30-second review
The GTi11 is the astir almighty Intel-based mini PC from Beelink and it struggles to extremity the value-for-money standard favorably towards it, particularly arsenic it doesn’t connection the lone large vantage that an Intel level tin presently offer, Thunderbolt 4. Put it simply, Beelink’s AMD-based workstations connection overmuch amended worth for wealth albeit astatine a somewhat higher premium.
That doesn’t mean the GTi11 is simply a atrocious product, acold from that. It is powered by 1 of Intel’s fastest quad-core mobile processors, has a generous magnitude of representation and retention positive immoderate large features similar dual 2.5GbE LAN port, enactment for 8K video, a fingerprint reader, dual microphones and overmuch more.
The contented is that for a tiny premium, Beelink offers the aforesaid PC but with an AMD Ryzen 9 4900H, a CPU that’s astir doubly arsenic almighty than the Core i5 successful the GTi 11 and obliterates it successful astir benchmarks. This makes it improbable to marque immoderate best workstation (opens successful caller tab) list, unless you're dedicated to utilizing Intel.
Beelink GTi11: Pricing and availability
The Beelink GTi11 retails for $599 (opens successful caller tab) (about £480, UA$835) nonstop from the manufacturer’s website, this terms excludes transportation arsenic good arsenic shipping and transportation fees that whitethorn beryllium levied by customs and courier. There’s lone 1 configuration of the GTi11, 1 with 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD.
Beelink GTi11: Design
Beelink utilized the aforesaid notation strategy for the GTi arsenic it did for the GTR4 and the GTR5 but for the processor. Economies of standard bash substance astatine this extremity of the marketplace wherever margins are small. Not that it bothers us. This chassis is simply a good thought one; plentifulness of holes to let for optimal aerial circulation, a bluish metallic decorativeness to assistance with vigor dissipation and the chamfered edges heighten the premium quality of the product.
At the rear are 2 Intel-powered 2.5GbE LAN ports, a tube benignant powerfulness connector, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 full-size DisplayPort, 2 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0 ports. The beforehand hosts the powerfulness button, a wide CMOS one, 2 USB 3.0 ports, an audio jack and a type-C connector. We’re evidently disappointed by the deficiency of Thunderbolt 4 ports which is simply a superior omission for specified a promising platform.
On the apical is the Beelink logo - which glows erstwhile powered connected - and a fingerprint scanner. At 120 x 168 x 39mm, the GTi compared good with different NUC-like mini PCs which mostly person a smaller footprint but a thicker profile.
Beelink GTi11: Hardware
The Intel Core i5-1135G7 CPU astatine its bosom is simply a fashionable prime some for mainstream laptops and mini PCs, particularly arsenic its Iris Xe GPU is importantly amended than erstwhile procreation models. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, a alternatively precocious TDP of 28W (which explains wherefore determination is ample progressive cooling successful the GTi) and 8MB cache.
The remainder differs somewhat with the models we reviewed antecedently that usage the aforesaid chassis. Our trial PC had 16GB of Kingston-branded DDR4 3200 RAM (in dual transmission mode) and 512GB SSD, a Kingston SA2000M8500G model. However, wireless connectivity is handled by Intel’s precise ain AX201, which is constricted to WiFi-6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Worth mentioning that the GTi, similar its siblings, includes generous interior enlargement capabilities. You tin adhd a 2nd SSD and a 2.5-inch SATA SSD/HDD. Not galore accessories are included successful the container arsenic well; there’s a partition powerfulness adapter, 2 HDMI cables, manuals and a wall-mounted bracket.
Beelink GTi11: Performance
The wide show of the GTi is conscionable astir commendable. Don’t get maine wrong, this small powerhouse volition execute admirably with WIndows 11 Pro - its default OS - particularly arsenic there’s nary bloatware to suck retired performance. But there’s lone truthful overmuch a quad-core processor tin do, adjacent with a alternatively bully GPU.
The Iris Xe proved to beryllium much than a lucifer for the Radeon GPU that accompanies the Ryzen 7 4800U (as tested wrong the Beelink SER4) but that’s astir it. It should beryllium much than capable for AAA games played astatine debased resolutions (e.g. afloat HD) connected debased settings.
The Intel Core i5-1135G7 is competitory against AMD’s 4xxx bid erstwhile it comes to azygous thread performance, but the second pulls distant easy connected multi-thread. Storage sub-system show was amazingly good, surpassing the Kingston SNVS500G wrong the SER5 by a steadfast 20 percent successful Anvil Pro, a fashionable retention benchmark.
The deficiency of other cores explicate wherefore it lags importantly down Beelink’s different AMD-based offering connected Blender and Cinebench, some benchmarks that propulsion the processor to its limits. Speaking of which, the fans marque themselves heard erstwhile nether duress, which was the lawsuit during the benchmarks.
Should I bargain the Beelink GTi11?
Buy it if:
You privation the nearest alternate to an Intel NUC. This is astir apt the lone crushed wherefore you volition privation to bargain this Intel-based mini PC. That and astir apt if your fund can’t widen beyond $599.
Don’t bargain it if:
You’re looking for the champion worth for wealth mini PC. Beelink and others connection amended deals, acknowledgment to the wider availability of faster AMD-based mini PCs astatine akin prices.
Also consider:
The evident rival to the GTi11 is the GTR4 (opens successful caller tab) which costs $40 much and offers astir treble the CPU performance. It is simply a no-brainer truly particularly arsenic it keeps the champion bits (dual 2.5GbE LAN, fingerprint reader) and adds a fewer much (WiFi-6E, Bluetooth 5.2) arsenic good arsenic a 32GB enactment for those who necessitate adjacent much representation for their workflows.