Skip to main content

This $399 AMD-based one-eyed PC is one of the wackiest designs I’ve seen in 25 years

Those of us who work from home can sometimes feel lonely, and video conferencing is often the only time when remote workers will see and interact with fellow employees: that’s where a webcam comes into play. 

Now, a hitherto unknown computer vendor, Coolfun (which seems to be a sister company to Minisforum), has come up with a mini PC with a built-in camera.

It is not the first to have one - Cenovo King Kong and T95 C1 led the way - but it is by far the most powerful and best looking attempt yet.

The MC560 costs less than $400 at Amazon and punches well above its weight thanks to a combination of clever component choices and unique features.

Minisforum HC560: A brief look

Let’s start with the components: there’s a 6-core/12-thread AMD Ryzen 5 5625U CPU, teamed up with 32GB DDR4 memory in dual channel configuration and a 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, a 2.5Gb Ethernet LAN port, a HDMI connector, an audio port, Bluetooth 5.2 and three USB ports and yes, it can run two 4K monitors. There’s no card reader and the PC itself is not upgradable. Windows 11 Pro helps power the MC 560 and is a welcomed surprise, positioning it clearly as a business PC.

Featurewise, the integrated 2.5K/5-megapixel HDR webcam steals the show. Not only does it have two microphones running alongside it, it also has a tiltable base, offering extra flexibility. A pair of 3W speakers complement this exciting multimedia offering.

The MC560 is honestly a very good PC, at least on paper. The brand doesn’t have the cachet of bigger names like Dell, Lenovo or HP and if after sales and support is what you’re after (especially if you are a prosumer, business, freelancer, hustler or someone with a side gig), it might be worth looking elsewhere.

It is small enough and well designed to adorn a contemporary office without looking out of place next to a business monitor. It is powerful enough for most end user business or professional tasks: from email to image editing, even when used as a thin client or budget workstation PC.

Alternatively, its webcam has a near 94 degrees viewing angle which makes it a great fit for meeting rooms and team huddles. As for swapping it for a laptop, you’d be hard pressed to find any notebook with this configuration and a high-res camera.

As we haven’t tested one, we have approached Minisforum for a review sample.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 30a
A different proposition is an all-in-one PC; the Neo 30a retails for $469 at the time of writing and comes with Windows 11 Pro. We like the fact that it offers onsite warranty and features a retractable webcam for those business meetings.View Deal



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more