Fanless Mini PCs and Linux: What to Know
A fanless mini PC runs without a cooling fan. It removes heat through a passive heatsink and the chassis. Because it has no moving fan, it produces no fan noise and has no fan dust buildup. Linux runs on fanless mini PCs, and the Thinvent Treo and Aero mini PCs ship with Ubuntu Linux preinstalled.
Linux suits older and small hardware. The Debian minimum hardware requirements set the baseline for installation, so check that a system meets them before you install. Linux on older hardware can extend the working life of a PC that ran Windows 10 slowly. Linux distributions differ in their hardware needs, so choose a distribution that matches the device.
Mini PCs are a common choice for Linux. A mini PC uses little space and draws little power. Its hardware is well supported by the Linux kernel, and documentation from active Linux communities covers many models.
The processors in the Thinvent range differ in core count, clock speed and cache. The table below lists the processors and the memory and storage configurations offered with Ubuntu Linux.
| Model | Processor | Cores | Max Frequency | Cache | Memory | Storage | WiFi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treo Mini PC | Intel N5095A | 4 | 2.9 GHz | 4 MB | 4 GB DDR4 | 128 GB SSD | Dual Band / No WiFi |
| Aero Mini PC | Intel Core i3-1215U | 6 | 4.4 GHz | 10 MB | 8 GB DDR4 | 256 GB SSD | Dual Band |
| Treo Mini PC | AMD Ryzen 5 7430U | 6 | 4.3 GHz | 16 MB | 8 / 16 / 64 GB DDR4 | 128 GB / 256 GB / 1 TB SSD | Dual Band |
| Aero Mini PC | Intel Core i3-1315U | 6 | 4.5 GHz | 10 MB | 8 GB DDR4 | 32 GB MLC / 256 GB SSD | Dual Band |
| Treo Mini PC | Intel Core i7-1255U | 10 | 4.7 GHz | 12 MB | 32 GB DDR4 | 512 GB SSD | No WiFi (Dual LAN) |
| Aero Mini PC | Intel Core i5-12450H | 8 | 4.4 GHz | 12 MB | 32 GB DDR4 | 512 GB SSD | Dual Band |
Choose the entry-level Treo with the Intel N5095A for light office and browsing tasks. Choose an Aero with a Core i3 or i5 for multitasking. Choose a Treo with an AMD Ryzen 5 7430U for a six-core system with up to 64 GB of memory.
Thinvent Mini PCs with Linux
Thinvent has its mini PCs with Ubuntu Linux preinstalled. The range covers Intel Celeron, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and AMD Ryzen 5 processors. Thinvent's range does not include fanless models as a separate product line, so check the cooling design of each model before you buy.
Thinvent Mini PCs with Linux
Thinvent has Treo and Aero mini PCs with Ubuntu Linux preinstalled. The range includes Intel N5095A, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and AMD Ryzen 5 7430U processors.