Solid-gold mini PC commands $1.7M price and adds 24 pounds
A buyer commissioned a Kubb Fanless mini PC with a passive enclosure made from pure 24-carat gold. The custom build is priced near $1.7 million and weighs 28.7 pounds, far above the standard 4.6-pound version. Gold improves thermal conductivity over aluminum by roughly 30% to 50%, though copper and silver perform better and cost less.
The custom Kubb Fanless uses a passive chassis cast from pure 24-carat gold, ordered by a buyer who favors the metal. Its weight rises to 28.7 pounds from the standard 4.6 pounds, while the price reaches roughly $1.7 million. Gold’s thermal conductivity is listed at 314 W/m K, versus aluminum’s 205, though copper, silver, and diamond conduct heat better.
Standard Kubb Fanless configurations pair Intel Core Ultra 5 225H, Core Ultra X7 358H, or AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 chips with up to 128GB DDR5 and 1TB NVMe storage. Aluminum versions in graphite, blue, or bronze were listed around €1,595, and earlier 3x3x3-inch Kubb Mini models sold for about $500.
This ultra-luxury gadget may mostly affect wealthy enthusiasts and custom PC builders, highlighting how exotic materials can turn ordinary computing hardware into a status object. It could also draw attention to passive cooling trade-offs: gold improves heat transfer but adds cost and weight, while copper may serve practical users better. For most consumers, the story is likely a curiosity rather than a purchasing signal, though it may inspire interest in fanless designs and material science.