Top-5 mini-PCs focused on performance: from Arrow Lake to Strix Halo

Manufacturers are increasingly placing top-tier chips in small systems: Intel Arrow Lake, AMD Strix Halo, and Ryzen AI Max+ 395. Some of them are liquid-cooled, others are passive, but all are aimed at heavy tasks: from AI inference to 10-gigabit networks and working with PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Compact cases, laptop processors, and desktop-level power — as far as can be judged — this is the trend of summer 2025 in the mini-PC world. In this selection, five new models introduced in June and July: from System76 and NovaCustom to Colorful and Abee.

Radxa E24C: Affordable mini-PC for routers and DIY networks

A compact fanless mini-PC, introduced in July 2025. It is designed for networking tasks: routing, firewalls, proxy, VPN, and other DIY scenarios. Inside the case, which is less than one liter in volume, is a four-core ARM chip Rockchip RK3528A and four gigabit Ethernet ports. The device runs on Debian, OpenWrt, and other Linux distributions and is sold starting at $35.

Thanks to its low power consumption and passive cooling, the E24C can run 24/7 without noise. It is equipped with three USB ports (including USB Type-C), HDMI 2.1 for video output, a microSD slot, and an M.2 2280 slot for NVMe SSDs. Support for eMMC storage makes it convenient for quick system installation. Inside, it has 1, 2, or 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM. Despite having HDMI, the built-in Mali-450 graphics only support basic video output — the E24C is not intended for multimedia tasks.

Specifications:
– Processor: Rockchip RK3528A (4× Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz)
– GPU: Mali-450
– RAM: 1 / 2 / 4 GB LPDDR4-2133
– Storage: eMMC (8/16/32 GB), microSD (UHS-I), M.2 2280 PCIe 2.1 NVMe SSD
– Network: 4× Gigabit Ethernet (based on RTL8367RB, WAN/LAN ports configurable)
– Ports: 1× USB Type-C, 3× USB Type-A (including USB 3.0), 1× HDMI 2.1
– Additional: 14-pin GPIO, reset button, Maskrom, power and network LEDs
– Power: 12V / 2A via DC connector
– Cooling: passive (aluminum case), optional fan installation.

The Radxa E24C is already available for purchase, and it's not too expensive — starting at $35 for the basic configuration.

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NovaCustom NUC Box: Meteor Lake-based mini-PC with Coreboot and privacy focus

The first mini-PC from the Dutch company NovaCustom, known for its laptops with open-source software and a focus on security. The device is based on Intel Meteor Lake-H (up to Core Ultra 7 255H) and comes with Dasharo Coreboot firmware — a fully open and customizable alternative to UEFI/BIOS.

NUC Box offers an unusual combination of hardware flexibility and open firmware for the market. The user has full control over system boot and security, including the choice of a GNU/Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Fedora, Pop!_OS, and others) or installing Windows as a separate OS, dual-boot, or virtual machine. Inside, there is up to 96 GB of DDR5, three storage devices, and two 2.5 Gbps network ports. The model is not silent, but according to the manufacturer, it is "almost inaudible".

Technical specifications:

– Processor: Intel^® Core^TM Ultra 5 125H (Meteor Lake) base, up to Intel^® Core^TM Ultra 7 255H

– RAM: up to 96 GB DDR5-5600 (2× SODIMM)

– Storage and slots: M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 + M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 x1 + 2.5" SATA

– Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (with DP Alt Mode), 3× USB-A, 2× HDMI 2.1, 2× 2.5GbE LAN, 3.5mm audio

– Wireless connectivity: options with Intel AX210/211 or BE200 (Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.3/5.4)

– Firmware: Dasharo Coreboot (open-source)

– Cooling: active, quiet

– Dimensions: 117.5 × 110 × 49 mm

– Power: 90 W (19V adapter)

– OS: choice of GNU/Linux distribution or Windows (optional)

– Warranty: 3 years, free warranty repair

Pre-order started in July 2025, deliveries expected in September. Prices start from $800 for the barebone version. Quite expensive, though.

System76 Meerkat: now with Arrow Lake and Wi-Fi 7

In July 2025, System76 updated its Meerkat mini-PC line. Now, it includes configurations with Intel Arrow Lake processors — up to Core Ultra 7 255H. This mini-PC focuses on Linux support (Pop!_OS or Ubuntu). Even in basic configurations, the user gets 16 GB of DDR5 and a 500 GB SSD. For Arrow Lake, options are available with PCIe 5.0 SSDs up to 4 TB and RAM up to 96 GB. All components are easily replaceable — inside, there are two RAM slots and three storage slots (including PCIe 5.0 for newer models). Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Thunderbolt 4, and an optional second Ethernet port for $49 are supported.

Technical specifications:

– Processor: from Intel^® Core^TM 3 100U (Raptor Lake) to Intel^® Core^TM Ultra 7 255H (Arrow Lake)

– RAM: 16–96 GB DDR5-5600, 2× SODIMM

– Storage and slots: 2× M.2 2280 (in Arrow Lake configurations — one PCIe 5.0, one PCIe 4.0), 1× M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 x4, 1× 2.5" SATA (depending on configuration)

– Ports: 2× Thunderbolt 4, 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 3× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1× USB 2.0, 2× HDMI 2.1, 1× 2.5GbE LAN (optional second), 1× DC power

– Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

– Dimensions: 117 × 112 × 54 mm

– OS: Pop!_OS or Ubuntu

By the way, this is already the second update of the series in a year. The base configuration with Intel^® Core^TM 3 100U with 16 GB RAM and 500 GB SSD costs $599, the Intel^® Core^TM Ultra 5 225U variant costs $844, and the top configuration with Core Ultra 7 255U costs $1048. Additional payments are possible for RAM expansion up to 96 GB, SSD up to 8 TB, and a second Ethernet port ($49).

Abee Ai Station: mini-PC with liquid cooling, Ryzen Strix Halo, and 10G network

Abee Ai Station is an unusual mini-PC introduced in July 2025. Inside is one of the most powerful mobile chips from AMD, the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 (Strix Halo), originally designed for laptops but clearly more comfortable as a desktop AI station. The main difference with this model is the liquid cooling system installed directly in the compact cubic case.

Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 combines 16 Zen 5 cores (32 threads), 40-core RDNA 3.5 graphics (Radeon 8060S), and an integrated neural processor with up to 50 TOPS performance. Abee has equipped the Ai Station with 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 (up to 96GB of which is available for the GPU), a powerful 400W power supply, and a pair of high-speed network ports — 2.5G and 10G Ethernet. Liquid cooling allows the chip to reach its full potential during extended workloads and increases system stability.

Technical specifications:

– Processor: AMD Ryzen^TM AI MAX+ 395 (16C/32T Zen 5, 50 TOPS NPU)

– Graphics: Radeon 8060S (40 RDNA 3.5 cores, up to 96GB RAM)

– RAM: 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 (soldered)

– Storage and Ports: details not disclosed

– Network: 1× 2.5 GbE, 1× 10 GbE

– Cooling: liquid

– Power: 400W PSU

– Form Factor: cubic mini-PC

Price and availability have not been announced yet. However, considering the price of similar solutions with the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 (without liquid cooling) starting from $1500, the Abee Ai Station will likely be significantly more expensive.

Colorful SMART 900: mini-PC with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and aluminum chassis

A 4-liter PC built on the powerful AMD Ryzen^TM AI Max+ 395 mobile chip (Strix Halo). It was presented at Computex 2025 and stands out from the competition not only for its internals but also for its anodized aluminum case designed for passive cooling.

Inside the SMART 900 is a 16-core Zen 5 processor with 40-core Radeon 8060S graphics and a neural processor providing up to 50 TOPS for AI tasks. With LPDDR5x memory and a compact yet not ultra-small form factor, the device is positioned as a powerful workstation for tasks where graphics, AI, and energy efficiency are important.

Details about storage are not available yet, but it's known that the SMART 900 is equipped with modern ports: USB 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2, a card reader, and at least three video outputs (HDMI and/or DisplayPort). It also features an Ethernet port, audio outputs, and standard AC power input.

Technical specifications:

– Processor: AMD Ryzen^TM AI Max+ 395 (16 Zen 5 cores, 32 threads, 50 TOPS NPU)
– Graphics: Radeon 8060S (40 RDNA 3.5 cores)
– RAM: LPDDR5x (soldered, capacity not specified)
– Storage: not disclosed
– Ports: 2× USB 4.0, 3× USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2× USB 2.0, SD card reader, Ethernet, audio outputs, at least 3 video outputs (HDMI/DP)
– Chassis: anodized aluminum, 4 liters volume
– Power: via external adapter (AC)

Information about the sales start and price is currently unavailable. However, considering the Strix Halo installed, the price will likely exceed $1500, especially if active cooling or expanded storage configurations are introduced.