I'm looking for a small, fanless miniPC to run my JRiver server and Tidal. W10.
I have a small HP laptop and an even smaller AERO FARA but both have a fan that is disturbing at serious listening.
Also would like an USB-C/Thunderbolt connection for the display.
And a bunch of USB ports of course.
Any tips?
Jan
I have a small HP laptop and an even smaller AERO FARA but both have a fan that is disturbing at serious listening.
Also would like an USB-C/Thunderbolt connection for the display.
And a bunch of USB ports of course.
Any tips?
Jan
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I use one of this ones, for Jriver and Kodi.
https://www.amazon.com/Kingdel-Powerful-Desktop-Computer-Industrial/dp/B07DM1MGG8
https://www.amazon.com/Kingdel-Powerful-Desktop-Computer-Industrial/dp/B07DM1MGG8
That doesn't have a USB C. This one seems OK:
https://www.amazon.com/MeLE-Quieter3C-Computer-Function-Industrial/dp/B0B74KLMWQ?th=1
Jan
https://www.amazon.com/MeLE-Quieter3C-Computer-Function-Industrial/dp/B0B74KLMWQ?th=1
Jan
And it is prettier, less expensive... The celeron is very weak, but you can run something like shut O&O or chris titus debloat (just in case) to trim down windows services... I like it
PI4 has 2 USB3 ports. Just the old connector. So if it was just speed, the newer 4 should work. I plug my Motu ultralite with a USB C connector to the 4.
Mac Mini.
E.g: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3254965138...5eM7zsoUgRqtWw35MdoPoFBV0Co=|tkp:BFBMpN-Fm9pi
Its has a fan - on mine, it come on once a year....
//
E.g: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3254965138...5eM7zsoUgRqtWw35MdoPoFBV0Co=|tkp:BFBMpN-Fm9pi
Its has a fan - on mine, it come on once a year....
//
VIA and Gigabyte have CD drive size fan-less boards, for the embedded / car PC market.
Asus as well, I think.
There may be others as well, it is a common product, I do not have ties to any names above.
May not be available everywhere.
I would use an old PC, with a 256 / 512 SSD for OS, and a large 4 TB HDD for storage.
Buy one intended for the server market, those tend to be rugged.
Provided space is not an issue.
More durable than laptops.
Asus as well, I think.
There may be others as well, it is a common product, I do not have ties to any names above.
May not be available everywhere.
I would use an old PC, with a 256 / 512 SSD for OS, and a large 4 TB HDD for storage.
Buy one intended for the server market, those tend to be rugged.
Provided space is not an issue.
More durable than laptops.
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PI4 has a bandwidth limitation on the USB2/3 ports. I can run two USB headphone adapters simultaneously, and then it runs out of steam. Slightly dependent on the number of subdevices the hardware has, so best case with some adapters may be three.
I use Intel NUC in Akasa fanless case with external 19V PSU as Roon ROCK server.
Not cheap solution, but I'm very satisfied.
Not cheap solution, but I'm very satisfied.
I experiment with my decade old NUC + Akasa Fanless Case, but it's not production. I'm into Raspberry Pi Toslink rigs, so production Mini PCs are a few years away maybe never. My requirements are off mains, Apacer (Audiophile) RAM and a low latency realtime kernel Audiophile OS. So my future PC will likely run from Super Capacitors as Batteries are just an experimentation. I make sure the Mini PC accepts a voltage I can use with Passive Power Supplies. I also require a PCI-E slot on my future Mini PC as I only use PCI-E ASM3142 USB chipset cards nowadays. It's rare to find but some Mini PCs have a PCI-E slot. Oh, and I also require a Xeon processor exclusively if I ever do a future build.
With that said, I cut the fan wires from my decade+ old Lenovo Thinkpad Laptop because it was too noisy. I use a large laptop fan underneath the laptop as a replacement.
Onlogic has some Industrial Mini PCs:
https://www.onlogic.com/eu-en/?cpsrc=Search_Brand&kw=onlogic&| Brand - Onlogic- B
With that said, I cut the fan wires from my decade+ old Lenovo Thinkpad Laptop because it was too noisy. I use a large laptop fan underneath the laptop as a replacement.
Onlogic has some Industrial Mini PCs:
https://www.onlogic.com/eu-en/?cpsrc=Search_Brand&kw=onlogic&| Brand - Onlogic- B
Have a look here for passive cooled mini PCs for 24/7 usage:
https://www.cirrus7.com/
Price is starting from 299€ + OS for passive cooled NUC.
https://www.cirrus7.com/
Price is starting from 299€ + OS for passive cooled NUC.
If you were OK with standard DisplayPort (not thunderbolt), IMO HP T630 thin client would do a great service for this usecase. Easily upgradable (up to 2 x 32GB RAM as reported in https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/hp/t630/ ), M.2 SATA drive, built to last forever (one HP thin client has been running for many years as a router in my loft - scorching heat in summer, freezing in winter). Very inexpensive (e.g. https://www.ebay.com/itm/185756340161 + 2x8GB ram upgrade e.g. https://www.ebay.com/itm/155195277777 from China or https://www.ebay.com/itm/305040812428 from Germany + any new 128GB+ M.2 SATA drive for a few euro). Performance reports https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/hp/t630/using.shtml
I am no expert, but have you thought to build your own mini PC? You tend to be more able to get exactly what you require.
I imagine a mini itx board in a fanless case (as previously suggested) would be ample. Or in a mini itx case and a decent heatsink.
I tend to buy used and spec how I want it.
I use a pi for the player.
My main PC is fanless. (Well, I need a change of PSU). It is not small, I got a noctua nh-p1 heatsink. I sourced a low power usage CPU to match with it and all is great. It is an amd from the ge series. 35W tdp, which makes cooling a lot easier. Plus your use case shouldn't be too demanding, so I imagine fanless should be a goer.
My point being, given the right mobo, CPU, heatsink combo, I imagine you can put together just what you want.
I imagine a mini itx board in a fanless case (as previously suggested) would be ample. Or in a mini itx case and a decent heatsink.
I tend to buy used and spec how I want it.
I use a pi for the player.
My main PC is fanless. (Well, I need a change of PSU). It is not small, I got a noctua nh-p1 heatsink. I sourced a low power usage CPU to match with it and all is great. It is an amd from the ge series. 35W tdp, which makes cooling a lot easier. Plus your use case shouldn't be too demanding, so I imagine fanless should be a goer.
My point being, given the right mobo, CPU, heatsink combo, I imagine you can put together just what you want.
I use a Quixant QXi200 gaming machine PC for my home VPN server. (Linux based.) It's a bit ancient, and not particularly powerful, but it is fanless and silent. We do use more recent offerings from Quixant that are more potent (QXi6000 is pretty usable, and the QXi7000 better still.) Still fanless, though the heatsinks get a little warm if you push them.
I got one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GCX4JKJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details $133 and its essentially silent and plenty capable as a general PC and a very small footprint. USB3 and USB C ports. Really solid construction as well. They ship with mouse and keyboard. Not sure how it works to get it in the EU.