Which MeLE mini PC is it?

The MeLE Quieter 4C, a fanless mini PC. MeLE sells it with an Intel N100 or N150 and several memory and storage options.

Why a mini PC instead of an ASIAIR?

It runs NINA or SharpCap, so any camera brand works, and NINA brings back the Sky Atlas and live stacking. I control mine from my phone indoors.

Does it power the rest of the rig?

No. It has no DC outputs, so the camera, mount and dew heaters need their own power.

MeLE Quieter 4C mini PC review: NINA at the telescope

Where does it rank on our leaderboard

Nine of the 46 accessories on my board, against price
Rank	Accessory	Stars for Your Buck	Recorded UK price
1	GEMINI EAF	100 out of 100	£42
2	Generic Dew Heater	93 out of 100	£9
7	Weather Station	88 out of 100	£225
10	MeLE MiniPC	84 out of 100	£490
17	Red light headlamp	77 out of 100	£6
27	ZWO 5x1.25″ Filter Wheel	65 out of 100	£198
39	Celestron 8″ EdgeHD 0.7x Reducer	44 out of 100	£429
45	SKY ROVER 2x54 Binoculars	28 out of 100	£139
46	365 Solar Telescope Cover	5 out of 100	£73

Contents

01 Where does it rank on our leaderboard
02 Specifications and features
03 Should you buy it?
04 Questions and more about this review

In 30 seconds

Stars for Your Buck 84/100

Reviewed 15 Jul 2026 Updated 25 Sep 2026

Rank: #10 of 46 accessories
Verdict: Damon recommends

Written by Damon Scotting 3 min read

Buy it if

You want NINA or SharpCap at the telescope, controlled from indoors.
Your cameras and accessories come from several brands.

Skip it if

You want power outputs and a phone app in one box: an ASIAIR does both.
You would rather not install and set up capture software.

“The next best option after an ASIAIR is a mini PC like the MeLE: run NINA on it, or just SharpCap, and control everything from there.”

Specifications and features

Against the other controllers I have reviewed

Compare with

MeLE MiniPC reviewed #10 of 46	ASIAIR Plus 256GB #13 of 46	ASIAIR 256GB #23 of 46	ASIAIR Mini #28 of 46	ToupTek AstroStation / StellaVita #43 of 46
Recorded UK price	£490	£399	£230	£215	£339
Stars for Your Buck	84/100	81/100	72/100	64/100	40/100
Storage	By version: eMMC or SSD	256 GB eMMC	256 GB eMMC	32 GB eMMC, 20 GB free	32 GB built in
Card slot	microSD	None (USB drives)	microSD (TF)	None (USB drives)	SD card
USB ports	2 x USB 3.2, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB-C	2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0	2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0	4 x USB 2.0	2 x USB 3.0, 2 more marked WiFi
Power outputs	None	4 x DC 12 V	4 x DC 12 V	4 x DC 12 V	4 x DC out, 3 A maximum
Power input	12 V 2 A USB-C adapter	DC 12 V, 2 to 10 A	DC 12 V	DC 12 V; USB-C 5 V for the Mini alone	DC in, with a power switch
Wireless	Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1	Dual-band Wi-Fi, 20 m	Dual-band Wi-Fi, 20 m	Dual-band Wi-Fi, 20 m	Wi-Fi, external antenna
Wired network	Gigabit Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet	Ethernet	None	Ethernet
Size	131 x 81 x 18.3 mm	102.5 x 70 x 26.5 mm	not recorded	78 x 52 x 26 mm	not recorded
Weight	203 g	210 g	not recorded	165 g	not recorded
Camera support	Any brand, through NINA or SharpCap	ZWO cameras and DSLRs	ZWO cameras and DSLRs	ZWO cameras and supported DSLRs	Open to other brands
Sky Atlas	Through NINA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, on my unit
Live stacking	Through NINA	Yes	Yes	Yes, up to 26 MP cameras	No, on my unit

Should you buy it?

84/100 Stars for Your Buck

Pros

I control mine remotely from my phone indoors, so it is not so different from using an AstroStation.
This way you get a sky atlas and live stacking back.
Fanless and silent: 131 x 81 x 18.3 mm and 203 g.
On Windows 11 it runs NINA or SharpCap, so the camera brand does not matter.

Cons

No power outputs: the camera, mount and dew heaters need power from elsewhere.
Three USB-A ports and one USB-C: a full rig may need a hub.
Sold with an Intel N100 or N150 and several memory and storage options, so check the version before you buy.

You are probably better off buying a mini PC and running free software such as NINA on it to do all the same jobs.

Three alternatives I have reviewed

Questions and more about this review

Reviewed by

Damon Scotting

The Telescope Man Verified

BSc (Hons) Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology, Loughborough University PGCE / QTS, University of Nottingham

About Damon About Damon Damon Scotting is The Telescope Man. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology from Loughborough University and a PGCE with QTS from the University of Nottingham, and taught physics in secondary schools before becoming an astronomy creator. He is a contributing writer for BBC Sky at Night Magazine and the author of 42 Wonders of Our Night Sky, and his photograph of the galaxy M100 with the dwarf planet Ceres was Highly Commended in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition run by Royal Observatory Greenwich. He has appeared on the BBC's Blue Peter. More than 750,000 people follow his astronomy channels on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and he has reviewed more than 140 telescopes, mounts, cameras, filters and accessories hands-on for this site. More about Damon · How I test · Damon's book

I review all kinds of gear: most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way. How this site is funded

Three questions, answered

Questions about the MeLE MiniPC

Reviewed 15 July 2026 ·Updated 25 September 2026

I review all kinds of gear. Most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way: no company sees or approves a review before it is published. Shop links marked Ad are affiliate links: I earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded

Which MeLE mini PC is it? The MeLE Quieter 4C, a fanless mini PC. MeLE sells it with an Intel N100 or N150 and several memory and storage options. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
Why a mini PC instead of an ASIAIR? It runs NINA or SharpCap, so any camera brand works, and NINA brings back the Sky Atlas and live stacking. I control mine from my phone indoors. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
Does it power the rest of the rig? No. It has no DC outputs, so the camera, mount and dew heaters need their own power. The specifications and the comparison table ↓