[OOS] GIGABYTE BRIX GB-BACE-3000-FT Mini / Booksize Barebone System REFURBISHED $69.99 + $0.99 ship @ Newegg

[VirtualLarry]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856164124&ignorebbr=1

This ordinarily wouldn't be much of a deal, but according to the "Overview" and "Specifications" pages, this unit includes 2GB of DDR3L, and 32GB eMMC. Unknown if there's a SATA port on it or not, there might be.

Also, "Overview" says that it comes with Windows 10 Home 64-bit pre-installed. Which would make this a really decent entry-level HTPC value for some people.

It has HDMI and VGA outputs, which means, that if it includes VESA mounting hardware, and you have some older VGA monitors still kicking around, you could make a nice little DIY AIO PC. The possibilities are there.

However, it is REFURBISHED. So who knows, if it actually includes Windows 10 pre-installed, or the VESA mount hardware. (Edit: It does include them! Yay!)

Price isn't bad, though, for what it is. CPU is a dual-core Airmont / Braswell Atom, N3000. I think that's Cherry Trail? Not sure?

I was toying with the idea of getting a couple, since I have a couple of BNIB VGA-only LCD displays, 1600x900 19.5", I think, that I picked up from Refurbforless on ebay a while back for $39.99 new ea. Seemed like a good deal at the time, only I didn't quite realize how obsolete VGA really was. (No new video cards or even onboard video support VGA any more, although some Intel boards do. Ryzen / Athlon APUs don't support VGA output any more.)

https://www.gigabyte.com/Mini-PcSystem/GB-BACE-3000-FT-BW-rev-10#ov

 

[VirtualLarry]

Ok, some news. I got my units. The outside of the box lists:
"eMMC Storage, Memory, Wireless Module Included".

The label on the box lists :
"Model Name: GB-BACE-3000-FT"...
Intel Braswell N3000
(some code)
s/n
"REFURBISH"

The sticker on the bottom of the actual unit says:
GB-BACE-FT-BWUP
CPU: Intel Braswell N3000
RAM: 2GB
storage:32GB eMMC
OS: Win10 Home _DM_Entry

Input rating: 19V @ 2.1A, 40W
Caution: for use with original power supply model only.

(Original PSU included, cam pre-installed with US plug plate, but also included like 4-5 other plates for other regions, as does every BRIX unit that I've ever bought. Well, Intel-based BRIX unit, anyways.)

Edit: Basically, these units are like new, probably are new-old-stock, sold as refurb, so that they don't have to warranty them. They do have REFURB on the stickers, though. The accessories were all new (power adapter, VESA plate, screws). Yes, they include the VESA mounting plate and screws (hooray!). Also, while I didn't boot the eMMC, it did appear to contain a Windows 10 installation. (As viewed from Linux Mint.)

So, my little project (one out of two, thus far), went well. I verified the parts and label, and disassembled the unit right off. Opened up a Kingston UV400 240GB SATA 2.5" SSD, installed it, into the bracket at the bottom of the case. Thankfully, they did include the SATA mounting cable too. Got it booted, installed Linux Mint 19.1 Cinnamon 64-bit. Seemed to work OK, for the few hours I had it running. I didn't disable C-States in BIOS, but I did set "OS Mode" to "Linux". (Yes, the BIOS has explicit support for Linux!). Secure Boot toggle appears to be independent of that, I disabled that for good measure.

I did have a mis-start installing Linux Mint. The installer prompted to un-mount the eMMC, I left it mounted, so that the installer wouldn't write a Linux bootloader to the eMMC. I selected "Erase Disk and Install Linux Mint", and then the next screen allowed me to select WHICH disk to install it to. It defaulted to the 32GB eMMC, but I chose the 240GB SATA SSD. At the end of the first install, it gave me an error writing the grub/bootloader to the eMMC partition 7, so it prompted me where to stick the bootloaded. I chose /dev/sda , rather than /dev/sda1, which may be why it wouldn't boot on it's own after that. It also didn't have the Linux Loader in the UEFI, and upon re-booting with the Linux Mint install USB, the Disks tool showed it as MBR formatted, I believe.

I did a re-install, this time, it recognized a Windows' filesystem, so I chose "Erase Disk and Install Linux Mint", chose the 240GB SSD again, but this time, it seemed to write the bootloaded to the SATA SSD, rather than the eMMC. I hope. Now when I boot, I get the "boot menu", which includes entries for booting Windows, and the UEFI Setup, which seems to be a security risk with what will eventually essentially be a kiosk-type PC. I need to do some research on what is necessary for a Linux Mint Kiosk PC. Or maybe I need to use Porteus Kiosk distro, but I think that those need a server component too. I wanted to keep this simple and standalone.

Either way, it makes a nice little Linux Mint 19.1 system, with a Logitech wireless mouse and keyboard combo. I'm just using the VGA output off of the BRIX, to the monitor which is VGA-only. Haven't had any problems with that, other than I bought some 1.5' VGA cables, and the ends are a little too big, they won't let the BRIX seat completely downward on the VESA mount hardware.

All in all, I call this a WIN purchase. I wouldn't mind dropping in an 8GB DDR3L SO-DIMM too, to increase the RAM. (It came with a Crucial 2GB DDR3L SO-DIMM pre-installed. It has one SO-DIMM slot.)