Mini PCs have been an interesting alternative to standard-size equipment for years to work as basic systems focused on office automation, web browsing and multimedia, but they are experiencing a new youth thanks to the debut of the Intel N100 (Alder Lake-N) a processor using the Gracemont architecture, the same that we can find in the high-efficiency cores of Intel Raptor Lake processors.
The Intel N100 has a total of four cores and four threads operating at a maximum of 3.4 GHz. Your CPI is higher to previous generations of Atom and Celeron processors within the same range, and have 6 MB of L3 cache. Their TDP is very low, just 6 watts, which means they are efficient and very cool, and do not require bulky or expensive cooling systems.
This new processor represents a significant leap in terms of performance, as it it is more powerful than the Intel Celeron N5015, and also in terms of efficiency. To carry out basic office tasks and web browsing, it is more than enough, and it is integrated into very economical and compact equipment that has a minimal impact on the workspace.
The Intel N100 has an Intel UHD iGPU with 24 execution units, which has good driver support and offers sufficient performance for the user profile for which this processor is aimed. The mini PCs that mount this chip usually start from a base configuration of 8 GB of LPDDR5 at 4800 MHz, and have at least 64 GB capacity of storage, all for a price that is normally around 150 euros.
With that configuration we could move Windows 10 without any problem, and Windows 11 would work acceptably. The only thing that I would recommend is not to buy any equipment of this type that is sold with less than 128 GB of storage capacity because, in the end, you will run out of space very soon.
