MSI’s Debuts Cubi 2 Mini-PC With Kaby Lake CPUs

[kewlguy239]

MSI announced that its newest mini-PC, the Cubi 2, is now available with Intel’s 7th generation (Kaby Lake) processors.

MSI’s Debuts Cubi 2 Mini-PC With Kaby Lake CPUs : Read more

 

[TadashiTG]

Please don't use USB 3.1 Gen 1 crap. It's USB 3.0.

 

[InvalidError]

Please don't use USB 3.1 Gen 1 crap. It's USB 3.0.

True on Type-A connectors, not so much on Type-C: with Type-C you have two sets of RX/TX pairs which allows 10Gbps aggregate bandwidth in each direction on Gen 1 (5Gbps per pair, x2) or 20Gbps on Gen 2.

I guess MSI chose to call their 3.0-A ports "3.1 Gen 1" simply for the marketing wank.

 

[Effex]

It sounded good until I got to the USB 3.1g1... no thanks.

 

[Eximo]

What's the power brick look like, and voltage for that matter? All neat being tiny like that, but if there is an equally big power brick...

 

[spentshells]

I like it but eximo has some important questions

 

[sephirothmk]

VESA mount support would be nice

 

[Spencer_17]

hmm sounds like a good idea until you realise there is something called thermal throttling, might contain the next gen cpu but the power it pushes out will be demished over extended periods of usage, i love these things getting smaller but they need to find a fix for thermal throttling

 

[InvalidError]

hmm sounds like a good idea until you realise there is something called thermal throttling

The i7-7500U has a TDP of only 15W. That's well within the realm of passive cooling using modest heatsinks and thick thermal pads.

 

[rwinches]

Basically all are 2 core 4 thread i3s binned for speed and cache with the i7 having 4 meg vs 3 meg. But large price increase for i7 (recommended customer price) i3 $281, i5 $281, i7 $393

 

[Eximo]

Went to MSI's website, they also don't mention the voltage or show the power brick, and still only show the older models.

I picked up a Lenovo stick computer a while back. It is pretty neat aside from having a decent sized USB brick for power, then needing more USB ports, so a hub.. and so on. One of these would be a useful alternative, and much faster.

If you use a monitor with a brick, this with a brick, then need a powered USB hub you are already up to three bricks that have to go somewhere. Back to an all-in-one or laptop for simplicity.

 

[InvalidError]

If you use a monitor with a brick, this with a brick, then need a powered USB hub you are already up to three bricks that have to go somewhere. Back to an all-in-one or laptop for simplicity.

With some luck, USB-PD will eliminate most external bricks in the not-so-distant future. Imagine powering LCDs through their integrated USB 3.1 hub and 12V/5A USB-PD over Type-C. No need for powered hubs anymore unless you want to charge the host device through the hub as well.

 

[bit_user]

Please don't use USB 3.1 Gen 1 crap. It's USB 3.0.

...

I guess MSI chose to call their 3.0-A ports "3.1 Gen 1" simply for the marketing wank.

I think we have the USB standards committee to thank for this wonderful naming scheme.

For those not up on USB nomenclature, USB3 was 5Gbps and 3.1 was 10Gbps. This was unilaterally changed to USB3 being 5Gbps and USB3.1 became 5Gbps over a type-C connector. Why? Who knows but it is just dumb, a completely self-inflicted wound. To make matters less clear, 10Gbps over type-C is now called USB3.1 Gen2. Clear as mud, eh? If you are wondering what 10Gbps over type-A/B is going to be called, we have no clue, but since the USB-IF is involved, it will make things worse when they realize there needs to be a name for it too.

Source: http://semiaccurate.com/2016/06/27/via-labs-shows-working-audio-usb-silicon/

 

[bit_user]

I hope they make a lower-cost version based on Apollo Lake. Soldered RAM would also be nice, for cost reasons.

My goal is to build a low-powered, passively-cooled home server for < ~$250 (including RAM and M.2 SSD).