We bring to your attention - Short review five mini-computers running Windows 10: Beelink BT7, Mini PC I5, Vensmile i8, Pipo X1S and Nexbox T10, two of which can fit in your pocket. As a bonus, there are coupons from the GearBest online store that give a good discount on the purchase of these gadgets.
Beelink BT7
The low power consumption of the Intel Cherry Trail platform has made it possible to create mini-PCs with a low chassis height while maintaining fairly efficient cooling. Mini PC received 4 nuclear processor Atom Z8700 X7 with a frequency of 1.6-2.4 GHz, 4 GB random access memory, flash memory capacity is 64 GB or 128 GB, 320 GB SSD depending on the model. This device runs on Windows 10 OS. Cooling in Beelink BT7 is entrusted to a flat radiator with thermal pads and a fan with a rotation speed of 4500-5000 rpm.
As for other characteristics, the mini-PCs include a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter, 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, an SD memory card slot (up to 128 GB), three USB 3.0 ports and Bluetooth 4.0. The Beelink BT7 aluminum case has dimensions of 119.5 x 119.5 x 22.5 mm, external power supply (12 V, 2 A).
Mini PC I5
From the name, you might think that the device has a Core i5 series processor on board. But in fact, the Mini PC I5 is equipped with a Bay Trail generation Atom Z3735F processor. This is a 4-core chip with a maximum clock frequency of 1.83 GHz, and has an Intel HD Graphics graphics chip on board. The mini PC also has 2 GB of RAM, DDR3L type. To store your data, 32 GB of flash memory is available, which can be expanded using a microSD card.
As for network capabilities, there are on board: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0, and an Ethernet connector for connecting a cable. There are also 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Micro-USB connector and HDMI.
Mini PC Vensmile i8
This small device has a quad-core Intel Z8300 1.8 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. This device runs on Windows 10 OS and has Wi-Fi module supporting IEEE 802.11b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0 standards. To connect various devices, there are 2 USB ports (one standard 3.0). The device's performance is enough even to play 4K video. The device runs on the Windows 10 operating system.
Pipo X1S
The new model Pipo X1S is based on Intel platform Cherry. In particular, the Trail Z8300 processor is used, which has four computing cores with a nominal clock frequency of 1.84 GHz and an Intel HD Graphics graphics controller.
The miniPC is equipped with 2 GB of RAM and a flash module with a capacity of 32 GB, which can be expanded microSD card. A Micro-USB port is used to supply power, and a full-size USB port 3.0, you can connect any peripheral device, say, a keyboard or mouse. The mini-computer is equipped with adapters wireless communication Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth. Pipo X1S runs on the 32-bit Windows 10 operating system.
NEXBOX T10
NEXBOX T10 has a more familiar case design, and has quite good characteristics for its price. Like all 4 previous devices, the NEXBOX T10 TV set-top box runs on Windows 10 OS. The performance of the device is driven by a 4-core Intel Z8300 chip, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. Mini PC has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 modules for connecting various equipment and accessing the Internet. The set-top box supports decoding of the latest H.265 video codec, meaning the T10 can play 4K UHD video. The device has 3 USB 2.0 ports and 1 USB 3.0.
You have finally decided to become the owner of a Smart TV and transform your TV into a multimedia and entertainment center, and now you are faced with the task of which one to buy: with operating Android system or Windows.
Comparison of Android Smart TV and Windows mini pc
Let's make a comparison Android consoles and Windows. The characteristics of most are not inferior to mini PCs. But there are still minor differences in their work. Windows is a more cumbersome OS designed for office and gaming PCs, while the Android operating system is more mobile for smartphones and tablets. This option will be easier and more convenient. Thanks to Google Play You can download any application, and the system will install it. It won’t be difficult to find any video, as well as wirelessly synchronize with a smartphone or tablet, watch TV online, and use other widgets. To watch the movie you will need to download it to a flash drive. It should be noted that smart TV gadgets based on Microsoft products are full-fledged computers, since the platform is not mobile, you can easily install your usual office programs, players, and games. The advantage for gamers is that sitting comfortably in a chair, armed with joysticks, you can enjoy your favorite game. Typically, a mini PC is equipped with processors and graphics accelerators, which will be a plus for this console.
Windows mini pc Z83
A few years ago, the favorite would have been a mini computer on the Windows platform, the interface of which was quite familiar. Nowadays, almost everyone has a mobile device with Android, which makes this OS one of the popular ones. If you want to have a fast mini pc, with which you can access the Internet from the TV, and then quickly switch to TV again, then your choice is a product with Android. And, if you like Windows applications and in addition, you avid gamer, then don’t hesitate and make a choice in favor of mini pc. The characteristics of the devices reviewed are slightly similar. Both are equipped with four to eight core processors, 1-2 GB of RAM, and a card reader with which you can read information from a phone’s memory card or video card, without the need to transfer it to a flash drive. Both representatives have small body sizes (in the form of a stick, box). Android ones run on Rockchip, Amlogic and Allwinner processors, for those with Dual OS and Windows - Intel. Most Smart TV devices are similar in appearance, may only differ in the presence of a built-in camera, antenna, audio output, network input, and remote control.
Android TV box X92
Advantages of Android TV:
- it will be appreciated by those who are used to using and downloading from Google Play, in addition, the applications are adapted for big screen. Many of them are absolutely free to download, and it is possible to install others besides Google Play;
- there is a large collection of games;
- Google Cast support – broadcasting content to TV with one touch;
- easy connection to TV via HDMI and settings home network. A USB port is provided for data exchange, network adapter, built-in Wi-Fi;
- supports 4k and Blue-ray video format;
- low cost.
Advantages of Windows mini PC:
- programs are installed and uninstalled in the usual way, as on a computer;
- you can use office programs, music player, Google, Yandex maps, watch via IPTV without connecting to cable television;
- access the Internet using any browser convenient for you;
- use online cinemas on the Internet by subscribing to the newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest cinema releases;
- some models connect an analog output “tulip” or like a monitor, but it is better to use HDMI;
- Set-top boxes with Windows 8.1, 10 (devices with Dual OS) install two Android and Windows systems simultaneously, and it can also be connected to any monitor
- can be used as an office PC for simple tasks.
Today, the selection includes 3 models of mini-computers, or they can also be called TV set-top boxes. The first participant - BEELINK BT3 is a mini-computer on Intel based Cherry Trail X5-Z8300, which runs under Windows control 10 64bit. Among the features of this device, it is worth noting a 64GB (probably 64GB NAND flash or SSD) drive, divided into two parts of 40 and 20 GB, as well as two USB 2.0 interfaces and one USB 3.0 port.
OS: Windows 10 64Bit
CPU: Intel Cherry Trail X5-Z8300 Quad Core
Graphic arts: 8th generation Intel® HD Graphics
Memory: 2GB RAM (DDR3L-1333) + 64GB ROM + SD slot
WLAN: 802.11b/g/n WiFi(2.4G/5G)
Bluetooth: BT 4.0
LAN: Gigabit LAN
Screen: HDMI output 1080p
External interfaces: 1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0
Memory card support: 1 SD slot max 128 GB
Sound: 3.5 mm jack
Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 24 mm
Weight: 450 g
Equipment: TV box (mini PC), power supply, instructions.
Mini PC Beelink Intel BT3 It has small dimensions - 12 x 12 x 2.4 cm, and has 2 GB of RAM. The two sections I wrote about above are divided into system disk Windows (C:) and local disk(D:). Inner memory can be expanded using an additional SD slot that supports cards up to 128 GB. The mini-PC has the following network and wireless interfaces: Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.
Mini-computer Beelink Intel BT3
1 of 2
Order
You can order the BEELINK BT3 mini-computer at a special price of $129 in the GearBest online store using a promo code GBBT3.
Voyo offers a V3 mini-computer (nettop) with a 14nm Cherry Trail generation Atom x7-Z8700 processor with a base clock speed of 1.6 GHz and a turbo speed of up to 2.4 GHz. It is especially noteworthy that the body of the gadget is made of glass and metal. It is impossible not to notice that the device is very productive, with 8th generation Intel graphics and a 2-channel memory controller on board - LPDDR3. The nettop runs on a 64-bit operating system Windows systems 10.
Voyo V3 mini computer
1 of 3
Voyo V3 is equipped with 4 gigabytes of RAM and an internal flash drive of 128 GB. Plus, you can additionally get a similar volume thanks to the ability to use microSD. In the nettop's arsenal you will find a wireless WLAN adapter 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 connector, a new symmetrical USB port Type-C and HDMI interface. Voyo V3 has modest dimensions - 130 × 130 × 9.9 mm, and light weight - about 200 g.
Order
You can order the VOYO V3 mini-computer at a special price of $209.99 in the GearBest online store using the promo code GBV3.
Meegopad T03 PRO is a logical continuation of the previous version of the mini-PC – MeeGoPad T02. The device is a media player with an HDMI interface that is inserted directly into the HDMI input of a TV or monitor.
Unlike the previous model, Meegopad T03 PRO has new processor Intel Cherry Trail X5-Z8300 Quad Core, and also has a USB 3.0 connector. IN this device There is active cooling, since the previous model had problems with overheating.
Mini computer Meegopad T03
1 of 3
Having released the first Mac mini ten years ago, Apple proved that good computer can fit into a small case. It took some time for computer makers to work up the courage to follow suit. Today, mini-PCs can be purchased for 10,000 rubles, literally anywhere, and they are the embodiment of almost all desires regarding working with multimedia or with office applications.
In addition, the technologies packed into an ultra-compact package are designed for silent and energy-efficient long-term operation. All this predetermines the use of this class of devices as a universal media center that can be connected directly to a TV, or as a office computer, the resources of which are sufficient for comfortable work in Word, Excel and other editors.
Of course, replace computers with full-fledged system unit and top-class equipment, small PCs cannot. However, they are an alternative to laptops because laptops often offer lower performance than mini PCs for about the same price. It makes sense to buy a mini PC if you plan to use the tiny computer only as a desktop computer. We have tested best devices V price category up to 40,000 rubles and we’ll tell you which inexpensive ultra-compact PCs performed best.
Palm-sized computers
There are a huge number of sizes and designs of mini-PCs, and they also differ in performance. The largest of them have a square base with a side of about 20 cm, a height of about five centimeters and a weight of about a kilogram - this type of case is often used by Asus and Apple. Their competitor Zotac, as a rule, prefers a more compact form factor: a square with a side of 13 cm. The scales with these crumbs show only about 600 grams.
Zotac ZBox PI321 pico (15,000 rubles, did not participate in the test) weighs no more smartphone(150 g) and fits into a jacket pocket. In terms of hardware, the device is, of course, inferior to a mini-PC, but its power is enough for comfortable work with office applications.
But this is not the limit: there are even smaller cases. For example, the Zotac ZBOX PI321 pico nettop, which was not included in the comparison, weighs like a smartphone, and the processor it uses, the Atom Z3735F, is more suitable for tablets.
Efficient mini-PC performance with Broadwell microarchitecture
To build a good mini-PC, company engineers always have to make a compromise, because a computer in an ultra-compact case must not only be productive, but also equipped with all the necessary connectors, as well as an extremely quiet cooling system. The ratio of performance to power consumption is primarily determined by the main characteristics of the processor. Almost all tested devices run on Intel processors with a maximum thermal package (TDP) of 15 W.
All mini-computers run on energy-efficient processors with a thermal package of 15 W (ZBOX nano AQ02 Plus has 19 W). We are talking about energy-saving chips of the Haswell and Broadwell generation, and the advantage goes to Broadwell, since the size of the transistors of chips of this microarchitecture is only 14 nm, while Haswell is produced according to the 22-nm process technology. The smaller the transistors, the more efficient the microcircuit works. In theory, Broadwell chips with the same TDP achieve greater computing power, that is, with the same performance they consume less energy.
The modular principle used in assembling computers also applies to mini-PCs, for example, VivoPC from ASUS. To replace the HDD or RAM, just unscrew the case cover screws This ratio has been proven in practice by our Cinebench benchmark, which evaluates the performance of multi-core processors. The Broadwell Core i5 processor in the ZBox nano MI542 Plus mini-PC from Zotac received the highest score during testing, followed by the Core i5 (Haswell) from the Apple mini mini-PC.
The situation with Core processors i3 is exactly the same. Result Broadwell processor, installed in the MSI Cubi mini-PC, turned out to be higher than the Core i3-4030U, which until recently was somewhat of a standard for CPU devices in this class.
Complement the picture of the device on Celeron processors Haswell microarchitectures and APUs from AMD in the ZBox nano AQ02Plus with a TDP value of 19 W, which cannot seriously compete with Broadwell and Haswell in terms of processor performance.
The winner of our Asus test VivoPC VM62N is equipped with discrete NVIDIA video card GeForce 820M, which, however, is quite weak. All other devices for rendering game graphics or playing movies use graphics cards integrated into the chip.
But in total graphics performance Intel HD Graphics 5000 Apple Mac mini is even higher than NVIDIA. Of all the Intel graphics cards tested, it has the most powerful Hardware and the highest clock speed. In third place is the ZBox nano MI542 Plus with a Broadwell chip. However, for serious games, none of these graphic solutions not enough.
The Mac mini processor has the most powerful graphics chip, its performance is even higher than that of the discrete GeForce 820M. Playing movies and videos
The picture with film playback is different. All graphics chips support H.264 hardware acceleration. When you watch a movie online and download the video in MP4 or MKV format, you can see that almost every time the video is compressed using the H.264 standard.
Starting with the Haswell generation, Intel graphics for the H.264 codec even support 4K resolution. But AMD graphics are not enough for 4K. Meanwhile, Internet companies and the entertainment industry are gradually moving to a new generation of codecs. Google plans to continue offering YouTube videos in VP9 format, and Netflix will stream TV series in 4K resolution using the H.265 video compression standard. That is, a mini-PC in the role of a universal home player with a reserve for the future should only be purchased with a chip with the Broadwell microarchitecture, since only this Intel microarchitecture natively supports the new video compression standards H.265 and VP9. Problems only arise when playing 4K video at 60 FPS.
Everyone supports the H.264 video compression standard, but only Broadwell chips support VP9, new format Google for YouTube, and the H.265 standard. Also, when purchasing a mini-PC, you should take a close look at the type of built-in disks. For a large collection of movies, you should only consider mini-PCs with magnetic disk drives, whose performance, however, leaves much to be desired. The capacity of the built-in disks does not exceed 1 TB, and the capacity of high-speed solid-state drives is 128 GB. Thrifty buyers can complete the mini-PC themselves, since they are usually easy to disassemble, which allows you to replace RAM and hard drive without any problems.
If you store a collection of movies on network-attached storage on your home network, you might want to consider installing a high-speed solid state drive to improve the performance of your mini PC. But if the entire collection of films and tracks must fit into a crumb, then everything depends on the size of the case. Some devices have enough space for a 3.5-inch magnetic disk drive with a capacity of up to 1 TB, which can be replaced with a 4 TB model with relative ease.
Achieve more high speed allow hybrid drives (SSHD) with integrated magnetic disks and a high-speed flash chip designed to cache the most frequently used data, such as in Acer Aspire Revo One.
Mini PCs vary greatly in benchmark performance: the result depends primarily on the type of hard drive. A mini-PC with a smaller case can accommodate a 2.5-inch drive and no more - in this case, you can only purchase removable drives with a capacity of up to 1 TB.
Regarding connection peripheral devices, all mini PCs are well equipped. As a rule, they are necessarily equipped with an IEEE 802.11ac wireless connection and a LAN network connector. Four USB 3.0 connectors are enough for a mouse, keyboard and external optical drive. None of them have a built-in drive.
Back cover Zotac ZBox is large enough for a variety of interfaces. The presence of HDMI and DisplayPort for video output, as well as USB 3.0 for peripherals, is required The monitor or TV is connected via HDMI or DisplayPort. All devices have an HDMI connector, only half have DisplayPort. If you're already enjoying the picture of a 4K TV in your own living room, you'll want to invest in a mini PC with at least DisplayPort 1.2. From this version onwards, this connector can transmit 4K at 60 FPS. HDMI 1.4 can only handle 30 frames/s, and a mini PC with HDMI 2.0 does not yet exist.
With this article, our website continues a whole series of useful materials, the purpose of which is to make it easier to choose any product from the thousands of options offered on the market. Agree, choosing a specific model of a device always takes a lot of time, which can be spent usefully. In today's material we will talk about choosing a mini-computer (nettop) for your home or office.
Introduction
For work and entertainment, you don’t always need to buy a full-size PC, which will take up a lot of space, consume a lot of energy and make a lot of noise. Watching videos, listening to music and working in office or even simple graphics packages- Smaller devices called mini-computers or nettops can also handle all this.
They are usually a small plastic case with numerous ports and interfaces for connection external devices. Mini-computers do not take up much space on the desk, do not get hot, do not make noise, and are generally designed to look great and at the same time perform all their duties flawlessly.
Mini PCs are purchased for several reasons. Firstly, due to their low power consumption and low cost, these are ideal PCs for the office - a large number of them will save money. Secondly, due to their size and design, they look great under a TV or just on a table - they will make an excellent home entertainment computer if you have a console or a more powerful second computer for games.
The disadvantages of nettops are obvious - due to small sizes low-power components are installed in them. In addition, replacing their processor or memory is usually much more difficult than in a regular PC - most often without special effort You can only change the hard drive.
It is worth noting that in Lately thanks to Valve and its initiative called Steam Machines, small PCs designed for gaming began to appear on the market. They often use full-fledged video cards and even processors, but, unfortunately, they are still very rare - it is almost impossible to find such computers in Belarus.
Main characteristics of minicomputers
For the most part, these characteristics are not very different from the characteristics regular computers which we talked about in. It is worth noting, however, that nettops almost always use “notebook” processors, which consume less energy and do not require too much cooling. Also, minicomputers often use small form factor hard drives, low-power RAM, and - almost always - built-in video cards. You shouldn't expect high performance from them, but for working in Word, surfing the net, watching videos (up to 4K in modern models) and old games, they are quite suitable.
Processor, CPU
Most nettops use processors from Intel - it just so happens that their rival AMD has lost a lot of ground in recent years. However, the few models with AMD processors will also be quite sufficient for many tasks.
The speed of the nettop processor will be sufficient in most cases - you should not pay special attention to it. If you want a more powerful model, then take a closer look at mini-computers with Intel i3, i5 or even i7 processors; if you need to save money, then models with Celeron or Atom will do just fine.
A separate point is the ability to play video with 4K resolution. Not every PC can still cope with this task without problems, and if you have a 4K TV, then when buying a mini-computer for it, it is better to check with the seller about the ability to work with 4K video. However, the ability to play 4K video also depends on the video chip.
RAM
Budget nettops can be equipped with 2 GB of RAM, but it is best to choose a model with 4 GB - this volume is enough for a modern OS and numerous tabs in your favorite browser (especially the power-hungry Chrome). Models with 8 GB of RAM or more are less common and usually belong to the premium class - such mini-computers can be intended for professionals in the field of audio and video work.
Video card, GPU
Again, in this case, most nettops use integrated solutions. The most productive of them are this moment are video chips of the Intel HD Graphics 5xxx and 6xxx (Iris Pro) series, as well as Nvidia GeForce GT 6xx and 7xx, but they are unlikely to be useful for the tasks performed by a mini-computer. If you need to play 4K video, you will have to choose a model with a more powerful video card, but in all other cases it does not play a decisive role.
HDD/SSD
The vast majority of minicomputers use 2.5-inch HDDs or SSDs of laptop form factor. Hard disks This format is quite slow, but will do for most tasks. If you
At all budget models may have flash memory with a capacity of, for example, 16 or 32 GB. If you plan to use a mini PC for streaming music and videos, then you won't need more. Otherwise, it is better to choose a model with a HDD with a capacity of at least 320 GB or an SSD with a capacity of at least 120 GB.
Case material, possibility of fastening
The material of the nettop case does not play a special role - plastic or metal can look about the same from a distance, and the design of the case itself is usually much more important. But the ability to mount it on the wall or on the back of the monitor can come in handy. In addition, some models of mini-computers require installation on small special stands.
Interfaces and card reader
Nettops, like regular PCs, are equipped with many different interfaces. The most important are USB (it would be better if the USB port uses version 3.0 of the protocol), card reader (for reading various memory cards - if you have mobile devices, from which you may need to transfer information), Wi-Fi (to connect to wireless network and the Internet), Bluetooth (for connecting to various devices with Bluetooth support - smartphones, tablets, etc.), Ethernet (for wired connection to the network and the Internet), eSATA (for connecting high-speed peripherals - for example, external hard disks), IEEE 1394 (FireWire, for connecting high-speed peripherals like video cameras) and video outputs VGA, DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort (which one is needed depends on your monitor; in most cases, HDMI and DisplayPort will do).
Nettops can also be equipped with 3G modems (for Internet access where there is no Wi-Fi or Ethernet) - if you live far from the city and do not have a telephone line, then such a nettop will definitely come in handy.
Any modern OS is suitable for working with office documents, surfing the Internet, listening to music and watching videos - be it Windows, Mac OS, Android or some version of Linux. One thing is important - the compatibility of the mini-PC with other devices in the house. For most, models running Windows are suitable, and for those who use iPhone, iPad and other Apple products - Mac OS.
Mini computers for Android control and Chrome OS are not very widespread in Belarus, but they can also cope with most of the tasks assigned to them.
6 Best Mini Computers
Not too attractive in appearance and not too cheap, but very productive by nettop standards: processor Intel Core i5, 4 GB of RAM and Intel HD 4600 graphics chip. Many different ports (including USB 3.0) and the ability to mount on back panel monitor.
Perhaps the only choice for those who enjoy the benefits of the Apple ecosystem is another computer running Mac OS X, iPhone smartphone or iPad tablet. This specific model- quite powerful and equipped with a large number of interfaces, as well as Bluetooth support and a capacious 500 GB hard drive.
A very powerful mini-computer, similar to Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny. It is equipped with a more capacious HDD, but is distinguished by a disappointing lack of Wi-Fi - it is proposed to connect it to the network using Ethernet or a separate Wi-Fi adapter. It looks, however, more neat and industrial.
The cheapest nettop in our top six. It differs from other models in its weak processor Intel Celeron and a low-power video chip. But it supports not only Wi-Fi, but also Bluetooth. The monitor, however, can only be connected via HDMI. The main advantage is low cost and magnificent minimalistic design.
An expensive model with the most powerful processor, which for some reason was equipped with a not very powerful Intel HD 4000 video chip. Equipped with all the necessary interfaces, support wireless technologies and has an attractive appearance.
Mid-class model with enough powerful processor, a spacious hard drive and a full set of basic interfaces. The unusual design and interesting stand will certainly add variety to your desktop.
Conclusion
We hope that this article helped you understand the difficult task of choosing a mini-computer. Next time we'll talk about the best wireless headphones!
Loading...
