Beelink ME Mini: A Compact NAS Powerhouse with Intel N150 and Six M.2 Slots
Beelink, the producers of their innovative mini PCs, is now taking a bite of the Network Attached Storage (NAS) sector with a fairly intriguing product: the ME Mini. Not just another box, please; a diminutive, cube-shaped behemoth with an Intel Processor N150 (Twin Lake architecture) at its heart and six M.2 slots to accommodate your SSDs. Imagine squeezing as much as 24TB of high-speed NVMe storage into something that takes up little desk space!
It seems like Beelink is calling on their experience, as they were among the first to use this Intel N150 chip in their EQ14 mini PC. The ME Mini takes that frugal processing power and pairs it with storage and connectivity features.
What's Powering this Small Titan?
Let's take a peek at what drives the Beelink ME Mini:
- Processor: Intel Processor N150 quad-core processor that supports up to 3.6 GHz and sips power with a 6W TDP. It also has Intel UHD graphics.
- Memory: It has 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, though there is also a 16GB variant in the works.
- Primary Storage (for OS): There is an onboard 64GB eMMC flash, but you can also boot from one of the M.2 SSDs if you want to, especially for more demanding OSes.
- Expandable Storage: And here's where things get exciting!
- Five M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 x1 slots.
- One M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 x2 slot (this one, SSD4, also supports SATA SSDs and is ideal for the OS drive when not using eMMC).
- A few of them come preinstalled with a 2TB NVMe SSD to get you started on your projects.
- Networking Muscle: Dual 2.5GbE RJ45 connectors (grace of Intel i226V controllers) for speedy wired connections, plus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 using an Intel AX101 module.
- Seeing is Believing: HDMI 2.0 output to drive video out at up to 4Kp60, so it can be used as a media player or light-weight PC.
- Connectivity Ports: You get a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port (data only), and an always-on USB 2.0 port for good measure.
- Cool and Quiet: A passive aluminum heatsink and what Beelink calls a "silent" fan keep the system running cool.
- No Bulky Brick: A touch that's pleasant to see is the built-in 45W power supply (100/240V), meaning there's no bulky brick external power adapter needed.
The ME Mini itself is an extremely compact bit of kit at 99 x 99 x 99 mm (around 3.9 inches cubed) with rubber feet and a bottom air intake. While available in white today, Beelink has talked about future colors potentially being midnight gray and peacock blue.
Software Freedom and Getting Started
Surprisingly, Beelink isn't holding you to a specific operating system. The ME Mini will come without an OS pre-installed, giving you the choice. They say it supports a wide range, including Windows, Linux, Proxmox VE, ESXI, TrueNAS, UNRAID, and media server software like KODI, JellyFin, Plex, and Emby. For minimalist systems, the eMMC flash will suffice, but for the likes of Windows 11, installation on an SSD is recommended.
It comes with the necessary HDMI cable, a region-specific power cable, and a manual. It seems the product was teased a while back in the year, but now with BIOS releases for both RAM types, it's officially coming to users.
Availability and Price Point
The Beelink ME Mini is now available for purchase. The 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 2TB Crucial SSD will sell for $329. That's likely a launch special, as the suggested retail price is slightly higher at $409. That's quite aggressive pricing for a NAS of this capability, especially one that includes a fairly large SSD to start with. Shipping is set to occur around the end of May.
This device seems to be a compelling option for the person who is looking for a dynamic, small, and powerful home NAS or mini-server solution without getting tied into a proprietary environment. The combination of six SSD slots along with solid connectivity in such a small form factor is definitely appealing.
