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The Asus ExpertCenter PN64-E1 is a compact desktop computer that packs plenty of horsepower into a small space. It’s available with a 35-watt, 13th-gen Intel Core processor and the little computer supports up to 64GB of DDR5 memory, up to three storage devices, and a good set of connectivity options including support for up to 4 displays, a Thunderbolt 4 port, 2.5 GbE Ethernet, and support for up to WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.
First unveiled earlier this year, the ExpertCenter PN64-E1 is now available for purchase.
You can pick up a barebones PN64 series mini PC with an Intel Core i5-13500H processor for $499 from Amazon or B&H, while models with Core i7-13700H chips sell for $649.
Update: Those barebones models include pictures that appear to show the previous-gen PN64 with a 10 Gbps USB-C port on the front rather than a Thunderbolt port. But Asus, Amazon, and B&H also have product pages for a Core i5/8GB/256GB model with a visible Thunderbolt port and $840 price tag).
The PN64-E1 measures 130 x 120 x 58mm (5.1″ x 4.7″ x 2.3″) and weighs 750 grams (about 1.65 pounds). On the front it has a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. And on the back it has:
- 2 x HDMI 2.1
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet
- 1 x Configurable port (B&H shows DisplayPort, but it’s unclear if all models will ship with this)
- 1 x DC Power input
Under the hood the computer has two SODIMM slots with support for up to 32GB of DDR5-4800 memory each, a bay for a 2.5 inch hard drive or SSD, and two M.2 2280 slots with support for PCIe Gen 4×4 NVMe SSDs.
There’s also a fan for active cooling. Asus says that it includes a “self cleaning system” that “keeps the heatsinks clean and also effectively ejects dust and other particles to prolong the lifespan of the system,” while keeping the fan clean and reducing noise.
Asus notes that the configurable port can be used for a second 2.5 GbE Ethernet connection, HDMI, COM, VGA, or DisplayPort 1.4. But I suspect this customization is reserved for business and enterprise customers, and most individual users will have to hunt for a model with the port they want.
via Guru3D
Photos, links and prices used in this article are for older products without Thunderbolt ports.
The new product featured on Guru3D is the PN64-E1,
The product information on this page is for the PN64, which is a
another product.
https://www.asus.com/displays-desktops/mini-pcs/pn-series/asus-expertcenter-pn64-e1/
https://www.asus.com/displays-desktops/mini-pcs/pn-series/asus-expertcenter-pn64/
Nope, the info in this article is about the PN64-E1. The PN64 has Alder Lake chips, the PN64-E1 has Raptor Lake. Retail listings just don’t always include the E1 in their product descriptions/
You might be right about the photos being wrong though – the USB-C port is marked as 10 Gbps rather than 40 Gbps/Thunderbolt 4.
Hmm… actually it looks like Amazon does have a separate listing for the PN64-E1, with an i5/8GB/256GB model selling for $840 and showing the correct picture. I’m not sure at this point whether it’s just the picture that’s wrong on the barebones models, but I’ve updated the images in this article.
I would be ok if the article included the PN64, but I thought it would be misleading to introduce the PN64-E1 as starting at $499 since the i5 barebone product is introduced in guru3D for 659.90EUR.