Beelink Mini S Review: 12th Gen Chip for Office, and Entertainment

Introducing the Beelink Mini S, the latest addition to Beelink’s lineup of mini PCs and currently hailed as the most affordable option in their range. With a price tag of just $199, this miniature powerhouse offers exceptional value for those seeking a new PC without breaking the bank.

Admittedly, one must approach this budget-friendly device with certain expectations and understand that there may be limitations associated with its low cost. However, upon initial inspection, the Beelink Mini S manages to captivate with its intriguing features and specifications.

Now, let’s delve deeper into the practical aspects of this mini PC. While the price may seem enticing, how does the Beelink Mini S perform in real-world scenarios? To answer this question, it’s essential to assess the power and capabilities of the Intel N95 processor, the central driving force behind this device. We can only comprehensively understand its performance through a thorough test.

At this juncture, we must thank Beelink for graciously providing us with the Beelink Mini S for this rigorous evaluation. By allowing us to put this mini PC through its paces, we can give you, the discerning consumer, an unbiased and informed analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Unboxing

The delivery package for the small mini-PC, the Beelink Mini S, is nothing short of extravagant, providing customers with an array of essential accessories. Upon unboxing, you will find the Beelink Mini S itself and a concise yet informative user manual, a Vesa template accompanied by the necessary screws, two HDMI cables, and a power supply.

As for the HDMI cables, you’ll be pleased to find not one but two of them within the package. The first HDMI cable shares the same one-meter length as the power cable, allowing for convenient connectivity between your mini-PC and compatible devices. The second HDMI cable, however, is notably shorter, measuring just 20 centimeters. This shorter cable could be helpful when a minimal distance between devices is required, providing flexibility for specific setup configurations.

The package includes a Vesa mount to facilitate the mounting process, enabling easy attachment of the Beelink Mini S to 100 x 100 or 80 x 80 mounts. Whether you have a more significant or compact Vesa mount, the Beelink Mini S has you covered. This flexibility ensures compatibility with a wide range of monitors, making it a versatile choice for various setups and ensuring seamless integration into your existing workstation.

Design

Upon initial observation, the Beelink Mini S undoubtedly exudes a timeless charm, embodying the quintessential essence of a mini PC. Its dimensions measure a modest 115 x 102 x 38 mm, striking a balance between compactness and practicality. By adhering to the traditional “NUC” size, Beelink has provided a form factor that aligns perfectly with my expectations.

True to its reputation, Beelink has maintained its unwavering commitment to equipping its devices with an impressive array of ports. The Beelink Mini S follows suit, offering a port selection reminiscent of other notable Beelink PCs.

We are presented with four USB-A 3.0 ports, ensuring ample connectivity options for peripheral devices. This inclusion caters to the needs of users who rely on multiple USB devices concurrently, whether it be external hard drives, keyboards, or other essential accessories. Additionally, the presence of a 3.5mm headset connector grants the convenience of seamless audio connectivity.

Furthermore, a single gigabit LAN port is provided, enabling high-speed wired internet connections, a valuable asset for those who require stable and fast networking capabilities. In an increasingly connected world, this feature is essential for online gaming, streaming, and large file transfers.

For video output, the Beelink Mini S boasts two HDMI 2.0 ports. This allows users to connect dual monitors or televisions, providing an immersive visual experience or enabling efficient multitasking across various screens. Whether engaging in productivity-driven work or indulging in multimedia entertainment, dual HDMI ports open up a world of possibilities.

A single DC input is located among the port selections to power the device. This ensures a straightforward and hassle-free power supply connection without any unnecessary complexities.

Shifting our attention to the front panel of the PC, we discover the presence of two additional USB-A 3.0 ports, further augmenting the device’s connectivity potential. This arrangement facilitates quick and easy access for connecting frequently used USB devices or conveniently charging smartphones, tablets, or other portable gadgets. Moreover, including a power switch and a clear CMOS button guarantees user-friendly operation and troubleshooting options.

Turning to the rear side, we encounter two more USB-A ports, complementing the front panel’s offerings. Alongside these, a gigabit LAN port ensures that users have a seamless networking experience from either side of the device. The inclusion of dual HDMI 2.0 ports is also repeated here, offering flexibility in establishing video output connections.

While the Beelink Mini S port configuration is undeniably respectable, it does not lean towards excessive generosity. In light of this, one may ponder the absence of a USB-C port and a card reader. Including a USB-C port would have provided compatibility with newer devices and enhanced data transfer capabilities. At the same time, a card reader would have granted convenient access to various memory card formats. Nevertheless, the current assortment of ports remains well-rounded and sufficient for most everyday computing needs.

Beelink Mini S Hardware

Our well-equipped station provides all the necessary elements for a mini PC, with powerful components that seamlessly handle office tasks, multimedia applications, and web browsing. While the Celeron N5095 processor may not be a powerhouse, it offers sufficient speed for various tasks.

This chip possesses unexpected capabilities with its four single-threaded cores, a base frequency of 2 GHz, and a maximum frequency of 2.9 GHz, accompanied by 4 MB of cache and an Intel UHD graphics circuit with 16 EUs. Often, Celeron processors are not associated with complex tasks, but the N5095 proves that it can handle demanding activities such as photo editing and programming work. With approximately twice the computing performance of the Celeron N4100 Gemini Lake and a power consumption of 15 watts, it is an excellent choice for a living room product or a competent family PC, all at an affordable price.

Let’s dive into some performance benchmarks to showcase the capabilities of our product. CrystalDiskMark 8 allows us to test the read and write speeds of the SSD in various configurations, including the simulation of large and small file transfers. The measured rates are intriguing, with a reading speed of 890 MB/s and a writing speed of 841 MB/s for large files. These speeds surpass the theoretical limits of an SSD using SATA-3 technology but fall slightly short of the rates achieved by NVMe SSDs. This is because our SSD operates on the NVMe x1 protocol, which represents the minimum throughput for NVMe. Despite being minimalist, this NVMe SSD still offers a performance boost of approximately 65% in reading and 73% in writing compared to the previous year’s Beelink Mini S model that utilized SATA-3.

Moving on to Cinebench R23, this benchmark allows us to measure the performance of our configuration in 3D renderings. The Beelink Mini S scored 2988 points using all cores and 920 points on a single body. While not at the forefront of processors, the Intel N100 in the Mini S demonstrates significantly improved performance compared to the 2022 model of Beelink’s Mini S range. The increase amounts to a notable 37% in the multi-core version and an impressive 50% in single-core performance. These improvements enable the Mini S to handle light 3D rendering tasks easily.

For an overall assessment of the system’s capabilities, we turn to PC Mark 10, a comprehensive benchmark that simulates the usage of various software, ranging from office automation to image processing, 4K video playback, and internet browsing. The Beelink Mini S scored 3195 points, with 7333 points for primary use, 5061 issues for productivity, and 2386 points for content creation. Here again, we witness a performance increase of 34% compared to the 2022 model. Beelink’s compact machine excels in office automation, internet browsing, and even 4K video playback, ensuring a smooth experience. However, the Mini S remains capable of more resource-intensive tasks like image and video editing, but it may require additional time to complete such tasks.

We turned to the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark to evaluate its gaming performance. While the Beelink Mini S may not be designed explicitly for AAA video games, we were curious to see how it performed. The bar yielded a score of 382 points, showcasing an impressive 82% increase in performance compared to the 2022 Beelink Mini S model. While it may not handle demanding games, the Mini S significantly improves capabilities, allowing users to enjoy small games or older titles.

Moving on to multimedia capabilities, the Beelink Mini S excels at 4K video playback. Playing 4K videos on platforms like YouTube is well within its capabilities, with the CPU load not exceeding 20% during playback. Remarkably, this is achieved even with a processor speed measured between 0.68 and 0.73 GHz, slightly lower than the base frequency of 0.80 GHz. Any fluctuations observed in the CPU graph result from manual scene searching for capture purposes. During continuous use, the processor load drops to as low as 16% (as depicted in the last graph). Simultaneously, the integrated GPU (GPU 0) operates at around 45% capacity, indicating significant GPU usage for 4K playback while maintaining comfortable headroom. These tests were conducted using a 4K 60Hz monitor, ensuring a high-quality visual experience.

We understand noise level and temperature management are crucial factors, especially in small-form-factor PCs. To address this, we thoroughly tested the Beelink Mini 2 to evaluate its noise level in different scenarios. We are pleased to report that during light tasks such as office automation and internet browsing, the ventilation system remains completely silent, rendering the Beelink Mini S virtually inaudible (at an average distance) most of the time. Even when the fan operates at full power under heavy loads, it emits only a very slight hissing sound, quickly fading into the background. It’s worth noting that the noise level experienced under these circumstances represents the maximum output of the Beelink Mini S.

Regarding temperatures, we observed that during the Cinebench R23 benchmark, which utilizes the processor and its integrated graphics circuit to their fullest, the temperature reached 92°C. At this point, thermal throttling occurred, the highest temperature measured across all the benchmarks conducted. However, there is no need for concern as the throttling occurs only when the temperature reaches “only” 90°C. It is important to note that the processor is designed to operate up to 105°C, and Beelink has been careful in setting the temperature limit to trigger throttling at 90°C. In comparison, other mini-PC manufacturers often place this limit at 100°C, providing an extra layer of safety.

Windows

Beelink, renowned for its exceptional range of mini PCs, goes the extra mile by equipping even its weakest model with the latest operating system, Windows 11 Pro. Not only does this demonstrate their commitment to providing a seamless user experience, but it also ensures that customers can take full advantage of the enhanced features and functionalities offered by the new OS.

One notable aspect of Beelink’s approach is its dedication to delivering a clean and optimized system straight out of the box. By refraining from installing any unnecessary bloatware, users can enjoy a streamlined computing experience without the hassle of removing unwanted software. This commitment to offering a clutter-free environment is a testament to Beelink’s customer-centric philosophy.

Moreover, Beelink recognizes the importance of enabling users to customize and personalize their mini PCs to meet their needs. To this end, they have implemented minimal restrictions on BIOS access, allowing users to delve into the system’s settings and make adjustments as required. This flexibility empowers users to optimize their mini PC’s performance and tailor it to their unique preferences, ensuring a genuinely personalized computing experience.

Power Consumption of Beelink Mini S

The mini-PC, known for its remarkable energy efficiency, boasts an impressively low power consumption of only 6-8 watts during idle periods. However, when the processor is under heavy workload, the power consumption slightly rises to 16-18 watts, reaching its peak at 28 watts during demanding graphics benchmarks. It’s fascinating how this tiny computing marvel can dynamically adjust its power usage depending on the task.

The versatility of the mini-PC becomes evident when considering its power consumption in different applications. Due to its efficient design and intelligent power management, most tasks’ average power consumption remains negligible. In fact, upon closely monitoring the mini-PC’s energy usage, I discovered that it consumed a mere 8.8 watt-hours during an extensive recording session lasting almost 5 hours. This translates to a total energy consumption of 44 watt-hours (Wh). It’s truly remarkable how this miniature powerhouse delivers such impressive performance while maintaining a shallow power footprint.

Furthermore, I also examined the power pack connected to the mini-PC, and interestingly enough, it exhibited a shallow power draw when plugged into a socket. The measuring device indicated a negligible power consumption of only 0.3-0.4 watts. It’s incredible to witness how the mini-PC’s power pack contributes very little to the overall energy consumption, further exemplifying its outstanding energy efficiency.

The mini-PC is an environmentally conscious choice with its low power consumption across various scenarios. Not only does it deliver impressive computing capabilities, but it also minimizes energy waste, helping to reduce our carbon footprint. This level of efficiency is commendable and contributes positively to the sustainable use of resources in the realm of technology.

Connectivity

The Beelink Mini PC is a great device that shares many similarities with a typical home PC. Yet, it boasts a more compact design, making it an ideal choice for those prioritizing portability without sacrificing functionality. Equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, this mini PC offers seamless connectivity options, ensuring you stay connected to the digital world wherever you go.

One of the standout features of the Beelink Mini PC is its impressive size. Its compact form factor allows for easy transportation, enabling you to carry it effortlessly wherever you need to go. Furthermore, its discreet design allows it to be conveniently hidden behind a monitor, effectively reducing clutter and maximizing workspace efficiency.

The Beelink Mini PC is a compact, reliable workhorse that handles everyday tasks effortlessly. Whether browsing the web, streaming media content, or engaging in light gaming, this mini PC delivers a smooth and responsive experience. Additionally, it is a versatile companion that caters to casual and business needs, as it excels in running office applications and even some entertainment software.

However, it’s important to note that the Mini-S variant of the Beelink Mini PC does come with a few limitations compared to its counterparts. For instance, it lacks features like an SD card reader, USB-C ports, and Wi-Fi 6 compatibility. While these omissions may not be critical for everyone, they might impact your specific usage requirements.

Another drawback of the Mini-S lies in its AC adapter cable, which measures only one meter in length. This limitation might pose challenges in setting up the mini PC in specific environments, especially if you require flexibility in positioning the device. It’s worth considering this aspect and planning accordingly to ensure a seamless experience with the Mini-S model.

Read Also: Beelink U59: The Mini PC For Every Need For Just $239.99 (Coupon Deal)

Beelink Mini S Verdict

Regarding low-end mini PCs, the Beelink Mini S stands out as an excellent option in the market. It shares striking similarities with its competitors, but there is one aspect where Beelink takes the lead—its price. Priced at well under $200, the Mini S offers an undeniable advantage in terms of affordability. Not only does it excel in affordability, but it also boasts an impressive array of features, all neatly packaged within its compact and lightweight housing.

One of the standout features of the Beelink Mini S is its wide range of connectivity options. Despite its small size, this mini PC incorporates numerous ports and connections, allowing users to connect their devices and peripherals easily. Whether you need to hook up your monitor, keyboard, mouse, or other accessories, the Mini S covers you. This versatility makes it an ideal choice for office and multimedia use, providing a seamless experience for productivity tasks and entertainment.

Furthermore, the Beelink Mini S offers expandable memory options, ensuring you never run out of storage space. With a 2.5-inch SSD slot, users can upgrade their storage capacity to suit their needs. This feature is particularly beneficial for those who work with large files or enjoy storing a vast library of multimedia content. By providing the flexibility to expand storage, Beelink caters to the evolving needs of its users, making the Mini S an even more enticing choice.

To sum it up, the Beelink Mini S is an exceptional low-end mini PC that stands tall amidst its competitors. Its unbeatable price, impressive connectivity options, and expandable memory feature make it an excellent investment for both office and multimedia usage. With the Mini S, you can enjoy a seamless computing experience without breaking the bank and be free to tailor your storage capacity to your liking. Beelink has undoubtedly crafted a winner with the Mini S, which rightfully earns a strong recommendation from us.

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