Introduction and Design

A fanless Apollo Lake mini system with upgradable storage

Azulle might not be a familiar name unless you have been browsing for mini PCs lately, as the company offers various small form-factor computers and accessories on Amazon.

Today we will take a close look at their Intel Apollo Lake-powered Byte3 mini PC which starts at $179.99 (and goes up to $337.99 depending on configuration), and provides another fanless solution to this category. Does our $199.99 quad-core version, which includes Windows 10 Pro, stand out? Read on to find out!


Specifications:

  • Processor: Quad-core Intel Apollo Lake N3450
  • RAM: 4 GB / 8 GB
  • Storage: eMMC 32 GB / 2.5" SSD or M.2 SSD Supported
  • M.2 Slot: AHCI (SATA)
  • GPU: Intel HD Graphics 500
  • Wi-Fi: Dual-Band 2.4 GHz / 5.0 GHz
  • Ethernet: 1 Gigabit
  • Bluetooth: 4.0
  • Display Output: 1x HDMI (4K @60Hz), 1x VGA
  • USB Ports: 3x USB 3.0 / 1x USB 2.0 / 1x USB Type-C
  • SD Slot: Up to 256 GB
  • BIOS: Wake on LAN / PXE / BIO Reset
  • IR: IR Control
  • Audio Output: 3.5 mm jack
  • OS Support: Windows 10 Pro / Ubuntu Linux
  • Power Supply: 12V
  • Dimensions: 5.6 x 4 x 1.5 inches

Thanks to Azulle for providing the Byte3 for our review!

We'll start with a quick look inside the box:

The Byte3 has a small, rectangular form-factor of some 5.6 inches wide and 4 inches deep, with a height of 1.5 inches.

The Byte3's enclosure feels very well made, and has a nicely finished appearance. The only disruption of the low profile form-factor is the rear-mounted antenna, which should help provide better Wi-Fi reception.

I/O is good for a mini system, beginning on the right side where there is a standard SD card slot and one each USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.

On the back, left to right we find a 3.5 mm audio jack, two more USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, and USB Type-C.

The other side of the Byte3 offers some ventilation

The top of the device is a metallic material that is part of the heatsink:

From the bottom there is access to the system board – and the storage upgrade options – by removing the metal plate.

Next we'll take a look inside the Byte3 and then check out the results with some performance benchmarks.

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