Beelink EQR5 Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 6 Cores 12 Threads up to 4.0GHz, 16GB DDR4 RAM 500GB M.2 NVMe SSD, Mini Computer Support 4K@60Hz Dual Display, BT5.2 Wi-Fi6, Dual 1000M LAN

Received this device yesterday and tried everything in and out - so far very impressed. First, this device has proper connectivity - HDMI+ Display port + it supports a second monitor over USB-C. Quality of the package and the PC case itself feels premium. Very good! I deployed Ubuntu 22.04 straight, had no plans to keep Win11 because I need to run Linux apps natively on this device. No problems at all - Ubuntu installed on this device without any problems, all drivers automatically recognized. I tried some other mini-PC before - sometimes you need to jump over the hoops to install propitiatory drivers, which can be non-trivial on Ubuntu. Not with this box, everything was very smooth. Another big plus! Next step was to compile some packages from sources. I have a big package, which takes ~10-15 min in the mid-range PC. During this exercise, the CPU is usually loaded 100% so I was expecting this to be a mini-stress/load test. Surprisingly, the device stayed cool and quiet during the test. Based on the temp sensor, the CPU package was reaching 75C max. I think this is perfectly fine under high load for this small form factor. Idle temp is ~45C, and that is ok. Regarding cons, not much I can mention. I'd like to have USB-C port used for the power delivery, given that you can use the same port for hooking up the USB-C docking station. However, this PC doesn't take power from the USB-C, so you need to use the supplied power adapter. May be ok but this needs extra wiring, another adapter etc. Another point - the USB-C port should be on the rear panel, not at the front. Summarizing: Pros - Small form factor - Premium quality manufacturing and package - Linux-compatible out of the box - Very competent multi-tasking (6 cores, 12 vCPU) - Multiple monitors supported easily (tried 2 - 1 HDMI + 1 through USB-C + docking station) - Stays cool and quiet under load Cons - no power delivery through USB-C - USB-C port is on the front panel whereas it is more convenient on the rear for most of real-life cases.

I recently purchased this mini PC, and I must say, it has impressed me with its excellent performance. It handles tasks smoothly and efficiently, making it a reliable device for various computing needs. One aspect that particularly pleased me is its temperature management. The mini PC stays within a reasonable temperature range even during extended use, which is essential for its longevity and optimal performance. I was also pleasantly surprised by the low fan noise. The mini PC operates quietly, making it ideal for a quiet working environment or entertainment setup. In addition to its performance, the mini PC boasts good build quality with quality materials used in its construction. This ensures durability and gives it a premium feel. Overall, I am highly satisfied with this mini PC. Its excellent performance, efficient temperature management, low fan noise, and durable materials make it a great investment for anyone in need of a compact and powerful computing solution.

Of 3 units I bought I had to return 2, but even the one I've kept (which seemed to be okay at the time), has been surprising me with new issues as I continue to use the unit. I returned one unit due to what seemed to be a problem with the drive. I was worried it was a motherboard issue, so I sent it back within the return window, and bought another which I sent back due to performance/quality issues. Now even the unit I kept is showing 96% drive health after just a few weeks of use. But like I said, I keep discovering more problems whenever I try something new. I add a bluetooth device (like a headset), I end ups spending several days troubleshooting. The bluetooth headset works fine with everything else, but here there’s humming noise one day, pulsating sound another day, and so on. I try connecting an external USB device, again I spend multiple days of troubleshooting and I get nowhere. The USB-C on my unit is unable to drive a 3rd display as mentioned in the specs. I try contacting support, but they’re not very responsive and they seem to be overwhelmed by complaints of random stuff like this on their forum. So while the build quality is great for something in this price range, in terms of reliability be prepared for a lot of surprises. One surprise was the performance. These are modern, 6-core 12-thread Ryzen 5 CPUs from 2020 onwards. They should be fast, at least for what I do, which is calculation-intensive. But while the 5560u unit I kept is indeed very snappy, a 5500u unit I returned performed terribly in comparison. I did some further testing while I had it, and that 5500u unit turned out to be slower than not only an 8th gen laptop i5, but also -get this- slower than a 4th generation laptop i7. Yes, a 10-year-old latptop with a 4th generation i7 from 2014 outperformed a 6-core Ryzen from last year! This is not normal for a 5500u CPU which should at least be in the same ballpark as the 5560u. This is why I suspect I got my units from a bad batch. Maybe a motherboard glitch is causing CPU bottlenecks on some units. Maybe another motherboard glitch is causing problems with Wifi/Bluetooth. And maybe yet another motherboard glitch is causing damage to the SSD drives (all units supplied came with the same Kingston NV ssd). That’s just too many maybe’s if you’re looking for a PC that simply works without surprises. Conclusion: wonderful and very helpful seller let down by a product with questionable reliability. Maybe for casual use like browsing or streaming or even gaming, it'll be just fine. But for serious or time-critical work, where reliability is a priority and you need to get things done without delays, I would look elsewhere. Spend a little more on a mini pc from one of the majors like Dell, Lenovo and HP. They all make tiny/micro/ultrasmall devices, and I’m sure their quality control would be a bit more stringent.

chose this over the 5800h specifically due to the low power. This is very capable, added 64gb - it's running a fleet of containers and a couple of vms no problems