CompuLab MintBox Mini 2 (MBM2 Pro)

The system itself is pretty good. I've been using it to stream video for my TV, and it's worked well. I'm only streaming 1080p, and the processing load is roughly 50% some higher and some lower depending on site and content streamed. On top of that, the system only uses about 25 VA (real power usage is about 12W) when streaming and no fan noise. For a while, I had a bit of trouble with the system not booting from its semi-shutdown state and instead just hanging somewhere along the boot-up. It seems to have been solved by entering the BIOS and telling the system to look for linux. And the other thing I had a bit of issue with was using my Logitech wireless keyboard being sluggish and unresponsive when the system had some loading sometimes. This issue seems to have gone away, but not entirely sure what solved it: either installing Solaar, which is supposed to help with this, or installing a usb extension cord to give the receiver a direct line of sight from the front of the TV. I still gave the system 5 star since it ultimately works quite nicely, and the problems I've had so far have all been fairly minor solutions with minimal time required. Ultimately, the system is still streaming videos for me with no noise and low power usage.

Very pleased with this purchase. As long as you don't expect a high powered processor, this computer will meet your needs. It is quiet and small, and more than fast enough for basic uses. If you are a developer or work with large files, this computer may be a bit slow for you. But I use it to send emails, surf the web, and update my website and it is more than fast enough for all of the above.

This is a great computer. Linux Mint is fast and easy to use, and all of the applications work fine on this machine. Audio and video play without hesitation or pauses. I particularly like the low power consumption; I never turn this computer off, I only turn the monitor off when I leave my desk. I use a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse, so my MintBox Mini 2 Pro only has a power cable and an HDMI cable. I recommend this device. Update March 23, 2019. The SSD failed, I e-mailed the support address in the booklet with warranty information, and no one ever answered. After a week I just ordered another SSD from Amazon and fixed it myself; I needed the computer. Taking one star away because of no vendor response. (I still recommend this computer, it is great.)

Impressively small, runs only slightly warm, so far no problems at all. I am running some OpenCV code which does analytics on moving objects in video streams from IP cameras. I also have the same software running on a MINIX Z83-4 but this MBM2 Pro runs about 1.7x faster, which is great. There were issues with audio playback under Ubuntu on the MINIX box, but Mint on the MBM2 Pro runs without any problem.

Great Linux distribution. Nice looking unit. Reboots often. Not a heat issue and nothing loose internally it seems. It just reboots and unsaved work is lost. Fun to play with as a linux machine, but not of value past that. I use a RPi 4 machine, CanaKit metal housing with 8mg memory (the "extreme kit") and it's incredibly great to work with. I would have expected just the opposite, but the Pi 4 functions as a business quality desktop. The mint mini pro doesn't.

I wanted a small PC to replace an old iMac I was using as a Linux box. This looked perfect. It has Linux Mint preinstalled so I knew it would work. Hooking it up to my keyboard/mouse/display was easy. It booted to the desktop immediately. That was the problem. It booted into the "oem" account they used to install Mint. It looks like there was a final step that they missed. I was left with the oem account. I couldn't make any changes because I didn't know the password. I tried the obvious passwords with no luck. Next, I tried to install Mint over their installation, even though I shouldn't have had to. I bought it because Mint was installed already. The problem was I could not get to the bios nor to grub. I couldn't force it to boot with my USB key that had the Mint installer. I tried all the keys that should have given me the bios or grub. No luck. I wrote the manufacturer. They responded quickly, but with no clue as to what was going on. They asked for more info, which I sent. That was a week ago and no response. I'm tires of dealing with this. Even if they do respond to my last email I'll still have to reinstall Mint. That's not a really big deal, but I wasn't supposed to have to. It's a matter of principle, now. There are too many obstacles to getting it to work. I returned it. If support was better then I'd be willing to recommend it. Without support it's too much of a pain. There are a lot of mini PCs out there. I think I'll try something else.

Delightfully tiny and silent, but could not get it to run YouTube videos even at 480 consistently, which is one of the main things I use a desktop for. Was also frustratingly slow to respond to mouse input or motion, even on an empty desktop just trying to navigate normal Mint settings. $350 mistake.

This little computer is well built and very reliable! I bought it to replace my Windows 7 computer. It comes with Linux Mint installed. Mint is a bit different than Windows 7, but It didn't take long for me to get the hang of it. I use this computer to surf the web, write documents and exchange e-mails. The computer performs well doing those tasks. Since I don't play games, I can't attest to how well this computer performs in regards to that, but it it suits all my needs. When you order this computer, be sure to get a mini DP to VGA adapter, which will allow you to use your old monitor. This is a great little computer!