Finally, Azulle has released the new Byte4 mini PC in late 2020, 3 years after the Byte3‘s launch. Despite being the new version, the new Byte4 has the same price tag of $249 and you can easily get it on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, or the official website. The Byte line has been well received for its great performance and exceptional build quality, let’s see if it really can deliver power of a full-sized desktop in a small form device.
Disclosure: We received the product from Azulle to make this review. We spent time testing the product to make sure it is honest and unbiased.
Unboxing & Setup
Features & Performance
This is a special year when companies make working from home the new normal. Employees now switch to remote work in short term as well as permanently. Therefore, the demand for high-performing personal computers is higher than ever. A mini PC like the Byte4 has a lot of advantages because it requires almost no extra space and costly investments. You can connect it to your monitor or TV, pair it with your existing keyboard and mouse, and you’re ready to work from home.
As compared to the previous generation, the Byte4 has some important upgrades including the 64-bit Quad-core Intel Gemini Lake Series processor, a full range of connectivity options including a USB Type-C port, and an optional premier POE (Power over Ethernet) module.
Specifications
| Processor | Intel Gemini Lake R N & J Series / Apollo Lake J/N Series |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
| RAM | 4GB/8GB |
| Storage | EMMC 64GB |
| SSD | NVMe M.2 X2 support |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| WiFi | 802.11 AC Dual Band |
| Ethernet | Dual Gigabit LAN (POE Optional) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| VGA | x1 |
| Display Port | DisplayPort 1.2 |
| HDMI Output | HDMI 2.0 4K @60FPS |
| USB Ports | 4x USB3.0 ports, 1x USB-C Port |
| SD Card Slot | microSD Card Up To 512 GB |
| SATA Slot | 2.5″ HDD / SSD |
| Audio Output | 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Power Input | 12V 2.0A |
| Power Output | 5V 1.5A (Through Type-C port) |
| Dimensions | 5.1″ x 3.8″ x 1.5″ |
I love that there are a lot of connections on the tiny PC. On the back, there are a 3.5mm audio port, a VGA, a DisplayPort, a HDMI port, and two gigabit Ethernet ports. On the right side, we have four USB 3.0 ports, a USB Type-C port, and a microSD card slot supporting up to 512GB in size.
I use the HDMI 2.0 port to connect to my monitor because it can output video up to 4K resolution at 60Hz. My unit comes with Intel Celeron Gemini Lake J4125 processor, UHD Graphics 600 GPU, 64GB storage and 4GB of DDR4 memory. Unlike some mini PCs on the market, you can upgrade the computer with your own SSD and RAM. The 64GB eMMC storage obviously does not provide enough space to store our documents and media files. Besides, the transfer speeds are significantly slower than SSD, therefore, I’d recommend you to add a NVMe SSD for more storage and more speed. The choice of eMMC storage is not necessarily bad because it is cheaper, smaller, and still widely used in budget laptops.
According to Azulle, the most popular use cases of the Byte4 are cloud gaming, home theater, remote work, and digital signage. I spent a lot of time testing the machine and find out it is good enough for most average consumers. If you spend most of the time working with web browsers, e-meeting colleagues using video conferencing software like Zoom, running light apps and games, you might be satisfied with the Byte4. I set the display resolution at full HD because it requires less processing power and helps the machine runs faster. When I set it at 4K resolution, the Byte4 still could export sharp and clear 4K image but it became noticeably slower. And then I realized it was overstretched when streaming 4K content from Netflix or Youtube; The videos were slow and choppy, and sometimes became unwatchable.
I’d recommend the Byte4 if you use it for normal office works. If you need a machine for image/video processing, 4K streaming, or heavy games, you will have to find a more powerful one. The market of mini PCs is so crowded right now and we can find numerous options in the $200-$300 price range. If Azulle can lower the price to around $200, the Byte4 would become a much more attractive device.
