved video capability makes it a very good match for HTPC and other 24/7 operating purposes.


This configure very good for user who need cloud server or host web site using WAMP server and FTP server as well...
Others agree too.

Just check out this guy's multiple Braswell setup with 2 x Asrock N3150-ITX mobos and 1 x J1900 set.
Low power budget servers...

DSCN19911_zpslzf2fbbp.jpg
 
Last edited:

poor_poor

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
2
imho, $1000 i rather go build a M-ITX PC.
Although M-ITX size will be alot bigger and power consumption will be more, but can add in GPU and if mobo spoil can replace.

I find it crazy to spend 1k on a low profile computer.

If i want a pc just for torrent and watch movie and i rather go for the cheapest option and smallest case if possible.

Nowadays BTO so small.
 
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top