The reason why mini PCs have become popular overnight is partly due to the significant performance improvements of this year’s new platforms. Even entry-level processors like the Intel N100 have transitioned from being just “usable” to “adequate,” while models upgraded to the Ryzen 7040HS platform have reached a “powerful” level. On the other hand, mini PCs are smaller and more portable, making them easy to carry without taking up much space.
So, what is the limit of the mini PC’s size?
In the past, the Mofang M6s and Mingfan EM680 were considered the extremes, equipped with N100 and Ryzen 7 6800U processors, with a square volume of only 0.23L and 0.25L.
Today, the product we are reviewing has further pushed the limits of mini PC size, measuring 142mm × 61mm × 21mm, occupying only 0.18L of space, with a surface area smaller than a smartphone. Its flat “computer stick” shape can easily fit into a pocket, combined with a lightweight of 160g (with a hard drive), making it perfect for spontaneous travel.
So, how does this possibly the lightest mini PC perform in practice? Is it worth the starting price of 998 yuan (for a bare system)?
The Mini PC Taken to the Extreme
The Huanhu N100 comes in a long rectangular box, which includes not only the mini PC but also a 30W charger, a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, HDMI video cable, audio adapter cable, wall mount bracket and screws, as well as two lanyards.
The biggest feature of the Huanhu N100 is its card-like design similar to a “computer stick,” with a thickness of 21mm, making it extremely slim in the mini PC field.
This product features a plastic shell, with a top cover that has diagonal line decorations and a shiny Intel INSIDE label along the edge.
The front panel is equipped with three USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and the power switch is located at the edge, with a blue indicator light that lights up when powered on.
The left side of the body features two HDMI 2.0 video output ports, and a small hole in the middle is the reset hole.
The right side of the body provides a USB-C power port, a gigabit network port, and an audio port. This USB-C supports PD charging and is compatible with most PD chargers, allowing it to be powered by a power bank when going out.
In the upper right corner, there is a lanyard hole, making it easier to carry and less likely to drop.
The back of the mini PC features a long heat dissipation hole, with half for air intake and half for exhaust.
The bottom of the mini PC is equipped with two foot pads and screw holes for wall mounting, allowing it to be hidden behind a monitor.
By unscrewing the four screws at the bottom, you can remove the bottom cover, which is lined with a layer of aluminum foil to assist with hard drive cooling.
Due to the extremely compact design, it uses onboard 12GB LPDDR5-4800 memory, and the motherboard only provides one M.2 slot. The machine I received is already equipped with a 512GB SATA SSD from Micron Technology.
The wireless card model is Intel AX201, which is designed onboard and supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, making it a relatively mainstream configuration.
Performance in Playing LOL
This mini PC is equipped with the N100, Intel’s newly launched entry-level mobile processor in 2023, built on Intel 7 process technology, following the energy-efficient core architecture from the 13th generation Core (Gracemont architecture), featuring 4 cores and 4 threads, with a maximum frequency of up to 3.4GHz, and integrated with 24 execution units for its graphics core, overall specifications outshine the previous generation Celeron N5000 series.
Next, let’s take a look at the actual performance of the Huanhu N100 with this chip.
First, using the Lu Master benchmark, the Huanhu N100 scored about 370,000, exceeding 23% of computer users nationwide.
In the PCMark 10 modern office test, the Huanhu N100 scored a total of 3111.
In the CPU-Z and CineBench tests, the N100 processor in this mini PC can outperform the previous generation N5105 and some entry-level mini PCs commonly equipped with the N95 processor.
In the 3DMark test, the Huanhu N100 also saw a slight increase in scores, although not as significant as the CPU performance, but even small gains are still gains.
Despite the Huanhu N100’s ultra-thin and compact size, it still possesses certain gaming capabilities, running League of Legends at 1080P+ with ultra-high settings, achieving an average frame rate of 93 FPS, running smoothly without stuttering.
Clearly, although the Intel N100 is positioned as an entry-level processor, its performance is quite decent, handling daily office tasks and LOL-level gaming with ease.
It is worth noting that the N100 processor supports hardware decoding for almost all video formats, including AV1. When playing 8K AV1 videos, the CPU usage is around 20%. Combined with gigabit network connectivity, whether used as a media entertainment terminal or a TV box, it is a breeze.
During the AIDA64 FPU stress test, the Huanhu N100 maintains a stable power consumption of 10W, with processor temperatures around 84 degrees (maximum temperature 90 degrees), which is quite cool for an ultra-small mini PC of less than 0.2L.
During the stress test, the overall power consumption of the Huanhu N100 was about 22W, with noise levels around 52 decibels. Bringing the sound meter closer to the user’s position drops it below 45 decibels.
Using an infrared thermometer on the top cover of the mini PC, the highest temperature at the exhaust position reached about 48 degrees, while other areas were mostly between 30 and 40 degrees.
Small Yet Powerful
Among many mini PCs, the Huanhu N100 stands as an absolute minority, with its computer stick design and super mini size of less than 0.2L being its core competitive advantage. Compared to traditional square mini PCs, it is more portable and is a truly pocket-sized mini PC.
Despite its extremely compact size, this product is still equipped with a capable N100 processor, with a generous 12GB LPDDR5 high-frequency memory, dual video output ports, three USB-A ports, and a gigabit network port combination, which is not inferior to most ultrabooks. Whether for light office work, LOL-level gaming experiences, or as a home media entertainment center TV box, it handles everything with ease.
This compact and performance-capable pocket mini PC, priced at 998 yuan for the bare system (with 12GB of onboard memory), feels quite reasonable.
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