Normally, I wouldn’t care what my mini looks like. Why should I? This is just a box I stick next to my monitor for mobile computing needs. It doesn’t need all the flash and LEDs of an ultimate gaming rig, it just needs to work. At least, that’s how I initially felt about your average NUC.Then I unboxed Ayaneo mini computer AM01 For the first time, I can’t help but wonder why I thought other manufacturers could get away with the same old situation for so long.
You can tell from the pictures alone that the AM01 looks like an old Macintosh. No, there’s no built-in screen (I imagine modders can’t wait to plug one in), but in addition to the usual USB and HDMI ports you’d find on any old NUC, the box stacks up with a range of Stickers designed to further personalize the little faux Macintosh on your desk. The tiny rainbow logo is magnetized so you can replace it with another graphic included in the box.
Ayaneo’s AM01 looks slick, but in terms of basic specs, it still does the job (as long as you choose a PC with 16GB or more of RAM and a higher-end CPU). It’s lightweight and portable enough to slip into a backpack or luggage, just so you know you’ll have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse waiting for you when you get to your destination. It’s not the smallest, nor the largest model on the market. It’s not the best specced, nor the most expensive. But in my opinion, this is the cutest version of the NUC design I’ve ever seen.
I haven’t fully tested the mini yet, but with independent website As AM01 comes to a close, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on taking the device on the road during the holidays. I connected it to a random monitor, keyboard, and mouse I found in my dad’s office and found myself right at home, though you shouldn’t expect the seamless performance of a dedicated work laptop or the video capabilities of a full gaming PC — even It’s a handheld console.
Ayaneo Mini PC AM01 Design and Specifications
Retro design is the biggest blessing for mini computers
I don’t usually smile at tech on my desk, but for some strange reason I couldn’t help but look at that tan brick of plastic, the Ayaneo Mini PC AM01. I have to ask: why? The device resembles the old Macintosh from 1984, but when you look at it side by side, their silhouettes aren’t exactly the same. It has a fake black plastic screen and a magnetic rainbow icon that is reminiscent of early Apple hardware. I was born ten years after Steve Jobs and company first brought the Macintosh 128K to market. However, every time I see it, I can’t help but think, “Dang, that’s a cute little computer.” I’ve been calling it my “little Mac,” and I’m not stopping anytime soon.
The 5 x 5 inch bricks are a little over 2 inches tall, which means I need to have quite a bit of dedicated space in my suitcase. It also weighs just over 1 pound, so if you neglect how to carry a power cord or any other peripherals or chords, it’s not that heavy. That’s just par for this design, and from what I’ve heard, the build quality is very good. I also appreciate that most of the ports are on the side of the case. There’s one HDMI 2.0 input, one DisplayPort 1.4, three USB-A 3.2 Gen2, and one USB-A 2.0. There’s a regular Ethernet port and a power connector in addition to USB-C (for data transfer only) and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other end. If you want your mini to look like a real Macintosh standing vertically, you’re going to miss the wired headphone connection.
At the bottom of the device is the fan inlet, and hot air blows out from the vent on the right side. Fanning can get very difficult, especially if you decide to delve into the Steam library or run some other intensive software. I don’t have much of a problem with the fan humming, but if you place it directly in front of the monitor, the sound might be distracting for some. If you want to replace the fan, you have to go directly into the BIOS and modify the fan controls. It would be nice if you could control some other hardware settings through AYASpace. Even after running several benchmarks in a row, I never felt like the device got too hot to handle.
Deep down, I wish the fake optical drive on the front of the AM01 would accept SD cards as a nod to the physical media of the past, but that’s all we can hope for from a 5-inch PC. For example, the Mac Mini with M2 is about 2 inches wide and 2 inches long, but slightly shorter. Ayaneo’s version is also more than a pound lighter than Apple’s high-performance mini PC. You can find other NUCs slightly smaller than the Ayaneos, but none have the same energy as this “Little Mac.”
Ayaneo Mini PC AM01 Performance
Powerful enough for your basic tasks, with upgradeable options
When you launch AM01 for the first time, it will take you to Ayaneo’s AYASpace interface. It’s just a way to quickly access games and a few device controls. You don’t need it at startup, and after the initial update, it’s easy to turn off, so you’re left with a PC running Windows 11 Home, at least for anyone who chooses a standard rather than a bare-metal system. The default Windows wallpaper is so reminiscent of Apple’s original desktop that I love it so much I don’t even bother changing it.
It is also important to note the effects of different specifications. The one I received is AM01, equipped with AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, 1 TB SSD and 32 GB RAM, supporting WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The less powerful version running the 3200U only supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2. Either way, the Mini PC should support 60Hz, 4K resolution displays.
If you have experience with AMD mobile CPUs, you will have a good impression of the AM01’s performance. The Ayaneo Mini PC comes with AMD Ryzen 3 3200U or Ryzen 7 5700U, with the more expensive versions available in 8, 16 GB, and 32 GB RAM options.
After running through some benchmarks, it’s clear that the Mini PC is quite competitive for its size and price, but nothing special. 5700U is an 8-core 16-thread processor with a maximum frequency of 4.3Ghz. It supports Vega 8 integrated graphics cards, which are sufficient for your general computer tasks. It scores middlingly for Cinebench graphics rendering, but you won’t be doing any real heavy-duty video rendering on the AM01.
As far as gaming goes, the AM01 is more than adequate for simulation or some more mainstream titles.It will tackle indie games like this Hades No problem, but 3D games still struggle to run at higher resolutions and refresh rates.I have to work hard to get Halo: Infinite Running at 30 FPS using a 27-inch 60 Hz monitor, there are still drops, especially in larger arenas. Cyberpunk: 2077 Will not break 20 FPS on slow or mobile-optimized “Steam Deck” settings.You will have a hard time playing some popular multiplayer games such as finals At the lowest settings, even some games like fort night at their highest point.
My review copy has a suggested retail price of about $461 (although the price is currently discounted on Indiegogo). At this price, it’s very similar to other current-generation Intel NUCs running the Core i5-1135G7 (although the Core i5 may perform slightly better than the Ryzen 7). If you’re just looking for a gaming rig, you can buy non-OLED Steam Decks for the same price. The AM01 may show better benchmark scores than the Deck, but a low-power, mobile-centric CPU will have a harder time maintaining frame rates on a large, higher-resolution display than on a small 8-inch screen. Ordinary handheld console Even smartphones.For less than $700, you can choose ASUS ROG Ally Running AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, it easily beats the 5700U in almost every benchmark.
In addition to the mini PC, you also get a few bits and pieces that might make future internal upgrades easier. They include a bracket for expansion to a 2.5-inch hard drive. Plus, there’s always the option to upgrade the memory to 64 GB (it’s limited to 32 GB on the cheaper Ryzen 3 3200 version). With some upgrades, you might be able to get more frames on some of the latest graphics-intensive games.But in the end, you don’t buy Ayaneo’s Mini PC just to play cyberpunk at high settings.
A NUC doesn’t need much to stand out, just meet power consumption and performance expectations.This may be why Intel seems on the way out All NUC business. The AM01 relies heavily on the aesthetics of retro design ideas without doing anything really innovative with the Mini PC, but you can’t say it’s not an interesting looking device, and if you’re tired of all the other black bricks out there, then It’s a good choice NUC is out there.
