Intel NUCs systems are very small in size but yet powerful machines and those users who want something for side work can go with these machines. Usually, streamers consider them as a side compact build to put off some load from their main computer without getting a full tower build. There are users who like to get a portable PC but they go with Laptops instead of these machines because they lack a screen or display and you need external displays for them. For years Intel was leading in this mini-PC industry but this time ASUS jumped in and came with a product that can give Intel a tough time.
According to a report from a Korean publisher which is known as iT DonGa, ASUS PN50 is expected to be equipped with the AMD Ryzen 4000 series APU which might be more powerful than the Intel NUCs. The starting chip in this mini-PC will be from Zen2 architecture namely Ryzen 4300U APU with four cores and threads while it can go up to the flagship model which is Ryzen 7 4800U. There some users might miss the hex-core option in this mini-PC which is Ryzen 5 4600U and also these machines might lack simultaneous multi-threading which is available in most of the Ryzen processors.
ASUS PN50 Barebone Mini PC
PN50 is a Very compact desktop PC. This diminutive desktop measures just 115 x 115 x 49mm (4.5 x 4.5 x 1.9-inch) and weighs 700g (1.5lbs). Asus PN50 utilises AMD's Radeon APU.
There we are sharing a complete chart with which you can get an idea about these chips and their specification difference.
AMD Ryzen NUC 4000 Series Specifications
Processor | Cores | Threads | Base Clock | Boost Clock | Cache | GPU Core | GPU Core Frequency | TDP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4300U | 4x | 4x | 2.7Ghz | 3.7Ghz | 6 | 5 | 1400 | 15 |
4500U | 6x | 6x | 2.3Ghz | 4.0Ghz | 11 | 6 | 1500 | 15 |
4600U | 6x | 12x | 2.1Ghz | 4.0Ghz | 11 | 6 | 1600 | 15 |
4700U | 8x | 8x | 2.0Ghz | 4.1Ghz | 12 | 7 | 1600 | 15 |
4800U | 8x | 16x | 1.8Ghz | 4.2Ghz | 12 | 8 | 1750 | 15 |
From this table, we can clearly see the performance difference in all of these chips while this mini-PC is not going to get Ryzen 5 processors. There are two identical models of this mini-PC, the first one is PN50 while the other one is PN60. Both of these models have the same configurations but there are some differences too. The specifications of this model were released by a Swedish store iNet which has listed specs of some variants of this computer. So let’s check out the specifications and size of this computer.
Intel Frost Canyon NUC (NUC10i7FNH)
Featuring the power of 10th Generation Intel Core processors, the Intel NUC 10 Performance has the power to create content as well as consume it. Record and mix music...
The size of this machine is 4.5, 4.5, and 1.9 inches in length, width and height respectively. While this small computer weighs 1.5 pounds or 0.7kg. The dimension and weight of the PN60 model are also the same as the PN50 however there are not many details released regarding this. The Intel NUC is slightly larger in size than this one and that’s the reason why the PN50 is a great alternative to it. The internal specifications of PN50 are excellent as this small machine has space for an M.2 slot and also 2.5inches SSD bay drive.
The two DIMMs accept the maximum memory up to 64GB which is a plus point over the Intel NUC and is amazing for such a small build. Also, you might already know that the Zen2 processors come with the support of DDR4 3200Mhz memory modules so there you are not going to face any memory bottleneck. The rear I/O panel has several USB 3.1 Gen1 ports including Type-A and Type-C while it has a maximum transfer speed of 5GBPS. This mini-PC also supports 3.5mm audio jack and micro SD card which makes it best for computers.
This mini PC is equipped with Gigabit high-speed Ethernet port while there are rumors and some sources are claiming that it also has Wi-Fi card and Bluetooth support. This small machine has HDMI and Display port while you can also use USB Type-C port for the display as an alternative to DP. One thing which really amazed me is the support of 4K resolution as this small PC has AMD Vega core which gives exceptional performance for side tasks.
The price of this small machine is not confirmed yet but as I guess it might be cheaper than the Intel one but there are some sources reporting its price. According to that Swedish store, there is a 25% tax on these electronic products but by cutting that tax and converting the currency to United State Dollars we can estimate the price of this machine by nearly $325 for the Ryzen 3 4300U model. While the flagship model will roughly cost you $500 or more but these prices are not confirmed by the company.