Chatreey AN4: Balancing Mini PC Power and Cost
Mini PC existence is at times all about balancing power and cost. But check it out – Chinese brand Chatreey just brought out a new competitor, the AN4. The tiny box is making waves as it carries serious clout with AMD's capable Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, but will not drain your savings account.
Inside the AN4 is the Ryzen 7 8845HS. This is one of AMD's powerful Hawk Point processors, so this small PC should easily cope with general use, multitasking, and even some creative applications. Currently, you can get the barebone model (where you install your own RAM and storage) for a pretty good price – around $320 on AliExpress.
What about graphics
The chip has AMD's Radeon 780M integrated graphics. It won't be a replacement for an expensive gaming system, but it's surprisingly good for a mini PC. You should be able to play most popular AAA games at 1080p resolution if you turn the settings to low or medium.
Ready for Gaming Boost with USB4
Here's a neat feature: the AN4 has a USB4 port. Why is that neat. As it also leaves the door open to adding an external GPU (eGPU) enclosure. If you ever seriously consider upgrading your gaming performance in the future, you can install a dedicated graphics card via an eGPU solution. Although an OCuLink port would be preferable for eGPUs, having one on a mini PC in this price range is rare, so the addition of USB4 is a great added value.
Connectivity Covered
Besides that convenient USB4 port, Chatreey didn't skimp on ports. The AN4 includes:
- Four USB 3.0 Type-A ports (the old rectangular kind)
- One more USB Type-C port
- Two HDMI ports for monitors
- Two speedy 2.5G Ethernet ports for wired web access
- A standard 3.5mm audio jack for headphones or speakers
For wireless access, you have WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 built-in.
Inside the Box (What You Can Add)
The AN4 sports two slots for fast DDR5 RAM (up to 5600 MT/s speeds supported) and two M.2 slots dedicated to quick NVMe SSD storage. Chatreey also emphasizes its cooling system, which adopts dual fans and vapor chamber (VC) technology. They guarantee that this configuration will maintain low temperatures even under heavy PC usage, guaranteeing stable performance.
Sleek Design and Extra Touches
Atop it all is a compact and lightweight aluminum enclosure that will suit most desktops just fine. The USB4 port also has 100W Power Delivery (PD), yet another degree of versatility. It's designed to be thin and inconspicuous.
So, if you want a budget mini PC that doesn't give up too much power and even opens a window to better gaming in the future, the Chatreey AN4 seems to be a rather intriguing option to explore.
