Built for temps, not for shows

Built by John J. Motzi for image processing, this custom-made PC features an open, framework-style case constructed from aluminum extrusions salvaged from a mining rig. It is fully passively cooled by utilizing large DIYAudio.com heatsinks and Streacom DB4 cooling units to dissipate heat from its 65W Intel i7-8700 CPU and 47W Nvidia Quadro P1000 graphics card. This design looks a bit rough, but it absolutely shreds. Performance over aesthetics any day.

The most feature-rich N150 PC yet

Protectli always delivers. Their Vault Pro VP2440 is a compact, networking-focused mini PC powered by the quad-core Intel N150 processor and open-source coreboot firmware. It's equipped for advanced routing and security with two 10GbE SFP+ cages and two 2.5GbE RJ-45 ports. Housed in a sleek all-aluminum chassis, the hardware supports up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, features 32GB of onboard eMMC, and includes an M.2 NVMe slot for $519.

Best NUC mod ever ?

As FanlessTech approaches its 15th anniversary, it's a great time to look back at our favorite PCs featured over the years. Like this amazing NUC featuring a MakerBeam aluminum structure, custom 3D printed CPU mounting brackets, and the Arctic Alpine AM4 Passive CPU cooler. So simple, yet so perfect.

Source: GitHub 

Rockchip has entered the chat

Finding a Rockchip CPU inside a consumer mini PC is unexpected, as these ARM-based chips are traditionally reserved for single-board development boards or specialized industrial hardware. The graphics and intelligence tasks are handled by an integrated ARM Mali-G610 GPU alongside an embedded 6 TOPS NPU, offering hardware-accelerated 8K video decoding and modest AI capabilities. Despite this atypical silicon choice, the system boasts desktop-class connectivity including multiple USB ports, HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and dual Ethernet. Price is a little problematic, though. At $430, it's as expensive as Intel N100 or N150 systems, which are more flexible in terms of RAM, storage, and OS choice.

The perfect case

We'd love to see a chunky fanless case (think Mac Studio size) with massive cooling fins, that would support both the NUC and Thin mini-ITX motherboard. This would be a premium product, priced around $300. What do you think?  

Akasa's beefiest Pi case yet

The Akasa Fermi CM5 is a slim 1U fanless aluminum case designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 paired with the CM5 IO Board. It features a passive cooling design with a custom thermal module that supports up to a 10W TDP silently (the Fermi CM5 could easily handle the Intel N150). The 185 x 93 x 43.6 mm enclosure offers full access to all on-board I/O connections while providing internal clearance for an M.2 NVMe SSD, hardware expansions, and a 40-pin Raspberry Pi HAT.

Source: Akasa 

Astro imaging PC

Courtesy of Cosmic Curiosity

Solid i5 option

At $539, this fanless Windows 11 Pro PC feels like a bargain these days. Powered by an Intel Core i5-1235U processor with 10 cores and 12 threads (up to 4.4GHz) and featuring a stylish heatsink case, the system comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB SSD. Connectivity is excellent, boasting dual 2.5G LAN ports, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, dual HDMI, DisplayPort, and a Type-C port for up to a four-screen display setup.

Heatsinks are works of art (part 2)

By assembling a landscape from components that are often hidden away inside PCs and server racks, or discarded as e-waste, the sculpture reminds us that the digital world is built on a massive physical infrastructure, which may currently be spinning out of control. 

Source: Kristian Kragelund

Heatsinks are works of art (part 1)

It turns out we're not crazy after all. Heatsinks are beautiful, and artist Kristian Kragelund agrees. This artwork uses discarded heatsinks to provoke thought on some of our biggest modern challenges: the footprint of technology, ecology, and the rapid rise of AI.

Source: Kristian Kragelund