PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?

[GeorgeCZ58]

I've just read, that PC engines will end production of APU. For business I use Netgate HW, but for home I use mostly PC Engines (price reason).
Do there exist any alternatives?
I dont want to buy some appliances from Aliexpres etc. I do not trust to such devices. Prefer to buy something builded in EU or USA...west :) that will receive time to time some Bios upgrades.
Do you have any tips?

[Dobby_]

@GeorgeCZ58 said in PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?:

I've just read, that PC engines will end production of APU.

I read somewhere at the github.io section of them that
there will be a device called APU7 that should be also
tested with the new BIOS version 4.19.0.1 it comes with
2.5 GBit/s ports too, it should be a variant of the APU2.

Do there exist any alternatives?

Jetway & Axiomtek will be near but not the same.

I dont want to buy some appliances from Aliexpres etc.
I do not trust to such devices.

Why?

Prefer to buy something builded in EU or USA...west :)
that will receive time to time some Bios upgrades.

Would be nice.

Do you have any tips?

I don´t know, I am searching too here.

[rcoleman-netgate]

@Dobby_ said in PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?:

I dont want to buy some appliances from Aliexpres etc.
I do not trust to such devices.

Why?

There are many concerns about hardware from no-name businesses having legit and functional hardware, and then when you have a warranty issue getting someone to honor the warranty.

Then there's the licensing issues with sellers on AliExpress preinstalling pfSense Plus on their devices to make the i226 interfaces usable but the device is non-functional because 1) the license doesn't match the new NDI and 2) the installation was done against the terms of the Plus licensing.

[bingo600]

@GeorgeCZ58 said in PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?:

've just read, that PC engines will end production of APU. For business I use Netgate HW, but for home I use mostly PC Engines (price reason).
Do there exist any alternatives?
I dont want to buy some appliances from Aliexpres etc. I do not trust to such devices. Prefer to buy something builded in EU or USA...west :) that will receive time to time some Bios upgrades.
Do you have any tips?

To me it seems like the most viable alternative would be protecli with CoreBoot Bios.
https://eu.protectli.com/

But the prices will be close to "Genuine Netgate HW" .... So maybe consider Netgate 41xx or 61xx too

/Bingo

[Dobby_]

@bingo600 said in PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?:

But the prices will be close to "Genuine Netgate HW" .... So maybe consider Netgate 41xx or 61xx too

That is the point!

[GeorgeCZ58]

@Dobby_ I am buying Netgate HW for business. But for home it is too expensive solution :( APU was just acceptable. We usualy have WAN speed <100Mb, so no problem that it isnt so powerfull.

[Dobby_]

@GeorgeCZ58

Yep here too, but the APU7 should be sorted then with
2,5 GB Ports, but if this will be hitting the market at one
day I don´t know.

[bingo600]

@GeorgeCZ58 said in PC ENGINES EOL, trusted HW option?:

@Dobby_ I am buying Netgate HW for business. But for home it is too expensive solution :( APU was just acceptable. We usualy have WAN speed <100Mb, so no problem that it isnt so powerfull.

Too expensive and Not China ... Those doesn't go well ... Especially if you want new & low power

/Bingo