Systems

ASUS Mini PC PN62 Review

vortez
July 1, 2020 8 Min Read
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An ultra-compact Mini PC with its foundation set on Intel’s 10th Gen. Processors. Is this barebones unit worth a considering?


Product on Review: Mini PC PN62
Manufacturer ASUS
Street Price: $550 USD | £567 GBP | $680 AUD

You may be surprised to know that Intel’s 10th Gen. mobile processors have been in circulation for almost a year compared to their full-fat desktop counterparts which were only released a matter of weeks ago. So, the mobile market has been able to take advantage of Comet Lake’s step-forward in terms of technology and feature-set. Such processors have mainly been utilised in the likes of ultraportable products such as ultrabooks and laptops – bringing six core functionality within reach.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at a product which takes advantage of Intel’s 10th Gen. mobile processors, but it isn’t a laptop. Instead, we’ll be focussing on the ASUS Mini PC PN62. This tiny computer system squeezes into a 115 x 115 x 49 mm enclosure, and brings with it support for USB 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 3 and much more!

Is such a dainty configuration able to perform well at everyday tasks? Let’s find out!


ASUS on their Mini PC PN62
ASUS Mini PC PN62 is an ultracompact computer that delivers powerful performance for a wide variety of home and business applications. Featuring the latest 10th Generation Intel® Core™ processors and support for high-speed 2666 MHz DDR4 memory, Mini PC PN62 is ready to take on demanding workloads, yet its diminutive size takes up minimal space on a desk and makes it suited for applications where traditional PCs won’t fit, such as for digital signage or in a home theater. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) networking ensures stable, high-speed data transfers, even in crowded networking environments, and a USB-C port with Power Delivery (PD) supports data transfer, power and DisplayPort functionality over a single cable. Mini PC PN62 also supports Microsoft Cortana via dual-array front microphones for convenient voice control and features an infrared (IR) sensor, letting you control applications via remote control.

Technical Specifications


Below are the technical specifications supplied by ASUS:

Dimensions
115 x 115 x 49 mm (WxDxH)
Processor
Intel® Core™ i7-10710U Processor
Intel® Core™ i7-10510U Processor
Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor
Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor
Memory
2 GB Up to 64 GB
Dual Channel, DDR4 at 2666MHz
2 x SO-DIMM
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 630
Storage
2.5″ 500GB Up to 1TB SATA Hard Drive
128GB Up to 256GB M.2(NGFF)(NVMe) SSD
Network
Wireless 802.11AX (WiFi 6) + Wired 10/100/1000 Mbps
I/O Ports
2 x Microphone
2x USB 3.1Gen 1
1x USB 3.1Gen 2 Type-C*
1 x Audio jack
1 x Consumer IR sensor
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C *
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
1 x HDMI
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x DC-in
1 x Configurable port(options:COM, VGA, DisplayPort, LAN, Thunderbolt 3)
OS Support
Windows 10
Warranty
2 Years

Bundle & Closer Look



The PN62 arrives in small box which contains the unit itself along with a small bundle consisting of:

• AC Adapter
• Warranty Card
• Quick Start Guide
• VESA Mount Kit


At the front of the unit there are a number of features/ports which will be handy for quick access. On this side we have the following:

2 x Microphone
2x USB 3.1Gen 1
1x USB 3.1Gen 2 Type-C
1 x Audio jack
1 x Consumer IR sensor
3-in-1:Micro SD/Micro SDXC/Micro SDHC

It’s quite unusual to have a micro-SD card slot reader but this is definitely something which comes as a perk because full-sized SD cards aren’t as widely used for mobile devices.


Around the back of the unit we once again have more ports but this time we get a greater quantity – which should really maximise the potential functionality of this Mini PC. In this area we have:

1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
1 x HDMI
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x DC-in
1 x Displayport

The Displayport is optional and there are versions of PN62 which instead opt for COM, VGA, LAN, or Thunderbolt 3. The different options will obviously depending on the user’s requirements.


There are no significant features on the side of PN62, except for Kensington lock allocation. Both sides offer ventilation for the internal components – which is in this type of unit is something of a necessity.


Underneath, again, there aren’t any distinct features except for a spec/standards label, some additional ventilation and four rubber feet with respective screws (removing screws allows access inside for installing hardware).


The Mini PC PN65 is a barebones configuration, meaning that it will arrive without memory or storage. The unit we are looking at today is a review sample sent from ASUS which is why it comes with pre-installed memory and storage.

So our particular configuration is using the following hardware:

CPU: Intel Core i5-10210U
Memory: 8GB SK Hynix DDR4-2666
Storage: 128GB Sandisk X600 SATA M.2 SSD
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 630


In terms of memory, we can install 2x SO-DIMM DDR4 up to 64GB. For storage, there is allocation for installing M.2 NVMe SSDs and also enough space to include a 2.5” model too. (This installed into the lid as seen above). As you can see from the above picture, ASUS has made the internal design hassle-free with no requirement to unplug cables or move things around – it’s a simple plug n’ play which is perfect for streamlining the experience for a barebones system like this.

Next, we’ll be testing out this Mini-PC to see how capable it really is!

Benchmarks: Temperatures

or our first benchmark test we observe the max. CPU/GPU temperatures of the system while allowing Unigine Heaven 4.0 to run on a 30 minute loop. To report back on the temperatures we use Core Temp and GPU-Z which provide the peak figures.


Benchmarks: Windows 10 Boot & Power Consumption

This PN62 comes with Windows 10 pre-installed and in this quick test we’ll see how fast we can boot into Windows from a cold boot. To measure the power consumption, we load up 3DMark and then use a power energy monitor to view wattage.


Benchmarks: Cinebench R20 & 7Zip

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user. Best of all: It’s free.




Benchmarks: 3DMark TimeSpy & PCMark 10


Time Spy is a DirectX 12 benchmark test for gaming PCs running Windows 10. With its pure DirectX 12 engine, built from the ground up to support new API features like asynchronous compute, explicit multi-adapter, and multi-threading, Time Spy is the ideal benchmark for testing the DirectX 12 performance of the latest graphics cards.


PCMark 10 is the latest version in our series of industry standard PC benchmarks. Updated for Windows 10 with new and improved workloads, PCMark 10 is also faster and easier to use.

PCMark 10 features a comprehensive set of tests that cover the wide variety of tasks performed in the modern workplace. With express, extended, and custom run options to suit your needs, PCMark 10 is the complete PC benchmark for the modern office.


Benchmarks: DOTA 2, MineCraft, CS:GO, Shadow of War, Shadow of the Tomb Raider


This PN62 uses Intel HD Graphics 630 for graphics delivery, in this section we test the latest gaming titles to see how effective the 3D capabilities are. We report on the average framerate using FRAPS or in-game benchmark tool.


Conclusion


Throughout our time with the ASUS Mini PC PN62, we can attest to this unit being a nifty piece of kit that will suit a basic home/office PC.

Throughout our testing we benchmarked the NUC against previously tested Intel’s NUC 8 Mainstream G which has a slightly different/higher specification, and this does come across in some of the benchmarks. The Radeon 540X with its 2GB GDDR5 seems to be a stronger component when compared again the Intel HD Graphics 630 via our Intel 10th Gen CPU. Overall performance is good, though if 3D performance is important, you will need to be discerning with your title selection. More demanding games will struggle to gain acceptable framerates, however titles like DOTA 2 and Minecraft perform admirably.

The main benefit of PN62 is it’s minicule size. This makes the unit highly portable and it will be inconsupicuious – you may even decide to use the included VESA mount and install the unit behind a monitor, which completely frees up space. Even though we are dealing with a small footprint, the PN62 is still able to supply a great variety of ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2.


We really like that it is easy to gain access inside this Mini PC, and once inside, installing the necessary memory and storage is completely hassle-free. There are no cables to attach, and the process is without any hurdles. It should be noted that PN62 will arrive as a barebones unit, therefore memory and storage will need to be supplied separately (our sample was a review unit and arrives with these components installed).

ASUS PN62 is priced from $550 USD | £567 GBP | $680 AUD. The price will vary depending on the specific unit you opt for – there are four different models – ranging from the Intel® Core™ i3-10110U to the Intel® Core™ i7-10710U. Do bear in mind that this is a barebones mini PC, so memory and storage needs to be purchased and installed. However a Windows 10 license is supplied and we do get a healthy 2 years warranty to seal the deal.

The ASUS Mini PC PN62 is a dainty computer system which hosts an impressive bundle of included features. Installing your own hardware inside is hassle-free and we can definitely recommend this ultra-compact system!

Pros
+ Small-footprint
+ Decent media performance
+ Opportunity to expand
+ Hassle-free upgrade options
+ Lots of ports/functionality including USB 3.2 Gen 2
+ Comes with Windows 10
+ 2 years Warranty

Cons
– Limited 3D capabilities
– Fairly noisy under load


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