Neutron Mini PC Fits in Your Palm, Sports Haswell Hardware Inside

♲ Paul Lilly

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A toddler sized PC with big boy aspirations
A longtime reader of Maximum PC discovered his passion for building computers from reading our magazine, and now several years later, he's on Kickstarter trying to raise funds for Neutron. What is Neutron, exactly? Neutron is a NUC-like mini PC that's designed to offer the same performance as found in desktop towers, but in a form factor that can literally fit in the palm of your hand.

Should Ariane Nazemi and his company Atom Computer raise the desired funds ($30,000), there will be two versions of Neutron -- the standard model and a Pro SKU. The regular Neutron will come with a Haswell-based Intel Core i3 processor, Intel HD 4400 Graphics, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 256GB mSATA SSD, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, four USB 3.0 ports, LAN port, mini HDMI and mini Displayport output, Intel HD audio, IR receiver, and Windows 8.1

The Neutron Pro sports a similar configuration, but with an Intel Core i5 processor (also based on Haswell), Intel Iris 5000 Graphics, and twice the amount of RAM (16GB DDR3) and storage (480GB mSATA SSD).

We're a little more intrigued with the Pro version due to the beefier onboard graphics and higher end configuration, though neither one is going to replace a dedicated gaming desktop. However, based on the spec sheets, either system looks capable of being a daily driver, even for some content creation chores like Photoshop.

In addition to what's on the inside, part of Neutron's appeal is its external design. Neutron's chassis is made of transparent acrylic in a variety of neon color options.

To learn more, check out Neutron's Kickstarter page.

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