This is the best affordable PC with a Thunderbolt 3 connector

Chuwi CoreBox Pro
(Image credit: Chuwi)

The most powerful release in Chuwi’s Mini PC series is now available for just $439. The CoreBox Pro promises powerful performance with a compact design, including a Thunderbolt 3 port for rapid data transfers.

The Chuwi CoreBox Pro is made from an aluminium-magnesium alloy and polycarbonate, measuring 6 x 6 inches in total. Its small size means that it can be popped into a bag for easy transport, while its capabilities, which compare well against some sold desktop computers, make it suitable for a huge range of corporate tasks.

The CoreBox Pro also comes with the latest 10th generation Core i3-1005G1 processor, 12GB RAM and 256GB of NVMe SSD storage. For individuals that need more space, the mini PC supports a 2.5-inch HDD hard disk capacity expansion if storage for larger files is required.

Small but fast

One of the major selling points for a mini PC of this price is that it comes equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 connector. Although a Thunderbolt 3 port looks identical to a USB-C port (and, indeed, is compatible with USB-C cables) it offers far greater speeds – up to 40GBps in fact.

Other noteworthy features included in the CoreBox Pro is a built-in UHD Graphics core Graphics card, which supports 4K output to up to three monitors, as well as support for a WiFi6 high-speed wireless network, complete with a highest transmission speed of 2400Mbps.

Earlier this year, Chuwi, like many other Chinese businesses, faced disruption as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with the firm forced to temporarily halt production in February. Since then, however, the company has released a number of impressive devices and the CoreBox Pro looks well-placed to join them.

Barclay Ballard

Barclay has been writing about technology for a decade, starting out as a freelancer with ITProPortal covering everything from London’s start-up scene to comparisons of the best cloud storage services.  After that, he spent some time as the managing editor of an online outlet focusing on cloud computing, furthering his interest in virtualization, Big Data, and the Internet of Things.