HFX NUC and VESA: New Mini PCs from Austria with Intel Core i9

Compact mini PCs with Microsoft Windows are a dime a dozen. However, they are rarely really powerful. This is where the models from the Austrian manufacturer HFX come into play, which has now introduced two new compact computers in a futuristic design. The power-saving HFX NUC and the passively cooled HFX VESA, which can even be equipped with an Intel Core i9-10900T at most.

HFX NUC and HFX VESA unveiled

HFX Technologies GmbH, based in Vienna, Austria, which usually focuses on high-end audio and video servers, has unveiled two new mini PCs. The first is the compact HFX NUC, which is said to be particularly suitable for mobile use or the home office.

The futuristic design of the mini PC relies on brushed silver and is made of aluminum and stainless steel. Its dimensions are 15.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 4.5 cm. It is offered in three different configurations. You can choose between an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, a Core i5-10210U or a Core i7-10710U. In the case of the i3, it is supported by 8 GB of DDR4 working memory, whereas the other two models offer 16 GB.

There are also differences in the storage space, which is available as NVMe-SSD in all three models. You are limited to 1 terabyte for the i3 and i5, while the Core i7 has a whole 2 TB available.

The HFX NUC is partly passively and partly actively cooled and should work practically silently in standard use according to the manufacturer. The integrated fan only turns up under high load. Regardless of the selected processor, the following ports are available on the mini-PC:

• 1x HDMI 2.0a
• 1x USB Type-C 3.1 with DisplayPort 1.2
• 3x USB-A 3.1
• 1x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 3)
• 1x Gigabit LAN
• 1x 3.5mm jack combo port

Really, the manufacturer does not give many details. However, the HFX NUC is supposed to be particularly power-saving. The corresponding flyer talks about a “power-saving platform” with 2-20 watts.

HFX VESA: On request even with Core i9

The manufacturer also provides a second mini-PC alongside the NUC. The HFX VESA. Its dimensions of 24 cm x 21 cm x 7 cm make it immensely larger, but it even works completely fanless and thus noiseless due to its cooling fins.

As the name already suggests, the mini PC has a VESA mount and can thus be installed directly behind a monitor or on a wall. Both VESA 75 and VESA 100 hole pitches are supported. The manufacturer also completely dispenses with plastic for the case and relies on aluminum and steel. The power consumption is supposed to be between 15 watts and a maximum of 35 watts.

In addition, the HFX VESA shows itself to be much more varied in its features, because here you have the choice between a whole five CPU configurations, which reach up to the Intel Core i9-10900T:

• Intel Celeron G5900T 2 cores with 3.20GHz, 35W, socket 1200, Intel UHD graphics 610
• Intel Core i3-10100T 4 cores at 3.00GHz, 35W, socket 1200, Intel UHD Graphics 630
• Intel Core i5-10400T 6 cores at 3.60GHz, 35W, socket 1200, Intel UHD graphics 630
• Intel Core i7-10700T 8 cores at 4.50GHz, 35W, socket 1200, Intel UHD Graphics 630
• Intel Core i9-10900T 10 cores at 4.60GHz, 35W, socket 1200, Intel UHD Graphics 630

Starting with the Core i5 variant, there is 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, and even a whopping 32 GB for the Core i9. Furthermore, all models are at least equipped with 1 TB of SSD storage, the Core i9 even with 2 TB. In terms of ports, one HDMI 1.4b, one DisplayPort 1.2, two USB-A 3.0, two USB-A 2.0, one Gigabit LAN and two 3.5 mm jacks are offered. You will have to do without Thunderbolt and USB-C in general.

In this context, the HFX VESA is aimed primarily at business customers and can be conveniently equipped with new components on the part of the manufacturer. “If the hardware is no longer up to date, we are happy to perform an upgrade with the latest hardware. An upgrade is much more affordable than a new device,” HFX writes on the product page.

Thus, the VESA is much more versatile and even more powerful than the recently introduced Minix NGC-7 Pro, which comes with a maximum Intel Core i7-10510U with four cores and eight threads. In return, Minix offers USB Type-C, among other things, while the Mini PC can also be expanded by itself.

Prices and availability

The HFX NUC and HFX VESA mini PCs are now available directly from the manufacturer. Since the devices are produced directly for you, 1-2 weeks of production time must be planned before shipping.

Both computers start at an RRP of 595.00 Euros. The top model of the NUC with Core i7 and 16 GB RAM is priced at 997.00 euros. The HFX VESA with Core i9 on the other hand is offered at an MSRP of 1,291.00 Euros.