LinuxCNC compatible industrial PC

Hi everyone,I’ve been looking for a suitable new industrial PC for LinuxCNC with Mesa (Ethernet-connected, 7i94), but the search is becoming frustrating.

There’s a lot of great information out there, but most recommendations point to older refurbished systems that are either no longer available here (Europe) or require a lot of BIOS tuning to get acceptable latency. I’d really prefer to avoid spending a lot of time testing different systems or diving deep into BIOS settings and latency tuning.

I’m already spending enough time figuring out the electrics, HAL setup, Python interface, and machine logic — so I’m really hoping to just buy one thing that works reliably and doesn’t add another rabbit hole to the project.

What I’m looking for is a currently available, new industrial PC that:

• Works reliably with LinuxCNC (using the preempt-rt kernel)
• Is known to perform well with Mesa over Ethernet (7i94)
• Doesn’t require deep tweaking to get good performance
• Is ideally fanless or low-noise and compact (DIN mountable is a plus, but not required)

Budget isn’t my biggest concern — I don’t mind spending a bit more if it helps me avoid hours of frustration and trial-and-error.

If anyone has experience with a specific model (e.g., something from OnLogic, Beckhoff, or Fitlet2-type devices) that works well without surprises, I’d really appreciate a recommendation.

Thanks!

Mac Pro?
Mac Mini?
Some Apple desktop?
(not Apple Silicon, obviously)

When you want something quiet, Mac is usually what comes to mind fo me.

Not a specific recommendation, but in general I would suggest
hardware with a Intel rather than RealTek Ethernet interface
(as this avoids the needed DKMS driver installation with RealTek
and newer kernels)

there are a number of industrial PC's on Alibaba/Aliexpress.
Echoing PCW's comments about Intel NIC. I would look for 2 NIC's but you might get more
Probably external Wifi SMA connectors. This lets you extend antennas outside of your enclosure
Also, look for a built in serial port or two for VFD etc. Some have native RS485 ports with screw terminals builtin.
They usually come with a Vesa mounting bracket to mount behind a monitor so it should be easy to mount on a DIN rail. Meanwell have a nice aluminium bracket.