Firewall Mini PC N150 - Fanless 4 x 2.5GbE Micro Appliance

In this review the Firewall Mini PC N150 is evaluated as a compact, fanless micro appliance aimed at small offices and advanced home networks that need multi-gigabit routing and hardware flexibility. The bottom line: it is best for network professionals or power users who want a dedicated hardware platform for OPNsense, Linux, or Windows 11 Pro with four native 2.5GbE ports and DDR5 memory support, because its Twin Lake N150 processor, quiet fanless design, and rich I/O deliver a strong balance of throughput and expandability in a small footprint.

Key Features

• 12th Gen N150 Processor: The Twin Lake N150 CPU with 4 cores and up to 3.6 GHz provides responsive packet processing and supports AES-NI for encrypted VPN workloads.
• 4 x 2.5GbE i226V LAN: Four native i226V 2.5GbE ports enable multi-gigabit routing and segmentation without extra adapters, improving LAN throughput over gigabit solutions.
• DDR5 and NVMe expansion: A single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot at 4800 MHz (up to 48GB) plus two M.2 NVMe slots let users scale memory and storage for caching, logging, or virtual appliances.
• Fanless with optional small fan: Passive cooling keeps operation quiet for desktop or closet deployment, while a 12V 4-pin fan option is provided for higher thermal loads.
• Multiple display and USB ports: Dual HD outputs plus DP and Type-C with UHD graphics support 4K@60Hz and allow console access or light workstation use alongside firewall duties.
• Versatile OS support: Ships with Windows 11 Pro and supports OPNsense, Linux, ESXi, OpenWrt and other hypervisors or router OS images for flexible deployment.

Who It's For

The N150 appliance is ideal for IT administrators, network enthusiasts, and small business owners who need a dedicated device to run OPNsense or other router/firewall software with hardware-assisted AES encryption and multi-gigabit LAN ports. Its combination of DDR5 memory support and dual NVMe slots makes it a good fit where persistent logs, packet capture, or virtual machines are required.

Users who need dozens of ports, modular SFP or fiber interfaces, or rackmount redundancy should look elsewhere; this is a compact micro appliance designed for edge routing and firewall duties rather than full datacenter switching or enterprise chassis integration.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Four onboard 2.5GbE ports deliver clear performance gains over gigabit for LAN routing and aggregation.
• DDR5 memory and dual NVMe slots provide real upgrade paths for demanding firewall tasks.
• Fanless design keeps noise to a minimum for small office or home lab deployment.
• Broad OS compatibility gives flexibility to run OPNsense, Linux, ESXi or Windows 11 Pro.

Cons

• Compact enclosure limits physical drive bays to 2.5in SATA only, so storage expansion is constrained to NVMe and one 2.5in drive per SATA port.
• No built-in SFP ports; fiber or SFP connectivity requires external adapters or PCIe alternatives.

Specifications

Our Verdict

The Firewall Mini PC N150 is a compact, well-rounded micro appliance for anyone who needs multi-gigabit LAN, AES-NI acceleration, and upgradeable DDR5/NVMe hardware in a quiet package. It offers excellent value for small offices and lab environments that will benefit from OPNsense or virtualization, though those requiring fiber SFP modules or denser port counts should consider a different platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this run OPNsense?
Yes, the unit supports OPNsense as well as Linux, ESXi and OpenWrt and includes BIOS options like PXE and Auto Power On to aid deployments.

How many drives can I install?
There are two M.2 NVMe slots plus two SATA 3.0 ports for 2.5in SSD/HDD, giving flexible NVMe and SATA combinations.

Is it noisy?
The appliance is fanless for quiet operation; an optional 12V 4-pin small fan is supported and a cable is included if additional cooling is needed.