Manufacturers are putting top-tier chips into ever smaller systems: Intel Arrow Lake, AMD Strix Halo, and Ryzen AI Max+ 395. Some are liquid-cooled, others are passively cooled, but all are aimed at heavy workloads, from AI inference to 10-gigabit networking and PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Compact chassis, laptop processors, and desktop-class power appear to be one of the defining mini PC trends of summer 2025. This roundup covers five new models introduced in June and July, from System76 and NovaCustom to Colorful and Abee.

Radxa E24C: an affordable mini PC for routers and DIY networking

A compact fanless mini PC introduced in July 2025. It is designed for networking workloads such as routing, firewalling, proxies, VPNs, and other DIY scenarios. Inside a chassis with a volume under one liter are a quad-core Rockchip RK3528A ARM chip and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. The device runs Debian, OpenWrt, and other Linux distributions and starts at $35.

Thanks to its low power draw and passive cooling, the E24C can run 24/7 without making noise. It is equipped with three USB ports, including USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1 for display output, a microSD slot, and an M.2 2280 connector for an NVMe SSD. eMMC storage support makes it convenient for fast system deployment. Inside, it can be configured with 1, 2, or 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory. Despite having HDMI, the integrated Mali-450 graphics are only suitable for basic video output, so the E24C is not intended for multimedia tasks.

Specifications:

• Processor: Rockchip RK3528A (4× Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz)
• GPU: Mali-450
• RAM: 1 / 2 / 4 GB LPDDR4-2133
• Storage: eMMC (8/16/32 GB), microSD (UHS-I), M.2 2280 PCIe 2.1 NVMe SSD
• Networking: 4× Gigabit Ethernet (based on RTL8367RB, configurable WAN/LAN)
• Ports: 1× USB Type-C, 3× USB Type-A (including USB 3.0), 1× HDMI 2.1
• Additional features: 14-pin GPIO, reset button, Maskrom, power and network LEDs
• Power: 12V / 2A through a DC jack
• Cooling: passive (aluminum chassis), optional fan installation

The Radxa E24C is already available and fairly inexpensive, starting at $35 for the base configuration.

The first mini PC from Dutch company NovaCustom, known for its open-software laptops and focus on security. The device is built around Intel Meteor Lake-H, up to the Core Ultra 7 255H, and ships with Dasharo Coreboot firmware, a fully open, customizable alternative to a traditional UEFI/BIOS.

The NUC Box offers an unusual combination of hardware flexibility and open firmware. Users get full control over boot and system security, including a choice of GNU/Linux distribution such as Ubuntu, Fedora, or Pop!_OS, or Windows as a standalone OS, a dual-boot setup, or a virtual machine. Inside, there is support for up to 96 GB of DDR5, three drives, and two 2.5GbE ports. It is not silent, but according to the manufacturer it is "barely audible."

• Processor: Intel^® Core^™ Ultra 5 125H (Meteor Lake) in the base version, up to Intel^® Core^™ Ultra 7 255H
• RAM: up to 96 GB DDR5-5600 (2× SODIMM)
• Storage and slots: M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 + M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 x1 + 2.5-inch SATA
• Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (with DP Alt Mode), 3× USB-A, 2× HDMI 2.1, 2× 2.5GbE LAN, 3.5 mm audio
• Wireless: options with Intel AX210/211 or BE200 (Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.3/5.4)
• Firmware: Dasharo Coreboot (open source)
• Cooling: active, quiet
• Dimensions: 117.5 × 110 × 49 mm (4.63 × 4.33 × 1.93 in)
• Power: 90W (19V adapter)
• OS: choice of GNU/Linux distribution or Windows (optional)
• Warranty: 3 years with free warranty repair

Preorders opened in July 2025, with shipments expected in September. Pricing starts at $800 for the barebones version. Expensive, yes.

System76 Meerkat: now with Arrow Lake and Wi-Fi 7

In July 2025, System76 refreshed its Meerkat mini PC lineup. It now includes configurations with Intel Arrow Lake processors, up to the Core Ultra 7 255H. This is a mini PC with a strong Linux focus, shipping with Pop!_OS or Ubuntu. Even the base configurations include 16 GB of DDR5 and a 500 GB SSD. Arrow Lake variants can be configured with PCIe 5.0 SSDs up to 4 TB and RAM up to 96 GB. All components are easily replaceable inside: two memory slots and three storage slots, including PCIe 5.0 on the latest versions. Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Thunderbolt 4, and an optional second Ethernet port for $49 are all supported.

• Processor: from Intel^® Core^™ 3 100U (Raptor Lake) up to Intel^® Core^™ Ultra 7 255H (Arrow Lake)
• RAM: 16–96 GB DDR5-5600, 2× SODIMM
• Storage and slots: 2× M.2 2280 (in Arrow Lake configurations: one PCIe 5.0 and one PCIe 4.0), 1× M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 x4, 1× 2.5-inch SATA (depending on configuration)
• Ports: 2× Thunderbolt 4, 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 3× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1× USB 2.0, 2× HDMI 2.1, 1× 2.5GbE LAN (optional second port), 1× DC power
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Dimensions: 117 × 112 × 54 mm (4.61 × 4.41 × 2.13 in)
• OS: Pop!_OS or Ubuntu

For reference, this was already the second refresh of the series in a year. The base configuration with Intel^® Core^™ 3 100U, 16 GB of RAM, and a 500 GB SSD costs $599; the Intel^® Core^™ Ultra 5 225U version costs $844; and the top build with Core Ultra 7 255U costs $1,048. Additional charges apply for expanding RAM to 96 GB, SSD storage to 8 TB, and the second Ethernet port ($49).

Abee Ai Station: a mini PC with liquid cooling, Ryzen Strix Halo, and 10G networking

Abee Ai Station is an unusual mini PC introduced in July 2025. Inside is one of AMD's most powerful mobile chips, the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 (Strix Halo), originally intended for laptops but seemingly more comfortable as the heart of a desktop AI station. The key difference here is a liquid cooling system installed directly inside a compact cube-shaped chassis.

The Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 combines 16 Zen 5 cores, 32 threads, 40-core RDNA 3.5 graphics (Radeon 8060S), and an integrated NPU delivering up to 50 TOPS. Abee equipped the Ai Station with 128 GB of LPDDR5x-8000, with up to 96 GB available to the GPU, a powerful 400W power supply, and a pair of high-speed network ports: 2.5GbE and 10GbE. The liquid cooling helps unlock the chip's potential under sustained load and improves system stability.

• Processor: AMD Ryzen^™ AI MAX+ 395 (16C/32T Zen 5, 50 TOPS NPU)
• Graphics: Radeon 8060S (40 RDNA 3.5 cores, up to 96 GB RAM available)
• RAM: 128 GB LPDDR5x-8000 (soldered)
• Storage and ports: details not disclosed
• Networking: 1× 2.5GbE, 1× 10GbE
• Cooling: liquid cooling
• Power: 400W PSU
• Form factor: cube mini PC

Price and launch timing were not announced. Given that comparable Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 systems without liquid cooling start at around $1,500, the Abee Ai Station will probably cost significantly more.

Colorful SMART 900: a mini PC with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and an aluminum chassis

A 4-liter PC built around AMD Ryzen^™ AI Max+ 395 (Strix Halo), one of the most powerful mobile chips currently available. It was presented at Computex 2025 and stands out not only for its hardware, but also for its anodized aluminum chassis designed for passive cooling.

Inside the SMART 900 is a 16-core Zen 5 processor with 40-core Radeon 8060S graphics and an NPU that delivers up to 50 TOPS for AI work. Thanks to LPDDR5x memory and a compact but not ultra-tiny chassis, the device is positioned as a high-performance workstation for tasks where graphics, AI, and energy efficiency matter.

There is still no exact information about the storage setup, but it is known that the SMART 900 includes modern ports: USB 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2, a card reader, and at least three display outputs using HDMI and/or DisplayPort. There is also Ethernet, audio outputs, and standard AC power input.

• Processor: AMD Ryzen^™ AI Max+ 395 (16 Zen 5 cores, 32 threads, 50 TOPS NPU)
• Graphics: Radeon 8060S (40 RDNA 3.5 cores)
• RAM: LPDDR5x (soldered, capacity not disclosed)
• Storage: not disclosed
• Ports: 2× USB 4.0, 3× USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2× USB 2.0, SD card reader, Ethernet, audio outputs, at least 3 display outputs (HDMI/DP)
• Chassis: anodized aluminum, 4-liter volume
• Power: external AC adapter

There is still no information on pricing or availability. However, given the Strix Halo platform inside, pricing will likely be above $1,500, especially if configurations with active cooling or expanded storage appear.