KAMRUI AK1PLUS Mini PC with Intel Alder Lake N97(up to 3.60 GHz), 16GB RAM 512GB ROM Small Desktop Computer, 4K UHD Mini Computers Support WiFi 6 BT5.2 Dual HDMI LAN on Business Home Office Family-NAS

I recently purchased the KAMRUI AK1PLUS Mini PC and I love it. I’m using it as a home media server, but, it would make an excellent little office PC as well since the system is using Intel’s new N97 CPU.The specs on this mini PC are impressive considering the cost. The PC comes with one of the newest Alder Lake-N series CPU with 4 cores, 6 MB Intel Smart Cache, and clock boosts up to 3.6 GHz with built in UHD graphics. I’ve seen similarly spec’d mini PCs using the N100 or N95 CPUs, which are 10% to 15% slower than the N97. I would definitely go with the N97 over those other CPU’s if you have the option. The system includes 16GB DDR4 ram, a 512GB M.2 SSD, and has an option to add one 2.5” internal SSD. I/O for the system includes 2 x HDMI ports that can run a dual display setup, 1 x 1Gbit RJ45 LAN, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, and one audio-in/out jack; it also has built in WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. One thing I really like about the I/O placement on this little box is how all the connections are in the rear or side of the case; this makes the system look really clean in an entertainment system setup because you don’t have a bunch of wires coming out the front for any peripherals. The case measurements for this mini-PC are 5” x 5” and it is approximately 2” tall. If you don’t need the extra storage from the optional internal SSD, that section of the case can be removed and then in is only 1.25” tall. When the system is on it has a ring of blue led lights that are subtle and not too bright, then, when the machine goes into standby the lights turn red. I really like the touch of lighting.The build quality of this machine is very solid. You can open the optional SSD bay with only 2 screws and effortlessly upgrade the storage if desired. The whole thing weights just a tad less than a pound and you could easily mount it to the back of a monitor with the included Vesa bracket. I could barely hear any fan noise coming from the PC even when running benchmarks that stressed out the CPU. The power draw for this unit was 9W at idle and 18W when running the Cinebench R23 multi-core CPU benchmark.The performance of this mini-PC was great for everything I threw at it including office applications, photo editing and 4K video playback. I even played around with streaming Steam games to it from my gaming machine and it ran smooth without issues; it would make a good replacement for a Steam Link box since Valve doesn’t sell them anymore. Just for reference, I got 1858 on the CPU in Cinebench R23 multi-core benchmark and 704 for single-core benchmark. The WiFi 6 worked great too; through my ASUS RT-AX88U Pro router and a 1GB fiber connection, I was seeing transfer speeds around 900 Mbps in the same room and around 575 Mbps two rooms over about 25 ft away. I ran a benchmark on the NVMe SSD and got a respectable 1630 MB/s reads and 1478 MB/s writes.Overall, the features and performance of AK1PLUS mini-PC are extremely impressive considering its size and cost. If you’re in the market for a snappy little Windows 11 Pro mini-PC that works well and doesn’t break the bank, you really can’t go wrong with this system and I can whole heartedly recommend this one.

The KAMRUI AK1PLUS Mini PC packs a surprising punch despite its small size, with passmark of single core around 2100 this is equal to a high end CPU of around 2015 but its more modern so it can run 4K videos and open multiple browser tabs especially if you use Brave (not chrome). The N97 CPU offers efficient performance for daily tasks, basic photo editing, and can play older game GTA V at 720p or 1080p at low res settings.Setup is easy with included cables and if you have a fast Wi-Fi but I recommend installing a clean Win 11 Pro from scratch. The quiet fan design makes it ideal for living rooms or bedrooms. Upgrading storage is user-friendly with a 2.5" SATA drive bay. While some might miss a USB-C port, the plentiful ports and fast Wi-Fi 6 offer good connectivity but I hope they install a USBC port in future generations of this box and I will definately upgrade then, luckily it has all the ports I need so I dont need to hook up a USBC dongle like I have to do with my regular laptops these days. I would say the AK1PLUS is a good choice for kids school and everyday computing needs, entertainment, and casual gaming at a competitive price, I will be connecting it to my projector for occasional use as media player.

Efficiency Comparison: The comparison between the N97 and the N95 showcases a remarkable 35% increase in efficiency in my testing. This improvement, coupled with an 8% boost in speed and a reduction of 3 watts in power consumption, translates to exceptional performance-per-watt (PPW) ratio, approximately 135.4%. This indicates not only improved performance but also cost-effectiveness in terms of power usage. Hardware Specifications: The inclusion of four cores and cutting-edge technology positions the KAMRUI AK1PLUS The N97 as a high-performing machine, outpacing computers priced significantly higher, even those from just a few years ago. This suggests that users are getting top-tier performance at a fraction of the cost. Bundled Accessories: The inclusion of essential accessories such as a power supply, mounting hardware, and an HDMI cable adds value to the product, ensuring users have everything they need to set up and start using the device right out of the box. Connectivity and IO: While the device offers a great amount of input-output options, the absence of USBC might be seen as a drawback for users who rely heavily on this modern connection standard. However, the provision of fast WiFi compensates for this limitation, ensuring smooth connectivity and data transfer speeds. Performance in Gaming and Media Tasks: The KAMRUI AK1PLUS The N97 proves to be more than capable of handling media tasks and older games like GTAV, surpassing performance levels seen on previous-generation gaming consoles. Its ability to consistently maintain frame rates above 30FPS at 720p resolution makes it a suitable choice for gaming enthusiasts and media center setups. Noise Level and Thermal Management: Despite its powerful performance, the inclusion of a fan ensures that the device operates quietly, making it suitable for use in home theater setups where noise levels need to be minimal. Additionally, the efficient thermal management system ensures stable performance even during prolonged use. User-Friendly Design and Support: The ease of disassembly, with just two screws and a sliding lid, facilitates easy maintenance and upgrades, such as adding a 2.5” SATA drive. Furthermore, while the BIOS interface may appear dated, it offers a plethora of customizable settings, including power management and device configurations, catering to the needs of tech-savvy users.In conclusion, the KAMRUI AK1PLUS The N97 offers a compelling combination of performance, efficiency, and user-friendly features at an affordable price point. With its robust hardware specifications, extensive connectivity options, and exceptional customer support, it proves to be a versatile and reliable computing solution for a variety of use cases, ranging from gaming to multimedia tasks.Good for office work, media consumption and PS3 era gamingThe N97 35% more efficient than the N95 in my testing.. 8% faster and 3watts less. = (1.083 * 15) / 12≈ 135.4% PPW.As it has four cores and runs on brand new technology its much faster than computers of 3x the price, several years ago.Comes bundled with a power supply, mounting hardware and a HDMI cable.Great amount of IO, sadly this model is missing USBC however.Very fast wifi.Great for media centre, older games such as GTAV and any office tasks…GTAV is able to stay consistently above 30FPS@720p so it performs better, than it did on the PS3 and xbox360.Personally use it in my home theater room.It does have a fan but its only a 30w PC so its quieter than any console and most computers.The customer support is amazing.Easy disassembly only two screws on the bottom and then a lid slides off, revealing a sata drive bay(which can fit a 2.5” drive).The bios looks dated but has many power and device settings.

If you're looking for a compact PC to connect to your TV for watching videos or casual use, this mini PC is a great option! I like its sleek design and portability, making it perfect for entertainment setups where space is limited. It's easy to hook up directly to your TV, and I love the LED lighting that gives it a gaming PC look.In terms of specs, it packs quite a punch for its size. With 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an N97 processor (up to 3.6GHz), I think it can handle multitasking, casual gaming, and streaming. It also comes with Wi-Fi support and two HDMI ports, making it convenient if you want to use multiple screens or keep things flexible with your home setup.I’ve been using it primarily for streaming videos in 4K directly to my TV, and I’m happy to say it handles it without a hitch—no lag or stuttering whatsoever! I also played some games from the Microsoft Store, and while it's not a high-end gaming rig, it handled the small games pretty well. The Wi-Fi performance has been stable, and I love how compact and sleek it is, making it easy to tuck away near the TV. I haven’t tried running heavy programs yet, but it feels like it has the power to manage a fair bit of productivity work too.All in all, this mini PC has been an excellent addition to my home entertainment setup. If you're looking for a budget-friendly, compact PC for streaming or casual use, I’d recommend it!

Avoid this device and this company. I previously wrote a 3 star review which has since magically disappeared. For 3 star it was mostly positive. Good form factor, love the size, love the built in bay for the extra SSD and the simple wall mount bracket made this fit behind my big screen tv snugly but well. Overall performance was not too shabby for something I got for $175 on a sale which was quite a bit off list price. Like I said, mostly positive and then first 2 out of 3 problems appeared very quickly. As other reviewer note, there is a weird amount of feedback coming from the sound port when using speakers - totally random - soft thumping noises and clicky noise glitches. As I use blue tooth headphones most of the time it was rarely an issue and I could have ignored this. The 2nd problem is more bothersome. The screen just randomly blacks out - can happen within minutes of start up, or hours into use. Generally with streaming video and I've tried multiple web bousers. It seems to happen in spurts and at times makes it impossible to see the screen to even reboot which only occasionally seems to help. I've checked every setting I can think of nothing is mis-set that I can find and I've backed down the video quality well below my internet capacity and it still happens. Those were the issues I covered in my first review, which brought on the 3rd problem. Their customer service reached out after seeing my review, and offered a full refund. They said these are not typical problems - which after reading other reviews is not the case. All they asked me to do was to reply with Full Refund. I debated it and then realized the problems are getting worse and decided I'd cut my losses and accept the refund so I replied Full Refund. "Radio silence" from them then. After reaching back out they said I'd have to contact their finance department for a refund and to make sure I wrote down the order number in my reply which was right in the message from them, weird. The hemmed and stalled and told me it wasn't what they do, and I kept reminding them they made the offer! Got quiet again and I reached out and asked them if they were going to follow up and they then said I have to send the device back at my expense and they would then issue me a refund after they received it and checked it over. Mind you it took hours to get all my software on this, and mount it behind my big screen tv - load in all our photos and data and so now to have to pay them to take back their junk after they offered a full refund smelled wrong. This went back and forth for days, finally when I realized I've got to replace this thing one way or another I gave them a counter offer. I told them if they would send me a working replacement with a return shipping label, within 72 hours of opening the package and verifying that it worked correctly I would wipe my data off the defective one and return ship it to them in the packaging the replacement came in. I also said I would edit and fairly describe the experience. Crickets, completely ghosted me now. So when I just now went to edit my review with my absolute dissatisfaction with how they handle customer service this is when I discovered my first review was gone. This will be reported to Amazon and I will be buying another brand of mini PC that works. Ironically I need 3 of them in the near future and guess who is not getting the business? Outrageous!