One of many key questions when AMD launched its newest Ryzen Cell processor household, Renoir, was when the chip could be out there within the Mini-PC area. On the time, AMD made motions saying that the important thing market they had been specializing in was for laptops, however they wouldn’t preclude companions that had been excited about constructing miniature techniques. We’re beginning to see just a few of them trickle by way of into the market now, and GIGABYTE can be taking place this route with its BRIX collection. The brand new BRIX S Mini-PCs can be provided with as much as a Ryzen 7 4800U, with Vega graphics, M.2 help, Wi-Fi 6, and a pair of.5 gigabit Ethernet

The Historical past

GIGABYTE briefly toyed with AMD variations of its BRIX virtually seven years in the past now in 2013, utilizing Richland-based twin core processors and AMD cellular graphics. These models, whereas an attention-grabbing foray into AMD small type issue machines, had been a scorching mess – I bought a unit just lately and it overheats to the purpose of shutdown! It was a rushed product with unhealthy cooling, and was faraway from the market as rapidly because it had arrived. At that time we weren’t certain we’d see different AMD Mini-PCs, and I used to be considerably conscious that the main target for these corporations was solely on Intel.

The Current

With Zen, and now Zen2, that has modified. It will seem that a variety of corporations like GIGABYTE and its opponents now see AMD’s cellular choices as aggressive on this Mini-PC area the place batteries aren’t wanted. As a result of these processors are soldered on like within the cellular type issue, a system comes as a unit with the processor connected, and so discovering the appropriate efficiency in the appropriate type issue the place there may be demand are all dimensions to the puzzle to make sure a related product.

Regardless of AMD specializing in laptops with its Zen2 ‘Renoir’ processors, providing eight cores and sixteen threads, in addition to Vega 8 graphics all inside a 15-25 W type issue, this processor could be very interesting for the mini-PC area. GIGABYTE has developed two product strains for its BRIX collection: the usual BRIX, and BRIX S which helps an extra 2.5-inch SSD.

With the brand new BRIX and BRIX S collection, customers may also be capable to help 4 show outputs, resembling HDMI 2.0a, DisplayPort, and twin USB-C with DP passthroughs – double supported by the Mac Mini M1. Two SO-DIMM DDR4 slots allow as much as 64 GB of DDR4-3200 reminiscence, and for storage, all models could have an M.2 slot for storage which helps PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA M.2 drives. On the BRIX S, there may be additionally a SATA port for a 2.5-inch drive as nicely.

For connectivity, the BRIX and BRIX S strains could have 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) with Bluetooth 5.1 and a pair of.5 gigabit Ethernet – this final one I wasn’t truly anticipating in a type issue like this, which normally goes with one or two single gigabit Ethernet ports, but it surely seems GIGABYTE sees worth in 2.5 GbE right here. The Realtek 8125 answer is getting used, which I imagine is the cheaper possibility.

For ports, all fashions could have two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Sort-C ports (with DP), and 5 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Sort-A ports. Audio is supplied by way of a Realtek ALC225 controller and a headphone jack, and the BRIX S fashions additionally include an RS232 COM port for industrial use (a key marketplace for these). Industrial prospects may get further help with additional LAN/COM if talking direct to GIGABTYE.

Every unit has 75/100 VESA mount help, and the ability adaptor is able to 135 W, which appears very aggressive for a 15 W system. Even with an M.2 storage drive, 64 GB reminiscence, and all USB ports drawing energy, I can’t see the system utilizing greater than 75 W, so 135 W is a bit overkill. GIGABYTE says it’s utilizing the 15 W TDP of those processors on its web site, nonetheless with this energy brick I can think about this may be a typo and really 25 W modes are getting used.

GIGABYTE AMD BRIX Sequence
BRIX	AnandTech	BRIX S
Ryzen 7 4800U Ryzen 7 4700U Ryzen 5 4500U Ryzen 3 4300U	CPUs	Ryzen 7 4800U Ryzen 7 4700U Ryzen 5 4500U Ryzen 3 4300U
2 x SO-DIMM As much as 64 GB DDR4-3200	DRAM	2 x SO-DIMM As much as 64 GB DDR4-3200
M.2 2280 SATA / PCIe 3.0 x4	Storage	M.2 2280 SATA / PCIe 3.0 x4 2.5-inch 9.0mm SATA
1 x HDMI 2.0a 1 x DP 2 x DP over Sort-C	Video	1 x HDMI 2.0a 1 x DP 2 x DP over Sort-C
Realtek 8125 2.5 GbE Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6	Networking	Realtek 8125 2.5 GbE Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6
2 x USB 3.2 G2 Sort-C 5 x USB 3.2 G1 Sort-A Audio Jack	Connectivity	2 x USB 3.2 G2 Sort-C 5 x USB 3.2 G1 Sort-A Audio Jack RS232
75mm and 100mm	VESA	75mm and 100mm
135 W	Energy Adaptor	135 W
119.5 x 119.5 x 34.7 mm	Dimensions	119.5 x 119.5 x 46.8 mm

We reached out to GIGABYTE USA on these, and they’re nonetheless ready on a timeframe and value for these fashions. It’s suspected to be inside the subsequent few weeks, provided that GIGABYTE HQ simply issued a press launch and the related product pages at the moment are on-line.

Webpages

BRIX S:

BRIX:

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