Beelink ME Mini Review: Compact 6-Bay NAS Mini PC With Surprising Power
The Beelink ME Mini redefines what a compact PC can do, combining a surprisingly capable processor, generous SSD support, and thoughtful design into a sleek cube. Whether you’re setting up a home server or just want a whisper-quiet daily workstation, this mini PC checks a lot of boxes without blowing your budget.
Designed in partnership with Crucial, the ME Mini sports an Intel N150 processor (an upgraded N100), 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a built-in 64GB eMMC. But the real headline feature? It houses six M.2 SSD slots, including a high-speed PCIe 3.0 X2 slot pre-filled with a 2TB Crucial P3 Plus SSD. That’s perfect for running a lightweight NAS OS (like TrueNAS or FNOS) on the eMMC and storing your precious files on faster SSDs.
Unboxing reveals a minimal but complete package: the mini PC itself, a 100cm HDMI cable, and power adapter. Color options include Midnight Gray, Peacock Blue, and Pearl White, with prices starting at $209. The top-tier model with a 2TB SSD retails for $329 (and is often cheaper on Amazon with a coupon).
Smart Design, Silent Operation
At 99mm on each side and weighing just 750g, the ME Mini is tiny but thoughtfully designed. It features air vents on all sides, rubber feet for stability, and a top-mounted fan that keeps airflow efficient. Noise levels stay under 30dB, even under heavy stress, making it ideal for workspaces or quiet home setups.
Ports are generous too: up front you get 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 3.2 ports; around back are dual 2.5G LAN ports (Intel i226-v), HDMI-A with 4K@60Hz, USB-A 2.0 with Always-On, and the power port.
Inside the Cube
Removing the bottom cover (via four screws and the rubber feet) reveals six M.2 SSD slots. Five are PCIe 3.0 X1, while one faster X2 slot holds the included SSD. You can mix and match 2230/2242/2280 form factors, with support for up to 4TB per slot-potentially 24TB total.
Performance-wise, the Intel N150 (25W peak TDP) is no beast but handles server tasks with ease. Benchmarks like Geekbench 6 show modest results (1008 single-core, 1836 multi-core), but the Crucial P3 Plus SSD blows older SATA III drives away-over 1,700 MB/s read speeds are a game-changer for NAS usage.
Real-World Use: A Mini Server That Delivers
In our testing, the ME Mini powered a full office server setup: FTP, Apache, MySQL, camera monitoring, and internal analytics-all without stuttering. Even after a three-hour stress test, the CPU hovered at safe temps around 65°C. The fan barely made a sound.
It’s clear that while the N150 isn’t built for gaming or heavy editing, it’s more than enough for small business or personal server needs. And considering you get Windows 11 pre-installed, the value proposition is hard to beat.
Conclusion
The Beelink ME Mini isn’t just another mini PC-it’s a full-featured NAS-capable machine that fits in the palm of your hand. For users looking to build a local storage system, run lightweight services, or even create a quiet office backend, this cube delivers outstanding value and surprising capability. Pair it with a few M.2 SSDs, and you’ve got yourself a personal data fortress.