The mini pc itself looks great. I assume that a 2GHz x86 quad core could do more than the Pi, even if it's just an Atom. 4GB max memory is more limiting than what you can get there though.
It's just a guess. The kernel support should be a lot better, also the graphics driver support. But with those low TDP Intel processors that could be completely wrong.
Yeah, I'm not sure how comparable it really is... I mean, with modest cooling, an RPi 4 can OC to ~2.1ghz without issue. I wouldn't mind if these were slightly larger if the I/O could be mostly on one side. Add 1-2x sata and/or m.2 slots and a second nic and the possibilities really open up. Though USB3 isn't too bad depending on your needs.
Also, kind of hoping that a few more polished options for 4-8 board cluster cases start popping up... The ability to do clustering solutions on real hardware for low-cost testing is really interesting as well.
All of that said, I agree, other than GPU support, I'm not sure that this actually performs any better than an RPi 4, and with the pi having 8gb option in play, this is potentially a much worse option.
1-2 more generations of these super small form computers, and it'll get even more compelling for general use for most people.
The mini pc itself looks great. I assume that a 2GHz x86 quad core could do more than the Pi, even if it's just an Atom. 4GB max memory is more limiting than what you can get there though.