Meet the all-new MintBox Mini 2
Linux Mint has announced a new version of its popular mini desktop PC, the MintBox Mini.
The MintBox Mini 2 is the 4th generation of the MintBox product line and comes with latest Linux Mint 19 release pre-installed.
Linux Mint and PC maker Compulab have worked together on these range of fanless miniature PCs since 2012, when the first Linux Mint PC went on sale.
For every MBM2 sold Compulab donates 5% of the price to the Linux Mint project.
MintBox Mini 2: Everything You Need to Know
Design & Form factor
Small, but don’t overlook it
The MintBox Mini 2 (MBM2) is a small, energy-efficient and fanless PC that’s perfect for using as a desktop machine or personal server.
“MBM2 is a fantastic unit. It’s tiny, silent and full of connectivity. It’s a real treat for us to run our operating system on such a cute little box,” says Mint Project lead Clement Lefebvre.
Design wise MintBox Mini 2 looks incredibly unique thanks to an all-metal enclosure that doubles up as a heat sink (or “convection cooling system” to quote the specs sheet).
If I had to describe the look of the MBM2 it’d be a cross between a high-end dual-band router and a cast-iron Victorian radiator. This description is by no means a bad thing; the heavy dose of industrial chic lends the machine a premium look when compared to the similarly priced plastic-fantastic Intel NUCs.
It’s also incredibly tiny too, weighing in at 350 grams and measuring a petite 112 mm x 84 mm x 34 mm.
Two versions of the MintBox Mini 2 are available: a base model with 4GB RAM and a “pro” model with 8GB RAM
The MintBox Mini is small for sure, but it shouldn’t be overlooked.
MintBox Mini 2 Specs
Compulab and Mint have developed two versions of the MintBox Mini 2: a base model and a “pro” model.
The same quad-core “Apollo Lake” Intel Celeron J3455 processor running at 1.50GHz powers both model, which also feature integrated Intel HD Graphics 500.
Memory wise the base model comes with 4GB RAM out of the box while the Pro edition ships with a more reasonable 8GB. The MBM2 has a solitary SO-DIMM slot for RAM expansion that supports a maximum of 16GB RAM, so there is some upgrade capacity available.
A pair of gigabit ethernet ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, a microSD slot, and separate audio in and out jacks feature as standard.
The MintBox Mini 2 computers offers up a choice of display options: there’s a HDMI 1.4 port supporting 4K resolution at 30Hz, and a mini DisplayPort 1.2 port supporting 4K resolution at 60Hz.
MintBox Mini 2:
- Intel Celeron J3455 processor (quad-core, 1.5GHz)
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics 500
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB M.2 SATA SSD
The MintBox Mini 2 Pro:
- Intel Celeron J3455 processor (quad-core, 1.5GHz)
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics 500
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB M.2 SATA SSD
Connectivity wise the wee boxes offer:
- Mini DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 out
- 2 Ethernet ports
- 4x USB ports
- Audio in/out jacks
- microSD card slot
- Dual-band Intel 8260AC Wi-Fi
Linux Mint 19 “Tara” comes pre-installed but you’re free to replace this with a different Linux distribution, Windows 10, or a BSD flavour as both the microSD slot and the USB slots are “bootable” in the BIOS.
MintBox Mini 2 Price & Availability
Interested in buying one?
The MintBox Mini 2 and the MintBox Mini 2 Pro are available to buy from Compulab’s Fit IoT website and will ship shortly after the Linux Mint 19 release goes live (due today or tomorrow).
A 5 year warranty is provided by Compulab for each Mi
Buy the MintBox Mini 2 Buy the MintBox Mini 2 Pro
The minty-fresh machines are set to roll up on Amazon in the US and in Europe sometime August, so if you’re fuss about your international purchases, it may be worth waiting.
But what about price; how much does the MintBox Mini 2 cost?
- Mint box Mini 2 edition costs $299 (excluding VAT)
- Mint box Mini 2 Pro costs $349 (excluding VAT)
The bump in RAM and storage space costs you an extra $50 but is, in my opinion, worth it.
That said, I’m sure it’s possible to pick up some compatible RAM — SO-DIMM 204-pin DDR3L Non-ECC DDR3L-1866 (1.35V), incase you’re interest — for less than $50 if you’re prepared to shop around.
Will you be buying one? Do you own an earlier model? Share your thoughts below!