Computer Systems - Page 12

Buying a new M3 iMac just got a bit cheaper if you happen to be in Canada, with Apple adding its popular all-in-one computer to its refurbished store in the country for the first time. The news means that buyers can choose between a brand-new model or one that has been refurbished, giving them an extra option and a way to save money as well.

Refurbished M3 iMacs are currently offered on the Canadian Apple Store website and are available in a whole host of colors and configurations with prices starting at $1.439 Canadian. That model would normally sell for $1,699 which means buyers save $260. The model in question is the M3 chip with 8 CPU cores and an 8-core GPU and Green, Blue, and Pink colors are currently available. 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD round out the main specifications.

Those looking to really save some cash might want to look at the upgraded M3 iMac with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU as well as a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. That model would normally sell for $2,199 but if you choose to go the refurbished route you'll pay just $1,869, saving $330 in the process. At the time of writing there is only one color available in that configuration, however.

Apple's Mac lineup has improved greatly in recent years, thanks in no small part to the arrival of Apple silicon and M-series chips, and the ditching of Intel's offering. We already know that the M-series MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops are among the best portables on the market in terms of power and battery life, while the desktop iMac and Mac Studio machines are also great buys. Then, of course, there's the Mac Pro. Now, new research has looked into who is buying Macs today and, importantly, what computer they had previously.

According to the research, just 43% of those buying a new Mac in the year ending in December 2023 said that their previous computer was a Mac. That figure means that almost 60% of those buying a Mac had previously used a PC of some description, suggesting that a ton of people are switching right now.

The figures, put together by CIRP, show that 35% of Mac buyers had a PC as their previous computer while 16% came from Chromebook. The remaining 6% was made up of people who were either buying their first computer or were categorized as "other," perhaps suggesting they had a tablet of some sort.

MeLE has just revealed its new stick PC, featuring an Intel N100 "Alder Lake-N" processor, which will fit in your pocket. Check it out:

The new MeLE pocket-sized PC measures just 146 x 61 x 20mm and weighs only 184g, which makes it about the size of a regular smartphone. Inside, we've got the Intel N100 "Alder Lake-N" processor with 4 cores -- all Efficient cores --operating at between 800MHz and 3.4GHz.

We've got 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4X-4266 memory and either 128GB or 256GB of eMMC storage, which isn't expandable. MeLE includes two USB 3.2 ports for external storage if needed. On the GPU side of things, the MeLE pocket-sized PC features Intel UHD graphics with 24 Execution Units, which support dual 4K 60Hz displays. There's no DisplayPort here, but there is USB Type-C, which unfortunately doesn't have DP Alt mode.

Apple's iMac hasn't changed an awful lot in the last few years and while it's a good-looking, colorful all-in-one computer, it's probably time that it got a new lease of life. What that will look like is unclear right now, but a new report suggests that it could borrow heavily from Microsoft's Surface Studio.

The Microsoft Surface Studio is an all-in-one computer that can be folded almost flat and then used as a giant touch-screen device, including stylus support. The use cases are obvious and include architects and artists, and now it appears that Apple could launch a future iMac that follows somewhat in the Surface Studio's footsteps.

The patent, first spotted by Patently Apple, describes a device that appears similar to a Mac with a tilting touchscreen that can be used by artists and others. The patent doesn't specifically say that of course because they're notoriously vague, but the image that shows what such a device could look like is clearly similar to Microsoft's.

AOOSTAR has just revealed its new GEM12 Pro Mini-PC, which can be configured with up to AMD's latest Ryzen 7 8845HS "Hawk Point" APU, and it features a built-in fingerprint scanner and even a display.

The new GEM12 Pro Mini-PC features up to the Ryzen 7 8845HS processor with 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 4-powered CPU power, at up to 5.1GHz. You've got an XDNA-based NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for AI workloads and integrated Radeon 780M graphics based on the RDNA 3 GPU architecture.

AOOSTAR says it uses an in-house vapor chamber cooler with up to 75W of cooling power, which will handle the Hawk Point APU when it's absolutely maxed out. AOOSTAR's new GEM10 Pro Mini-PC features a fingerprint scanner, OCulink connectivity, USB4 support, and a built-in display. It's actually a slick-looking Mini-PC with some fantastic functionality and features.

TECNO has just announced the world's smallest water-cooled Mini-PC by introducing its new MEGA MINI Gaming G1.

Inside, we'll find an unnamed Intel Core Ultra or Core i9-13900H SKU from the previous series, with 32GB of DDR5 memory and 1TB of SSD storage. On the GPU side of things, you've got NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 4060 inside, providing plenty of gaming power... all in a Mini-PC system that's also water-cooled.

TECNO has an awesome window on the front of the system showing the pump and its tubes hanging out, with a large fan behind it keeping things super-cool inside the small Mini-PC chassis. We've also got Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, as well as both Thunderbolt 4 and OCulink ports.

AOOSTAR has just unveiled its new GEM10 Mini-PC, inside packing the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS APU and rocking the fast OCulink connector for external graphics cards. Check it out:

The new AOOSTAR GEM10 Mini-PC features an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS APU with 8 cores and 16 threads of CPU power based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base CPU clock of 3.8GHz and boost clock of up to 5.1GHz. It features 16MB of L3 cache and a 35-54W TDP, depending on your use. On the GPU side of things, we've got a Radeon 780M integrated GPU with 12 compute units with GPU frequencies of up to 2700MHz.

AOOSTAR is using its Glacier 2.5 newly-designed and upgraded cooling system, with a default BIOS of 35W TDP, adjustable to 28W, 35W, or 45W, depending on what you need. There are dual 2.5GbE enthusiast-grade ethernet ports, 3 x NVMe 4.0 Gen4 SSD slots for huge amounts of super-fast storage, and it all fits into a 0.6L aluminum chassis which is CNC machined. The cooling system will operate at under 40dBA, meaning it'll be fast -- and most of all -- quiet, during operation.

MSI has just revealed its latest Cubi N ADL Mini-PC, which has an Intel N100 (Alder Lake-N) processor with a fanless design for zero noise. Check it out:

The new MSI Cubi N ADL Mini-PC features an Intel N100 processor with 4 cores and 4 threads -- all E-Cores here for Efficiency across the board -- with a TDP of just 6W and frequencies of up to 3.4GHz aren't bad. Because the CPU only uses 6W, a fanless system has been used for passive cooling goodness. No fans, with a single heatsink that MSI has placed under the chassis of the Mini-PC itself.

Intel's lower-end N100 processor features Intel UHD graphics with 24 Execution Units (EUs) that support 4K60 display output, with MSI using 3 x display connectivity options here: DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB Type-C which all support 4K resolution output. MSI also uses dual 1GbE ethernet connections, providing users with the option of combining the network connections for faster speeds or using this system as a NAS or multimedia server.

This could very well be the most powerful desktop PC on the planet, and one that you can buy - if you happen to have a spare $41,500 USD sitting around somewhere. GTPShop has put together a brand-new high-end workstation that it's saying is the world's first to feature NVIDIA's powerful Grace Hopper Superchip GPU and CPU combo.

Featuring the high-end H10 Tensor Core GPU with NVIDIA's custom 72-Core Grace CPU, you're looking at some of the most powerful hardware on the planet for delivering high-performance AI acceleration.

Until now, we've only heard of the Grace Hopper Superchip being available in cloud systems and data centers, so seeing one inside a PC that can sit on a desk is pretty exciting. GTP offers multiple configurations covering GH200 576GB and GH200 624GB chips, priced at $41,500 and $48,500, respectively.

GMKtec has just launched its first Ryzen 8000 series "Hawk Point" APU-powered Mini-PC system, with its new K8 Mini-PC system a successor to the GMKtec NuvBox K6 Mini-PC.

The new GMKtec NuvBox K8 Mini-PC has a drop-in replacement APU over the K6 system, with AMD's new Ryzen 7 8845HS APU an upgrade over the Ryzen 7 7840HS inside of the K6. The new Ryzen 7 8845HS APU has the same 8-core, 16-threads of CPU power, but now it features a built-in NPU for AI workloads.

AMD has boosted the XDNA AI processor from 10 TOPS to 16 TOPS of AI performance, with the same 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 4 processing power clocking at up to 5.1GHz, with 12 RDNA 3-based Compute Units that have a boost clock of 2.7GHz.

Minisforum has a new Mini-PC on the way, with the new HX100G Gaming Mini-PC featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, and Radeon RX 6650M GPU. Check it out:

The new Minisforum HX100G Gaming Mini-PC is a successor to the HX99G, which featured a Ryzen 9 6900HX "Rembrandt-R" processor, with a Radeon RX 6600M graphics card, but now the HX100G has far better specifications inside.

We're talking about the Ryzen 7 7840HS "Phoenix" processor with 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, a decent upgrade over the Zen 3+ chip inside of the HX99G Mini-PC. AMD's new Ryzen 7 7840HS processor has a TDP that spans between 35W and 54W.

GEEKOM's new APro8 Max Mini-PC is nearly ready for the market, featuring an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HS processor and discrete Radeon RX 7600M XT graphics. Check it out:

The new GEEKOM APro8 Max Mini-PC features an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HS processor with 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a TDP between 20W and 30W. The new "Hawk Point" APU features a boosted AMD XDNA processor for AI workloads, with the same specs and performance as the Ryzen 9 7940HS.

On the GPU side of things, we've got a discrete Radeon RX 7600M XT graphics card, as well as the Radeon 780M integrated GPU on the Hawk Point APU. The new GEEKOM APro8 Max Mini-PC uses AMD SmartSwitch so that both GPUs can work together, but most gaming will be done on the Radeon RX 7600M XT discrete GPU.

AYANEO has just teased its new AM02 Retro Mini-PC system, which falls under the company's "REMAKE" range of products. The retro-styled AM02 Mini-PC is just that... it takes the classic Nintendo NES console look and blends it into a new Mini-PC system. Check it out:

Inside, the new RETRO MINI PC AM02 system features a 4-inch multifunctional touchscreen, an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor with an efficient cooling system, and more. The AMD "Phoenix" APU inside of the RETRO MINI PC AM02 system is more than enough to power an HTPC system, workstation use, or even 1080p gaming loads with ease.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor has 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with clock speeds of up to 5.1GHz, 8MB of L2 cache, and 16MB of L3 cache with a TDP of 35-54W. The APU features an integrated Radeon 780M "RDNA 3" GPU with 12 compute units clocked at up to 2700MHz. That's a beefy amount of power inside of something that seems not much bigger than the NES.

Minisforum has just announced its new UH185 Ultra Mini-PC, packing Intel's new Core Ultra 185H "Meteor Lake" processor inside.

The new Minisforum UH185 Ultra Mini-PC features an Intel Core Ultra 185H "Meteor Lake" processor that packs 16 cores and 22 threads boosting at up to 5.1GHz with a TDP of 45W+, with a built-in NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for all-things AI. On the GPU side of things, we've got an Arc Xe-LPG integrated GPU with 8 Xe-Cores clocking in at up to 2250MHz.

Minisforum will also be offering its new Mini-PC systems with UH155 Ultra and UH125 Ultra models, featuring the Intel Core Ultra 155H and Core Ultra 125H "Meteor Lake" processors, respectively.

With the Steam Deck from Valve, ROG Ally from ASUS, Legion Go from Lenovo, and AYANEO AIR 1S, PC gaming handhelds have quickly become a viable and popular platform for day-to-day gaming. What all of these devices have in common (outside of A, B, X, and Y button layouts) is underlying AMD CPU hardware with mobile AMD Radeon graphics.

Formally unveiled at CES 2024, the new MSI Claw bucks the recent trend of PC gaming handhelds sporting AMD Ryzen 'Phoenix' technology by becoming the world's first PC gaming handheld powered by an Intel Core Ultra Processor - up to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. With models coming soon, starting from $699 USD.

With Intel's new Meteor Lake architecture, the new Intel Core Ultra series and the MSI Claw include Arc Graphics hardware, 8 Xe Cores, and AI-powered XeSS technology for upscaling and boosting performance and efficiency. MSI is confident that it delivers enough grunt for fast AAA 1080p 'medium settings' gaming while revealing the full (and impressive) MSI Claw specs.

Falcon Northwest has just announced it's giving away one of its Talon mid-tower gaming PCs with a custom NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series UV-printed theme, and it looks gorgeous. Check it out:

Inside, you'll find some great hardware including an Intel Core i7-14700K processor clocked at up to 5.6GHz, custom Falcon Northwest CPU liquid cooling, installed into an ASUS ROG Strix Z790-F Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard.

There's also a brand new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER graphics card, Kingston Fury 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory, a 2TB Kingston Fury Renegade NVMe SSD, a 1000W Seasonic Vertex power supply, and custom cabling from the folks at CableMod.

MAINGEAR has a few things to show off at CES 2024, where the company has collaborated with MSI and Phanteks on its new MAINGEAR Rear Connection (MG-RC) technology and two new desktop gaming PC systems that utilize the clean build look. Check them out:

The first of which is the MAINGEAR ZERO Drop that is found inside of the MSI MAG Pano M1000 PZ white chassis, and the MSI B760M Project Zero motherboard. MSI's new B760M Project Zero motherboard is designed with the backside connectors that take those dangly cables from the front of the system, as well as the beautiful MSI MAG Pano M1000 PZ case, which looks killer.

Inside, MAINGEAR is using NVIDIA's newly announced GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series graphics cards, with MAINGEAR gearing up to use the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER graphics card inside of this system, with the MAINGEAR ZERO Drop being released on January 24 with limited numbers available.

ASUS has officially teased its first gaming NUC, with a brief teaser posted on X, and will join existing pre-built gaming designs like the ROG C22H. Check out the ASUS ROG NUC:

The teaser video that ASUS posted makes it look like the upcoming ROG NUC machine will feature a style that looks similar to Intel's older NUC 12 Enthusiast design, which was codenamed Serpent Canyon. Intel's NUC 12 Enthusiast featured an Intel 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" mobile processor and Intel Arc A770M graphics; we should expect much more power inside of the gaming-focused ASUS ROG NUC, though.

In the tweet, ASUS teased: "gamers, get ready for a gaming revolution at #CES2024ROG! We are about to unveil the world's first ROG NUC! Embrace the ultimate freedom to conquer in style and revolutionize the way you game. Mark your calendar & join us for the event on Jan 8th!"

Minisforum has just announced its first Mini Workstation PC, with the introduction of the new MS-01; check it out:

Inside, the new Minisforum MS-01 mini workstation PC features an Intel Core i9-12900H processor starting at $549, while you can have the newer Intel 13th Gen Core i9 CPU with the Core i9-13900H processor. There's up to 64GB of RAM available, dual onboard X710 10GbE SFP+ ethernet ports, dual 2.5GbE ethernet ports, dual USB4 ports, and more.

On the back, the new Minisforum MS-01 mini workstation features not one, but two 10GbE SFP+ ethernet ports with support for link aggregation, as well as dual 2.5GbE RJ45 ethernet ports, dual USB4 ports with simultaneous support for 20Gbps Thunderbolt ethernet. There are also two USB 3.0 ports to the right, and then the power connector.

GEEKOM has just teased some new Mini-PC systems that will include AMD's new Hawk Point APUs and Intel's new Meteor Lake CPUs, which it will be detailing at CES 2024 in early January 2024.

The company will be releasing three new models at CES 2024: the GEEKOM IT14 Pro, A8 Max, and APro8 Max Mini-PC systems. Firstly, the new GEEKOM IT17 Pro features a tiny NUC-style 0.7-liter chassis powered by Intel's new Core Ultra 7 155H "Meteor Lake" processor with 16 cores and 22 threads of Meteor Lake CPU power behind it.

This system uses the integrated Intel Arc GPU with 8 Xe cores enabled -- or 128 EUs -- with an NPU inside for AI goodness heading into 2024. We don't know about RAM, storage, networking configuration, or anything else just yet; that's what CES 2024 is for.