With its all-new MiniAir 11, Geekom offers a miniature PC that is ultra-compact, silent, complete and powerful enough for all daily uses. Enough to replace a conventional computer, much larger.
When we talk about a desktop PC, we generally think of a computer with a tower-type case, as we saw many in the 1990s and 2000s. But if this format remains very popular with certain users – in particular gamers and creatives, who like to install many internal components, especially graphics cards and storage systems – it is not the only one available for “sedentary” PCs. Without even mentioning laptops that are never moved, we naturally think of all-in-one PCs, which, like the famous iMacs, integrate all their electronics into the screen, behind the slab. But there is also a lesser-known category, which nevertheless has many advantages: mini-PCs. Miniature computers that are used like the big traditional towers, with a screen, a keyboard and a mouse, but are much less bulky. You can easily find a place for them in tight spaces, whether in an office, bedroom or living room. Some are even so versatile and unobtrusive that they serve as media powerhouses (media centerin English), by connecting to a TV and sound system.
It is precisely in this field curiously neglected by the “big brands” that has specialized Geekom, a Taiwanese manufacturer which, like Beelink, Minisforum or Nipogi, only offers mini-PCs. And if its range is still modest – the manufacturer has distinguished itself above all for its Mini IT8, appreciated by the experts -, it is now enriched with a new model operating under Windows 11, the aptly named MiniAir 11, attracting in more ways than one, and, above all, very convincing, as we were able to verify during our test.
MiniAir 11: a really tiny PC
What surprises the most about the MiniAir 11 at first glance is its size. It is really tiny! Almost square in shape, it measures only 117 mm wide, 112 mm deep and 34 mm high, thus occupying a volume approximately four times smaller than that of a Mac mini, a benchmark in the world of compact computers. Certainly, it is not the only one of its kind, since models signed Beelink or Nipogi as well as certain barebones NUC Intel – mini-PCs to be completed with memory and storage – use practically the same format. But the MiniAir 11 is even thinner and it actually fits in one hand. And it can be very easily transported, since it weighs only 500 g – it is also delivered as standard with a small protective pouch at its waist! Needless to say, it takes up almost no space on a desk – it’s four times smaller than a keyboard… Even better, thanks to its compatibility with the VESA standard and the small metal plate, also supplied in standard, it can be screwed to the back of a computer screen or a television, to make it disappear completely from the worktop. In short, the MiniAir 11 fully deserves the name of miniature PC.
MiniAir 11: impressive build quality
Small does not rhyme with fragile. On the contrary, the MiniAir 11 breathes quality, Geekom having really taken care of its design and manufacture. Perfectly adjusted, the case, although essentially made of plastic, seems particularly solid and seems made to last – it is also reinforced by metal plates which also serve as magnetic shielding. We are very far from the approximate assemblies and the light materials of many entry-level Chinese products. This concern for care is found in all the details, in the well-sized side ventilation grilles, as well as in the sockets of the interfaces, mounted without the slightest play. from the biggest brands, the MiniAir 11 being supplied as standard with various accessories.
Small does not rhyme with fixed either. And if the MiniAir 11 is not as scalable as a PC in tower format in which you can change everything, it still offers some significant possibilities. Its case opens very easily, simply by removing the four screws that hold the bottom plate. This gives you quick access to one side of your motherboard – obviously miniature! –, the one that accommodates the RAM – two banks in SO-Dimm DDR4 format, as on laptops – and the storage device – a slot in M.2 NVMe 2280 format. And we can therefore replace them with modules of greater capacity, to reach for example 32 GB of Ram with two 16 GB strips and 1 TB of SSD storage. More than enough given the office vocation of this home PC.
MiniAir 11: a wide range of connectors
Small does not rhyme with closed either. And, despite the lack of space, the MiniAir 11 is rather generous in terms of connectivity. At the front, it already has a USB-C socket, a USB 3.2 socket – in the classic USB-A format –, a headphone-line audio output in stereo mini-jack format – but no combi mic… – in addition to its power button. On one side, it offers a memory card slot in SD format and on the other, a Kensington-type anti-theft connector. Above all, on its rear panel, we still find a USB-C socket, two USB 3.2 sockets, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI output and another Mini DisplayPort type video output, in addition to the power input, entrusted. to an external block – as for laptops, the space missing inside the case. In fact, you can connect and use two screens simultaneously – an HDMI-Mini DisplayPort adapter is even supplied as standard – which is very valuable in many situations. In fact, there are more connectors than on a Mac mini and the majority of laptops. And since the MiniAir 11 is Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4 compatible, you can control it with a wireless keyboard and mouse and free up its USB ports for other peripherals.
MiniAir 11: sufficient performance for conventional use
Because small does not rhyme with anemic either. Admittedly, the MiniAir 11 is absolutely not made for gaming, even if it is capable of running a few low-power games. Nor is it designed for demanding creative applications, such as 4K video editing or multitrack audio processing in home studio mode, with dozens of real-time effects and virtual instruments, which remain the preserve of muscular configurations. In fact, it is simply equipped with an Intel Celeron N5095 processor, an entry-level chip, integrating an Intel UHD Graphics 605 type graphics circuit, associated as standard with 8 GB of Ram (in DDR4) and 256 GB of SSD storage. A modest, but not ridiculous set, which is enough to run all common applications smoothly, as we have verified: no problem running an office suite like Microsoft Office, browsing the Web with Chrome, Edge or Firefox , use messaging and video, or play videos in Full HD or even 4K.
Because despite its name that makes gamers smile, this Celeron is not ridiculous: it is a recent model with four cores – and as many threads – clocked at 2 GHz – 2.9 GHz in Turbo mode. And if it obviously does not claim to compete with the latest high-end chips from AMD and Intel, such as Ryzen 7 or Core-i7, it bears comparison with mid-range processors from four years ago. or five years, which is still very respectable. Released in 2021, this model of the Jasper Lake Intel family engraved in 10 nm technology is clearly not a thunderbolt, but, sifted through various benchmarks, it obtains results equivalent to a Core i3 8145UE, a Core i5 -7200U or even a Core i7-7660U, with a score of 4014 points on as PassMark. Nothing to be ashamed of.
So much so that Geekom delivers its MiniAir 11 with Windows 11 installed as standard! And, once you’ve passed the update stage, like when starting up any PC, Microsoft’s latest operating system runs without flinching – which is not the case with computers equipped with the aforementioned processors, officially incompatible… Admittedly, the MiniAir 11 is not as responsive as a PC with a latest generation chip, but, again, it runs many common applications without problems – much better than number of PCs still in operation, much less powerful. During our tests, we were able to run several programs in parallel, including Chrome with multiple tabs open. And if it is not recommended to use it for video editing with Premiere, it does very well for small image retouching in graphics applications and processing in audio editing software.
More important detail than it seems, the Celeron N5095 is a low power circuit. With its thermal envelope of only 15 W, it consumes little electrical energy and dissipates little heat. As a very significant consequence, the MiniAir 11 is content with a 65 W power supply, but it only requires about twenty in normal use. Above all, it benefits from a particularly discreet active cooling device, to the point of remaining at an almost inaudible sound level – even by sticking the ear to an air vent. Two real assets on a daily basis, especially when compared to the big towers of yesteryear, noisy and energy-consuming!
MiniAir 11: ideal for replacing an old tower PC
In conclusion, if the MiniAir 11 is not intended to replace a PC gamer, it is more than enough in our opinion for family and domestic use – no offense to geeks who swear by Formula 1. Given its power, its compactness, its finish, its silence, its power consumption and its price, it will advantageously replace an old PC in tower format, being more pleasant to use on a daily basis, whether for office automation , surf the Web, watch videos, listen to music or use online services – especially as we can recover screen, keyboard and other mouse.
For its launch, the MiniAir 11 in the 8 GB – 256 GB version is sold for 259 euros on Geekom’s website (shipping included). A price all the more interesting that you can benefit from a reduction of 20 euros on a first order. It can also be found on online stores like Amazon, again with a discount voucher (30 euros). A word of advice, however: it is advisable to avoid the version with 16 GB of Ram as standard, sold at an excessive price for our taste. It is better to buy an 8 GB bar separately and install it in two minutes to give it more air without breaking the bank. And for more performance, Geekom will soon market the Mini IT11, a similar model, slightly thicker, but equipped as standard with a Core i5-1155G7 or Core i7-1195G7 processor – your choice – with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. Enough to serenely tackle much more demanding tasks in all kinds of fields…