The Z is named after the volume of the mini PC, which is at zero. The 100, on the other hand, stands for the built-in processor – the Intel N100, which is popular in inexpensive mini PCs. Together with 16 GB of main memory (RAM) and 512 GB of storage (SSD), it delivers an extremely solid overall package, especially for a silent mini PC. When it comes to processing, you don’t mess around. What’s more, it’s more than fairly priced. The standard price at Geekmaxi is 289 euros. With our coupon KTW5WIKT You can now get the Minix Z100 for 259 euros.
We received the Minix Z100 from Geekmaxi.
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Highlights of the Minix Z100
Good, fanless cooling USB-C with image transmission is available Stable metal housing External WLAN antennas Fast SSD RAM & SSD replaceable CMOS battery easily accessible Power plug with replaceable plug types
What are the features of the Minix Z100?
The Minix Z100 uses the Intel N100 we already know from many other affordable mini PCs – a quad-core processor with four threads and a maximum of 3.4 GHz. With a TDP of just 6 watts, it is ideal for a passively cooled mini PC, but its performance is correspondingly discreet. It is a descendant in the spirit of the less powerful Celeron series, but in comparison it is a good leap stronger and more efficient.
In addition, a RAM bar with 16 GB according to the DDR4-3200 standard is used, which can be exchanged as a SODIMM module (maximum 32 GB), but only runs in single-channel mode. Dual channel (two RAM sticks) usually accelerates overall performance. We are also satisfied with the speed of the 512 GB PCIe 4.0 SSD (M.2-2280), which achieved solid values of 2062 MB/s (read) and 1590 MB/s (write) when tested in the Crystaldiskmark storage benchmark ) comes. It is easily accessible in the housing and has a separate heat sink. A maximum of 4 TB can be used here.
The range of connections also pleased us, as not only are two HDMI 2.1 ports (4K at 60 Hz) used, but also a USB-C port that even supports image transmission. This means you can use up to three screens. The single LAN port is connected with 2.5 GBit, but a second one would be necessary for use as a firewall appliance. This means that the Mini PC cannot be used for this purpose ex works without an adapter (guide).
The use of modern wireless interfaces, such as Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, is nice. The WLAN card is replaceable and connected to the two connections for the external antennas. This means that despite the thick aluminum housing, a perfect WLAN connection is possible; the signal is not blocked by the housing itself – well thought out.
What does the Minix Z100 do?
With its solid, but weaker Intel N100 processor, the Minix Z100 doesn’t blow our minds. The benchmark results are not particularly high, although around 3210 points in PCmark 10 are not bad. This value is significantly better than similar but older processors in the Celeron series, which achieve around 2200 to 2500 points. A lot can be done with the performance of the Minix Z100; the performance offered is completely sufficient for home office applications. The 16 GB RAM makes working on the mini PC really fun. However, you should say goodbye to graphic-heavy tasks such as rendering or newer games – silent mini PCs are not the right thing here.
As usual from Intel, the integrated graphics (iGPU) is a major weak point. The 3Dmark Time Spy benchmark provides proof of this. Here the system achieves a total score of 366 points. The graphics unit is clearly below this at 320 points, while the pure CPU performance is much better at 2036 points. For mini PCs around 300 euros with integrated graphics units from AMD, such as the Ouvis AMR5 (test report), this comes to over 1200 points – a completely different world. In the interest of fairness, it should also be said that these mini PCs are not passively cooled, but it is still a finding. In the cross-platform benchmark Geekbench, the system scores 1218 points in single-core and 3047 points in multi-core. For comparison: A Raspberry Pi 5 with an ARM chip only scores 679 points (single-core) and 1375 points (multi-core).
The pre-installed Windows 11 Pro comes with the typical bloatware apps that Microsoft now adds to its operating system as standard, such as Spotify & Co. The setup takes a little longer due to numerous updates. A full virus scan with Windows Defender, carried out after all security and system patches have been completed, ends without any abnormalities.
Mini PC Minix Z100: connections & housing
Mini PC Minix Z100: connections & housings
How loud is the Minix Z100?
Volume is an extremely important and underestimated criterion for mini PCs. For some people the whistling sound of a fan is calming, for others it’s an annoying nonsense. In any case, there are places where silence is essential. With the Minix Z100 you now get a silent mini PC without too many compromises, the volume is at zero.
The entire aluminum housing acts as a large heat sink and dissipates heat very well. There are also numerous fine slats on the top that significantly expand the cooling surface. These provide a big advantage: In contrast to the CSL Narrow Box (test report), the Minix Z100 does not throttle the processor speed (thermal throttling) even after hours in Prime95 – which speaks for a better cooling solution. This is mainly due to the choice of material for the housing, because CSL only uses plastic, which dissipates heat more poorly.
After more than two hours, the housing is so hot at over 70 degrees that you can almost fry fried eggs on it. This is not a problem for the processor, the chips can even handle temperatures over 100 degrees – but in the Minix we measure a maximum of 88 degrees anyway. A hot case may be uncomfortable for your hands, but it is clearly desirable for heat dissipation on a passively cooled mini PC.
Of course, the more complex design of a passive cooling system increases the purchase price significantly. Air-cooled mini PCs with the same features are available for less than 180 euros, but depending on the model you have to live with a more or less loud wheezing noise. Here is the Minix Z100 with 259 euros (code KTW5WIKT) a clear upward swing, but extremely fairly priced for a silent mini PC. Asus also supplies the N100 in the Asus Expert Center PN42 (test report) at a similar price, but only with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. In addition, the same processor in the Asus PC performs significantly worse in the benchmark with 2700 points. That speaks for the Minix Z100.
What else did we notice about the Minix Z100?
The workmanship of the housing is impeccable, the black aluminum immediately creates a high-quality impression. Minix has designed the accessibility extremely well, so that RAM and SSD can be easily replaced. Another special feature is that the CMOS battery is also easily accessible for the BIOS – should it ever need to be replaced. The unscrewable WLAN antennas ensure better reception despite the thick heat sink and do not get in the way during transport. You can also adjust it so that the connection is optimal.
However, the thick cooler results in a comparatively enormous weight of 1.3 kg. No mini PC in our tests has ever been this heavy. When it comes to case dimensions, the Minix Z100 is on average at 123 x 120 x 46 millimeters.
How much does the Minix Z100 cost?
The normal price at Geekmaxi is 289 euros. With our coupon KTW5WIKT You can get the Minix Z100 there for now 259 Euro.
On Amazon you pay a little more at 280 euros. So if you are willing to order from a shop from the Far East, you can save. However, the American shipping giant may have advantages in terms of invoicing and customer support.
What alternatives to the Minix Z100 are there?
If you are looking for more performance for similar money, you can get a Ryzen 7 5700U with a much more powerful iGPU for the Ouvis AMR5 (test report) for currently 295 euros (code NNNDEOVR57). However, you have to live with a fan there, which is also not the quietest. The Blackview MP80 (test report) is even cheaper than the Minix Z100 with similar performance and is extremely quiet for a fan-powered computer, starting at around 166 euros (code OPTIMAL).
Conclusion
With the Minix Z100 we have a silent mini PC on which everything is perfect. Workmanship, cooling capacity and performance give no cause for disappointment. The performance is in the upper average range of typical home office computers, and you shouldn’t expect anything more. There are clear deficits, especially when it comes to graphics, which is not something you should expect from a silent mini PC. But if you want it to be silent, you’ll pay a surcharge, even from Far East manufacturers like Minix – passive cooling is significantly more complex. However, among the fanless mini PCs, it is one of the fairly priced models. Overall, we are extremely satisfied and can recommend the computer with a clear conscience.
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