Acer announced a new and more powerful PC in its Revo Base product line, the Revo Base Mini. This system has several advancements over the existing Revo Base PCs, but it appears that it’s not compatible with existing Revo Base accessories.
Although the Revo Base Mini is called “mini,” it is actually almost the exact same size as Acer’s existing M1-601-UR51 system. The M1-601-UR51 measures 134.62 x 134.62 x 55.88 mm (LxWxH), whereas the Revo Base Mini is slightly larger at 140 x 140 x 53 mm (LxWxH). Both systems have a volume of one liter, so this difference in size is likely due to the Mini’s more rounded external case.
“With digital content delivery becoming the norm, a compact home entertainment hub offers users the convenience and storage space that laptops or tablets just can’t offer,” said Jeff Lee, General Manager, Stationary Computing, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “The Revo Base is designed as a dedicated entertainment, browsing and content-serving device that addresses the performance and expandability needs of today’s consumers, while also taking into consideration the space constraints of modern living rooms,” he added.
The real advantage inherent in the Revo Base Mini is that it will come with up to a "Core i7" processor. In comparison, the M1-601-UR51 has just a dual-core Atom Braswell N3050 CPU, and the fastest Revo Base system comes with a mobile dual-core 6th Gen (Skylake) Core i5-6200U processor.
Due to the compact form factor and limited 65 W PSU, it is likely that Acer used either mobile or ultra-low power Skylake or Kaby Lake processors in the Revo Base Mini. Graphics processing is handled by the CPU’s Intel HD iGPU.
The system will also come with up to 8 GB of SO-DIMM DDR3L. For storage options, you can employ up to a 2 TB HDD, or you can configure one with a 256 GB SSD. The system is designed to give you easy access to both the RAM and storage so that you can upgrade either.
It isn’t clear if the Revo Base Mini will be compatible with the various other Revo Base accessories, such as the storage attachments. There are no contacts visible on the top of the system, and due to its unique design, it appears that the Revo Base Mini is intended to be used as a standalone device.
Around the Revo Base Mini’s exterior are a number of connectors, including an HDMI port, DisplayPort, an RJ-45 header, an SD Card slot and four USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1 ports. The system also comes with built-in 802.11AC wireless networking.
Acer plans to launch the Revo Base Mini in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in Q1 2017 with a starting price of €429. There is currently no word on U.S. availability or pricing.
| Acer Revo Build PCs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System | Revo Base Mini | M1-601-UR51 | M1-601-UR52 | M2-601-UR61 |
| CPU | Up To Core i7 | Intel Celeron Braswell N3050, Dual-Core | Intel Celeron Braswell N3700 Quad-core | Intel 6th Gen (Skylake) Core i5-6200U, Dual-Core |
| Clock Speed | Depends On CPU | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz | 2.3 GHz |
| RAM Capacity | Up To 8 GB | Up To 8 GB | Up To 8 GB | Up To 16 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR3L SDRAM | DDR3L SDRAM | DDR3L SDRAM | DDR4 SDRAM |
| Storage | Up To 2 TB HDD or 256 GB SSD | 32 GB | Up To 1 TB HDD | Up To 1 TB HDD |
| Networking | LANWireless 802.11ac | LANWireless 802.11ac | LANWireless 802.11ac | LANWireless 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | N/A | Bluetooth 4.0+LE | Yes | Bluetooth 4.0+LE |
| Ports | HDMIDisplayPort4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)Combo Audio-JackSD Card Slot | HDMI3 x USB 3.0Audio Line Out | HDMI3 x USB 3.0Audio Line Out | HDMIDisplayPort3 x USB 3.0Audio Line Out |
| Power Supply | 65 W | 65 W | 65 W | 65 W |
| Dimensions | 140 x 140 x 53 mm (L x W x H) | 134.62 x 134.62 x 55.88 mm (L x W x H) | 134.62 x 134.62 x 55.88 mm (L x W x H) | 134.62 x 134.62 x 55.88 mm (L x W x H) |
| Volume | 1 Liter | 1 Liter | 1 Liter | 1 Liter |
| MSRP | N/A | $179.99 | $279.99 | $499.99 |
