Skip to main content

Biostar races into the miniature PC market with its Intel Atom-driven Racing P1

During Computex 2016 in June, Biostar showcased a mini-PC called the Racing P1. The device had a smartphone-like form factor, enabling owners to shove a fully enabled PC into their pocket. The unit had a surface mimicking steel and a “Racing” logo illuminated with customizable backlit RGB LEDs. The company said it would arrive in the third quarter of 2016, and now it’s listed as available on the company’s Racing P1 product page.

Here’s a brief list of the specs:

Recommended Videos
  Racing P1
Processor Intel Atom x5-Z8350
Cores/Threads 4/4
Base clock speed 1.44GHz
Boost clock speed 1.92GHz
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 400
System memory 4GB DDR3L @ 1,600MHz
Storage 64GB eMMC Flash
Audio Realtek ALC5645 2-channel

On the front panel, the new Racing P1 mini-PC provides one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, one Micro SD card reader, a line-out/microphone input jack, and the power button. On the back, the unit provides four USB 2.0 ports, one gigabit Ethernet port, and one HDMI port for connecting the unit to a monitor or HDTV. That means professionals could stuff the unit in their briefcase and connect the device to a hotel room’s TV instead of carrying a laptop.

The mini-PC is sold with an included disc packing the company’s Racing GT, BullGuard, and BIO-Remote 2 utilities. Given that the Racing P1 doesn’t come with an operating system installed, customers will have to pay an additional $120 for Windows 10 Home or $200 for Windows 10 Pro. The device supports either 64-bit versions of Microsoft’s new operating system.

The Intel processor packed inside isn’t all that old, and was released in the first quarter of 2016. Surprisingly, Intel says that the maximum memory capacity this chip supports is 2GB yet the device provides 4GB. Windows 10 demands 2GB for the 64-bit version, which would indicate why Biostar crammed 4GB into the unit. The processor and memory are integrated (soldered) into Biostar’s motherboard, so maybe Biostar figured out a way to work around the processor’s 2GB limit.

Although the unit provides gigabit connectivity for wired networking, the Racing P1 also provides Wireless AC to connect to wireless networks. It offers Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity as well for pairing Bluetooth-based devices like a smartphone, tablet, headset, mouse, and/or keyboard. The overall dimensions are 129.4(L) x 83(W) x 27(H) mm, and it weighs just nine ounces.

The new Racing P1 mini-PC is part of the company’s new “Racing” family of products that includes the Z170 GT7 motherboard and an SSD served up in three capacity options: 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB. The company said in August that it spent three times the marketing budget for 2016 than it has in the past few years to promote this new family of products.

The Racing P1 mini-PC is available to purchase now for $160 although it hadn’t shown up on Newegg or Amazon at the time of writing.

Kevin Parrish
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
The robot takeover comes another step closer — at Amazon
An Amazon robot working inside one of the company's warehouses.

Amazon is close to having more robots operating inside its warehouses than humans after the e-commerce giant announced this week that it now has more than a million robots working at its facilities around the world.

Over the years, Amazon has spent billions of dollars on the development and deployment of warehouse-based robots, which handle an array of tasks once performed by human workers.

Read more
This Lenovo ThinkPad laptop is over $1,400 off — hurry while stocks last!
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 Intel laptop on a white background.

Now's an excellent time to take advantage of laptop deals from Lenovo, which has slashed the prices of a wide range of devices for its Black Friday in July sale. Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops are up to 45% off, and here's one of the most interesting offers available with such a discount — the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 at $1,440 off its estimated value of $3,199, so you'll only have to pay $1,759. That's an excellent price for this fantastic productivity tool, but you're going to have to push forward with your purchase as soon as possible because stocks may run out at any moment.

BUY NOW

Read more
Early Prime Day deal: Samsung’s 27-inch Odyssey G3 at its annual low price
Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor on desk with keyboard and headset.

If you're ready to upgrade your monitor, this Samsung deal over at Amazon just might be your best bet. The 27-inch version of Samsung's Odyssey G3 is $130 right now, a full $100 off its regular $230 price and its lowest price of the year. It's a part of early Prime Day deals and a good sampling of what we can expect for the shopping holiday, which officially lands on July 8th. Tap the button below to see it for yourself or keep reading to see why we like this deal and why this should be your next monitor.

Buy Now

Read more