Review on Beelink Mini PC Computer GK55 Windows 10 Pro Intel J4125 8GB DDR4 RAM 256GB SSD 4K@30Hz Dual HDMI 2 by Virgilio Feliciano

This review is for a Beelink GK Mini powered by an Intel Celeron J4125 processor with integrated UHD Graphics 600 and Windows 10 Pro. Measuring approximately 116 x 103 x 43mm (4.5 x 4 x 1.7 inches) and weighing 270g (0.6 pounds), the GK Mini is actually smaller and lighter than an Xbox One controller! My device came with an 8GB RAM stick and a 256GB M.2 2280 SATA SSD, both of which are easily accessible by removing the bottom cover. Officially, the Celeron J4125 only supports up to 8GB of RAM, and the included SSD is a lot better than the old, drab eMMC implementations. The bottom cover also has a slot for an optional 2.5" SATA drive, as well as an attachment point for a VESA-compatible mount (75mm and 100mm) to mount the GK Mini behind a compatible monitor or TV. This mini PC is probably best suited for HTPC video streaming, NAS, digital signage or kiosk operations, or other very light computing tasks.While the Celeron J4125 represents a significant step up from the Atom processors of yesteryear and feels acceptably responsive when scrutinized Email, web surfing, and streaming 1080p video, there are some increasingly common tasks it just can't handle, such as: B. Enabling background blur on video calls with Skype or Teams due to lack of AVX extensions. The Graphics 600 is that it offers full hardware acceleration for a variety of codecs and can support dual 4K@60 output via its HDMI ports. I've found that I regularly lose frames when watching 1080p @ 6 0+ content. I want to be clear that these issues aren't Beelink's fault - the GK Mini is pretty good on its own, but you have to have the right expectations. While the integrated graphics are very weak for gaming, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well Xbox Cloud Games (Beta) performed. In short, it's basically like interactive YouTube, where your controller input is sent to the server and the server renders the game and sends it back to you like a video stream. Of course, this all depends heavily on your internet connection, and even with a good connection, you will still experience lag. However, I was able to play games like Control and Streets of Rage 4 online quite well. There are still a few stutters here and there, but it's a lot better than not running games at all. Overall, I think the Beelink GK Mini is a good mini PC. I'm using it as an HTPC with a 1080p TV to replace an old Baytrail NUC and I'm as happy as can be. I connected it via Gigabit Ethernet as the onboard Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 only supports 1x1 MIMO Wi-Fi 5 with a speed limit of 433 Mbps. Notes: 1) The board will be installed upside down, so the orientation of the USB and HDMI ports will be different. 2) The default BIOS settings do not enable xHCI on boot, so you cannot enter the BIOS by pressing DEL. You need to boot into Windows 10 first and then select UEFI firmware settings in advanced boot options. 3) The auto-on feature is pretty interesting. Basically, if you connect the GK Mini and the monitor to the power bank and turn on the power bank, the GK Mini will also turn on without you having to press the power button. I think this is especially useful when the GK Mini is hidden in a hard-to-reach place. You can still turn off the GK Mini normally, in which case it will not turn on again until you turn on external power. 4) Powered by 12V 2A socket. 5) The fan is always on and sometimes changes pitch. under heavy loads, but from a distance it's not very noticeable.