by 
UK-based Linux hardware vendor Star Labs unveiled today their very first Linux-powered mini PC that features some impressive specs and an all-AMD configuration.
Meet Byte Mk I, the first generation mini PC from Star Labs, which are well known for their nice Linux laptops. Byte Mk I is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U Octo-Core processor with AMD Radeon graphics and up to 4.4GHz clock speed, supports up to 64GB 3200MHz of memory, as well as up to 6TB of fast SSD storage.
But what makes Byte Mk I versatile is the many ports it comes with to allow you to connect everything you need to set up your home office. It features two full-size USB 2.0 ports, two full-size USB 3.0 ports, two full HDMI ports, an Ethernet Gigabit RJ45 port, a USB-C port for power delivery and expansion, a combo audio jack for input and output, and a Micro SD slot.
As with all of Star Labs’ Linux computers, the Byte Mk I mini PC supports either the open-source Coreboot firmware or the proprietary American Megatrends (AMI) Aptio V. The computer comes with both pre-installed, so you can switch between them at any time from the boot screen.
The Coreboot firmware makes the mini PC extremely lightweight and efficient when booting, but it also opens the door to numerous hardware configurations via Star Labs’ in-house built Coreboot Configurator utility. In addition, the Byte Mk I gets firmware updates for the BIOS, Embedded Controler, and SSD from the LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service).
Last but not least, Byte Mk I ships with a popular GNU/Linux distribution pre-installed. Users can choose between Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (Kubuntu, Xubuntu or Ubuntu MATE flavors are also available), elementary OS 6.1, Linux Mint 20.3 (Cinnamon, Xfce or MATE), Manjaro Linux 21.0 (Xfce, GNOME or KDE Plasma), MX Linux 21.1 (Xfce, KDE Plasma or Fluxbox), Zorin OS 16.1 (Core, Lite or Pro).
You can configure and pre-order the Byte Mk I right now from Star Labs. The price for this all-AMD Linux-powered mini PC starts from $793.00 USD for the basic configuration with 8GB RAM and 240 SSD storage. All orders will ship in late June 2022 and you get an automatic 5% discount just for pre-ordering the device while it’s still in production.
Image credits: Star Labs
Last updated 2 years ago
