Intel Atlas Canyon (NUC11ATKPE) and GEEKOM MiniAir 11 UCFF PCs Overview: Desktop Jasper Lake Impresses

Intel’s low-power Tremont microarchitecture has powered a spread of merchandise – from the short-lived Lakefield, to Elkhart Lake within the embedded area, and eventually, Jasper Lake within the shopper computing space. A gradual stream of notebooks and motherboards / mini-PCs primarily based on Jasper Lake have change into accessible for the reason that introduction of Jasper Lake in early 2021. Given their pricing, ultra-compact form-factor (UCFF) machines primarily based on them supply engaging entry-level choices within the NUC area. With a spread of SKUs specified for energy consumption numbers starting from 4.8W as much as 25W, the product collection lends itself to designs that may be both actively or passively cooled.

Intel’s Jasper Lake SKUs are a follow-up to Gemini Lake. Again in 2018, we had reviewed two completely different Gemini Lake UCFF PCs – the actively cooled June Canyon NUC from Intel, and the passively cooled LIVA Z2 from ECS. For Jasper Lake, we now have sourced 4 completely different UCFF PCs – two passively cooled programs utilizing 6W TDP processors, and two actively cooled ones utilizing 10W+ TDP processors. Our in-depth look into the 2 passively-cooled JSLK UCFF PCs – the ECS LIVA Z3 and the ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano, was revealed final week. To spherical out our Jasper Lake protection, the overview beneath takes a take a look at the efficiency and worth proposition of the 2 actively cooled programs – the Intel NUC11ATKPE and GEEKOM’s MiniAir 11.

Introduction and Product Impressions

Intel’s Apollo Lake SoCs (Goldmont-based) launched in 2016 have been shortly adopted by Gemini Lake (Goldmont Plus) in late 2017. Nevertheless, the delays associated to 10nm manufacturing resulted in a big hole earlier than the Tremont-based Jasper Lake merchandise made an look in early 2021. In comparison with Gemini Lake, the brand new Jasper Lake merchandise have improved CPU efficiency (Intel claims a 33% uplift) with an up to date microarchitecture and bigger caches. The built-in GPU can be clocked increased with further EUs on particular SKUs. On the system entrance, quicker growth choices can be found, with as much as 8 Gen 3 lanes (in contrast 6 Gen 2 lanes in Gemini Lake), 14 USB ports (as much as 10 Gbps) (in comparison with 8 ports as much as 5 Gbps in Gemini Lake). Jasper Lake additionally integrates a Wi-fi-AX MAC, permitting for cost-effective programs with Wi-Fi 6 assist. Producers can undertake or make the most of these options in a various method to carry differentiated merchandise into the market.

Just like our Apollo Lake (Intel Arches Canyon and ECS LIVA Z) and Gemini Lake (Intel June Canyon and ECS LIVA Z2) experiments, we obtained maintain of a number of Jasper Lake UCFF PCs for analysis. As we speak’s overview is targeted on the 2 actively cooled programs – the Intel NUC11ATKPE and GEEKOM MiniAir 11.

A fast comparability of the Intel NUC11ATKPE and the GEEKOM MiniAir 11 reveal the next differentiation elements:

• Intel Celeron N5095 (TDP of 15W) within the MiniAir 11, in comparison with Intel Pentium Silver N6005 (TDP of 10W) within the NUC11ATKPE
• Barely smaller bodily footprint for the MiniAir 11
• Combination of USB Sort-C and Sort-A ports within the MiniAir 11, in comparison with solely Sort-A ports within the NUC11ATKPE
• Availability of SDXC UHS-I Card Reader within the MiniAir 11, not accessible within the NUC11ATKPE
• Bodily DisplayPort output is full-sized within the NUC11ATKPE, whereas it’s mini-DP within the MiniAir 11
• Built-in quad-microphone (DMIC) array together with a combo audio jack within the MiniAir 11, whereas the NUC11ATKPE ships separate audio out and microphone jacks within the entrance panel
• Intel Wi-fi-AC 9462 within the NUC11ATKPE, in comparison with Intel Wi-fi-AC 7265 within the MiniAir 11

The NUC11ATKPE is primarily priced as a barebones system, however availability of computing programs generally within the latest previous has been spotty on account of provide chain challenges. This has allowed B2B / B2C retailers like SimplyNUC to position important premiums for ready-to-ship Atlas Canyon NUCs. Pattern this – a barebones NUC11ATKPE has a beneficial buyer value of round $180 (road value, when accessible, is round $188). Nevertheless, SimplyNUC’s base value for the Atlas Canyon NUC is at present $449 and comes with 4GB of DDR4 SODIMM and a 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD. One can take away the DRAM and SSD from the configuration, however that does not have an effect on the worth. Distinction that with the GEEKOM MiniAir 11 – with present reductions, it’s priced at $219 (inclusive of taxes) when ordered from their web site and $245 (taxes additional) on Amazon. For that value, GEEKOM is bundling in a 256GB M.2 2280 SATA SSD and 1x 8GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM.

The use-cases for each programs are manifold. Intel markets the Atlas Canyon NUCs below the NUC Necessities branding – low-cost, but efficient sufficient for workloads that don’t want excessive processing energy. GEEKOM’s push can be related – taking efforts to convey that the system is for informal house and workplace use, and never for heavy gaming. The programs are additionally being pushed for purposes in retail reminiscent of kiosks and digital signage.

Whereas GEEKOM sampled us a retail model of their system package deal, Intel offered us with a pre-production engineering pattern for analysis. Each programs embrace a 65W energy adapter (19V @ 3.42A) and screws for putting in the interior M.2 SSD. The MiniAir 11 package deal additionally features a VESA mount (and related screws), a HDMI cable, a mini-DP to HDMI adapter cable, a storage bag, and an person information.

The NUC11ATKPE pattern was barebones – we used a SK hynix Gold P31 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD within the M.2 slot (although we might have gotten by with a PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe SSD such because the WD Blue SN500 additionally, on condition that the M.2 slot within the NUC is electrically PCIe 3.0 x2 solely). The DRAM possibility was extra tough. The Jasper Lake platform formally helps DDR4-2933. Having numerous DDR4-2933 / DDR4-3000 / DDR4-3200 SODIMMs collected (ranging from the Skylake days), I used to be hopeful of getting a type of early high-frequency SODIMMs to function at DDR-2933 speeds within the NUC11ATKPE. Sadly, all of them defaulted to DDR4-2400 or DDR4-2666, and the BIOS was not too useful when it comes to permitting modification of DRAM timings. Solely latest DDR4-2933+ SODIMMs have been capable of function at DDR-2933 within the system – sadly, I solely had 32GB SODIMMs in hand from the latest batches. In the long run, the NUC11ATKPE was outfitted with 2x 32GB DDR4-3200 Kingston HyperX (now, FURY) SODIMMs for a complete of 64GB of RAM – increased than the formally specified 32GB most reminiscence capability of the NUC11ATKPE. Luckily, the system labored flawlessly via our benchmarking routines regardless of this out-of-spec configuration. The complete specs of the NUC11ATKPE pattern as examined are offered within the desk beneath.

The GEEKOM MiniAir 11 overview pattern got here with solely one of many reminiscence slots occupied (1x 8GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM). A 256GB SXMicro NF830 M.2 SATA SSD can be included. The retail pattern comes with Home windows 11 Professional pre-installed, however as customary, we worn out the drive and put in our personal copy for analysis functions. The complete specs of the GEEKOM MiniAir 11 pattern as examined are offered within the desk beneath.

The chassis of each programs is fabricated from polycarbonate aside from the metallic plate held by 4 screws on the underside. The highest of the MiniAir 11 is shiny and attracts smudges and fingerprints, whereas the NUC11ATKPE has a matte end.

A better take a look at the NUC11ATKPE case and inside photos can be found within the gallery beneath. The thickness of the system is such {that a} easy thermal pad affixed to the underside of the chassis is adequate to chill down the put in SSD. One other fascinating side of the NUC11ATKPE is the absence of any kind of LED indicator within the entrance panel, aside from the ability button itself. As a substitute, there’s a entrance panel header (behind the versatile masking) that incorporates pins to drive LEDs for storage exercise and different statuses.

The gallery above supplies a take a look at the chassis design of the GEEKOM MiniAir 11. It additionally consists of disassembly photographs – disassembly is simple and required if there may be ever a must replace the interior SSD or RAM. A thermal pad on high of a metallic block on the underside of the chassis makes up the thermal safety for the put in SSD.

Within the subsequent part, we check out the system setup and comply with it up with an in depth platform evaluation.