Makers rejoice! This mini PC has a rare expansion connector that no competitor offers: the 9-pin port is located on the front of the Geekom device and can be useful for some great DIY projects
Mini PC manufacturers are becoming increasingly inventive as they meet the growing demand for compact yet powerful computing solutions. As consumers and businesses alike look for space-saving devices without sacrificing performance, manufacturers are pushing the boundaries in design and functionality.
Geekom makes some of our favorite mini devices, like the AX8 Pro, and its latest offering, the Mini Air12 Lite, is another great addition to its portfolio. As you can guess from the name, this is a scaled down – and cheaper – version of Geekom’s Mini Air12.
Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake N100 processor, it comes with up to 16 GB DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 1 TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD storage. You can pre-order it at Geekom American site with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for $199 (down from the usual MSRP of $249). It is expected to ship in October.
Many ports
The Mini Air12 Lite offers a decent number of ports. On the back you’ll find two USB 3.2 Gen 2 and two USB 2.0 ports, as well as DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 outputs, which support dual-monitor setups, along with an RJ45 Ethernet port. Wireless connectivity is provided via WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1.
The front panel features two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and separate 3.5mm jacks for a microphone and headphones. Digital audio is also an option via HDMI and DP.
What sets the Mini Air12 Lite apart is the 9-pin expansion header on the front. This provides pins for connecting external components or additional functionality, including a 5V DC power pin, power switch pins, and pins for power and HDD activity LEDs. Since the device already has a power button and a built-in power LED, we think the intention is to give users more customization options, with these pins potentially being configured for additional controls or indicators, but we’ll have to waiting for it to be released. I’m sure.