Mini-PCs are quite popular among people whose tasks are limited to surfing the Internet, watching videos and working in office programs. Mini-PCs are really great for such purposes due to their low cost and lack of frills.
But what if you install a fairly nimble processor with multithreading support and a good video core in a small box? You will get Ninkear MBOX 6: a compact body combined with good hardware can surprise even a fastidious user, but the price will be appropriate. Why is it so good, what tasks does it cope with and does it have any disadvantages? We will talk about this and more in this article.
Mini-PC MBOX 6 Packaging
The package is standard for the following devices:
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The mini PC itself.
-
Power supply (one-piece, Type-C).
-
One HDMI cord.
-
Metal wall mount.
Corps
The first thing that catches the eye and favorably distinguishes the Ninkear MBOX 6 from its counterparts is its unusual structure. The entire Mini-PC is divided into 2 blocks: a host containing all the stuffing, and a docking station with ports and storage. Perhaps in the future, the manufacturer will make it possible to connect a docking station with a graphics card or some other innovations.
The dimensions of the case are 99 x 99 x 65 mm, the weight is 483 grams, which is very impressive. The Black color is quite versatile and can fit into most interiors. On top there is a double dust protection net, covered with plastic in the form of silver honeycombs. The presence of breathable RGB light will appeal to backlight lovers, but it cannot be turned off (and this is a minus).
As for the connectors, everything is quite good here: on the front panel of the host there is a power button and a Type-C connector, on the back there is another Type-C powered with PD 100W. On the front panel of the dock there are 2 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0 and a Jack for headphones and/or microphone, on the back there is a DisplayPort, HDMI and 2 RJ45 . Everything in moderation, there is no need to scold the manufacturer for the lack of any connector in this case.
The appearance, of course, captivates and pleasantly pleases, but what is inside?
Processor
The Ryzen 5 6600H is both an interesting and controversial solution for a Mini-PC. On the one hand, the 2022 processor has already established itself as a good option for laptops in the mid-price category and below. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base frequency of 3.3 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.5 GHz.
The built-in AMD Radeon 660M graphics core with a base frequency of 1500 MHz and 1900 MHz in Boost mode in the Mini-PC looks more like a pleasant surprise than something self-evident. With such a processor, the user has the opportunity not only to watch videos on the popular video hosting in 4K 60 Hz resolution with support for up to three monitors, but also to play not the oldest games.
GTA 5, medium-high settings, Full HD, the average FPS is around 30 frames, which is not bad at all. Not enough staff? You can always lower the graphics settings. For such a baby, the indicators are very bearable.
RDR2, graphics settings - low-medium, Full HD, average FPS - 22-25 frames. Yes, the settings are low, but the game is also very demanding. For a stable high FPS, you will need at least an RTX 3060 or 4060 graphics card at the same resolution and higher settings, there is also a built-in video core.
Why are the capabilities of the processor and video card (in this case, the video core) tested in games? The answer is simple: the game is able to give a variety of loads on both the processor and the video card, depending on the settings and hardware. The same benchmarks show the load "in a vacuum", which can be useless when working with graphics or complex calculations.
On the other hand, the TDP (Thermal Design Power) is a parameter that denotes the amount of heat generated by the processor or graphics card) of the processor is 45 watts. Quite an impressive amount of heat in the case with poor ventilation, which needs to be diverted somewhere with just one small cooler.
According to the manufacturer, a specially developed cooling technology is able to dissipate heat from all elements of the Mini-PC. During the testing of GTA V, the CPU temperature did not rise above 85.8 degrees, the average value was 72.5 degrees. In RDR 2, the maximum CPU temperature was 95 degrees, the average was 74 degrees. Is it a lot or a little? Quite a lot, but it is worth considering the structure of the mini-PC and the size of the cooler that cools the system. Dissipating 45 watts of heat under high load, while maintaining a small case size, is not an easy task, and the manufacturer coped with it. Here is the confirmation from the Furmark test:
Memory
The RAM is 16GB DDR5. The golden mean in terms of volume, combined with an acceptable next-generation memory frequency, will not make the user wait for several minutes to load several tabs in the browser.
Storage
Storage - 512 GB M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD accommodates pre-installed Windows 11 Pro and leaves the user with space not only for basic software, but also for a couple of modern games. It is possible to upgrade the drive up to 2 TB. The SSD speed is pleasant: more than 2000 MB/s read and more than 1500 MB/s write.
Wireless Connections
The Ninkear MBOX 6 is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. This ensures fast and stable wireless speeds, which makes this mini PC stand out from the competition. Given the cost of mini PCs, relatively recent versions of wireless devices look quite expected.
Mini PCs are quite popular among people whose tasks are limited to surfing the Internet, watching videos and working in office programs. Mini PCs are really great for such purposes due to their low cost and lack of frills.
But what if you install a fairly nimble processor with multithreading support and a good video core in a small box? You will get Ninkear MBOX 6: a compact body combined with good hardware can surprise even a fastidious user, but the price will be appropriate. Why is it so good, what tasks does it cope with and does it have any disadvantages? We will talk about this and more in the review.
Equipment
The package is standard for the following devices:
-
The mini PC itself.
-
Power supply (one-piece, Type-C).
-
One HDMI cord.
-
Metal wall mount.
Corps
The first thing that catches the eye and favorably distinguishes the Ninkear MBOX 6 from its counterparts is its unusual structure. The entire mini PC is divided into 2 blocks: a host containing all the stuffing, and a docking station with ports and storage. Perhaps in the future, the manufacturer will make it possible to connect a docking station with a graphics card or some other innovations.
The dimensions of the case are 99 x 99 x 65 mm, the weight is 483 grams, which is very impressive. Black is quite versatile and can fit into most interiors. On top there is a double dust protection net, covered with plastic in the form of silver honeycombs. The presence of breathable RGB light will appeal to backlight lovers, but it cannot be turned off (and this is a minus).
As for the connectors, everything is quite good here: on the front panel of the host there is a power button and a Type-C connector, on the back there is another Type-C powered with PD 100W. On the front panel of the dock there are 2 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0 and a Jack for headphones and/or microphone, on the back there is a DisplayPort, HDMI and 2 RJ45 (LAN). Everything in moderation, there is no need to scold the manufacturer for the lack of any connector in this case.
The appearance, of course, captivates and pleasantly pleases, but what is inside?
Processor
The Ryzen 5 6600H is both an interesting and controversial solution for a mini PC. On the one hand, the 2022 processor has already established itself as a good option for laptops in the mid-price category and below. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base frequency of 3.3 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.5 GHz.
The built-in AMD Radeon 660M graphics core with a base frequency of 1500 MHz and 1900 MHz in Boost mode in the mini PC looks more like a pleasant surprise than something self-evident. With such a processor, the user has the opportunity not only to watch videos on the popular video hosting in 4K 60 Hz resolution with support for up to three monitors, but also to play not the oldest games.
GTA 5, medium-high settings, Full HD, the average FPS is around 30 frames, which is not bad at all. Not enough staff? You can always lower the graphics settings. For such a baby, the indicators are very bearable.
RDR2, graphics settings - low-medium, Full HD, average FPS - 22-25 frames. Yes, the settings are low, but the game is also very demanding. For a stable high FPS, you will need at least an RTX 3060 or 4060 graphics card at the same resolution and higher settings, there is also a built-in video core.
Why are the capabilities of the processor and video card (in this case, the video core) tested in games? The answer is simple: the game is able to give a variety of loads on both the processor and the video card, depending on the settings and hardware. The same benchmarks show the load "in a vacuum", which can be useless when working with graphics or complex calculations.
On the other hand, the TDP (Thermal Design Power is a parameter that denotes the amount of heat generated by the processor or graphics card) of the processor is 45 watts. Quite an impressive amount of heat in the case with poor ventilation, which needs to be diverted somewhere with just one small cooler.
According to the manufacturer, a specially developed cooling technology is able to dissipate heat from all elements of the mini PC. During the testing of GTA V, the CPU temperature did not rise above 85.8 degrees, the average value was 72.5 degrees. In RDR 2, the maximum CPU temperature was 95 degrees, the average was 74 degrees. Is it a lot or a little? Quite a lot, but it is worth considering the structure of the mini-PC and the size of the cooler that cools the system. Dissipating 45 watts of heat under high load, while maintaining a small case size, is not an easy task, and the manufacturer coped with it. Here is the confirmation from the Furmark test:
Memory
The RAM is 16GB DDR5. The golden mean in terms of volume, combined with an acceptable next-generation memory frequency, will not make the user wait for several minutes to load several tabs in the browser.
Storage - 512 GB M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD accommodates pre-installed Windows 11 Pro and leaves the user with space not only for basic software, but also for a couple of modern games. It is possible to upgrade the drive up to 2 TB. The SSD speed is pleasant: more than 2000 MB/s read and more than 1500 MB/s write.
Wireless Connections
The Ninkear MBOX 6 is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. This ensures fast and stable wireless speeds, which makes this mini PC stand out from the competition. Given the cost of mini-PCs, relatively recent versions of wireless devices look quite expected.
Conclusion
As a result, we get a device that is comfortable enough for work and not the oldest games, and works perfectly out of the box. You only need a monitor and a keyboard with a mouse.
Pros:
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Good processor and integrated video core.
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16GB DDR5 RAM.
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Fast 512GB M.2 SSD upgradable up to 2TB.
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Unusual form factor and design.
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Excellent set of connectors.
Cons:
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High price.
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Weak and noisy cooling.
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There is no way to turn off the backlight.
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Not the best design decision around connectors.