MSI Cubi N Is Silent Partner For Your Braswell-Fueled HTPC Needs
Shh, do you hear that? Neither do we, nor are we supposed to. In case you're wondering, we're listening for MSI's Cubi N mini PC, only we can listen until the cows come home and never hear a peep from the tiny box. That's because it's a fanless system designed to deliver "ultra-silent" (not just silent!) operation.
In case you haven't been paying attention to the NUCs and Zboxes and every other pint sized PC of late, these mini systems are growing in popularity. You can thank advances in processor technology for that, and in this case, give a salute to Intel and its Braswell architecture. The Cubi N features an Intel Celeron N3150 processor built on a 14nm manufacturing process, which provides serviceable compute and graphics horsepower for general purpose applications while consuming less than 15W. Huzzah!
Due to its graphics capabilities and silent nature, MSI is pitching the Cubi N as a home theater PC (HTPC). Towards that end, the Cubi N is capable of displaying 4K Ultra HD content on your fancy new 4K television (or 4K monitor if you're going for a home brewed all-in-one), just don't try gaming at that resolution unless you're a graphics masochist. It also has a VESA mount so you can stick it to the back of your display or on the wall.
It's not hard to tuck the Cubi N out of sight -- it's a 0.45 liter system that measures 112 x 116 x 45 millimeters (4.4 x 4.57 x 1.77 inches). However, if mounting it isn't an option for any reason, its wavey surface and curved edges prevent it from being an eyesore.
For storage chores, the Cubi N has a built-in mSATA solid state drive. There's also room to add a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD for additional storage.
Other specs include 4GB of DDR3L memory (expandable to 8GB), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth 4.0, 3-in-1 memory card reader, four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, HDMI and D-sub output, and Windows 10 Home.
MSI didn't say how much the Cubi N will cost or when it will be available.
In case you haven't been paying attention to the NUCs and Zboxes and every other pint sized PC of late, these mini systems are growing in popularity. You can thank advances in processor technology for that, and in this case, give a salute to Intel and its Braswell architecture. The Cubi N features an Intel Celeron N3150 processor built on a 14nm manufacturing process, which provides serviceable compute and graphics horsepower for general purpose applications while consuming less than 15W. Huzzah!
Due to its graphics capabilities and silent nature, MSI is pitching the Cubi N as a home theater PC (HTPC). Towards that end, the Cubi N is capable of displaying 4K Ultra HD content on your fancy new 4K television (or 4K monitor if you're going for a home brewed all-in-one), just don't try gaming at that resolution unless you're a graphics masochist. It also has a VESA mount so you can stick it to the back of your display or on the wall.
It's not hard to tuck the Cubi N out of sight -- it's a 0.45 liter system that measures 112 x 116 x 45 millimeters (4.4 x 4.57 x 1.77 inches). However, if mounting it isn't an option for any reason, its wavey surface and curved edges prevent it from being an eyesore.
For storage chores, the Cubi N has a built-in mSATA solid state drive. There's also room to add a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD for additional storage.
Other specs include 4GB of DDR3L memory (expandable to 8GB), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth 4.0, 3-in-1 memory card reader, four USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, HDMI and D-sub output, and Windows 10 Home.
MSI didn't say how much the Cubi N will cost or when it will be available.
