Beelink U59 Mini-S mini PC review: The super inexpensive Intel NUC HTPC alternative

Beelink offers an extensive family of mini PCs ranging from the very inexpensive Celeron-powered U59 up to the insanely fast Ryzen 9 5900HX-powered GTR5. Our U59 Mini-S review model today sits in the lower-end of the spectrum sporting the Celeron N5095 CPU, just 8 GB of single-channel memory, and a 256 GB SSD for approximately $220 USD retail. Alternatives to the U59 Mini-S include Atom or Celeron-powered mini PCs such as the Chuwi HeroBox , GMK NucBox K1 , NucBox 3 , or the Intel NUC 11 Essential.

The U59 Mini-S in review should not be confused with the slightly more expensive original U59 . More Beelink reviews: The chassis is nearly identical to the original U59 albeit with a few superficial differences. The top panel, for example, is now smooth matte instead of glossy which we believe is a smart change as the matte surface is more resistant to fingerprints and scuffs.

The sides and bottom of the chassis are metal for strong first impressions. A notable aspect of the Beelink is its very light weight of just 279 g compared to over 500 g on the similarly-sized Intel NUC 11 . The thinner chassis materials of the Beelink and its lack of an internal metal cage for additional reinforcement contribute to the significant weight differences between the two models.

Port options are identical to the U59 but with one major exception: the USB-C port has been dropped. We suspect that this was a cost-saving measure. An Intel 3165 comes standard one again for 1×1 Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.

2 connectivity. Though slow by today’s standards, it’s still fast enough for 4K video streaming. The bottom panel comes off easily after removing the 4 Philips screws around the corners.

Users have direct access to two storage bays (1x M. 2 2280 SATA III + 1x 2. 5-inch SATA III) and a single SODIMM DDR4 slot supporting up to 16 GB of single-channel memory.

The retail box includes a removable VESA mounting bracket with screws that attach to the bottom plate of the unit. Two HDMI cables are included as well. The standard one-year limited warranty applies if purchased in the US.

Our test unit was set to Windows Performance mode prior to running any benchmark tests below for the highest possible scores. Aside from the usual BIOS settings, there are no special applications for controlling specific features or behaviors of the U59 Mini-S. Multi-thread performance is comparable to the dual-core quad-thread Core i3-8109U while being about 20 to 45 percent slower in single-thread performance.

The Celeron N5095 is nonetheless faster than previous generation Celeron solutions including the J4125 or N4100 by up to 2x in multi-threaded applications. Performance sustainability is good with no major drops when running CineBench R15 xT in a loop. PCMark scores sit comfortably in between mini PCs with the older Celeron J4125 like the GMK NucBox 3 and mini PCs powered by Core i3 CPUs like the Beelink SEi8.

LatencyMon reveals DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs of our homepage. 4K video playback at 60 FPS is otherwise smooth and at a reasonably low 17 percent CPU utilization with just one dropped frame during our tests. Our unit ships with an uncommon Silicon Motion AZW 256G M.

228 220426 SATA III M. 2 SSD for sequential transfer rates that max out at around 500 MB/s. Though nowhere near as fast as an NVMe solution, it is nonetheless sufficient considering the target audience and Celeron CPU.

Graphics performance is poor with results that are below even the ancient UHD Graphics 620 by more than 50 percent. Don’t expect to be able to run even the most undemanding of 3D games as this particular mini PC was designed more for FHD or 4K video streaming instead. Though the model isn’t passively cooled, it may as well be in practice as the fan is idle or barely audible during most loads.

When running the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06, for example, fan noise would only be about 25 dB(A) against a silent background of 23 dB(A). Results are much quieter than what we observed on the Beelink SEi8 or Intel NUC11 each sporting more powerful hardware. We’re able to record up to 34 dB(A) when the CPU is stressed under Prime95.

When browsing or video streaming for longer periods, expect fan noise to hover in the 31 dB(A) range. Surface temperatures are warmer than expected at up to 40 C on the top even when idling on desktop. When running demanding loads, the top hot spot would rise just slightly to 43 C.

The high idling surface temperature can be attributed to the idling fan during low processing loads to keep the system as silent as possible until the fan is needed. Running Prime95 causes CPU clock rates and temperature to spike to 2. 8 GHz and 87 C, respectively.

Clock rates would eventually drop to 2. 5 to 2. 6 GHz after just a short while in order to maintain the 87 C core temperature.

CPU power draw would be as high as 16 W during the start of the test before stabilizing at 13 W due to thermal limitations. The unit draws about 7 to 8 W when idling on desktop with no running applications which is more efficient than the 11th gen Core i5-powered Intel NUC11 or 10th gen Core i5-powered Zotac ZBox Nano . When running more demanding loads like games, the system will draw only 18 W on average compared to 41 W or 33 W on the aforementioned Intel and Zotac models, respectively.

Of course, GPU performance is significantly slower on the Beelink Mini-S and so the lower power demand is expected. We’re able to measure a maximum draw of 27 W from the small (~7. 9 x 4.

8 x 3. 4 cm) 36 W AC adapter. This is the same adapter that also ships with the original U59.

For just over $200 USD, the Beelink U59 Mini-S is one of the least expensive mini PCs you can find that comes fully loaded with RAM, storage, and Windows 11. At this low of a price, the Mini-S can be a decent option for users not willing to spend hundreds more on a faster Core ix-powered mini PC and are not willing to settle for digital media dongles like the Chromecast, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV. The Celeron N5905 isn’t particularly fast, but it’s still faster than any Atom option out there for relatively smoother operation and excellent 4K video streaming at 60 FPS.

Notable highlights of the Mini-S beyond its affordability include the internal dual storage option and very quiet fan noise. There are a lot of cut corners to keep in mind mostly relating to the model’s lack of features. There is no SD card reader, USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, or dual-channel RAM.

The AC adapter cord is also somewhat short at only about 1 meter. Thankfully, these setbacks don’t detract from the core HTPC experience too much. The Beelink U59 Mini-S is now available on Amazon for $209 USD after applying the current coupon or $229 through the official Beelink website .

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