Aim Small, Miss Small: A Deep Dive into the Aoostar N1 Pro Mini PC

Preface

In a world where desk space is a premium, mini PCs are having a moment. But can these diminutive dynamos really deliver? I recently got my hands on the Aoostar N1 Pro, a compact contender packing some surprisingly potent features. With its Intel N150 processor, dual 2.5GbE ports, and a surprising array of connectivity, this tiny PC promises to be more than just a cute addition to your workspace. Let's dive in and see if the Aoostar N1 Pro lives up to the hype.

The Aoostar N1 Pro

First impressions matter, and the Aoostar N1 Pro immediately scores points with its incredibly small size. Seriously, it's tiny!

This makes it perfect for situations where space is limited, whether it's tucked behind a monitor, mounted on the included VESA mount, or even taken on the go. While I won't call it "pretty", the sleek design gets the job done. It seems well-built, though the plastic case does mean that it's very light.

For such a small device, the Aoostar N1 Pro boasts a surprisingly comprehensive selection of ports:

• Dual 2.5GbE Ethernet: This is a notable feature, but its utility is somewhat questionable considering the limitations we'll discuss later.
• USB Abundance: You'll find 3 x USB-A 3.2 ports for all your peripherals, plus a USB-C 3.2 port with DisplayPort Alt Mode for connecting an additional monitor. This USB-C port is great for connecting modern devices and fast data transfers. In addition, The USB-C port supports Power Delivery.
• Video Outputs: HDMI, USB-C Alt DP, and DisplayPort offer flexible display options, meaning you can easily connect to a variety of monitors and displays.

Hardware Overview

The heart of the Aoostar N1 Pro is the Intel N150 processor. This isn't a powerhouse CPU for heavy gaming or video editing, but surprisingly capable for everyday tasks like browsing the web, streaming video, and working with office documents, even hosting a Proxmox virtualization server. The 12GB of LPDDR5 soldered RAM is a good amount for this level of processing power, and it definitely helps with multitasking, but not remotely enough if you want to run lots of VMs, and it is non-upgradable.

The 512GB SATA SSD is sufficient for the operating system and basic applications, but the biggest issue here is the limited storage expansion options. It uses the 2242 form factor for its M.2 slot, which means finding compatible and affordable SSDs can be a challenge. This, combined with the dual 2.5GbE ports, feels like a missed opportunity to create a truly versatile mini-server or NAS device.

The dual 2.5GbE ports are powered by a pair of Intel i226-V NICs, which is assuring. On the wireless side, the Realtek 8821CE Wi-Fi 5 module is a bit of a letdown. It's functional, but Wi-Fi 6 would have been a welcome addition. While the range is good, speeds are nothing to write home about.

Performance Benchmarks

Validation

HWinfo64 marked the platform as “Dual Channel” but in fact it is only single channel.

Geekbench 6

CPU: ST=1230, MT=2703

GPU: 4357

AIDA64 Extreme

RAM Performance

RAM is running at 4400 MT/s, which is stock factory setting. Comparing to the recently reviewed AceMagic V1 Vista equipped with DDR4-2666, the N1 Pro scores are much higher thanks to LPDDR5.

System Benchmarks

AES: 10934 MB/s

Checkmate: 491 MP/s

PhotoWorkxx: 15397 MPixel/s

SHA3: 628 MB/s

zlib: 185 MB/s

PassMark

Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0

Crystal Disk Mark

iperf3 Networking Test

The Intel i226-V NIC performed as expected, reaching 2.35Gbit/s of transfer speed without any tuning.

Thermal Performance

Temperature and frequency data was recorded during a Geekbench 6 benchmark run, with a brief pause between the CPU and GPU tests. Both PL1 (sustained power limit) and PL2 (turbo power limit) were configured at 15W.

The N1 Pro's Intel N150 processor demonstrated impressive single-core performance, nearly reaching its maximum rated clock speed of 3600 MHz during the single-core CPU test. This resulted in a peak temperature of 74 degrees Celsius. During the multi-core testing phase, clock speed fluctuations were more pronounced, with the temperature peaking at 66 degrees Celsius. With a room temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, the CPU reached temperature deltas of 52 degrees (single-core) and 44 degrees (multi-core), respectively.

The cooling fan was clearly audible in my quiet testing environment. However, I believe the fan noise would be easily masked by typical background noise in a normal office setting, rendering it a non-issue for most users.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Extremely compact and portable.
• Dual 2.5GbE Ethernet ports are a major highlight.
• Good selection of USB ports, including USB-C with DP Alt Mode.
• Decent performance for everyday tasks.
• Affordable price.
• LPDDR5 Memory provides higher bandwidth than DDR4 counterparts.

Cons:

• Realtek 8821CE is a very low end NIC.
• SATA SSD instead of NVMe.
• Soldered RAM means no upgrade is possible.
• 2242 M.2 makes the dual 2.5GbE ports feel underutilized. The 2242 form factor drives up price and limits choices.
• Fan noise at load could be annoying in quiet environments.

MCTK Standardized Scoring Engine

The Aoostar N1 Pro achieved an overall score of 58.9 points against the baseline M1 Mac Mini (16GB RAM, 512GB storage) in our standardized testing. While the M1 Mac Mini offers significantly more raw processing power, the N1 Pro excels in value. With a performance-per-dollar score of 0.3951 – 56% higher than the M1 Mac Mini’s 0.2532 – the N1 Pro presents a vastly more compelling value proposition at its $149 price point, especially when compared to used M1 Mac Minis currently selling for around $395 on eBay.

Price and Availability

The Aoostar N1 Pro with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of M.2 SATA SSD is currently selling for $149 on Amazon.

Conclusion

The Aoostar N1 Pro is a surprisingly capable mini PC, offering an appealing combination of features and affordability – albeit with a few significant caveats. Although it won't replace a high-end desktop, it's a solid choice for users seeking a compact and energy-efficient PC for everyday tasks.

The dual Intel i226-V 2.5GbE ports are a standout feature on paper. However, the limited and relatively expensive storage expansion severely restricts its potential, particularly if you envisioned using it as a budget-friendly NAS or server. The lack of upgradability in general is also a key consideration. If you're aware of these limitations and they don't fundamentally conflict with your needs, the Aoostar N1 Pro remains a viable option, especially if you prioritize its small footprint and dual 2.5GbE ports for networking applications. While the limited storage makes it a poor fit as a standalone NAS, the N1 Pro shines as a Proxmox virtual host running lightweight router applications.

Indeed, the Aoostar N1 Pro truly excels in a specific scenario: as a compute node within an existing, robust Network Attached Storage (NAS) ecosystem used for Virtual Machine (VM) storage. In this configuration, the dual 2.5GbE NICs become a significant asset, providing a substantial upgrade over standard Gigabit Ethernet. Consider high-availability (HA) and instant failover scenarios, where VMs require rapid and reliable network connections to seamlessly transition between physical servers in case of failure. The Aoostar N1 Pro, with its dual 2.5GbE interfaces, facilitates a dedicated, high-bandwidth link to your NAS, drastically reducing latency and improving the speed of VM access and migration. This translates to a demonstrably more responsive and reliable virtualized environment. While the limited storage remains a constraint, the N1 Pro transforms into a remarkably effective compute node for these demanding applications when paired with a well-provisioned NAS. Consequently, if you're already invested in a high-performance NAS infrastructure, deploying several Aoostar N1 Pro units in your server rack could be an affordable and efficient path to building a high-availability cluster.