- A more expensive Raspberry Pi might not please everyone, so I looked for an alternative x86 model
- The Pi is still great for tinkerers and for enthusiasts
- But I feel RPi did “An Apple” – 50% more expensive for 2x RAM is quite unexpected
The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently introduced the Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of RAM, with the increased memory set to benefit heavy distributions such as Ubuntu for desktop use. But the new model is priced at $120 – almost twice the price of the 8GB model, and very expensive for a single board computer, which begs the question: could a better device be found for the same price? The answer is a resounding yes.
The Dreamfyre Mini PC (DR02) offers a competitive x86 option with superior specs and an actual case for $120 on Amazon. Designed for home, educational and professional use, it is powered by a 12th generation Intel Celeron N95 processor that can reach speeds of up to 3.4GHz.
The mini PC that comes with Windows 11 measures 116 x 116 x 46 mm, weighs only 0.5 kg and is equipped with 16 GB LPDDR4 RAM and a 512 GB M.2 SSD. You can expand the storage to up to 2TB if you need extra capacity. The inclusion of a silent fan cooling system ensures solid performance with minimal noise under load, making it ideal for quiet environments such as offices or study rooms.
No flashing lights
The device can drive three 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) displays via its triple HDMI 2.1 ports. There are three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a single USB-C port, a 1000MB/s LAN port and a headphone jack. The mini PC’s seamless design omits distracting LED lights, making it suitable for professional environments. Wireless connection is provided via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
While the Dreamfyre Mini PC is clearly not a direct alternative to the Raspberry Pi 5 – lacking the Pi’s GPIO pins and extensive community support essential for hardware projects, prototyping and educational use – it is a versatile and powerful alternative for those looking an affordable mini PC for general computing tasks, and it looks good.
There are only two reviews of the Dreamfyre Mini PC on Amazon at the moment, but both are five stars.
