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The HIGOLE F9B is an odd little computer that’s positioned a mini PC with a low-power Intel N100 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a decent set of ports that includes two 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports and support for up to two external displays.
But while the entry-level model is clearly a small fanless desktop computer with a metal heat sink on top of the case for passive cooling, HIGOLE also offers two other versions that have fans instead of passive heat sinks, but those models can be used as tablets thanks to built-in 7 inch touchscreen displays and integrated batteries.
This isn’t exactly new territory for HIGOLE, which has been selling mini PCs with displays, batteries, and full-sized ports since 2016. But the F9B is the company’s most powerful model to date, thanks to its Intel Alder Lake-N processor. And it stands out for coming in several different configurations:
Yes, it’s a little strange that the F9B Pro is cheaper than the “standard” model and lacks support for 4G LTE. But as far as I can tell they’re basically the same device except that the 4G model has a cellular modem and 256GB of eMMC flash storage while the “Pro” version is WiFi-only and has a 512GB eMMC module for storage.
The screenless version, meanwhile, is available with a choice of 256GB or 512GB of storage. And all models feature 16GB of LPDDR4 memory soldered to the mainboard.
Models with displays have a 7 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel IPS LCD touchscreen display with up to 300 nits brightness and support for 5-point multitouch input.
And all models ship with Windows 11 Pro and feature a set of ports that includes:
- 1 x USB 3.2 Type-C (with DisplayPort Alt Mode and USB Power Delivery_
- 4 x USB 3.02Type-A
- 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A
- 1 x HDMI 2.1
- 2 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet (RTL8125BG-CG
- 1 x 3.5mm audio
- 1 x microSD card reader (for cards up to 512GB)
- 1 x DC power input (12V/3A)
It also features support for WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connections, and the 4G LTE model comes with a mini PCIe card with support for network bands including:
- LTE-FDD B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/28/66
- LTE-TDD B38/40
- WCDMA B1/2/3/4/5/8
The HIGOLE F9B measures 173 x 116 x 26mm (6.8″ x 4.6″ x 1″), making the little computer a little taller and a lot wider and thicker than a smartphone. Models with displays and batteries weigh 567 grams (about 1.25 pounds), so the F9B is probably just a little too big and heavy to be pocketable, but still small enough to throw in a bag.
HIGOLE says the mini PC can be used as a home theater computer, network-attached storage device, digital signage machine, or for any number of other applications.
Some of the messaging on the product pages is inconsistent. For example, in a spec sheet on the F9B Pro page, the company says the computer can run for “over 3 hours” on a charge. But the F9B LTE page HIGOLE says to expect 5 hours of battery life for an unspecified workload, or up to 8 hours for video playback.
There’s also mention of a built-in 1W speaker and G-sensor for automatic screen rotation, but I suspect these features are only available on models with displays.
The company says models with displays can run for up to 5 hours on battery power during normal use, or up to 8 hours when you’re just using the device to play videos. Since the USB-C port supports USB Power Delivery, you could also power the computer using a power bank.
Other features include support for wake-on-LAN functionality and PXE support.