The MINISFORUM Elitemini B550 is a compact desktop computer that the Chinese specialist marketed a few months ago based on AMD processors, Ryzen 4000 or 5000 series. new version barebones much cheaper than those marketed so far.
The Elitemini B550 stands out from other mini-PCs because of the possibility to add an additional power supply and a full-size dedicated graphics card like the one we use in a PC tower. It is connected by an additional expansion base and obviously gives it more potential.
If these mini-PCs can be used for consumer desktops, offices or living rooms, the possibility of mounting a dedicated full-size graphic also enables it to run triple-A games. A section in which mini computers can generally fall short for obvious reasons of size and consumption limitation.
MINISFORUM Elitemini B550, now Barebone
This minicomputer uses a socket AM4 motherboard that can accommodate Ryzen 4000 or 5000 processors with TDP up to 65 watts, with pre-assembled models like the Ryzen 4700G or the more interesting Ryzen 7 5700G with 8 cores and 16 threads, clocked at up to 4.6 GHz and 16 Gbytes of L3 cache.
It includes two SODIMM slots to equip up to 64 Gbytes of DDR4 RAM and two other M.2 2280 slots for storage based on PCIe Gen4 SSDs. It also offers an additional 2.5-inch drive bay for expanding storage capacity with SATA hard drives or solid-state drives.
In a 24 x 20 x 12 cm rectangular chassis, it offers a very complete connectivity:
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Ethernet 2.5Gbps
- 2xHDMI
- 1xDisplayPort
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- Audio inputs and outputs
The new version is delivered in a Barebone format that appeals to those who want to assemble their own components. Thus, the user provides the memory, storage or the operating system, but also the same processor if desired. Taking into account that the board (a mini-ITX) has an AM4 socket, you can use dozens of processors.
If you have an AMD CPU that you no longer use from other computers, this is a variant to consider. It is available on sale for $319. The power supply and dedicated graphics are sold separately as the assembled version.
