Intel ARC graphics getting attention from Mini-PC makers
When this product was first announced in early June, little did one know about the upcoming Intel plans to abandon its NUC product series. While NUC systems were easily copied by other companies, the ones that featured Intel Arc GPUs were extremely rare and mainly limited to Intel NUC systems such as the Serpent Canyon series.
Nonetheless, other companies have stepped in to fill the void. ASUS has introduced their gaming Mini-PC, while MSI, Gigabyte, and ASRock have announced new systems. Minisforum has taken the lead by unveiling its first Arc-based system, the HN2673.
HN2673 PC with Arc A730M GPU, Source: Minisforum
The HN2673 is not a tiny PC; rather, it is a smaller desktop equipped with a Micro-ATX sized motherboard (exact dimensions undisclosed). The render shows a preinstalled Core i5-12650H Alder Lake CPU on the motherboard, while the GPU utilizes the MXM form factor, making it technically removable. However, there’s no mention of upgradability or support for other models (e.g., Arc A770M), possibly due to the cooling solution’s limited thermal capacity, though it is sufficient for the 95W TGP of the A730M graphics.
The most interesting detail is that this PC is the first known product to feature a 6GB version of the A730M graphics. By default, Intel ships 12GB VRAM for this SKU, however Intel and Minisforum developed a cheaper version, which may explain how this product ended up costing less than most A730M gaming laptops (the cheapest are around $870 based on official NUC X15 barebone).
HN2673 PC with Arc A730M GPU, Source: Minisforum
Unlike other Mini-PCs, including those from Minisforum, the HN2673 lacks a barebone option. This is due to the complex disassembly process with a cooler positioned atop the CPU, GPU, and memory. Fortunately, there’s no mention of liquid metal on either component, alleviating potential concerns in that regard.
It’s important to note that this PC does not support external graphics, and there’s no HDMI 2.1 support either. Instead, the system offers two HDMI 2.0 connectors and two USB Type-C ports with DisplayPort support, allowing users to connect to four monitors.
The system is now available in the US at a price of $649, which includes the 10-core Core i5-12650H CPU, Arc A730M 6GB GPU, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Users have the option to add two 2.5-inch SATA SSDs for additional storage.
Source: Minisforum
