Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150 - Fanless 6x 2.5GbE Router Appliance

In this review of the Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150 the bottom line is simple: this compact, fanless appliance is aimed at small offices or advanced home networks that need multiple high-speed ports and flexible OS support. The reviewer found the single biggest reason to buy is the six 2.5GbE ports driven by i226V chips, which give real-world throughput advantages for multi-WAN or segmented LAN setups. It is best for users who want a dedicated hardware platform for OPNsense, OpenWrt or Linux-based routing rather than a general consumer desktop.

Key Features

• 12th Gen N150 Processor: A low-power 4-core CPU with 6M cache and up to 3.6 GHz performance that balances throughput and efficiency for firewall, VPN and routing tasks.
• Six 2.5GbE Ports: Six i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports provide higher-than-gigabit connectivity to offload internal network traffic without requiring additional adapters.
• DDR5 Memory Support: A single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot supports 4800 MHz and compatible higher speeds, giving room to tune memory for virtualization or packet processing.
• Flexible Storage Options: Two M.2 2280 NVMe slots plus a SATA 3.0 port for a 2.5' drive allow fast OS storage and separate logging or cache volumes.
• Fanless Aluminium Chassis: The aluminium body and passive cooling keep noise to a minimum while offering an optional small fan connector for heavy loads or tighter installations.
• Multiple Display and I/O: Dual HDMI plus Type-C with 4K@60Hz support and several USB ports make initial setup, diagnostics and local management straightforward.

Who It's For

This appliance is well suited to network professionals, small business IT staff and advanced home lab builders who want a dedicated, compact platform to run OPNsense, OpenWrt, ESXi or Linux-based router software. It is ideal where multiple 2.5GbE links are needed for aggregation, segmentation or WAN failover without relying on separate switches.

Less technical buyers who need a plug-and-play consumer router with easy GUI setup should look elsewhere; this unit expects some familiarity with custom firmware, BIOS options and network configuration. If low-cost single-gig home Wi-Fi is the only requirement, a consumer router will be easier to manage.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Six true 2.5GbE interfaces provide significant bandwidth headroom for LAN and WAN roles.
• DDR5 and NVMe storage support deliver strong responsiveness for OS and logging workloads.
• Fanless aluminium design keeps operation quiet while still offering an optional fan connector for added cooling.
• Broad OS compatibility makes it flexible for OPNsense, Linux or virtualization use cases.

Cons

• Some users report mixed results with advanced features like VLAN behavior, so expect manual configuration and troubleshooting for complex setups.
• The unit can run warm under sustained high throughput, so placement and optional cooling should be considered.

Specifications

CPU	Twin Lake-N 12th Gen N150, 4 cores / 4 threads, up to 3.6 GHz
Network	6 x i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports
Memory	1 x DDR5 SO-DIMM slot, 4800 MHz (compatible with 5200/5600 MHz)
Storage	2 x M.2 2280 NVMe slots; 1 x SATA 3.0 for 2.5' SSD/HDD (cable included)
Video & I/O	2 x HDMI, 1 x Type-C (4K@60Hz), 1 x USB3.2, 4 x USB2.0, TF card slot
Cooling	Fanless aluminium body; supports optional 12V 4-pin small fan (cable included)
OS Support	OPNsense, Linux, ESXi, OpenWrt and similar systems

Our Verdict

The Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150 is a practical, value-oriented appliance for anyone needing multiple 2.5GbE ports and a flexible OS platform. It pairs modern DDR5 and NVMe storage with a low-power 12th Gen N150 CPU, making it a sensible choice for small business or advanced home networks that need throughput and reliability rather than consumer simplicity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it support OPNsense out of the box?
Yes, it supports OPNsense and other router-focused OSes, but initial setup and BIOS options may require manual configuration.

Can it boot from NVMe?
Yes, the board has two M.2 2280 NVMe slots suitable for booting the operating system.

Is the unit noisy?
The aluminium chassis is fanless for quiet operation; an optional small 4-pin fan can be connected if additional cooling is needed.