"The OnLogic Helix HX500 provided us with the opportunity to evaluate a fanless industrial PC targeting the burgeoning market for high performance density in edge deployments. From our evaluation, it is clear that OnLogic has been able to deliver effectively on the promise of a rugged computer capable of operation over a wide temperature range. OnLogic allows fine-grained customization that can tweak the system for any use-case.
In terms of scope for improvement, it is possible that the absence of variety in terms of native display outputs (all three are DisplayPort, none HDMI) or a native Type-C port could act as deal-breakers for specific deployment scenarios. In most cases, additional dongles can solve the problem. Power consumption numbers could do with some improvement, but OnLogic has done the best they could given Intel's efforts to cram in as many cores as they could for a particular TDP in their 14nm process.
Despite these minor quibbles, we have to say that OnLogic's Helix series presents a wide range of compelling options for industrial edge deployments. Prices start at $887, which is par for the course for industrial fanless PCs being sold as a B2B product. Technically, it would be interesting to see what OnLogic can do in terms of coupling the Helix chassis design with a 35W TDP Tiger Lake processor. As it stands, the Helix HX500 is a solid step-up from the line of NUC-based fanless PCs that OnLogic has been offering so far. The new product line opens up yet another option for end users in the industrial PC market."
Source: AnandTech
