MBM2 Mint Box Mini

[mike acker]

On our June News, I found this intriguing link

MINT BOX MINI

what a great concept -- particularly -- if one can just unbox it, plug it in, and log on. there are lots of good people who want to use computers but absolutely do not want to fuss with them.

The "Chromebook" seems to approach this concept -- except that is is obnoxiously vendor specific.

the standard accessories would be-
[*]keyboard
[*]mouse
[*]display
[*]WiFi chip
[*]External HD or SSD

This would suggest selling the device "body only" or in "kit" form -- like they do top-end cameras.

[xenopeek]

And a link to the specs: https://fit-iot.com/web/products/mbm2/m ... fications/

The regular version looks perfect for people just needing something for browsing, watching videos, email and home office use. Just unpack and attach your keyboard, mouse and display(s) to go. The pro version with double the storage and double the RAM will work well for heavier use.

For $5 you can get the additional VESA mounting bracket, to mount the MBM2 out-of-sight on the rear of the display. That's not going to work with my midi tower

[Ozo]

I think they are somewhat overpriced ($299/$349) considering it has the minimum CPU (Celeron). However; as you say, it does have the os pre-loaded which is worth a lot for some people. The 5 year warranty is the real value here. I have several similar units from other mfg. and have sent two back for RMA. It is wonderful when after a couple of weeks your bricked computer returns like new.

I can get a mini pc with statistics like the Mint box Mini Pro for $250 but only a three year warranty.

[xenopeek]

I can get a mini pc with statistics like the Mint box Mini Pro for $250 but only a three year warranty.

Completely silent and passively cooled? It's a real pleasure to not have these things make noise when sitting in living room or working in quiet home office.

[Ozo]

I can get a mini pc with statistics like the Mint box Mini Pro for $250 but only a three year warranty.

Completely silent and passively cooled? It's a real pleasure to not have these things make noise when sitting in living room or working in quiet home office.

That particular one has a fan but I have them with and without fan and in a small silent space you can not hear it unless you get about a foot or less away. There may be other makes which are noisy but I have not heard any. I had a Stick PC which was a little louder but not by much. The one I mentioned is the bottom end of the NUC series. There are more recent NUC' with better specs for not that much more money including passively cooled units. Personally, I am using MSI products.

There is huge competition right now for this market so improvements are many and prices, especially at the low end reflect this competition. Improvements include processor upgrades like the new Pentium quad core Silver, dual HDMI, 4 USB3, etc.

[MurphCID]

It looks exciting, the pro model since it has the RAM I want, and the storage for stuff. Maybe around Christmas this year.

[Reorx]

I think they are somewhat overpriced ($299/$349) considering it has the minimum CPU (Celeron). However; as you say, it does have the os pre-loaded which is worth a lot for some people. The 5 year warranty is the real value here. I have several similar units from other mfg. and have sent two back for RMA. It is wonderful when after a couple of weeks your bricked computer returns like new.

I can get a mini pc with statistics like the Mint box Mini Pro for $250 but only a three year warranty.

One of the things I love most about Mint is that it runs great on very modest hardware. My office laptop running Mint 17 has a dual core Celeron processor with a max freq of 2 GHz and 4 GB of RAM. That MBM2 has a quad core Celeron CPU with a max freq of 2.3 GHz. and 4 or 8 GB of RAM. It is more than adequate for the mundane computing done by average users (like me!). I am tempted...

< I can resist anything but temptation! >

[mike acker]

I think this critter could be a top-shelf alternative to the "Chromebook"

many people are rather unhappy with MSFT /Windows-10 and I think some of these have looked a Chromebook, or may be thinking about it. These customers are interested is using a computer -- not working on it: they want an "appliance". Un-box it, plug it in and go online.

While the "Chromebook" seems to wish to address this it also trips over its bootlaces in being too proprietary. Customers need a system that communicates well with the net generally. A system that works well only with proprietary packages will be restrictive. The customers will trip over the bootlaces (restrictions) and be un-happy.

I would offer the Mini-Box much like top-end DSLR cameras: Body only, or in kit form. The "kit" would include keyboard, mouse, WiFi chip, and monitor. An external SSD would be a good accessory.

[MurphCID]

I think this critter could be a top-shelf alternative to the "Chromebook"

many people are rather unhappy with MSFT /Windows-10 and I think some of these have looked a Chromebook, or may be thinking about it. These customers are interested is using a computer -- not working on it: they want an "appliance". Un-box it, plug it in and go online.

While the "Chromebook" seems to wish to address this it also trips over its bootlaces in being too proprietary. Customers need a system that communicates well with the net generally. A system that works well only with proprietary packages will be restrictive. The customers will trip over the bootlaces (restrictions) and be un-happy.

I would offer the Mini-Box much like top-end DSLR cameras: Body only, or in kit form. The "kit" would include keyboard, mouse, WiFi chip, and monitor. An external SSD would be a good accessory.

Good point. Chromebooks are just toys, and you can't really do anything serious on a Chromebook. I have one of the little ASUS Chromebooks, and it is pretty useless as a device.

[Citizen229]

i built a MITX media center with the old FM2+ chipset right after Ryzens release. Spent 200 USD. The case is the size of the office/manufacturing station nodes, so its not a tiny thing( i could have gone smaller chose not too, wanted drive space). But R7 graphics much better for large display and video. Its a media center so might not be apples to apples comparison.

Too me the MBM seems more comparable to a PI setup. and PI is much cheaper. Or a much less costly NUC, with much lower hardware capability.

[Ozo]

A Celeron CPU with one stick of 4GB RAM gives me very snappy performance running Mint19. So if you are the average user you do not need to spend money for huge ram or an expensive CPU. I have a mini with Celeron and one with I3 and I see no difference in performance (Average user). The Mint Box Mini 2 ($299) is all that is needed. If you have plenty of cash go for the Pro version. If not grab the non-pro version.

If you are able and willing to install RAM and the SSD (Phillips screwdriver proficiency required) and the OS, you might consider a bare bones unit from MSI or NUC. This approach would cost less too if you know how to shop but that requires time and is a skill not everyone has.

[Citizen229]

I have a few years yet. but something like the MBM strikes me as a tech retrofit, into a classic hotrod. MBM+ 8 to 10 inch touch screen. Signal running to amps for audio output. Hop on wifi, download some tunes, and set playlist. Or passanger can watch downloaded video while cruising to the shows.

[carum carvi]

I really love this mini box mint series. There are 4 reasons I really would like to buy it. Only one reason that holds me back right now.

1. No fans.
That is a real selling point for me. Of course lots of notebooks sound almost silent, but dont have the connectivity and replace options that this little machine has got. My current pc is making noises like a vaccuumcleaner, it is driving me nuts.

2. Low energy consumption.
Almost everyone misses this unique selling point, but this Mint Box has got a magnificently low power consumption of only 15 Watts ! When I would replace my current pc (well over 150 Watts) with this Mint Box Mini I would save up to 50 euros per year on electricity. Over a period of 7 years, I would earn back the total purchase price simply by saving energy. I recently also bought a energy friendly refrigerator which does the same trick. The energy my new refrigerator will save, is gonna earn back the total purchase price. That's a WIN WIN situation.

3.Full Linux compatibility.
Almost everything works on my current pc, but I love the idea that there is a guarantee that I can always use Linux without flaws. You are never sure if some other brand of computer wont create a hardware conflict of some kind with Linux. With this purchase I know that Linux will always work perfectly.

4. 5 years warranty!
This thing is built to last! It is extremely durable. Can withstand freezing temperatures and extreme heat. Doesnt mind dust. And is shock proof. That might come in handy when in the unfortunate event something would break down I can safely send it back via the postal service without having to worry if my computer wont survive the trip without getting damaged. But I can also easily take this mini box to my friends and help them out if their pc isnt working anymore. Portability is a breeze.

The only thing that keeps me hesitant from buying it is the fact that it now has got an intel processor inside which is vulnerable to the meltdown bug. Although lots of measures have been taken to counter/ resolve this meltdown bug I am still not convinced that we have seen the last of this intel bug issue. Amd processors are only vulnerable to Spectre, which seems to have a much lower security risk than the intel meltdown bug. If I get convinced that this Meltdown issue aint a security issue anymore I will want to buy this lovely machine...

[Ozo]

Three words. Five Year Warranty!
There is really no need to worry about failure due to Meltdown or other. I imagine that if those processors were no longer usable that a different cpu would be installed. That is a very unlikely scenario however.

[carum carvi]

I am not worried about the intel processors not working, but I am worried about the meltdown virus, which is a hardware bug and cannot be contained for 100%. Recently read about a new strain of Meltdown which was discovered. Amd processors arent prone to meltdown. And the risk with Spectre seems to be much smaller.

I am thinking ahead. Amd has got a processor in production being released in 2019 which is supposed to be 100% guarantee against Spectre. Intel has no such new processor that guarantees protection for Meltdown or Spectre as far as I know now.

The old mini mintbox has got an amd processor, but I fear it will be too slow to play video for the coming years. So I am in doubt wether to buy the older mini mint box with amd or to wait till a new mint box arrives next year with a faster amd processor.

[Ozo]

I am not the least bit worried about any virus. If I knew even one person who had a problem I might change my mint but till then, why worry.

I apologize to the OP if this detracts from your valuable thread.

[MurphCID]

No issue. I am happy it can be purchased now, at such a good price. For Windows, 120 gb is too small (bloatware), but for Mint, it is perfect. Anyone know how the WiFi reception is on this device? Also 8 gb of ram will reduce swap issues.