Azulle Byte3 fanless mini desktop PC review

REVIEW – Desktop PCs don’t seem to get the love that laptops get these days. Most people want a small laptop that they can carry around with them where ever they go. But what about people who don’t need a portable computer setup and want a Windows PC that has a small footprint and one that’s ultra quiet? Let’s take a look at the Byte3 fanless mini desktop PC from Azulle.

What is it?

The Azulle Byte3 is a Windows 10 PC that’s small enough for almost any desk and quiet enough for any home theater.

Hardware specs

Processor: Quad-core Intel® Apollo Lake N3450
Operative System: Windows 10 Pro or Ubuntu Linux
Bios: Wake ON LAN / PXE / BIO Reset
RAM: 4 GB / 8 GB
Storage: eMMC 32 GB / 2.5” SSD Supported or M.2 Supported
GPU: Intel HD Graphic 500
WIFI: Dual Band 2.4 Ghz / 5.0 Ghz
Ethernet: 1 Gigabit
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0
VGA Output: VGA Port x1
HDMI Output: x1 Port, 4K @60fps
USB: x3 3.0 Ports/ x1 2.0 Port / x1 Type-C
SD Card Slot: Up to 256 GB
M.2 Slot: AHCI (SATA)
SATA: Yes
3G Support: Via dongle
IR: Yes
Audio Output: 3.5 mm Jack
HDMI Output: 4K @60fps
Power Supply: 12V
Dimensions: 5.6 in x 4 in x 1.5 in

What’s in the box?

  • Azulle Byte3 PC
  • AC power adapter
  • Remote control
  • Quick guide

Design and features

The Azulle Byte 3 has a black plastic housing and a compact form factor that’s about 6 x 4.25 x 1.25 inches. It’s a sleek alternative to a traditional tower PC.

The front of the computer has a small power button with the Azulle logo that doubles as a status LED that glows red when the unit is connected to power but not actually powered on and blue when powered on. In the bottom left corner is an IR receiver that is used to receive commands from the included remote control.

The basic remote that is included with the Byte3 has dedicated buttons to toggle power, adjust volume, mute volume, launch Windows settings, go back, and switch tabs. There’s also a 5-way nav button in the center that you can use to navigate fields but it does not let you move the mouse pointer around on the screen.



Azulle sells a more advanced remote called the Lynk controller which has extra features including a small keyboard on the back of the remote and an air mouse feature that lets you wave the remote in the air to move the onscreen cursor/mouse. The remote even has backlight feature but it’s only for the buttons on the top of the remote and not for the keyboard on the back.

On one side of the Byte3, you’ll find an SD card slot and 2 USB ports.

The opposite side has a speaker grill / air vent.

The back of the computer has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a Kensington lock slot, 2 more USB ports, an Ethernet port, HDMI port, VGA port, power port, a USB Type-C port, and a wireless antenna. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of expansion ports on the Byte3.

The bottom of the Azulle Byte3 is vented and there are 4 holes that will allow you to mount the computer on a wall or under a desk if you so desire.

If you remove the bottom plate, you’ll find an M.2 SATA port and a SATA cable for adding a 2.5-inch drive which is something you’ll probably want to do at some point since this PC only comes with 32GB of built-in storage which Windows 10 takes a big chunk of.

Setting up the Azulle Byte3

I was sent the 4GB Ram Quad-Core Apollo Lake J3455 configuration of the Byte3 which comes preinstalled with Windows 10 Pro. My idea for testing the Byte3 was to connect it to my Denon AV receiver to use for streaming Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, and other content on my 65-inch Vizio TV in my basement living room.

I was able to easily connect the Azulle to my AV receiver using an HDMI cable (not included). It shouldn’t come as a surprise that also not included with the Byte3 is a mouse and a keyboard. Since my plan was to review the Byte3 as a media player/streaming device, I decided to order a small wireless keyboard. I settled on a Logitech K400 wireless keyboard mainly because it was really cheap and had a built-in touchpad which I hoped would make it easier to navigate Windows from the couch.

The first time I powered the Byte3 on, I was impressed by how quickly it booted up and has booted up since then. Granted, it is Windows 10 we’re talking about, but the experience using this operating system hasn’t been painful on this little PC at all. Note that if you don’t want to run Windows, you can get a Byte3 with Linux or with no OS installed at all. I wish it macOS was an option 😉

I was also happy that the Byte3 doesn’t have a fan, so it is completely silent, just the way I like my computers to be. I’m such an anti-fan girl (see what I did there?), that I returned a brand new 2018 MacBook Air that I purchased several weeks ago just because I didn’t realize that it had a fan in it. Yes, I’m weird about noise.

I tested the Byte3 while surfing websites using Chrome and other browsers, as well as watching Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Philo, and other streaming services. All in all, I was really impressed. This little computer handled media streaming via WiFi very well to my 65-inch Vizio TV.

The Azulle even handled streaming 4K video content which was a nice surprise for such a small PC like this one.

I didn’t run any speed tests on the Byte3, so if you want that kind of technical information you can find other reviews that include all sorts of charts and data that usually make my eyes glaze over. I also didn’t test this PC with any high-end games because it’s not designed for them and I’m not a gamer.

What I like

  • Fanless
  • Small footprint
  • Decent array of ports
  • Works well as a streaming computer hooked to a large display

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

The Azulle Byte3 PC is a capable and affordable Windows 10 Pro desktop computer that you can hide almost anywhere given its small form factor. I found that it works great as a media player/streaming device hooked up to a large display and as such, it’s earned a permanent spot next to my AV receiver and may just be the device that will finally make me cut the cord for good.

Price: $239.99 as configured
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Azulle.

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Azulle Byte3 fanless mini desktop PC review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 8, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Azulle Access3 stick PC review


REVIEW – When the chance to review the Azulle Access3 mini PC stick computer came along, I hesitated and thought that this was either going to be a real punishing review or something that surprised me – and I decided to take a chance with it.

What is it?

The Azulle Access3 is a fanless mini PC stick that connects to any HDMI compatible display. Simply add a keyboard and mouse and you have a full-blown PC in a package that measures just 5.2″x2″x.75″!

I used a Logitech K400 plus keyboard with a built-in trackpad so I could easily use it from across the room.

Hardware specs

  • Gemini Lake N4100 (1.1GHz Quad-Core Processor)
  • 4 GB DDR4 RAM
  • 32 GB storage (15.3 GB free after setup)
  • Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
  • 2 USB 3.0 ports
  • MicroSDXC card slot up to 256 GB
  • 1 Gigabit Ethernet port
  • 3.5mm Headphone jack
  • Dual Band 2.4Ghz.5.0Ghz Wifi
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Video: up to 4K @30fps

What’s in the box?

  • Azulle Access3
  • Power cable
  • 12″ HDMI extender cable
  • Quick Start Guide
  • $10 off next purchase coupon


 


Design and features

I’ve had a couple of smart TV’s, but I never really liked the user experience on them. They were either slow or had other things that I didn’t like. The apps on them weren’t as good as using a computer. I also don’t really trust their security. I also found myself needing or wanting some other app that only runs on Windows.

I’ve wanted a PC to connect to my TV, but I didn’t have any extra PC’s that I wanted to run all the time just for an occasional video or browsing session. When the review offer for the Azulle Access3 mini PC stick came along I thought that maybe this could be the solution I needed.

I must say that this thing really impressed me.



The Azulle Access3 mini PC stick felt like running any other medium powered Windows 10 laptop. In fact, when it comes to just browsing the web and watching YouTube videos, there wasn’t really any difference between it and my regular quad-core PC.

One of the things that I like is that I can travel with this device. Whether it’s taking it to a friends house or to a hotel when traveling, I can simply toss it in my bag and go. When I get there, I have all my internet bookmarks and all my pre-installed apps ready to go.

I often travel with my Surface tablet and sometimes I like to watch YouTube videos while browsing the web. This will be the perfect device for that. The device has no moving parts, which makes it much more durable to travel with.

There are many use cases for a device such as this. The two USB 3.0 ports provide a great way to connect an external drive – which for me will come in handy for backing up photos while out on the road.

Although the device is slightly limited by the internal storage capacity, that is offset by the ability to use a MicroSD card (up to 256BG) and devices connected via the USB 3.0 ports such as external drives and memory sticks.

The device can plug directly into an HDMI input or you can use the provided 12 inch HDMI extension cable if your inputs aren’t configured well enough to provide enough room for the device to plug in directly. My 32″ TV (1920×1080) did not have enough space for it to plug into a couple of the inputs, and when plugged into the side input it stuck out past the side of the TV. The extension cord kept the device neatly hidden behind the TV.

I really like the fact that Azulle included a 1-gigabit ethernet port in this device. I usually run ethernet cables to various places around my house so I have the best network connection.

The Access3 also boots very quickly, from power on to login screen was about 15 seconds.

I also connected it to my AOC 39″ 4K computer monitor that I use as my primary monitor on my main PC. Not only did it work, but it looked great! The 4K YouTube video looked great and played well. I’m really impressed that it’s able to do 4K video without a full-sized graphics card. This really makes me want to get a 4K TV for my living room now!



What I like

  • Quick Setup
  • Windows 10 Pro
  • 4K capable
  • Micro SD card slot
  • USB 3
  • Ethernet port

What needs to be improved

A little more default internal storage would be nice, although there is a 64GB version available.

Final thoughts

Considering the price of the Access3 mini PC stick, this device really delivers quite the value. Not only did it run like a regular PC, but it also did it well.

Price: $149-$339 ($219 as tested)
Where to buy: Azulle and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Azulle.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Azulle Access3 stick PC review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 14, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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