Using a budget laptop for streaming and watching movies is affordable.
Using a budget laptop for streaming and watching movies is affordable.
I own a different version of this one:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1VK-01TK-00018
(It cost me perhaps a third of the current Newegg price)
The only time I notice it is when the fans increase slightly during Windows Updates.
Otherwise, not at all.
Hey guys, miss me? I had a bunch of "life" stuff happening, but I'm back to finally make a decision on this mini pc. First, for the money I'm just gonna buy new and it will be a mini PC not a laptop. To recap, this will be a PC for powering a projector so it needs to be able to play 4k and stream HD off amazon/netflix. (I'm never certain what those services actually stream but it's better than standard def). Windows 11 is a must as are good USB ports for an external HDD I'll be using.
Anyway I really appreciate the help I'm getting here. It seems I should go with GMK or Beelink as they are the better known brands. Again, a Recaping from Lantis3, USARet and others...
#1. Beelink Mini S12- $195.00
https://www.amazon.com/Beelink-3-4Ghz-De...2WVFP?th=1
1 tb storage, stats don't list bluetooth, but it says BT5.2 in title. It says OS for Operating system. How do I know if that's windows 11 or 10?
#2 . Beelink Mini S12 also comes in at $179 with a 500MB storage, but otherwise looks similar to the link above.
Amazon.com
Is the only difference between #1 and #2, that #2 has a smaller hard drive?
Looking at stats for #1 and #2, under Base/Burst Frequency, #2 says "0.8GHz - 3.4GHz, TDP 6W", while #1 says "0.8GHz - 3.4GHz, TDP 25W". I'm confused about how they can be so different in the wattage but be otherwise veyr similar. Can anyone explain what this means?
And I think this is a newer model?
#3. Beelink Mini PC- $199
Amazon.com
Pricewise, any of these would be fine. I'll be using an external hard drive, so the internal hard drive storage isn't important to me. 256,512, 1TB... doesn't matter.
#4. GMKtec Mini PC N100 (green) - $209.99
https://www.amazon.com/GMKtec-Preinstall...NHHNW?th=1
GMKtec I think use DDR5 instead o DDR4, but otherwise it seems very similiar to the beelinks. I'm leaning belink only because I read other (unconfirmed) reports online that the GMKtec's can be a little louder. Other GMTecs seem to have less system memory (12gb) but this one and the beelinks all seem to have 16gb.
Anyway, been typing this over an hour and getting cross eyed. I really apprecaite the help so any last recommendations or criticsims of the above is much appreciated. Anything around the $200 mark is fine.
Anyone know if the above mini pcs are fanless or not? Just thinking about the heat and the noise. In terms of gaming, is it fair to say they would all perform about the same being they are all using the same CPU with onbard graphics?
And finally, one last twist. I (with the forums help) built my own mini PC in 2019. How does it compare to the above mini pcs? The mini's look similiar, but I don't follow the recent tech. Which would be better for light gaming, one of the minis or my 2019 build?
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Ms8C29)
Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 5 2400G 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FGPKHx/...400c5fbbox) | $135.00 @ Amazon
**Motherboard** | [Asus ROG Strix B450-I Gaming Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/kbx2FT/...0-i-gaming) |-
**Memory** | [TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/z3VD4D/...0hc16cdc01) | $26.99 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Intel 660p 512 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/6YtQzy/...knw512g8xt) | $76.98 @ Amazon
**Case** | [In Win Chopin HTPC Case w/150 W Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7zfmP6/...e-bq696blk) |-
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/wtgPxr/...-kw9-00140) |-
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$238.97**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2024-11-12 17:05 EST-0500 |
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/pshopper/saved/8bR6RB
Thanks for all the help. Sorry I was away from the thread for a while.
Hey Lantis3, sorry for the delay in replying.
I just shared another comment above this one, but your suggestions are really what this discussion is about. I appreciate it.
I was considering the beelink mainly because I heard it might be quieter than the GMKtecs. Still, quality is important. What gives you the impression that the GMKtec has a better build? Is it just about the case, or are you talking about the components too? They look quite similar to the beelink ones.
I won’t be using Ethernet. I’ll stick with Wi-Fi for streaming. Bluetooth could help with speakers, but my main soundbar connects directly to the projector.
If you’re still available, I’d really value your final recommendation before I decide to buy.
Thanks!
The Bee-Link website provides additional information about the product.
USAret,
What does "lower power" refer to in comparison with other models?
The term "low power" likely indicates a focus on reduced energy consumption or efficiency, which may differ from the typical specifications of other systems.
According to the description, the standard TDP for this processor is 6W, and it appears that "low power" is something to avoid.