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MINISFORUM is the latest mini PC maker to jump on the Alder Lake-N bandwagon with two new systems powered by Intel’s new chips for low-cost, low-power computers.

The MINISFORUM UN100 is a compact desktop computer with an Intel Processor N100, while the MINISFORUM UN305 packs an Intel Core i3-N305 processor. They’re available for purchase from the company’s web store with prices starting at $199 and $279, respectively. Both models should begin shipping in mid-June.

Those starting prices will get you a model with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 256GB SSD and Windows 11 Pro software. But since the RAM is soldered to the motherboard, you might want to pay a little extra for a 16GB/512GB model… and I do mean a little extra. MINISFORUM is only charging an extra $30 to $40 for that upgrade.

Intel’s Alder Lake-N chips bring significant performance gains over the previous-gen Celeron and Pentium-branded chips based on Intel’s Jasper Lake architecture. These chips are basically what you get if you take a 12th-gen Intel Core U-series processor and strip away the Performance CPU cores, leaving only Efficiency cores.

The Intel Processor N100 is a 6-watt, quad-core chip with support for speeds up to 3.4 GHz and 750 MHz Intel UHD integrated graphics with 24 execution units. And the Intel Core i3-N305 processor is a 15-watt, octa-core chip with CPU speeds up to 3.8 GHz and 1.25 GHz Intel UHD graphics with 32 execution units.

Alder Lake-N chips don’t support hyperthreading, which means that a quad-core chip features 4 cores and 4 threads. But Intel says the Core i3-N305 earns its status as a Core i3 chip thanks to its 8 speedy CPU cores and reasonably high performance graphics.

Aside from the processor, there’s no real difference between the MINISFORUM UN100 and UN305. Both computers have a metal chassis and under the hood there are M.2 2280 slots for a SATA SSD and a 2.5 inch bay for a hard drive or SSD. And both have the same set of ports, which include:

  • 2 x Gigabit Ethernet
  • 2 x HDMI
  • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode)
  • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
  • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
  • 1 x 3.5mm audio
  • 1 x microSD card reader
  • 1 x DC power input

The computers should support up to three displays if you use both HDMI ports and the USB-C port at the same time.

The systems also ship with a wireless card that supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2, which seems a little old school by 2023 standards. But since that card plugs into an M.2 2230 slot on the motherboard, I suspect it shouldn’t be that hard to upgrade the wireless card.

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  1. @John O & @ Jean-Philippe Baril. Checkout the ASUS PN42 Mini PC. It’s fanless and has 2x 2.5Gbe LAN and Wi-Fi 6E.

  2. Is the N100 mini PC fanless?

    I’ve been running a J1900 in a fanless mini PC for 10 years now, looking for a more modern one, but must be fanless.

    1. @John O Checkout the ASUS PN42 Mini PC. It’s fanless and has 2x 2.5Gbe LAN and Wi-Fi 6E.

    1. @Jean-Philippe Baril Checkout the ASUS PN42 Mini PC. It’s fanless and has 2x 2.5Gbe LAN and Wi-Fi 6E.