• expired

FIREBAT S1 Mini PC (Intel N100, 16GB/512GB, 2x LAN, 2x HDMI, 1.9" LCD) US$116.62 (~A$182.36) Shipped @ Cutesliving AliExpress

800
OUTDOOR8
This post contains affiliate links. OzBargain might earn commissions when you click through and make purchases. Please see this page for more information.

This previously popular Mini PC is back on sale for a tad cheaper than last time. This one is unique in that it has a 1.9" LCD display on the front that displays info including the date/time, CPU/RAM/Fan stats etc and custom backgrounds. The app is compatible with Windows and there's a Linux port too.

This is a good option if you want a small media player as it supports H.265 and AV1 hardware decoding, dual 4K output via HDMI and it includes activated Windows 11 Pro with easily upgradeable RAM/storage. It's good for classic gaming and emulation too.

This one uses the Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake N100 4 core, 4 thread CPU with a single stick of 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD storage with both an M.2 NVMe and M.2 SATA slot available. In terms of ports there's two HDMI 2.0 ports with 4K@60Hz support, dual Gigabit LAN, 2x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 and a headphone jack. For cooling there's an inbuilt fan and a magnetic side cover for easy SSD/RAM access.

Obviously there's been some controversey surrounding Acemagic/Kamrui mini PCs having malware. Firebat is a completely different brand/company and there's no evidence of any malware infections on these. To be safe I recommend reinstalling Windows with a bootable USB.

  • Apply the coupon OUTDOOR8 at checkout

AU$ based on current Mastercard rate, GST inclusive, further US$2.24 off with coins, stacks with 3% off with AliExpress Business and cashback.


How to get the AU$ price in the title with PayPal:

Setting overseas websites to AUD or letting PayPal do the currency conversion results in an inflated rate. To get the correct rate you need a card without international fees and do the following:

  • Set the website currency to USD
  • Checkout with PayPal
  • Select your card with no international fees
  • Click "See currency options"
  • Select USD to bill the card in USD instead of AUD
  • Proceed with checkout

Now you'll get the correct MasterCard or VISA exchange rate depending on the card.

Original Coupon Deal

Related Stores

AliExpress
AliExpress
Marketplace
Cutesliving Store
Cutesliving Store

closed Comments

  • +2

    FIREBAT

    Having second thoughts now

      • +3

        the lab that manufactured COVID-19?

        🤣🤣🤣

    • +5
      • +2

        Which is fairly accurate considering he has a house full of power banks lol

        • Hey, throw a Heymix into the mix and he's all set for a warm winter 🤣

          • @anonym: I did have a heymix usb c hub, I've returned that to Amazon to reduce any fire risk lol

  • +3

    Silly question OP.
    Is this ok for people in their 70s to use, once I set up it up for them? For basic web browsing and Word, Outlook, etc?

    • +3

      Yup, great for that.

      I have a similar N100 based machine, a 9th gen SFF and a modern gaming rig. For day to day use I only occasionally notice the N100 is a little laggy in the browser but it's rare. Boot times, app load times, etc are all fantastic.

    • Yes.

    • -8

      For basic web browsing and Word, Outlook, etc?

      Good for Minesweeper too, but not the Pro version…

      • +5

        JV , "you've done it again".

    • +4

      You mean the generation who invented personal computers and the Internet?

      • +11

        same generation yes, same person……highly unlikely

      • +1

        Yes the same ones who struggle to open a PDF.

    • I just bought an N100 (Beelink S12) for my 80yo father in law. Fits perfectly

      • +2

        Where ?

        • Amazon. Did 15% voucher and $323 delivered for 16GB with 500GB SSD

    • +1

      Yes perfectly, I purchased one in the last Firebat sale most things you won't notice any delay I am a bit disappointed in video decode, certain Plex files it drops frames, 4K YouTube is terrible 2K acceptable however certain channels use a format that cannot be played above 1080p without issues.

      Oddly Video playback is better on windows than linux, however browsing feels snappier on linux.

      For my use it doesn't suit specifically wanting 4k playback, which I'm somewhat disappointed, I'm likely going to gift it to my parents if I can convince my dad to stop using his 2nd gen Dell ….

      As others have said do not trust the preinstalled windows, and you do need to start it up once to be able to access bios, suggest not connecting the preinstallation to your network. (edit: I believe any new computer a reinstallation of windows should be the default action)

  • This is a really nice deal, with the dual lan you could turn this into a router. Don’t really feel safe spending >$100 on aliexpress though.

    • +6

      If it makes you feel better, I've spent larger amounts - eg mobile phones that lasted years.

      Some particular stores on there might be awful, but find the highly rated ones with many sales

      • +4

        I'm sure the product will be fine, it's mostly just the lack of any semblance of a warrenty, and AliExpress almost completely siding with the seller in the event that something does actually go wrong.

      • +2

        My experience is the exact opposite - the first mini PC I bought from Aliexpress died after a little more than a month. Aliexpress support gave me a 2 month runaround before I finally went to PayPal for a dispute and clawed my money back.

        • +12

          So your experience is not the opposite? Seems like AliExpress screwed you over, and PayPal saved the day.

          I've recently presented that the "15 day shipping guarantee" and get a coupon if it's not posted on-time are all garbage and seemingly impossible to get satisfaction.

          • +1

            @Thrifty McGifty: Opposite to @Droz getting an expensive electronic product that lasts for years :3

          • +1

            @Thrifty McGifty: I think @anonym was responding to be about the opposite experience.

            The warranty thing is always a concern - I've always been able to get items replaced from there, but in general right, warranties from overseas sites like Ali are very hit and miss… And seen to be more and more miss these days.

  • +1

    Dual NIC is for home router?
    Way overpowered for just that, so I guess install Proxmox, with router, NAS, Plex, etc,etc on top?

    Price is similar to a used micro i5-6500 plus RAM & SSD upgrades and m.2 NIC. Nice!
    The catch ? No-name aliexpress … do I feel lucky?

    • +1

      What sort of power draw does the 6500T do?

      My understanding is N100 uses very little power, which can be a long term saving if on 24/7

      Also, 8th gen or later is only supported by Windows 11 if that's the way you want to go

      If went the Plex/Jellyfin path, there's more encoding/decoding options on one of these

      https://www.cpu-monkey.com/en/compare_cpu-intel_processor_n1…

      • Good question. While peak power is a lot higher, the idle is what really matters and is still under 10W.
        Saving a few watts matters on battery, but not much on mains.
        The Wyse 5070 uses less - fanless even. But less powerful, so not ideal for desktop use.

        • I have a 6500T mini PC, would this N100 be that much of an upgrade if at all?

          • @ldd-mn: In terms of performance, likely a downgrade if anything.

            • +1

              @Kill Joy: Not much of a change me thinks, if you compare them side by side the N100 has a slightly higher max turbo frequency with a much lower TDP (on paper anyway, in my experience it would still chew up 20~30W under load) but supports less memory (maximum of 16 GB on a single channel) and has inferior graphics max dynamic frequency.

          • @ldd-mn: Not much difference, the Igpu will be the main upgrade but you're not going to be wowed by it.

          • @ldd-mn: Probably not. I've heard they're comparable

            I'd at least go an AMD 5560U for something noticeable and only a little bit more

            50% more cores, higher clock speeds and better GPU

            I have one as a server and it barely hits 20% under my primary load and usually about 5%

      • I think if you factor in the cost vs second hand corp machine, the difference is slight

        https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx3HSU1-SlZs9bwSoY6fVQi2HX2I8GDXB…

    • Yes and no, you'll work that pretty hard doing even basic packet inspection at Gb speeds or higher.

  • +3

    Fire Blyat!

  • +1

    This or wait for beelink s12 pro to use as a Plex server?

    • +1

      I have the Beelink S12 and pretty meh tbh. I dont use Plex, but running normal apps like office and Firefox, maxes out CPU with one word doc and one FF tab open. Its just sitting there collecting dust now. Plus it wont let me set TPM, which is sus in its self

      • +1

        Yeah that's a completely different use case, so not really relevant.

      • I've got one and haven't noticed any issues. I'll do some more testing tonight with Task Manager open

        Also, considered trying FydeOS on it?
        https://fydeos.io/download/pc

        I was interesting in checking it out as a replacement for the ChromeBox I had that ran out of support

        • If you're looking at FydeOS, just use ChromeOS Flex.

  • +1

    Now if only we can do dv and truehd atmos via htpc would be a great plex client. (Hoping someone is gonna reply with a solution)

    • Jellyfin can transcode DV Profile 5 7 & 8 (under Linux at least)

      I don't think any PC solution can actually display it to a TV though

      • Yeah figured, been trying to find something better then the aging shield pro.

        • define better? Firestick Max can play DV and decode AV1 (but it can't do DTS). Stuff like Plex can decode it to 5.1/7.1 LPCM though so doesn't really to me

          • @jonathonsunshine: Better as in it can play Dolby vision and pass dts/truehd with height channel. AV1 would be a bonus but for now I’m ok.

            So I guess a shield pro with 2024 specs and the ability to decode av1. Probably too much to ask due to the requirement being mostly people sailing the high seas and wanting remux rip as is.

            Will have to stick with plex and bluray player for now.

    • Would this be ok direct playing a 4k remix with Dolby vision and truehd Atmos?

      • I believe you would need an android solution for DV; from my research you cant get DV from a PC.

    • Plex client runs on everything, why bother with the complexity here?

      • Shield Pro is starting to age - would be nice to have a newer alternative that does lossless audio as well as DV.

  • +1

    Clear, thankyou for the tip about how to get a better currency conversion rate, as I didn't know that & Aliexpress is like the online shop I've used the most this past year. I love Aliexpress!

  • Can this handle things like video editing, graphic design etc.?

    • +1

      Not well.

      At this price point you are probably better off with one a old refurb Dell Optiplex.

      • Thanks for the reply. That makes sense. 👌

  • The LCD display is a little gimmicky, I'd much rather have a USB C port. Can't really complain when it's less than 200 bucks though.

    • +6

      Alternatively there's a new Firebat AM02 that has USB-C with video out. Interestingly one LAN port is 2.5G while the other is 1G.

    • A used dell Wyse 5070 is cheaper and has USB-c.

      Less powerful though.

      • +1

        Need 8GB and an M.2 SATA drive to make them bearable on Windows 11. During post-install and upgrade the CPU (J5005) redlines constantly and blue screens aren't uncommon. I used it briefly to upgrade the bios though have recently switched to FreeBSB/sway though Firefox isn't as responsive on heavy webpages. For anything else such as torrenting, multimedia consumption etc, it's perfect. No noise, doesn't get hot and CPU / RAM usage is negligible.

  • This but with at least 1 SATA port would fit my Plex server and ha upgrade plan.

    • There are nvme to 5 or 6 SATA port adapters. I was considering exposing the back, 3D printing a case, and make it a NAS. But can't figure out where to draw SATA power from…

      • There are also usb to sata power adapters, no idea how well those work (does sata need 12v)

        edit meh: terrible idea 3.5 needs 12v.

        I should just buy a small, low power motherboard/cpu combo.

        • you can get away with 5v if you're only using SSDs, but HDDs need the 12v :(

  • +2

    The price is insane. It's even cheaper than in China considering the free overseas delivery
    https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?abbucket=15&id=621793045912

    • +1

      AliExpress owned store. They sell heaps of products crazy low to reel customers in.

    • +2

      You really need to get over your grudge against me. Firebat and Kamrui are not the same company.

      KAMRUI gets busted for shipping malware, starts dumping these infected POS with new FIREBAT stickers at rock bottom prices, then moves to the next brand

      Firebat existed long before all of that controversy came out about Acemagic's software provider preinstalling malware infected Windows on the hardware.

        • Get over yourself, there is no grudge

          Certainly seems that way when 8 days after making this comment you decide to neg that deal and then come in here with a neg based on speculation.

        • After reading the comments you left for negging the posts, it certainly seems like frivolous negs, considering the context of the deals.

          Offering for people to buy 3x or 2x something else to somehow justify a better deal is ridiculous and not at all on par with the stated deal, even with the downside to the deal you presented.

          And your comment on this post is even weirder, since they are different stores/providers…?? Seems you removed your neg, but keep your comment, and maintain the negative attitude.

          Certainly seems like you got something against this poster's deals…

          I like OzBargain 'cos it's relatively nice community, but this stuff grinds my gears. Way to make a top 5 deal poster (Clear) feel attacked!

        • so I sincerely hope everyone buying this device isn't going to be hacked in a few weeks when they start using them

          <adjusting tinfoil hat> same here

        • +1

          I sincerely hope everyone buying this device isn't going to be hacked in a few weeks when they start using them.

          While uefi and firmware level exploits exist, the odds of a company selling to the general public bothering, is extremely low.

          Reinstalling the OS as OP recommends should be enough.

          Especially of you opt for something like Linux Mint; most malware is still Windows dependant.

    • Hm, good eye. When the CPU cases look this similar it usually means they came from the same source, just with different branding. I think it's probably fine if you wipe everything and start over with a fresh copy of Windows / Linux though.

      • +2

        The hardware comes from the same factory, but the software does not. Acemagic got caught out using a dodgy software provider (not the first time, look up Android TV box malware all reusing same ROMs), while Firebat is the brand of the actual factory who submit all the models to the FCC.

        • Ah, so Firebat is the actual manufacturer offering white labelled hardware? Information like these is actually rather difficult to come across online.

          • @anonym: Yes I did some research instead of pure speculation from Chatgpt Look Up who only started targeting me after this when he was spreading misinformation about the true nature of "custom ROM support".

            • @Clear: Ooh, juicy OzB drama! 🍿

            • +1

              @Clear: Both of you are helpful to OZBers and have good integrity. However, my subjective view is that you might be overreacting.

              • ChatGPT Look Up has been consistent in terms on warning and negging YMTC 3dv3-128L TLC NAND based SSDs. I do recall finding out an SSD has component lottery and that particular NAND type is likely. He did immediately neg voted that deal to warn people.
              • Again, he is also quite consistent in neg voting these N100 / N95 Mini PCs with likely hacked / dodgy OS install.

              I do warn people about previous gen YMTC NAND based SSDs, except I don't neg vote deals or comments (I do have heated discussions, but I don't neg vote). Look Up does use neg vote to warn people.

              You will be posting more cheap SSD deals and cheap Mini PC deals and he will be warning people on them through neg vote (so people will look at them). However, it is nothing personal.

              • @netsurfer:

                ChatGPT Look Up has been consistent in terms on warning and negging YMTC 3dv3-128L TLC NAND based SSDs. I do recall finding out an SSD has component lottery and that particular NAND type is likely. He did immediately neg voted that deal to warn people.

                I don't deny that what he said about YMTC 128L TLC flash is wrong. Based on my research that seems to be correct. He didn't immediately neg vote that deal though. Vote date/times are public and as you can see all the way at the bottom he negged the deal not long before negging this one 8 days after his original comments.

                Again, he is also quite consistent in neg voting these N100 / N95 Mini PCs with likely hacked / dodgy OS install.

                Warning someone about the potential of having a dodgy OS is perfectly fine (I gave my own warning), but to make the below statement to insinuate that Kamrui/Acemagic is Firebat and that Firebat was made in response to Acemagic's wrong doing is completely bs.

                KAMRUI gets busted for shipping malware, starts dumping these infected POS with new FIREBAT stickers at rock bottom prices, then moves to the next brand

                • @Clear: We are all working with limited information here so mistakes are fairly common. Personally I'd much rather warn others about risks even if I make the wrong assumptions - it gets the message across and pushes prospective buyers to do their own research before proceeding.

                  • @anonym: It's interesting to note that we don't boycott or warn against Xiaomi when 8-10 years ago you'd preorder a new phone and it would arrive unsealed with malware. How did this happen? It's pretty interesting.

                    A store like Gearbest would put a new phone up for preorder and they'd order 2000 phones from Xiaomi. Xiaomi as usual would oversell their stock and suddenly they can only allocate 1000 units. So how does Gearbest make up the last 1000 orders? They order from a 3rd party supplier for $10-$30 more per unit who has flashed a dodgy ROM on the phone

                    Do we blame Xiaomi or Xiaomi's manufacturer? Nope. Someone else in the supply chain has done the dodgy and that's the case here.

                    • @Clear: The price we pay for cheap crap is not always obvious… Would definitely love to have someone warn me about shady shit like this before I make a purchase.

                      • +2

                        @anonym: That's why I always add these warnings politely and respectfully 😉

                        • @Clear: @Look Up certainly did come on a bit strong with his language, but I'm hoping he means well 😅

              • @netsurfer:

                He did immediately neg voted that deal to warn people.

                Sorry I misunderstood that part in my reply. You meant another deal and not mine.

                • @Clear: Sorry, I didn't read your earlier reply to him properly (you did mention negging that SSD deal being done after this deal is posted).

              • @netsurfer: Very well said about these guys helping out the community tremendously. I really appreciate the effort you guys all put in to make these deals possible. Thank you!

                @netsurfer, @Clear, and @Look Up

  • This CPU is super slow by the looks, great for things like videos as its hardware accelerated but useless for anything that requires CPU power.

    • Yeah it's a low powered CPU that's been beefed up more than a lot of similar CPUs, i.e. Celeron.

    • i have a mini pc with the same specs

      if you don't mind playing on low setting at 720p using fsr a lot of game i can get a constant 30fps some game a constant 60fps
      games like fortnite never drops below 48fps so i lock fortnite to 48fps and good for emulators

      i use the computer with a cheap 18.5inch 60hz ips screen so games still look and play well
      i have a gaming pc so its mostly used for just playing around with

      just wish the cpu supported duel channel ram fortnite would get an almost constant 60fps

  • +3

    My favourite unit in Brood War. Upvoted.

    • Didn't even realise it until you mentioned it. I normally played Zerg.

      • +1

        Haha nice! You should check out ASL and/or Falcon Paladin on YT. the scene is still alive and kicking, it's so damn good to watch. Makes me happy haha.

    • I've always found them pretty "meh" from a value for money perspective.
      Curious to know how you use them that make them so effective for you.

      • Yeah they're definitely not the best unit, just my favourite from a design / aesthetic standpoint. But I get very excited whenever I see them in competitive play, which is a lot more recently! A stimmed firebat in dark swarm = ooft.

    • +1

      as a Zerg player, I hate you

Login or Join to leave a comment