HIGOLEPC Mini PC 12th Gen N100 Win11 Pro 16GB RAM 256GB ROM 4G Data Mini PC with Screen Dual 2.5GbE LAN Full-Functional USB-C Mini Computer with Battery WiFi 5 BT 5.0 4K Display HDMI Desktop Computer

When you first look at these small PCs, you may ask yourself who they are for. For me, a Windows 11 Pro machine in a small form factor, tackles several use cases. Anywhere you would use a Raspberry Pi, this is a more than a suitable replacement and because it is running Win 11 Pro, you have RDS and all Windows features baked right in - not to mention a 5 or 7" screen to use for input. My favorite usage (for the 5" model) is as a Fire TV replacement. The Higole Mini PC 5" and 7" will not only hold all your movies (either on the SSD or on SD) it will PLAY all your movies, no matter what CODEC. I just install VLC and Win RAR and I'm good to play any movie, any format. That, to me, is incredible and I use the Higole 5" nearly every night. Turn any TV into a smart TV. I pair this with a wireless keyboard with built-in mouse and it's the best. Another use could be a solar panel control interface or use for 3D printing. Photographers and drone pilots will love this as I have been using several Higole units for about three years now and each one improves other the last. ----The new 7 inch model is no exception. Its faster, easier to read, and has LTE4G. The latter means that the utility of this model is elevated to a new level. With this new model, I plan to use it in my car as an infotainment center to accent my current setup with always-on 4G Internet. I had no issue inserting my T-Mobile SIM into the SIM slot to get on to the 4G network.I love how Higole utilizes both full-featured USB charging and 12v fast charging but I would really like to see a standard PD on the next generation as the 12v adapter is the ONLY adapter you can use to fast charge. It's also worth stating that you do not want to plug that 12v adapter into anything else as you will certainly cause damage to your gear. This time around, they opted for a barrel plug for fast charging on the 7" instead of a USB C plug supplied with the 5" model. I assume that this decision was on purpose to mitigate using the 12v USB C adapter accidently. I personally may never use fast charging as I feel USB C charging is fine for my use case.I really like the build materials used - all aluminum! I affix a Scosche metal plate to the back and mount it magnetically to my car mount. Bluetooth in Windows pairs with my car radio perfectly and if needed, I can go old school and use the AUX jack with the Higole 5" and 7". The only PC I use more is my work PC.Higole is constantly improving and really appreciate their existence as there are very few small PCs at this price point. In the next gen I would love to see a decent webcam added and a sharper display. A beefier chipset would always be welcome but I would not want to raise the price point too much as of now this sits right on the sweet spot between an iPad and Android tablet and the Higole crushes both in utility as long as you don't want a portable gaming unit.

THE BAD: Unfortunately the fan in this unit is loud and does not turn off or step down based on the internal heat. Loud enough for me to not want to use it. Support was also lacking until the 3rd email when they told me the fan speed was part of the design. Even with the fan, this thing also gets hot. The metal frame serves as a heat sync a bit but even with all settings in economy and the screen dim, it gets hot.THE GOOD: This is the best of the Higole units that I have purchased and has good enough graphics to play simple games. It has a built in battery which means you can use it anywhere.VERDICT: I can't recommend this unless you want to put it in a closet and leave it running to perform some daily automation tasks. Maybe you can RDC or VNC into the box from afar and use it that way? It is possible Higole will update the firmware to control the fan speed but the fan seems on or off only. So close Higole!!

I know this small PC is designed for certain use cases like digital signs. But I wanted a mini PC that I could unplug from my monitor and keyboard and also be a mini tablet. This isn’t a gaming PC, but it is a great day-to-day PC for banking, streaming some movies/videos and Web browsing. The only issue I have is the noise the fan makes, There is no way to cycle the fan down. It doesn’t spin down even if you put it in low power mode. It’s always a bit loud. But I’m not taking any stars off as overall it works great. It’s fast. Touch screen works well. It’s completely usable as a mini tablet. I even have watched some movies on the built in screen. The screen is excellent. Although the internal speaker is not very loud. So best to use headphones or plug in external speakers.It’s a mini boxy PC that doesn’t take up much space on my desk. I can unplug my monitor, keyboard and the power and carry around the house. Maybe not for everyone, but works great for me.

Pretty cool

Ill probably buy more. I just wish there was a bulk order discount for personal robotics projects.

Works well