Disclosure: Some links on this page are monetized by the Skimlinks, Amazon, Rakuten Advertising, and eBay, affiliate programs, and Liliputing may earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. All prices are subject to change, and this article only reflects the prices available at time of publication.

Chinese PC maker Chuwi’s Corebox line of computers are compact desktops that look a bit like Apple’s classic Mac Pro (but smaller and without the cheese grater finish). And they’re generally a lot cheaper.

The new Chuwi CoreBox 4th-gen mini PC is set to begin shipping later this month. It has a retail price of $449, but folks who pre-order now can save $50 and pick one up for $399.

The computer measures 173 x 158 x 73mm (6.8″ x 6.2″ x 2.9″) and features a black and gray chassis made from aluminum-magnesium alloy and polycarbonate (plastic).

Under the hood, it’s powered by an Intel Core i3-1215U processor, which is a laptop-class processor with 6 cores and 8 threads (2 Performance cores with support for hyperthreading plus four single-threaded Performance cores). It has Intel UHD integrated graphics with support for speeds up to 1.1 GHz and 64 execution units. And while it’s nominally a 15-watt processor, Chuwi says its mini PC, as configured, will let the chip use up to 35 watts.

Other features include 16GB of dual channelLPDDR5 memory (not user upgradeable), a 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD (which is replaceable), and room for an optional 2.5 inch SATA hard drive or SSD.

The computer has a single Thunderbolt 4 port that can be used for external graphics docks or other accessories, plus four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a Gigabit ethernet jack, DisplayPort and HDMI 2.0 ports, and 3.5mm mic and audio jacks.

You should be able to connect up three 4K displays by using the HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB Type-C ports.

The 4th-gen Chuwi CoreBox comes with a wireless card that supports WiFi 6 connectivity and a 65-watt power supply.

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,547 other subscribers

3 replies on “Chuwi’s 4th-gen CoreBox is a $449 mini PC with Intel Core i3-1215U and Thunderbolt 4”

  1. I’ve given up on these “cheap” chinese computers. Having bought 4 different models the last 5 years, I always seem to end up with either:
    – dead sata ports
    – unexplainable shutdowns (perfect for the diy router)
    – coil whine
    – dying or unstable ethernet ports
    Good luck getting your money back (even with paypal buyer protection) or even just a refund.
    I mean it is not worth paying 60% of what you should, just to see the product die within 1 year.

  2. Am I right that this (35W…) processor is heatsinked upside down in the chassis set up as for the images?

    1. Holy Moly, you’re right.
      I guess it’s okay for a 35W device, where the active cooling is small and not always running. But I would flip it, because there’s gravity and you don’t want the pressure on the CPU, small openings in the seam, or the TIM to start to dry out.

      Basically a rookie mistake by Chuwi, but can’t be entirely sure without seeing the insides of the product on-hand.

Comments are closed.