MINI PC ❘ £379 from Minisforum www.snipca.com/47653
Square’s up
In contrast to the feature-packed all-in-one Dell Inspiron PC, reviewed opposite, this is a back-to-basics mini PC from prolific Chinese manufacturer Minisforum. It has an older 12th-generation Intel i7 processor (the Intel Core 17-12650H), but in our benchmark tests achieved very similar performance levels to the Inspiron’s 13th-generation i5. The UN1265 also comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD drive.
In tests that challenge only the processor, the UN1265 lags slightly behind. Both chips have 10 cores, so it’s interesting to see that a 13th-generation’s i5 can outpace the previous generation’s i7 in terms of raw power.
Back in the real world, there isn’t much to choose between their respective Windows handling, but the UN1265 had the slight edge. It isn’t as formidable as our current favourite mini PC – the AMD-powered Beelink SER6 Pro 7753HS (£699 from www.snipca.com/46416, reviewed in Issue 661), though it lags by only around 25 per cent. You may think that’s reasonable given its lower price. However, it’s worth noting that the SER6 Pro comes with 32GB of RAM, which will keep the PC running faster if you like to keep lots of Windows and tabs open at the same time.
For graphically demanding software such as games, the UN1265 outperforms the Inspiron again, but once more not by any great margin. It lags significantly behind the SER6 Pro in these tests, though, confirming Beelink’s model as the superior all-rounder.
The design is similar to many mini PCs currently available, though you won’t find any metal in the case, which is made entirely of plastic. It’s also more difficult to access, with no visible screws. The front panel (pictured above) has a reset hole alongside the power button, a 3.5mm audio jack and two USB 3.0 ports. On the rear are two USB 2.0, one 2.5Gb Ethernet, a DisplayPort and an HDMI port, as well as a USB-C port (all pictured below left).
This is a decent range of connections, but it still can’t match the SER6 Pro whose USB-C port supports the latest Thunderbolt 4 standard, which means you’ll get more out of any devices you may want to connect it to now and in the future.
SPECIFICATIONS
Ten-core Intel Core i7-12650H processor • 16GB RAM • Intel Iris Xe graphics • 512GB SSD • 1x 2.5Gigabit Ethernet port • 1x USB-C port • 2x USB 3.0 ports • 2x USB 2.0 ports • 1x HDMI port • 1x DisplayPort • Windows 11 Pro • 56x128x126mm (HxWxD
