BIOS

The NC02U uses a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) BIOS named Aptio Setup Utility; it uses an old interface that doesn't support mouse input, and its available options are also fairly limited.


You didn't expect to find any voltage-control options, did you?


Here are the other advanced options.


Here are the BIOS' hardware monitor, security, and boot options.

Performance

PC Mark

3D Mark

Power Consumption

CPU Utilization

Temperatures

Noise

We used a high-quality CEM-8852 Sound DB Meter which we placed at a distance of 0.5 meters from the NC02U for these measurements. Ambient noise was close to 20 dBA while we conducted these noise measurements, and ambient temperatures hovered at around the 20°C mark. Despite the low ambient noise in our lab, the lowest noise level this specific sound meter can measure accurately is 30 dBA. We took measurements with the fan spinning at full and mid speed, which the BIOS settings made possible. Real-life conditions weren't able to push the NC02U hard enough to make its fan spin at more than 2100 RPM (with smart-fan mode enabled in the BIOS). We didn't take any measurements at low fan speeds since noise output at those speeds was too low for our environment and equipment to capture.



With its single fan spinning at 5900 RPM, the NC02U definitely makes its presence felt, with 39 dB(A) at a distance of 0.5 meters. With the fan operating at 3900 RPM, noise output is notably lower, with 3 dB(A) less at the same distance. Under real-life conditions, the NC02U will operate like a passive unit, meaning it will be inaudible unless you make it operate under very high ambient temperatures and with a full load over prolonged periods of time.