Are fanless laptops reliable? As a "new" product, fanless computers have attracted the attention of many users. It is also Intel’s fourth portable computer revolution after CULV, Ultrabook, and 2-in-1 computers. At this point, the fanless era of notebook computers has arrived.

Thanks to the 14nm process and 4.5W TDP Intel Core M platform, OEM manufacturers can design fanless computers that mainly use passive cooling methods, thus significantly reducing the thickness of the notebook computer body and reducing the Its weight, reduced noise, and reduced dust pollution. Looking at the past changes, the significance of fanless to the future of notebook computers is self-evident, and it is also the most profound change in notebook design.

In early 2009, Intel promoted the notebook low-power and ultra-portable revolution for the first time, which was very different from the previous conventional rhythm of hardware performance improvement, process reduction, and power consumption reduction. With Intel Core-class SU series low-voltage processors, Intel started the road to thin and light notebook layout. Although CULV ended in a disastrous failure, the notebook industry's original trend of improving the performance of processors and graphics cards was broken, and another generation was derived. A new line with the trend of thinness, lightness and portability.

The failure of CULV has put a lot of pressure on Intel, but the seeds of the thin-and-light revolution have been quietly planted. Two years later, in 2011, Intel began its second plan to improve notebook portability, which later became known to the public as the "Ultrabook" concept. CULV's failure stems from its performance. In the ultrabook era, the performance issues of low-voltage processors have been well solved, and with the reduction of manufacturing processes, the improvement in portability of ultrabooks is far beyond that of CULV. .

Since then, 2-in-1 computers have emerged almost at the same time as ultrabooks. At first, 2-in-1 computers did not have an independent concept, but were included in the ranks of ultrabooks. However, after product segmentation, The concept of "2-in-1 computer" came into being. When the thickness and weight of the body have reached a low level, the detachable design has given a new direction to improve the portability of notebook computers, and it is also the only thing that can be achieved at present. best solution.

With the release of the Core M platform at the end of 2013, fanless computers have officially arrived, and the portability of notebooks has once again been greatly improved.

Looking back at the four notebook portability revolutions, 2-in-1 computers and fanless computers have had an extremely huge influence. The former has given a new definition to the external design form of notebooks, while the latter has The transformation of the internal heat dissipation structure and the reduction of the thickness of the fuselage played a decisive role.

So, at the beginning of the fanless computer layout, what products did we have to choose from? Who are these products suitable for? TodayToday we will focus on these two issues to talk about the purchase strategy for fanless computers.

How is a fanless computer different from the past?

For most users, fanless computers may not have the same impact on fanless computers as regular laptops. Cognition, so let’s first take a look at why today’s laptops can achieve fanless design.

·Low-power hardware is the foundation of fanless computers

In fact, there are two essential differences between computers with fans and fanless computers:

< p> First, it is the difference in heat dissipation methods. The former is active cooling, and the latter is passive cooling.

The second is the difference in portability. Computers with fans have relatively high power consumption, and the fans themselves are also thicker, so the fuselage is generally thicker than those without fans, so there is a significant difference in portability.

We all know that when a computer is in use, the processor and graphics card will generate a lot of heat, and the stronger the performance of the hardware, the greater the power consumption and the greater the heat generated. Therefore, if you want to implement a fanless design, you must first have the support of the underlying hardware. The Core M platform launched by Intel plays this role very well. The thermal design power consumption of 4.5W and the 14nm process make it have low power consumption and compact size, thus ensuring the stable operation of the computer even in passive cooling.

In addition, although the performance of Core M is not as good as Core low-voltage processors and standard voltage processors, it performs much better than BayTrail-M's Pentium, Celeron, and Atom platforms. It can still be used with solid-state drives. It has a good usage experience and meets daily application needs without any problems.

·How to achieve passive cooling?

For ordinary users, the only way to understand the internal design of a product is through the disassembly of media platforms. machine. So regarding the question of "how fanless computers dissipate heat", I believe many friends would like to know more about it, so next I will show you how fanless passive cooling is achieved through the disassembly of a product.

As you can see from the disassembly pictures above, the processor and graphics card, the two major heat generators, do not use the traditional copper tube and fan cooling design, but are covered with a layer of heat sinks. . After tearing off the black tape above, we see that this heat sink is a common brass heat sink. Among common metals, silver, copper, aluminum, and brass have the best thermal conductivity. At the same time, brass conducts heat in laptops. It is the most widely used and mature, with lower cost. Although its thermal conductivity is not as good as the first three, it is sufficient for the Core M platform.

In addition, in addition to the silicone grease andIn addition to heat sinks, most fanless computers use aluminum-magnesium alloy metal casings. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is stronger than brass, but the aluminum material itself is relatively soft. Therefore, aluminum-magnesium alloy not only solves the problem of sturdiness, but also acts as a fanless computer. The fan is part of the cooling system, so fanless passive cooling is completely worry-free with the support of low-power hardware.

What are the reasons to buy or not to buy?

For fanless computers, the advantages and disadvantages are very clear, and understanding these advantages and disadvantages can also help users decide whether to buy fanless computers. Make the right judgment when using a fan-less computer, so let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of a fan-less computer.

·Advantages of fanless computers

First of all, the biggest benefit of fanless design is undoubtedly silent.

As the use time of laptop computers increases, a lot of dust will accumulate inside. At the same time, the long-term operation of the fan bearings will cause problems such as deviation, damage, and lubricant exhaustion. Therefore, it is generally used for a long time and does not require maintenance. Note that computers that are regularly maintained will produce very loud noises. Especially in a relatively quiet environment, the noise from the computer fan will be clearly felt.

In addition, even if you have the ability to clean dust and maintain it, the actual effect will become increasingly compromised over time. Therefore, the most fundamental problem that fanless solves is the noise problem of computers.

Secondly, the fanless design brings an ultra-thin design to the notebook computer.

In the past, ultrabooks and 2-in-1 computers often chose to remove some larger interfaces in ultra-thin designs, such as VGA and RJ-45 Ethernet ports. The elimination of these interfaces can basically The thickness of the notebook has been reduced by at least 2mm, but the presence of internal fans and heat dissipation copper tubes will still increase the thickness of the notebook.

After eliminating the fan and heat dissipation copper pipe, this part of the space is saved, so we see that most fanless computers have slimmer bodies, the most typical of which is Apple's new MacBook.

The third benefit is not obvious, but it has a fundamental impact on the health of the laptop, which is the sealing brought by the fanless design.

The traditional notebook cooling system is determined by many factors such as fans, cooling copper tubes, air ducts, shell materials, cooling windows, etc. However, the design of the fans and cooling windows can easily cause dust to accumulate inside the fuselage, which in turn can cause damage to the computer. It will affect the heat dissipation efficiency of the machine and also lead to the occurrence of noise pollution.

The fanless design does not need to open additional heat dissipation windows. It only requires heat sinks and metal shells to achieve the heat dissipation effect. Therefore, its sealing is greatly improved, and the cleanliness inside the fuselage is undoubtedly improved. promote.

·Disadvantages of fanless computers

There are gains and losses.Since the fan computer is more outstanding in three aspects: lightweight, noise reduction, and sealing, it will inevitably have shortcomings in some aspects.

First of all, the biggest shortcoming of fanless computers currently is performance.

Although the Core M platform has better performance than Pentium, Celeron, and Atom processors, its performance is obviously insufficient when faced with low-voltage processors and standard-voltage processors. This is why most users The main reason for the official trend of fanless computers.

Secondly, although lightweight products bring excellent portability, their overall reliability is limited due to their slim design and the fact that most of them are made of metal materials with low hardness. There are certain hidden dangers.

For example, slim products are more susceptible to damage than traditional products when dropped, squeezed, collided, etc. This is the fundamental reason why military-grade products are made to look "silly and thick" location.

Third point, the prices of mainstream brand fanless computers are generally higher, and other brands’ products are not outstanding in terms of popularity, influence and actual quality.

Although the Core M platform was released as early as October last year, it is still an emerging platform for the entire computer industry. Fanless computers based on the Core M platform are also an emerging product. Users Its awareness and recognition are not high, and there is no guarantee of eye-catching performance. The high price seems very dazzling at this time.

It can be seen that fanless computers still have very distinct advantages and disadvantages today. So what products are currently available for users to choose from? Which users are their product features suitable for?

< strong>Which fanless computers are worth choosing?

·What are the fanless products?

After understanding some basic information about fanless computers, let’s take a look next What should you pay attention to when purchasing a fanless computer at this stage? First of all, since you are purchasing a type of product, you must understand what specific products are available and the characteristics of these products.

As far as the current brand composition of fanless computers is concerned, it mainly comes from two aspects:

First, they are products launched by traditional OEM manufacturers. For example, Lenovo YOGA 3 11, Apple MacBook, Asus U305, Samsung ATIV Book 9, etc.

Secondly, they are some products from manufacturers in South China. For example, Teclast, Onda, Cube, Blue Magic, etc. Most of these manufacturers that originally focused on the tablet computer industry have begun to transform into fanless computers, and have received strong official support from Intel. This is different from the previous ultrabooks and 2-in-1 computers. 1The early promotion of computers was very different.

Next, let’s take a look at these products in detail.

·Three representative fanless computers

First let’s look at the Lenovo YOGA 3 11. The YOGA brand is no stranger to users. The YOGA 3 11 is an 11.6-inch full HD touch screen flip-up laptop. Based on the Core M platform, it adopts Fanless design. The overall appearance is still available in a variety of colors, with orange being the most classic.

YOGA 3 11 weighs only 1.1kg, has a thickness of 14.66mm, and an 11-inch screen that makes its body very compact, so it is extremely portable.

Samsung ATIV Book 9 is also a very interesting fanless computer. Although it does not use a flip screen or a pluggable design, it has a very good sense of quality in a traditional form, especially the narrow bezel design that is eye-catching.

In addition, the screen part of ATIV Book 9 uses Samsung’s own PLS wide-angle screen, and the display effect at 1080P resolution is very good. The overall workmanship of this machine is also remarkable. The all-metal body and the crystal diamond cutting and polishing on the side edges can highlight the quality of the product.

In addition, the fanless computer that has attracted the most attention from users so far is undoubtedly Apple’s MacBook. However, MacBook can also be said to be the most controversial product at present. The poor feel of the butterfly keyboard, single USB-C interface configuration, expensive USB-C extension cable price, etc. are all the targets of complaints from users. .

However, its outstanding workmanship, rich gold color appearance, and impeccable design have aroused the desire of many users to purchase. Judging from Apple's consistent products, the fanless MacBook is undoubtedly the most controversial Apple product in history.

In addition to the products launched by these traditional OEM manufacturers, Intel has teamed up with many South China manufacturers to also launch some cheaper fanless products. We will not comment much on these products. For detailed information, you can go Go to Taobao’s “Intel Brand Experience Center” to learn more (click me to enter).

Which users are fanless computers suitable for?

·Which users are fanless computers suitable for?

For users, what exactly are fanless computers suitable for? Which group of people is it suitable for?

From the previous introduction, it is not difficult to find that fanless computers have very distinct characteristics, so their positioning groups are also very distinct. In summary, they are generally suitable for the following groups of people:

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First, light computer users.

Then the question is, what is a light computer user?

In fact, the answer is very simple, that is, a user who does not use computers for a long time and uses a relatively single application. For example, my mother only uses three applications on her computer: video chatting with me, browsing some daily news, and watching TV series or movies. These users use computersMost of the time does not exceed 3 hours a day, and sometimes I don’t even turn on the computer for several days.

For this type of users, fanless computers, especially low-priced fanless computers launched by manufacturers in South China, are very suitable.

Second, business office users.

Many friends are worried that the performance of the Core M processor is not enough to meet the needs of office applications. However, judging from the Atom core mini computer I am currently using and my usual fanless computer reviews, this worry is completely gone. Necessary.

The author’s current Atom mini computer is basically stress-free for daily office needs. As long as I don’t do large-scale image batch processing or video editing work, it is still very smooth, let alone a Core with much higher performance. M platform.

In addition, the factors that affect the office application experience do not entirely come from the processor, the hard disk is equally important. Currently, most Core M platforms use solid-state drives, so there is no need to worry about the actual office experience. Of course, if you want to play games after working, then the current fanless computers are certainly not suitable for your needs.

Third, users who often go out.

The thin and light nature of fanless computers is exactly what this type of user likes, and products like MacBook are quite decent when taken out. If you sit in a coffee shop and use them, they will definitely be a useful tool. In addition, whether you go out for work or travel, you do not rely heavily on computer performance, as long as it meets the needs of long battery life and the ability to watch movies, and low-power fanless computers can certainly meet these needs.

Fourth, student users.

When it comes to student users, they are always associated with game laptops. In fact, this is not the case. Although there are many gamers in the student user group, there is also a considerable proportion of users who do not have high demand for games. However, people in a dormitory gather together to influence each other, and blind obedience will occur when buying computers. Originally, what you needed was not a gaming laptop, but the other three roommates all bought gaming laptops, so it was not uncommon for you to follow suit and buy one.

In fact, for many students, a computer that is easy to carry, does not take up space, and has usable performance is the most suitable. Especially for students who go to school in other places, it would be silly to carry the computer back home during the holidays. The thick gaming notebook is absolutely miserable. The compact size, lightweight design and practical performance of fanless computers are enough to meet the needs of many students and friends.

·Postscript

Intel has adopted a new strategy in the layout of fanless computers, taking the lead in OEM manufacturers with strong brand influence and being able to South China manufacturers that are rapidly transforming and shipping quickly are assisting, and they are jointly building a fanless computer landscape through a two-pronged approach. This is very different from the previous strategy of ultrabooks and 2-in-1 computers that mainly relied on traditional OEM manufacturers.

Precisely because of this, we are not only able to deploy fanless computersIn the early days of the game, we saw high-quality products with strong brand influence such as MacBook, YOGA 3 11, ATIV Book 9, U305, etc. We also saw low-priced products from manufacturers in South China. Therefore, fanless computers have already shown an all-round trend in their initial layout to meet the needs of different user groups.

Since the launch of fanless computers, the most criticized thing among users is undoubtedly the performance of the Core M platform itself. However, most of them have never actually used fanless computers, so most of these criticisms are based on what others say. .

Today, when CPU performance has reached an extremely high level, the performance of Core M itself is actually enough to handle various daily applications. The application experience of the computer itself does not entirely depend on the processor performance, so many friends have begun to try to add solid-state drives to old notebooks to improve the use experience. The effect is quite significant. It can be seen that performance and actual use experience are difficult to achieve today. Let’s draw an equal sign again. For today's users, only by re-examining the difference between performance and experience can they correctly judge whether a product is suitable for them. The era of choosing a computer based solely on the processor is actually over.

However, it is undeniable that the Core M of the Broadwell era and the fanless computers based on it are not perfect. On the contrary, it has many problems. However, for such a relatively successful start, Fanless computers are bound to be a trend in future computer development. Owning a fanless computer may help you re-understand the definition of the word "computer".