For those interested in a small form factor PC running on the open-source Coreboot firmware, Netherlands-based vendor NovaCustom is launching an Intel Meteor Lake powered NUC box running on the Dasharo downstream of Coreboot.
NovaCustom that has collaborated with the 3mdeb consulting firm and their Dasharo firmware with prior products announced today their latest ware. NovaCustom is launching the NUC Box based on Intel’s Next Unit of Computing concept and powered by a Meteor Lake SoC while the main selling point is running the Coreboot-based Dasharo as an alternative to a proprietary BIOS/firmware.
The NovaCustom NUC Box will ship with Dasharo by default while on the hardware side is using a Meteor Lake SoC and can be configured with up to 96GB of RAM, multiple SSDs, 2.5G Ethernet, optional WiFI 7, and other NUC-type features. Pricing on the NovaCustom NUC Box starts out at 830 EUR ($913 USD). The SoC options are either the Core Ultra 5 125H or the more powerful Core Ultra 7 155H will cost an additional $143 USD.
Meteor Lake is indeed a generation old but unlike the newer Lunar Lake doesn’t rely on the on-package memory, has higher core/thread counts, and there are limitations in to the offerings they can provide that are Dasharo/Coreboot compatible.
The Dasharo Coreboot support also includes the option of completely disabling the Intel Management Engine (Intel ME) if desired. Windows and various Linux distributions can be installed on the device and optionally shipping without any OS preloaded.
NovaCustom expects to start shipping this NUC Box in September. Those wanting to learn more can do so via NovaCustom.com.
