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
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…
Trying to buy a GPU in 2023 almost makes me miss the shortage
Two AMD Radeon RX 7000 graphics cards on a pink surface.

The days of the GPU shortage are long over, but somehow, buying a GPU is harder than ever -- and that sentiment has very little to do with stock levels. It's just that there are no obvious candidates when shopping anymore.

In a generation where no single GPU stands out as the single best graphics card, it's hard to jump on board with the latest from AMD and Nvidia. I don't want to see another GPU shortage, but the state of the graphics card market is far from where it should be.
This generation is all over the place

Read more
HP printers are heavily discounted in Best Buy’s flash sale
The HP - OfficeJet Pro 8034e Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer on a desk with a smartphone.

There’s good news in store if you’re looking to land a new printer at a discount this weekend. Best Buy is having a 48-hour flash sale on HP printers, with several that can compete with the best printers seeing some good prices. HP is almost always one of the best laptop brands, and it’s one of the same when it comes to printers. So if you’re looking for a new home or office printer, read onward on how to save on an HP printer at Best Buy.
HP DeskJet 2755e — $60, was $85

The HP DeskJet 2755e is a good entry-level printer. It’s got you covered if your printing needs are pretty basic, or if you don’t need to print in mass. This is a color InkJet printer, which makes it good for almost all uses. It can also make copies and scan in color, and it has mobile and wireless printing functionality. You can get set up quickly and easily with the HP Smart app that guides you through the setup process, and you can also use this app to print, scan and copy documents from your phone.

Read more
This tiny ThinkPad can’t quite keep up with the MacBook Air M2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3 rear view showing lid and logo.

While the laptop industry continues to move toward 14-inch laptops and larger, the 13-inch laptop remains an important category. One of the best is the Apple MacBook Air M2, with an extremely thin and well-built chassis, great performance, and incredibly long battery life.

Lenovo has recently introduced the third generation of its ThinkPad X1 Nano, one of the lightest laptops we've tested and a good performer as well. It's stiff competition, but which of these two diminutive laptops stands apart?
Specs and configurations

Read more