Skip to main content

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

biostar racing p1 miniature pc intel atom r1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
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:

  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
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain
Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

 
What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Read more
I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Read more
How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.

Read more