Beelink ME Mini
The Beelink ME Mini represents a significant departure from traditional mini PCs by focusing exclusively on storage density rather than raw computing power. This compact 99mm cube packs six M.2 NVMe slots into a form factor smaller than most routers, enabling up to 24TB of solid-state storage in a device that draws just 7-9 watts at idle. Powered by an Intel N150 processor and featuring dual 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports, the ME Mini targets home users who want to build a quiet, efficient NAS without the complexity and noise of traditional hard drive-based solutions. The partnership with Crucial ensures quality SSDs in pre-configured bundles, while the integrated power supply eliminates the need for an external brick.
Pros and Cons of the Beelink ME Mini
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Six M.2 NVMe slots with up to 24TB total capacity | Five of six slots limited to PCIe 3.0 x1 bandwidth |
| Ultra-compact 99mm cube design fits anywhere | Soldered RAM cannot be upgraded beyond 16GB |
| Dual 2.5 Gigabit ethernet with link aggregation | Intel N150 throttled to 15W, limiting compute tasks |
| Exceptional power efficiency at 6.9W idle | Network bandwidth bottlenecks storage speed |
| Whisper-quiet operation (31-40 dBA) | No 10GbE upgrade path available |
| Integrated power supply eliminates external brick | Higher cost when fully populating all SSD slots |
Beelink ME Mini Comparison Chart
 Beelink ME Mini | Beelink ME Mini | Beelink ME Mini | Beelink ME Mini | |
| Price | List Price: $279 Amazon Prices: Loading prices... | List Price: $289 Amazon Prices: Loading prices... | List Price: $259 Amazon Prices: Loading prices... | List Price: $359 Amazon Prices: Loading prices... |
| Version | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Perfomance Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro |
| Processor | Quad-core 3.60 Ghz Intel Processor N150 | Quad-core 3.60 Ghz Intel Processor N150 | Quad-core 3.60 Ghz Intel Processor N150 | Quad-core 3.60 Ghz Intel Processor N150 |
| GPU | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics |
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Internal Storage | 64 GB | 2 TB | 64 GB | 1 TB |
| Dimensions width x length x thickness | 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.87 inches (99.06 x 99.06 x 98.3 mm) | 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.87 inches (99.06 x 99.06 x 98.3 mm) | 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.87 inches (99.06 x 99.06 x 98.3 mm) | 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.87 inches (99.06 x 99.06 x 98.3 mm) |
| Weight | 1.61 lbs (0.73 kg) | 1.61 lbs (0.73 kg) | 1.61 lbs (0.73 kg) | 1.61 lbs (0.73 kg) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ethernet | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps |
| HDMI | 1 HDMI Port | 1 HDMI Port | 1 HDMI Port | 1 HDMI Port |
| DisplayPort | No DisplayPort | No DisplayPort | No DisplayPort | No DisplayPort |
| VGA | No VGA Ports | No VGA Ports | No VGA Ports | No VGA Ports |
| USB Ports | 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3, 1 USB-C | 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3, 1 USB-C | 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3, 1 USB-C | 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3, 1 USB-C |
| Thunderbolt Ports | No | No | No | No |
| Internal SATA Ports | No SATA ports | No SATA ports | No SATA ports | No SATA ports |
| Card Reader | No Card Reader | No Card Reader | No Card Reader | No Card Reader |
| Headphone Jack | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Fanless | No | No | No | No |
| VESA Mount | No | No | No | No |
| In the Box | Mini PC, Power Cable, HDMI Cable, User Manual (pre-configured models include Crucial SSDs) | Mini PC, Power Cable, HDMI Cable, User Manual (pre-configured models include Crucial SSDs) | Mini PC, Power Cable, HDMI Cable, User Manual (pre-configured models include Crucial SSDs) | Mini PC, Power Cable, HDMI Cable, User Manual (pre-configured models include Crucial SSDs) |
| Expandability | 6x M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots for up to 24TB storage; RAM is soldered and not upgradeable | 6x M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots for up to 24TB storage; RAM is soldered and not upgradeable | 6x M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots for up to 24TB storage; RAM is soldered and not upgradeable | 6x M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots for up to 24TB storage; RAM is soldered and not upgradeable |
Detailed Insights into the Beelink ME Mini
The ME Mini’s design philosophy centers on maximizing storage density while minimizing physical footprint. At just 99 x 99 x 99mm and weighing 730 grams, this device occupies less desk space than a coffee mug yet houses six full-length M.2 2280 drives. The “reverse-chimney” cooling design pulls fresh air through the top of the unit and pushes it downward across the stacked drive trays, maintaining temperatures below 50 degrees Celsius even under sustained load. The 45W internal power supply integrates into the heatsink assembly, contributing to the clean aesthetic and eliminating cable clutter.
Performance reflects the device’s storage-first design philosophy. The Intel N150 processor delivers adequate power for NAS workloads like file serving, media streaming, and running lightweight containers, but Beelink deliberately limits power to 15W to prioritize thermals and longevity. Professional reviewers measured single-core Geekbench 6 scores around 1,150 and multi-core around 2,200, placing it below the more common N100 found in general-purpose mini PCs. This trade-off makes sense for a device intended to run 24/7 serving files rather than transcoding video or running virtual machines.
Connectivity options strike a balance between NAS-focused features and general usability. The dual Intel i226-V 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports support link aggregation for improved throughput to high-speed clients, while WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 provide wireless options when wired connections prove impractical. A single HDMI 2.0 output handles display duties for initial setup or occasional direct access, though most users will manage the device headlessly. The front panel hosts USB-C and USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports for peripheral access, with an additional USB 2.0 port on the rear for keyboards or backup drives.
Reviewer Insights on the Beelink ME Mini
Raid Owl’s Perspective
Raid Owl approached the ME Mini from a home server enthusiast’s viewpoint, praising its exceptional value proposition at the $300 price point. His hands-on testing highlighted the device’s purpose-built NAS design rather than being a repurposed mini PC with storage bolted on. He noted that while the Intel N150 won’t win any performance benchmarks, it handles typical home server tasks like Plex media streaming and file sharing without breaking a sweat. The reviewer particularly appreciated Beelink’s partnership with Crucial, which ensures buyers receive quality branded SSDs rather than generic drives of questionable provenance.
NASCompares Analysis
NASCompares brought deep NAS expertise to their evaluation, emphasizing how the ME Mini fills a gap in the market for users who want SSD-based storage without the complexity of traditional NAS enclosures. Their testing confirmed the 6.9W idle power consumption and measured noise levels between 31-40 dBA depending on load. The review noted that while the PCIe 3.0 x1 limitation on five of six slots restricts individual drive speeds to around 985 MB/s, RAID configurations can still saturate the dual 2.5GbE network connections, making this a reasonable trade-off for the target audience.
Written Review Highlights
According to NAS Compares, the ME Mini earns an impressive 8.8/10 rating, with perfect 10/10 scores for value and 9/10 for build quality. Their in-depth testing revealed that the compact thermal design maintains drive temperatures well within safe operating ranges, with surface temperatures reaching 48-60 degrees Celsius under heavy load without affecting reliability.
Liliputing’s review dove deep into the technical details, confirming that the Intel N150 operates with a 15W power limit on both PL1 and PL2, deliberately trading performance for thermal headroom. Their iperf3 testing measured actual network throughput at 294 MB/s per port, close to the theoretical 313 MB/s maximum of 2.5 Gigabit ethernet. The reviewer’s RAID50 configuration achieved 3,538 MB/s sequential reads internally, though network speeds remain the practical bottleneck for file transfers.
Customer Reviews of the Beelink ME Mini
Amazon customers have responded enthusiastically to the ME Mini, with ratings averaging between 4.3 and 4.9 stars across different configurations. The most praised aspects include the compact form factor that allows the device to blend into home environments rather than requiring dedicated rack space, and the genuinely silent operation compared to traditional hard drive-based NAS units. Many reviewers specifically called out the power efficiency, noting their electricity bills barely registered the 24/7 operation.
Common concerns center on the learning curve for users new to NAS setup and the substantial investment required to fully populate all six drive slots with high-capacity SSDs. Some customers expressed surprise at the PCIe x1 limitation on most slots, though most acknowledged this rarely impacts real-world performance given network bandwidth constraints. A few reviewers wished for more RAM options, as the fixed 12GB or 16GB configurations can limit advanced workloads like ZFS with deduplication enabled.
Conclusion
The Beelink ME Mini carves out a unique niche for users who want the benefits of a dedicated NAS without the noise, bulk, and power consumption of traditional solutions. Its strength lies in providing a complete, purpose-built storage platform that just works out of the box with quality components rather than asking users to piece together a DIY solution. The Intel N150 processor handles file serving, media streaming, and light virtualization tasks adequately, though users with heavy transcoding or compute requirements should look elsewhere.
This device works best for home lab enthusiasts building their first NAS, media collectors who want silent 24/7 operation, and anyone prioritizing power efficiency over raw performance. The dual 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports with link aggregation support provide headroom for multi-user environments, while the six M.2 slots offer a clear upgrade path as storage needs grow. At $259-$359 depending on configuration, the ME Mini delivers remarkable value for those willing to accept its focused feature set.
For those looking to compare options, Starry Hope’s Mini PC Comparison Chart provides a valuable resource for evaluating the ME Mini against other compact computing solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many drives can the Beelink ME Mini hold?
The Beelink ME Mini supports six M.2 NVMe SSDs in 2230, 2242, or 2280 form factors. With current 4TB M.2 drives, this provides up to 24TB of total storage capacity in a device smaller than most routers.
Can the RAM in the ME Mini be upgraded?
No, the LPDDR5 RAM is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. The device is available in 12GB and 16GB configurations, so choose the 16GB variant if you plan to run memory-intensive workloads like ZFS with deduplication.
What operating systems work with the ME Mini?
The ME Mini ships with Windows 11 Pro and supports popular NAS operating systems including TrueNAS, OpenMediaVault, UnRAID, and standard Linux distributions. The 64GB eMMC can hold the OS, leaving all six M.2 slots available for data storage.
How loud is the Beelink ME Mini during operation?
Professional reviewers measured noise levels between 31-34 dBA at idle and up to 40 dBA under heavy load. The all-SSD design eliminates hard drive noise, and the small fan operates quietly enough for placement in living spaces without disturbance.
What is the power consumption of the ME Mini?
The ME Mini draws approximately 6.9-9 watts at idle with drives installed, and peaks around 30 watts under heavy load. This exceptional efficiency makes it cost-effective for 24/7 operation, adding only a few dollars per month to electricity bills.
Are the M.2 slots fast enough for NAS use?
One slot runs at PCIe 3.0 x2 (approximately 1,700 MB/s) while five operate at PCIe 3.0 x1 (approximately 900 MB/s each). While these speeds are slower than modern NVMe standards, they still far exceed the dual 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports, which top out around 600 MB/s combined.
Does the ME Mini support Plex transcoding?
The Intel N150 includes Quick Sync hardware encoding, enabling hardware-accelerated transcoding for a limited number of streams. For direct play or remux content, the ME Mini handles Plex media serving without issue. Heavy simultaneous transcoding will challenge the 15W-limited processor.