A palm size PC is a complete computer that fits in the palm of your hand — typically measuring around 100–150 mm on its longest side, weighing under a kilogram, and drawing power from a small external adapter or a wide-range DC input. Despite the compact footprint, modern palm-sized computers run full desktop operating systems such as Windows 11 or Linux, drive dual displays, and offer multiple USB, Ethernet and serial ports. They achieve this by using low-power mobile-class processors soldered directly to a dense motherboard, with heat spread through the chassis instead of a fan.
What Defines a Palm Size PC
The category sits between a single-board computer and a traditional desktop tower. Key characteristics include:
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Small footprint: Usually fanless, with an aluminium or steel chassis acting as the heatsink, so there are no vents to clog and no moving parts to wear out.
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Low power draw: Most models run on 12V DC and consume 10–30W in typical use, making them suitable for battery-backed or solar-assisted installations.
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Full connectivity in miniature: Multiple USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI output, audio jacks and often RS-232/RS-485 serial ports for industrial equipment.
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Solid-state storage: M.2 or mSATA SSDs in place of spinning disks, which tolerate vibration and shock far better than hard drives.
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Mounting flexibility: VESA brackets, DIN rail clips or simple screw flanges let the unit hide behind a monitor or inside a control cabinet.
Typical Specifications
| Feature | Common Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 100–150 mm | Fits in an open palm |
| Processor | Intel Celeron, N-series, Core i3/i5 | 4–12 cores, 6–15W TDP classes |
| Memory | 4–64 GB DDR4/DDR5 | Often soldered or single SO-DIMM |
| Storage | 128 GB – 1 TB SSD | M.2 2242/2280 or mSATA |
| Display | 1–2 × HDMI | Dual independent output on many models |
| Networking | 1–2 × Gigabit Ethernet | Optional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module |
| Serial | 0–4 × RS-232/RS-485 | Essential for legacy equipment |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro, Linux, DOS | Some ship without an OS |
| Cooling | Fanless | Sealed chassis, wide temperature tolerance |
Where Palm Size PCs Are Used
Because they are small, silent and reliable, these systems appear in places where a tower PC would be impractical:
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Digital signage and kiosks: Mounted behind a screen, driving promotional or wayfinding content.
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Retail and point-of-sale: Compact terminals with serial ports for receipt printers, scanners and cash drawers.
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Industrial control: DIN-rail mounted units running SCADA, HMI or data-logging software next to machinery.
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Thin client and VDI deployments: Low-power endpoints connecting to centralised virtual desktops.
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Edge computing and IoT gateways: Collecting and forwarding data from sensors, PLCs and cameras.
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Home and office: Quiet everyday computing, media playback and light content creation.
Choosing the Right Model
Match the processor to the workload. Celeron and Intel N-series chips (such as the N100 or N150) suit kiosks, thin clients and light office tasks while staying cool and efficient. Core i3 and i5 processors, like the 6-core i3-1215U running up to 4.4 GHz, add the headroom needed for multi-application industrial workloads, virtualisation and heavier data processing. Consider memory and storage carefully: 8 GB is adequate for basic tasks, while 16 GB or more is advisable for multitasking or running databases locally. Check the port count against your peripherals, and confirm the operating system options — Windows 11 Pro for standard business software, Linux for embedded and custom applications, or a no-OS configuration if you deploy your own image.
Thinvent's Palm Size and Compact Computers
Thinvent builds a range of compact, fanless systems in this class, including industrial PCs, mini PCs, thin clients and all-in-one units. Configurations pair Intel processors with up to 16 GB DDR4 memory and 1 TB SSD storage, and are available with Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 IoT, Linux or no operating system, plus optional quad serial ports for industrial integration. Their sealed, fanless chassis are designed to keep running in dusty, hot or vibration-prone environments where conventional desktops struggle.
