In this publication let introduce Ninkear MBOX 6, Your Portable Core + Dock Combo Redefines Computing; we divided it into two halves, and it continues to work! Can computers do that? Regular ones can't, but the new Ninkear Mbox 6 can! Because the modular tandem case is a new milestone in mini computers. And what will grow out of this, we'll see. But today we'll look at the new product.
The computer is truly unusual. There is nothing like it on the market yet. The size and format allow you to come up with new convenient scenarios for the PC. But it will also add headaches to the company's engineers and marketers. Why? Let's figure it out.
Well, we'll say it right away. The PC is not bad in terms of its filling, and this is rather an attempt by the manufacturer to feel out a new niche. Therefore, for now, you can treat this format with doubt, although perhaps this modularity is the future of mini PCs. The idea is really cool: if you want an office computer, get a small box. If you want a powerful station: buy another box with a graphics station to the box. And so on ad infinitum, if there is demand.
Ninkear Mbox 6 Features:
- Processor : AMD Ryzen 5 6600H with 6 cores and 12 threads, maximum clock speed up to 4.5 GHz.
- RAM : 16GB DDR5.
- Storage : 512GB SSD.
- Graphics : Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics.
- Ports and interfaces :
- 2 USB 3.0 ports
- 2 USB 2.0 ports
- 2 RJ45 ports (1Gbps and 2.5Gbps)
- 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack
- 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
- 1 x DisplayPort
- 1 x Type-C thunderbolt 4 port
- 1 x Type-C port for charging only
- Wireless interfaces : Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
- Display support : Connect up to three monitors via HDMI, DisplayPort, and Type-C with 4K support.
- Operating system : Windows 11.
- Dimensions and weight :
- Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.9 x 6.5 cm
- Weight: 483 g
- Equipment :
- Ninkear MBOX 6 Mini PC
- Power adapter
- User Manual
Packaging and assembly
The computer comes in a fairly large box, despite the fact that it is not very large in itself. This time the manufacturer did not skimp on packaging, and it is made of ordinary cardboard. The box itself is quite simple, but not devoid of beauty.
In addition to the computer itself, we have a power supply (but that's understandable) as well as a VESA mount and even an HDMI cable.
Another good feature of this model is the ability to power the computer via the Type-C connector. But you will need a powerful power supply, at least 100W with PD support. This is exactly the kind of power supply that comes with the computer.
And thanks to the fact that the power supply is made using GAN technology, it is quite compact for its power.
Perhaps a Vesa mount would not be superfluous, but with such a case format. It seemed superfluous to me here.
But the instruction manual is really something that few people will read. But manufacturers are obliged to include it in the kit.
Ninkear Mbox M6 Mini PC Appearance
Having examined the complete set and packaging, we move on to examining the appearance of the computer. The case here is made of plastic, the plastic itself is of very good quality.
On the upper edge of the case there is a silver grille. Large openings allow air to be easily drawn in for the cooling system. The cooler itself is also visible through the grilles.
There is a manufacturer's logo slightly to the side of the case, and one of the corners hides a work indicator. Unfortunately, its color does not mean anything, and just randomly shimmers with different colors. But it would be convenient if this indicator meant something.
If you look at the front side, here we will see the power button, a Type-C thunderbolt 4 port, two ports 2 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports and a 3.5mm combo jack.
On the left and right sides of the case there are very wide grilles for air exhaust. In small cases, the ventilation issue is really important.
On the back side there is another grille, from where hot air from the cooling system is discharged, there is also a Type-C port for power, and below there are HDMI, DisplayPort and two RJ45 ports (1 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps).
The bottom of the computer has feet made of thick rubber, under which the case screws are hidden. There are also two screws for mounting the Vesa and a sticker with technical information about the product.
The Mbox 6's special feature is its separable case. Below I show what it looks like. Just take and separate the two halves. It's easy to do because they are held together by magnets that are strong enough to hold together securely.
By the way, getting ahead of the question. There are six magnets in the case that will not allow the halves to be installed incorrectly. The grooves and slots will also help. If you try to connect the components incorrectly, the magnets will repel each other.
And if you are worried about the contact comb, then the manufacturer has thought of everything here too. The comb itself is protected by a plastic frame, and the mating part has a recess. As a result, everything is very reliable.
And in general, despite the fact that the case is plastic, the computer does not look cheap or unreliable. And the case is very pleasant with its weight. After all, inside, in addition to the main hardware, there is a cooling system and other elements. But we will discuss this later. And now we can move on to benchmarks.
Tests and benchmarks
Let's start as expected with CPU-Z to see what's inside.
And before us is a system built on a Ryzen 5 6600H processor with a Radeon 660M video accelerator. The processor itself has 6 cores and 12 threads and can operate at a frequency of up to 4.5 GHz with 45W TDP.
The computer has soldered LPDDR5 3200 memory of 16 GB. Part of this memory is given to the needs of the video accelerator, but thanks to the speed and sufficient volume, the shortage is not noticeable. However, unfortunately, it is not possible to increase the memory capacity in this model. This is the price to pay for compactness.
In terms of overall power, the Ryzen 5 6600H processor has long been known and tested many times. And in such systems, it is not so much the benchmarks that are more important, but how much the manufacturer has reduced the power and how effective the cooling system is. Therefore, the first thing we do is run the OCCT test, which we leave for an hour to do its testing business.
As a result, we see that the processor performance is not just clamped, it is, on the contrary, slightly increased. And at the peak, there are jumps up to 46W (in subsequent tests, the processor was overclocked to 50W). And such power in a small case is very, very high. Therefore, we can say that the performance is decent. In addition, the processor itself can easily work in the range of up to 105 degrees. The OCCT test was able to warm up the computer to a maximum of 99 degrees.
Then we launched a stress test in AIDA64. Since this program cannot adequately read sensors on some AMD processors, we also launched HWinFo64 to monitor temperatures.
Left the computer in stress test mode for 2 hours. The result is on the screenshot below.
In 2 hours with 100% load on the processor, without rest or break, we were able to heat it up to 100 degrees. True, only in short-term peaks. This is still within the operating temperatures and in fact we do not know of any tasks that in real life will load the processor by 100% and for such a long time. Even if you use this mini-PC for games, it will still have time intervals for respite.
Well, it is important to note that even under very long load, the noise level from the coolers does not exceed the permissible limits and did not attract attention. And by the way, the TDP reached 50W.
Now less heavy tests, but showing overall performance
PerformanceTest . The assembly scored 4181.4 points .
A very good indicator. The weak point here was only 3D graphics. But again, weak compared to, for example, a full-fledged video card. But if you remember that the graphics core is inside the processor, then this is not so weak.
3DMark tests. Also shows confident good numbers. But it is also clear that this is not a gaming computer (it is not declared as such). Although many games will run here without problems.
Cinebench2024 results. According to the results, the processor shows itself to be more powerful than Apple M1, but weaker than Apple M1Max (or a little more powerful than Intel I7-1280P).
Overall, everything is logical in terms of performance. It's not a gaming system yet, but it's far from being an entry-level N100 computer. You can give such a computer a bigger load.
As for memory, below are the read and write speed tests for the built-in Nvme SSD.
And we think we can finish the tests and move on to conclusions.
Conclusion
Ninkear Mbox 6 is an interesting experiment in the world of mini-PCs, which may become the starting point for a new category of modular computers. The device pleasantly surprises with a well-thought-out cooling system, a powerful processor and a convenient idea of expanding the capabilities due to additional modules.
Of course, it's not a universal choice for everyone. The lack of upgradeable RAM and integrated graphics make it less than ideal for heavy-duty tasks like video editing or modern gaming. But as a compact office assistant, home media server, or lightweight workstation, it does a great job.
It is worth noting the pleasant appearance, high-quality assembly and unusual approach to the case design. Such solutions can find their audience, especially among enthusiasts and those who value flexibility.
If Ninkear continues to develop in this direction - with more powerful modules, separate expansion units and, perhaps, removable memory - then the Mbox 6 could well become the progenitor of a new line of interesting and flexible solutions...