I've no idea why so many companies LOVE shipping a decent product in a configuration that makes it HIGHLY questionable. 16GB or 32GB setup in dual DDR config or barebone only. The vague specter of upgrading is nonsense. Single channel ram in this case is just under-buying. As an aside, any changes to Windows by anyone, even vendors, makes me EXTREMELY uncomfortable. I'd almost rather a trial of Start11 or something.
It will depend on the use case. For someone like me who uses these mini PCs as a web browsing machine and just general experimentation with linux, RAM bandwidth isn’t as important as having large amounts of RAM. So a 16gb single channel is beneficial as I can easily add another stick to go 32gb. I understand where you’re coming from though, and I would definitely like to see more powerful mini PCs (especially with the 780m GPUs) with fast dual channel RAM out of the box.
32GB would bring up the price? I'm ok with it only have the one. If they had split it 8GB DC I think that would affect performance negatively? I'd rather buy it at this price and grab another 16GB myself.
Nice mini pc but I think the best budget mini pc with almost inaudible fan noise is still the beelink ser 5 5560u. It would be amazing if you can do a review of the ser 5 after one year. Nice review as usual.
I hear an initial "Whoosh" upon starting my SER5 with 5500u. It's otherwise inaudible to me. I am noise sensitive so the SER5's relative silence is lovely.
Missing the trick with the USB-C PD power - N100 machines can be much cheaper and Ryzen 6800 aren't much more expensive, so this sort of processor is stuck in the middle. If they'd given it the PD it would suddenly have become much more interesting. Haven't tried one, but GMKTEC M5 is 5700 with PD and about the same price.
I had forgotten about the N305, but I'm glad you had those results for the comparison. Maybe I'm just not remembering well, but while I know that dual-channel RAM is better, I don't remember it making as much difference in earlier reviews as it does on this unit, where the difference is substantial. I like that easy-open top too, though all things considered, I think I'd still go for a Beelink at this price point which is probably because I've had their 5600H since '22 and it's doing just fine, and in this area it's too early to know who's really going to support their products and who's going to disappear.
You know what I love about this mini PC? The looks. Very IMSAI 8080 like look. If you can safely wipeout the drive and do a fresh installation of Windows which will be activated without issues, then ok. Though having a modified OS installation is a major red flag. Performance wise it is like bringing a 10yo kid to fight against 6 year olds. Man, Peladn really doesn't want to sell this to EU countries, do they? No link to be found. Lack of EU sellers, lack of good encoding, altered Windows, such a shame. This could have been an awesome budget mini pc.
At this point, almost as interesting as knowing the limits of performance of mini pcs is knowing the durability of this type of equipment in the long run by models and brands. After two or three years of daily use, are they still viable? Do they break down a lot? And if its cooling system remained acceptable in both performance and noise levels. And how to manage spare parts. Cheers!
Good value price for this. One bummer is the 5000 series ryzen stuff doesn't support AV1 hardware decode. Obviously older DDR4/PCIE 3.0. Ryzen 6000+ series was a big jump in all the little peripherals and igpu, but hard to ignore this price. Sweet budget spot for mini pc's imo is still the $350 range used 7735HS / 6800H stuff.
No AV1 support on 5000 series was disappointing. Found out many months later. Yeah I had a lot of these mini PC’s saved in two new folders at Amazon. One mini PC folder with single LAN and another title with dual LAN. Then looking at CPU-Monkey and Nanoreview ( CPU Comparisons ) I noticed no AV1 decoding. Really wanted one for RUclips viewing. Would like to be able to watch things at faster speeds like 5%, 10% or 15% or 20% ( custom ) instead of the standard 25% you can only do with phone and smart TV type things. Actually sometimes listen to Spotify at 40% faster so with PC browser can choose any speed on RUclips !!! 🎉 Then have me and my brother maybe get one for my mom for one of her TV’s.
Hey RobTech, great video 👍. One wonders whether mini-PC makers are updating for the major LogoFail vulnerability in UEFI-BIOS. Highlighted in December 2023 by research firm Binarly, LogoFail came to my attention only a few days ago through ThioJoe's widely-viewed YT video on the problem. While it is probable that UEFI suppliers a.k.a. IBVs independent BIOS vendors (AMI, Insyde, Phoenix) will fix LogoFail for all new mobos from some date in 2024 and forward, until then, a lot of purchasers likely should be sticking with mid. and big brands for new mobos and mini-PCs. Throughout 2024, if your reviews of new mini-PCs could point out the mitigation status for LogoFail vulnerability (checking UEFI-BIOS and/or contacting the manufacturer), that would greatly increase confidence for the public in buying mini-PCs. Kindest regards, friends and neighbours.
single channel = deal breaker, I just want to buy and use, not upgrade right after purchase. Also, the customized Windows install likely means it doesn't have a digital license for Windows when you want to wipe and clean the drive + reinstall for security reasons. Otherwise looks to be a reasonable option but I wouldn't purchase this one because of the single channel ram.
@Robtech how did you reach 3977 on Fire Strike DX11? I ended up ordering a WO4 R5 5500U based on your video, and with dual channel memory I'm hitting 3110 AND the best score is only 3777 worldwide, according to 3DMark. What do you make of that?
@@Robtech ok, much appreciated! Great little PC, this. I actually removed the fan on the bottom and lo and behold: a copper heatsink!! That means you can throw some liquid metal on it. I did so and saw max around 70 degrees C under load at that 54W power limit. That's pretty good as far as I'm concerned!
It would be nice if you could have installed a copy of Windows 11 pro and see if everything worked and if not could you get drivers. If I did that I would have swapped the m.2 in case everything didn't work, at which point I could have put the original m.2 back in.
I did a Windows Reset and it brought back Windows to its default state. As for drivers, I've always been able to find them, that doesn't mean others will. Easiest option is to use something like AVG driver installer, which has a free trial for any drivers that you can't find.
@Robtech cuz I got the paladn wi4(n5095) and it was abysmal I'm using a 65 inch Sony TV about 10 years old is that causing the abysmalness / stuttering on 4K content? I don't play any games on it I just care about high quality video cuz I don't watch Regular TV anymore watching mach loop in 4k is amazing to me
I got a SER5 with 5500u about a year ago. It was 40-50 bucks more than an N100 unit. I went with the 5500u because its performance far outstripped the N100. That CPU is great for office work, HTPC playback, and low power server work. I am still pleased that I chose the 5500u. I will keep it for 4-5years or more so the $50 extra dollars price than an N100 is worth It just stumps me that the bang for the buck on this PELADN unit is so good. That magnetic stop for accent is amazing.
I did some research after your comment and it's hard to find info on Vega, but yes you're right. There's some type of hardware video decoding. It is far from the Intel Quicksync implementation as the CPU spikes heavily when scrubbing across the timeline. A 4K project with a 5700U had heavy stutters, while an i5-12450H was able to handle the same 4K project fine and the GPU spiked when scrubbing (as it should). Anyway, thanks for the correction. I'll just stick to mentioning the Intel decoder is better.
Thanks for making the video, really helpful. I'm not tech savvy, so if you can clarify, I would appreciate it. From what I gather it comes with only 1 stick of 16gb Ram. And so for it to take full advantage or perform best, I would need to replace that 1 stick of 16gb Ram into TWO sticks of 8gb each, so that it can work as a Dual Channel? I'm not even sure If I am saying it correctly. Just don't know if it would be cost effective to buy seperate ones for the performance increase compared to if I purchase another type that is able to take advantage of the DC...Thanks for any info.
Except it’s best to match the same size. Let alone try to get the ram stick so the timings are the same, your pc will still figure it out if they are not matched but it’s preferred.
Single channel in the box is fine in my opinion, easy enough to add a single 16gb stick. Would be nice to have a barebone option available at a discounted price, but if that discount is $20 or less, I would grab it with a single 16gb stick all day everyday.
Unless you're gaming they're fine for most desktop and browsing and such. If you haven't tried actually using one you don't know how zippy they can be. I have one running Mint XFCE and I don't see much of a difference in use from my main Ryzen 5600 machine in daily browsing etc.
@@Bareego Tried both and there is difference when you only start loading them with anything. 5500u y comparison is much faster at doing just anything desktop. Try ryzen after N cpu to see the difference.
I've no idea why so many companies LOVE shipping a decent product in a configuration that makes it HIGHLY questionable. 16GB or 32GB setup in dual DDR config or barebone only. The vague specter of upgrading is nonsense. Single channel ram in this case is just under-buying. As an aside, any changes to Windows by anyone, even vendors, makes me EXTREMELY uncomfortable. I'd almost rather a trial of Start11 or something.
It will depend on the use case. For someone like me who uses these mini PCs as a web browsing machine and just general experimentation with linux, RAM bandwidth isn’t as important as having large amounts of RAM. So a 16gb single channel is beneficial as I can easily add another stick to go 32gb. I understand where you’re coming from though, and I would definitely like to see more powerful mini PCs (especially with the 780m GPUs) with fast dual channel RAM out of the box.
32GB would bring up the price? I'm ok with it only have the one. If they had split it 8GB DC I think that would affect performance negatively? I'd rather buy it at this price and grab another 16GB myself.
It was tested with 2x 8GB for dual channel. The integrated graphics are bandwidth starved, not memory capacity starved.
ALWAYS dual channel, no questions about it.
Nice mini pc but I think the best budget mini pc with almost inaudible fan noise is still the beelink ser 5 5560u. It would be amazing if you can do a review of the ser 5 after one year. Nice review as usual.
I hear an initial "Whoosh" upon starting my SER5 with 5500u. It's otherwise inaudible to me. I am noise sensitive so the SER5's relative silence is lovely.
Should either be dual channel, or barebone
Missing the trick with the USB-C PD power - N100 machines can be much cheaper and Ryzen 6800 aren't much more expensive, so this sort of processor is stuck in the middle. If they'd given it the PD it would suddenly have become much more interesting. Haven't tried one, but GMKTEC M5 is 5700 with PD and about the same price.
Hmm, thanks for the heads up. Might ask GMKtec if I can check that one out
I had forgotten about the N305, but I'm glad you had those results for the comparison. Maybe I'm just not remembering well, but while I know that dual-channel RAM is better, I don't remember it making as much difference in earlier reviews as it does on this unit, where the difference is substantial. I like that easy-open top too, though all things considered, I think I'd still go for a Beelink at this price point which is probably because I've had their 5600H since '22 and it's doing just fine, and in this area it's too early to know who's really going to support their products and who's going to disappear.
Does more for AMD Vega than Intel graphics
@@Robtech thanks Rob. Now that you mention it I remember it, of course!
dual channel
You know what I love about this mini PC? The looks. Very IMSAI 8080 like look.
If you can safely wipeout the drive and do a fresh installation of Windows which will be activated without issues, then ok. Though having a modified OS installation is a major red flag.
Performance wise it is like bringing a 10yo kid to fight against 6 year olds.
Man, Peladn really doesn't want to sell this to EU countries, do they? No link to be found.
Lack of EU sellers, lack of good encoding, altered Windows, such a shame. This could have been an awesome budget mini pc.
At this point, almost as interesting as knowing the limits of performance of mini pcs is knowing the durability of this type of equipment in the long run by models and brands. After two or three years of daily use, are they still viable? Do they break down a lot? And if its cooling system remained acceptable in both performance and noise levels. And how to manage spare parts.
Cheers!
lol this is some crazy shit! Wow, AMD killed it here.
I guess all these Chinese mini pcs are infected down to last bits of their UEFIs…
Good value price for this. One bummer is the 5000 series ryzen stuff doesn't support AV1 hardware decode. Obviously older DDR4/PCIE 3.0. Ryzen 6000+ series was a big jump in all the little peripherals and igpu, but hard to ignore this price. Sweet budget spot for mini pc's imo is still the $350 range used 7735HS / 6800H stuff.
No AV1 support on 5000 series was disappointing. Found out many months later.
Yeah I had a lot of these mini PC’s saved in two new folders at Amazon. One mini PC folder with single LAN and another title with dual LAN. Then looking at CPU-Monkey and Nanoreview ( CPU Comparisons ) I noticed no AV1 decoding. Really wanted one for RUclips viewing. Would like to be able to watch things at faster speeds like 5%, 10% or 15% or 20% ( custom ) instead of the standard 25% you can only do with phone and smart TV type things.
Actually sometimes listen to Spotify at 40% faster so with PC browser can choose any speed on RUclips !!! 🎉
Then have me and my brother maybe get one for my mom for one of her TV’s.
@@sbme1147 Intel also didn't have it until 11th gen. Apple only just got it in 2023 on their M3 chips!
Oh good. More ewaste.
Hey RobTech, great video 👍. One wonders whether mini-PC makers are updating for the major LogoFail vulnerability in UEFI-BIOS. Highlighted in December 2023 by research firm Binarly, LogoFail came to my attention only a few days ago through ThioJoe's widely-viewed YT video on the problem.
While it is probable that UEFI suppliers a.k.a. IBVs independent BIOS vendors (AMI, Insyde, Phoenix) will fix LogoFail for all new mobos from some date in 2024 and forward, until then, a lot of purchasers likely should be sticking with mid. and big brands for new mobos and mini-PCs.
Throughout 2024, if your reviews of new mini-PCs could point out the mitigation status for LogoFail vulnerability (checking UEFI-BIOS and/or contacting the manufacturer), that would greatly increase confidence for the public in buying mini-PCs.
Kindest regards, friends and neighbours.
I'm interested to see the cheapest mini PC that supports upgradable WiFi, RAM, and storage
single channel = deal breaker, I just want to buy and use, not upgrade right after purchase. Also, the customized Windows install likely means it doesn't have a digital license for Windows when you want to wipe and clean the drive + reinstall for security reasons. Otherwise looks to be a reasonable option but I wouldn't purchase this one because of the single channel ram.
Maybe they could offer both options, 1x16GB and 2x8GB sticks
I have the Trycoo version of this box that I am in the middle of reviewing. It’s pretty great, just wish the ram was dual channel.
@Robtech how did you reach 3977 on Fire Strike DX11? I ended up ordering a WO4 R5 5500U based on your video, and with dual channel memory I'm hitting 3110 AND the best score is only 3777 worldwide, according to 3DMark. What do you make of that?
I did end up getting a 1272 for Time Spy with DC, which was good to see.
Could be a typo. I'll have to go back and check.
@@Robtech ok, much appreciated! Great little PC, this. I actually removed the fan on the bottom and lo and behold: a copper heatsink!! That means you can throw some liquid metal on it. I did so and saw max around 70 degrees C under load at that 54W power limit. That's pretty good as far as I'm concerned!
Is there a certain 16g ram you need if you were to upgrade to dual channel 32g ?
Great value.
Has to supplied with dual channel
It would be nice if you could have installed a copy of Windows 11 pro and see if everything worked and if not could you get drivers. If I did that I would have swapped the m.2 in case everything didn't work, at which point I could have put the original m.2 back in.
I did a Windows Reset and it brought back Windows to its default state. As for drivers, I've always been able to find them, that doesn't mean others will. Easiest option is to use something like AVG driver installer, which has a free trial for any drivers that you can't find.
2:23 Upgradeability all day every day
is this overkill just to watch 4k content on youtube
You could get a mini with an Intel N100 for around the $150 mark which will also do the job.
@Robtech cuz I got the paladn wi4(n5095) and it was abysmal I'm using a 65 inch Sony TV about 10 years old is that causing the abysmalness / stuttering on 4K content? I don't play any games on it I just care about high quality video cuz I don't watch Regular TV anymore watching mach loop in 4k is amazing to me
I tested 4K60 RUclips on it and it played back without a hitch. Not sure about other streaming services.
I got a SER5 with 5500u about a year ago. It was 40-50 bucks more than an N100 unit. I went with the 5500u because its performance far outstripped the N100. That CPU is great for office work, HTPC playback, and low power server work.
I am still pleased that I chose the 5500u. I will keep it for 4-5years or more so the $50 extra dollars price than an N100 is worth It just stumps me that the bang for the buck on this PELADN unit is so good.
That magnetic stop for accent is amazing.
The amd CPU is not decoding video in software. It’s gpu supports 4K 60p HEVC on hardware.
I did some research after your comment and it's hard to find info on Vega, but yes you're right. There's some type of hardware video decoding. It is far from the Intel Quicksync implementation as the CPU spikes heavily when scrubbing across the timeline. A 4K project with a 5700U had heavy stutters, while an i5-12450H was able to handle the same 4K project fine and the GPU spiked when scrubbing (as it should). Anyway, thanks for the correction. I'll just stick to mentioning the Intel decoder is better.
@@Robtech it is much better. Seeing a simple n100 play a 8k60p av1 video with almost no cpu usage thanks to quick sync is incredible.
Thanks for making the video, really helpful. I'm not tech savvy, so if you can clarify, I would appreciate it. From what I gather it comes with only 1 stick of 16gb Ram. And so for it to take full advantage or perform best, I would need to replace that 1 stick of 16gb Ram into TWO sticks of 8gb each, so that it can work as a Dual Channel? I'm not even sure If I am saying it correctly. Just don't know if it would be cost effective to buy seperate ones for the performance increase compared to if I purchase another type that is able to take advantage of the DC...Thanks for any info.
That's correct. Or you can go for something like the Beelink SER5 5560U which already has dual channel memory.
@@Robtech ok. Thank you for the advice...
Couldn't we also just slot in another 16 gb card?
I prefer single channel as I can max out the RAM later.
Except it’s best to match the same size. Let alone try to get the ram stick so the timings are the same, your pc will still figure it out if they are not matched but it’s preferred.
@@sbme1147I never had any trouble matching memory, especially the OEM sticks, which are usually quite standard.
u live in australia?
Yep
I like single channel for upgradability. I will always max out the RAM on these.
Single channel in the box is fine in my opinion, easy enough to add a single 16gb stick. Would be nice to have a barebone option available at a discounted price, but if that discount is $20 or less, I would grab it with a single 16gb stick all day everyday.
Consumer electronics from Chinese companies.... no thanks.
mindless racism... no thanks.
@@Skobeloff... Chinese is not a race but you are a racist by implying that. Btw I love Taiwanese products!
@@Erik-Winterspiece of sh*t is not a race, but yet here you are.
How sad your life have to be to buy any N cpu is just beyond me
Unless you're gaming they're fine for most desktop and browsing and such. If you haven't tried actually using one you don't know how zippy they can be. I have one running Mint XFCE and I don't see much of a difference in use from my main Ryzen 5600 machine in daily browsing etc.
@@Bareego Tried both and there is difference when you only start loading them with anything. 5500u y comparison is much faster at doing just anything desktop. Try ryzen after N cpu to see the difference.