Asus VivoMini UN65H Review: MiniPC with desktop performance – Hungry Geeks

Franklin Garcia 8 years ago 3 min read

When buying a PC, there are times that we want to work on a large monitor but only have a limited space available. Sometimes, a full desktop PC is too large for the room and can also be noisy and messy to work with, and there are also times that a laptop has a small screen that it’s too difficult to work on. That’s when a large monitor and a mini PC comes in.

A mini PC can be the perfect solution for your work place. It always features a small form-factor and power consumption than a full-blown desktop PC and it doesn’t require a small built-in screen, battery and keyboard like a laptop. Lets take a look at this Asus VivoMini UN65H:

Specifications:

Windows 10 Pro operating system
Intel 6th gen Core i3-6100U Processor (Upgradable to i7-6500U)
Intel HD Graphics 520
4GB ram (Upgradable to 16gb)
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wifi
Bluetooth 4.0
500GB to 1TB SATA 3 Hard Drive
32GB to 256GB M.2 SSD

Design

One of the advantages of MiniPCs is that it’s easy to carry and travel with. Although you can easily tuck away the VivoMini in a cabinet or behind your large monitor, its elegantly-crafted chassis and rounded look makes it a great eye-candy for your office or living room. The VivoMini is finished in a glossy Midnight Blue color and features the company’s iconic Zen-inspired spun-metal-effect design.

Connectivity

If you’re planning on going with a MiniPC, make sure that it packs a lot of ports because you’re going to want to make it a desktop replacement. And the VivoMini won’t fail you in this subject. At the back is an RJ45 LAN port, 1 HDMI port, 2 USB 3.0, 1 DC-in for charging, 1 display port and an audio jack for mic in and headphone out. At the side you’ll see 2 additional USB 3.0, a 4-in-1 card reader and a kensington lock for security.

If you want to use the VivoMini for ultra-HD movie streaming, you’re in luck as this MiniPC suppports 4K/UHD monitor resolutions. It also has an M.2 solid-state drive to accommodate it’s small body while still having quick data read and write speeds.

Performance

This VivoPC that I am reviewing is equipped with an Intel Core i3-6100U clocked at 2.30GHz and a 4GB RAM. With these specifications, I can easily surf the web, watch videos and use Microsoft Office for work, all at the same time.

With just an Intel HD 520 for graphics and 4GB of RAM, gaming can be quite difficult. If you’re persistent on playing some games that doesn’t require much specs, you might opt to upgrade the VivoMini with at least 8GB RAM and an i5 processor.

Because MiniPCs are made to be mobile CPUs, the VivoMini is just on par with the current ultraportable laptops and can’t go head-to-head with a full-blown gaming desktops that use more powers. But one of that advantages that VivoMini can offer above all of them is that it was extremely quiet and cool to the touch during regular usage.

Conclusion

With MiniPCs designed to be compact yet able to get the job done, the Asus VivoMini passes with flying colors. If you want a stunning design, a satisfying performance, and an operating system that you’re very well familiar with then the Asus VivoMini is a great choice at a decent price.