The “Zero刻” brand of mini computer hosts has previously launched the “Zero刻 GTR7” equipped with the Ryzen 7840HS, applying a technology called “MSP” that increased the default 54W TDP to 65W. This technology has now been implemented in other Zero刻 models, such as the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, which is equipped with the Ryzen 5800H and has increased its 45W TDP to 54W, enhancing its performance.

However, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX is a relatively new product, and some users may not be very familiar with it. This article will provide relevant content about the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, essentially serving as a product review.

What is the design of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX like?

By the way, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX I am currently experiencing is the overseas version, and there are slight differences in packaging and appearance compared to the domestic version, such as the Beelink logo on the packaging, while the domestic version has the Chinese Zero刻 logo. However, there is no significant difference in hardware, so please do not misunderstand that what I am showcasing is not the Zero刻 SER5 MAX.

The design of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX has changed significantly compared to previous Zero刻 SER5 series. The earlier SER5 series had a non-removable mesh top design, while the Zero刻 SER5 MAX has opted for a removable breathable waterproof fabric cover, which I personally prefer for its unique design.

However, this breathable waterproof fabric cover is not a design first used by Zero刻; it has been used in previous models.

A close-up display of the top cover.

The Zero刻 SER5 MAX features a dual-fan design. After removing the top cover, the first silent fan can be seen, which works together with the heat sink and heat pipes to dissipate heat from components such as the CPU.

As for the size of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, I compared it with a USB drive and a charger. Whether it qualifies to be called a “mini computer host” is subjective; I personally feel that the Zero刻 SER5 MAX fits the description, as it is about the size of an adult’s palm, saving desktop space.

Some users may be concerned about the variety of ports on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX. I find it quite rich. On the front of the device, from left to right, there are two USB3.2 Gen2 ports, one Type-C port that supports data/video transmission, and one 3.5mm headphone jack. Additionally, the front Type-C port can also power portable displays that support “one-line connection”.

There are also some ports located at the rear of the device, from left to right, there is a LAN port (1000Mbps), a USB2.0/USB3.2 Gen2 port, a DP 1.4 port (4K 144Hz), an HDMI 2.0 port (4K 60Hz), and a power port. Including the power port, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX has a total of 10 ports, which should be sufficient for connecting multiple displays, USB drives/movable hard drives, etc.

After removing the bottom cover, another system fan of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX can be seen. This fan helps to lower the temperature of components such as DDR and SSD, and there are also heat sinks nearby to improve cooling efficiency. Additionally, the bottom of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX can accommodate a 2.5-inch (7mm) HDD.

After removing the system fan, you can see the motherboard, memory slots, hard disk slots, etc., of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX. The internal workmanship is quite good, and the layout is neat. Currently, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX supports up to 32GB/64GB in single-channel and dual-channel memory respectively, and the hard drive supports up to 2TB.

How is the performance of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX?

As for performance, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX is equipped with the Ryzen 5800H processor and AMD Radeon Graphics 8 Cus (Vega8) integrated graphics. According to the performance test conducted by Lu Master, the overall score is 980456, with the CPU score accounting for more than half, while the graphics card score is relatively low, only over 70,000 points.

The Zero刻 SER5 MAX currently offers three versions: a barebone system without memory/hard drive, a version with 16GB of memory/1TB hard drive, and a version with 32GB of memory/1TB hard drive, priced at 1588/2099/2547 respectively. Theoretically speaking, at the price of the barebone system, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX can be considered a “thousand yuan level” mini computer host.

Next, let’s look at the benchmark test scores from 3DMark. The left shows the Time Spy test, where the Zero刻 SER5 MAX scored 1634 points; the right shows the Fire Strike test, where it scored 4022 points.

In the stress tests conducted by 3DMark, the Zero刻 SER5 MAX performed well, passing all four stress tests with frame rate stability generally above 99%.

The hard drive read/write speed test of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX.

The CPU-Z test results of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX.

In summary, using the Zero刻 SER5 MAX for daily office work, simple video editing, PS image editing, and playing 4K HD videos does not pose much pressure. The cooling and fan noise performance is also acceptable.So, how does the Zero刻 SER5 MAX perform in gaming? Will it be under pressure?

At a resolution of 1920*1080 and medium quality, I played “Honkai: Star Rail” on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, with FPS around 40.

Once in battle mode, the FPS increased to around 50. I believe the Zero刻 SER5 MAX is in a playable state for this game.

Still at a resolution of 1920*1080, but with the graphics settings set to the highest, I played “League of Legends” on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, achieving an FPS performance of around 130 to 160. Theoretically, switching to a 2K resolution screen should not pose much pressure.

“CS:GO” is a game that many users have mentioned in mini computer host reviews. I also tested it on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX. Since I am not skilled at this type of game and only played in bot mode to avoid letting down teammates, I set the resolution to 1920*1080 and set the advanced video options such as global shadow effects, model/texture details to high. The FPS performance ranged from 70 to 90, and the gameplay was quite smooth.

“Lost Ark” is a recently released online game. When playing this game on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, it felt a bit pressured. At 1080P resolution and low quality, the FPS was around 50.

I also tested the Zero刻 SER5 MAX by playing the Android mobile game “Last Oasis” through an emulator. The system recommended ultra-high quality for this game, and I played it at this recommended quality. The FPS performance was around 60. I have seen many users asking about the performance of mini computer hosts when playing Android mobile games through emulators, and based on my experience with the Zero刻 SER5 MAX, it should not be a problem.

Some users may ask: How does it perform with AAA games? I played “Forza Horizon 5” on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX at 1080P resolution with low visual presets and FSR balanced mode enabled, achieving around 40 FPS. I personally feel this performance is under pressure, and this is with FSR enabled. If disabled, the FPS will not reach this value, and I would have to lower the resolution, for example to 720P.

Additionally, some AAA games do not support FSR, which may lead to even more pressure when playing these games on the Zero刻 SER5 MAX.

Overall, the gaming performance of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX varies. Some games can be played, while others require low quality or low resolution settings. Therefore, I believe the Zero刻 SER5 MAX can handle some online games and PC games without issue, but it faces pressure with AAA games. If you really want to use a mini computer host for AAA gaming, I suggest increasing your budget to purchase a Zero刻 model with 680M or 780M integrated graphics for a better experience.

Final Thoughts

After some time of experience, I personally feel that the overall experience of the Zero刻 SER5 MAX is quite good, but it is still more oriented towards office use. For gaming, I hold the view that it can satisfy light gaming needs. It can be used for simple gaming to relax after daily office work, but for serious gaming, it is better to avoid it. Alternatively, it is also suitable for home use for children for online classes and studying.

This concludes the content about the Zero刻 SER5 MAX. If you do not want to tinker with it and do not have extra memory or hard drive, just go for the version with 16GB of memory and 1TB of hard drive. It is easy to replace, and you can change it later; if you have extra memory and hard drive, the barebone version is also a good choice.