I really wanted to like this little machine and it is so close to perfect, but ultimately a couple of glaring issues means it just doesn't work for me. It is amazing what will fit in the size, though, and it runs Windows and other basic tasks like a champ. I wanted it for a low-end emulation machine. It will run everything up to around the PS 1 pretty well. Don't believe the breathless video bloggers claiming Dreamcast, though. It's pretty hit or miss in real world usage.
Problems: First off, it can't reboot after it loses power, so it's usefulness as a server or remote installation is limited.
Second, and the big one. It has a fan and it's pretty loud when it's running full out. I can hear it sitting on my couch 15 feet away from the TV. Now, that wouldn't be too much of a problem except that the fan is either off or running full on, there is no variable speed like on a regular computer fan. Because it doesn't ramp up the speed, it cycles - it's on for 10 seconds and then off for 10 and it just repeats. It's incredibly annoying by the TV, sitting on the desk in front of you is far worse. If you look at the ChuWi support forums, lots of people have this issue and there is no solution (except some pretty extreme surgery/hacks) and no response from the company. I'm surprised anyone thought it was acceptable to ship out this way, honestly.
Because of the noise issues and, going by the support forum, the tendency for them to simply up and die after a couple of days or weeks, I think I will be sending the Larkbox back.
| Brand | CHUWI |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | CHUWI |
| Series | LarkBox |
| Item Height | 43 millimetres |
| Item Width | 6.1 centimetres |
| Processor Count | 4 |
| RAM | 6 GB |
| Computer Memory Type | DDR SDRAM |
| Graphics Card Interface | Integrated |
| Wireless Type | 802.11bgn, 802.11a, 802.11ac |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Are Batteries Included | No |
| Lithium Battery Energy Content | 0.12 Watt Hours |
| Lithium Battery Packaging | Batteries contained in equipment |
| Number Of Lithium Ion Cells | 1 |
| Manufacturer | CHUWI |
| Product Dimensions | 6.1 x 6.1 x 4.3 cm; 604 Grams |
| ASIN | B089QGYGP2 |
