ASUS VivoMini UN65 review: This tiny PC packs a big punch

This little box of PC goodness is all many people will ever need from a PC.

ASUS VivoMini

The growth of the small-form-factor PC continues, and where once you'd probably have to go for a barebones kit or a pretty low-powered option, this is no longer true. Thanks to advancements in the PC hardware industry, it's now possible to squeeze an awful lot of performance into a tiny box.

Enter the latest ASUS VivoMini. Beneath its diminutive exterior lies hardware that can give some much more expensive laptops a run for their money. This is one of the beauties of the mini PC. If you don't need, want or have space for a large desktop machine, you have plenty of choices and you don't have to make many compromises.

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ASUS VivoMini tech specs (as tested)

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CategorySpec
OSWindows 10 Pro 64-bit
ProcessorSeventh Gen (Kaby Lake)
Intel Core i5 7200U
Internal storage128GB solid state drive (SSD)
RAM8GB DDR4
GraphicsIntel HD 620
Portsfour USB 3.0 ports, SD card, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, combined 3.5mm headset and microphone
Wireless802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0
Dimensions131 mm x 131 mm x 42 mm
Weight0.6 kg
Price$349

ASUS VivoMini: Inside and out

Unlike some of the larger gaming rigs out there that come in bizarre cases that scream to be looked at, the VivoMini is basically just a box you're probably going to tuck out of sight. That's not a sleight on its appearance, but it's also not really a big deal.

On top you have ASUS's trademark concentric circle pattern, broken only by the company logo. Otherwise, it's just a very dark blue box with rounded edges. It looks smart, at least, so if you're going to have it on show somewhere it won't look out of place. There's not a lot more you can say about it.

It may be small but it's packed with ports.

Most of the stuff you'll be using to connect various items to the VivoMini is hidden around the back, including ports for USB, HDMI and SD cards. There's a front-facing USB, most useful for plugging in a keyboard, and the power button is also on the front side rather than hidden away.

The power button shuts the PC down properly rather than just turning it off, which is a nice touch. Given that a PC like this would be great for a home theater setup, being able to just prod the button and get a proper shutdown is convenient.

What's inside of our review model is the sort of hardware you'd expect to see in a decent laptop. The lineup has been refreshed to add the latest seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" processors from Intel, and this one is running a dual-core i5. For something this small, that's very good, especially because in the past you may have expected an Atom processor in some of these types of PCs.

ASUS VivoMini

That's backed up by 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. ASUS uses an m.2 size drive, but it's probably not the best thing to upgrade because there's no immediately obvious way to get inside it.

The included VESA bracket is a great touch.

Inside the box, you get a VESA mounting kit, which means you can easily attach the VivoMini to the back of a PC monitor or a TV, making yourself a makeshift all-in-one. This kind of PC is ideal to do just that with, and it's great to see ASUS thinking out of the box. The bracket attaches to the bottom of the PC by a couple of screws, and then there are the standard four screws to fix the whole thing to the mounting points on your display.

As it's just a flat bracket, it doesn't impede access to any of the ports or the power button. It's a nice touch, and we give extra points to ASUS for throwing it in.

There is but one mild critique of the overall hardware package: there isn't an optical drive. On this type of PC where there could be some serious home theater (HTPC) thought, there will be plenty of folks who would have preferred to have a Blu-ray drive included.

The software is ... bloaty

ASUS VivoMini

ASUS Vivomini

The VivoMini sadly suffers from the standard ASUS PC problem of being loaded up with far more crapware than anyone should ever have to look at. Getting a popup for McAfee isn't a good experience on any PC, especially one you've literally just set up.

Yes, it's worth money to ASUS but I still feel like it sells out some of the user experience. That's sad, because the hardware is top notch.

Otherwise, you're looking at Windows 10 Home 64-bit, and our review unit updated to the Creators Update at setup. It also came loaded with the Windows 10 upgrade assistant, which if carried over to the retail units is a handy thing to include.

ASUS VivoMini performance

ASUS VivoMini

A gaming PC this is not, nor will it ever be, because there's no chance of using it with an external GPU; it doesn't have Thunderbolt 3. It does have Windows 10, 5GHz Wi-Fi and Ethernet, so it could be a companion device for streaming your Steam library, or even your Xbox One games.

This is a desktop PC for normal desktop PC things, so the bar for performance is somewhat lower. That said, the VivoMini doesn't disappoint, especially considering that it's really quite affordable.

Let's look at some benchmark and performance numbers.

The SSD performance isn't anything outstanding, but it's substantially better than you would get from an HDD. In reality, it boots quickly and for the sort of computing you're doing on a unit like this, more than ample.

For a Core i5 processor the Geekbench numbers call where you'd expect, and if you compare in the table below to some of the best ultrabooks out there, you'll see you're getting quite a lot out of this $349 box.

Geekbench 4.0 Benchmarks (Higher is better)

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CategoryScore
ASUS VivoMiniSingle core: 3,460 | Dual core: 6,200
Surface Book Core i7Single core: 3,948 | Dual core: 7,415
Spectre x360 Core i7Single core: 4,100 | Dual core: 7,469
XPS 13 Kaby Core i7Single core: 4,120| Dual core: 7,829

It's also worth commenting on how quiet the VivoMini is, even during stress. It's impossible to put a large fan inside, but even so, you're not going to sit there pulling your hair out because it's driving you mad with noise. There's an audible fan noise, but it's nothing heavy.

It also stays fairly cool on the top and front, with the excess heat ventilated out of the back of the PC. If you're mounting it to the back of a display, presumably the vents will face down, but be aware that there's a fairly strong amount of heat kicked out.

ASUS VivoMini review: Bottom line

ASUS VivoMini

This type of PC won't appeal to everyone, but it's more appealing than you may have thought. This little box is a huge step up from some of the super-cheap, low-power PCs you might find browsing the pages of Amazon.

This is a perfect option for a HTPC in the living room.

What the VivoMini is, is a proper PC in a little box. There's no corner cutting. You get a good processor, plenty of RAM and storage, and a PC that performs well, is fairly efficient, and takes up very little room.

It's a perfect option for those tight on space, particularly those looking for a HTPC in the living room. OK, there's no optical drive, but the included VESA mount helps take away the sting there.

It's pretty easy to recommend. If you want a smart desktop PC that takes up almost no room, doesn't cost the earth at $349 and performs well, buy one of these. And then quickly remove the bloatware, of course.

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Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

14 Comments
  • needs an ir port to be an HTPC in any of my rooms
  • Amen to that. No HTPC is complete without IR. WiFi remotes, or remote apps, are useful in a pinch but nothing beats the efficiency of a real IR remote control.
  • Nice little box that! Being able to mount it to the back of the TV / Monitor is a great touch
  • I have too many monitors/TVs that wouldn't work for this. If you mount this thing to the VESA holes, you no longer have VESA holes to put the stand back onto, or the VESA wall mount hardware. Lots of Dell monitors have it where the stand clips over the VESA holes, to access them you remove the stand and there is no way to put it back if you use the holes for this. I o have some where you could mount this and still keep the stand, but it isn't the predominant configuration in my house. Just a PSA, if you are looking to build something around this.
  • Over kill for a media streamer but interesting as a mini desktop. $350 for a Core i5 with *GB RAM and a 128GB SSD is pretty good.
  • Anyone here recommend anything different? I have a Kangaroo right now but have been looking at the Azure Byte Plus with 4GB Ram that also has it's own controller you can purchase or buy as a bundle with it.
  • As it has USB port, it's easy to attach an IR
  • Your article is misleading. The $349 is barebones (See your Amazon link) and does not include the hard drive, RAM, or Windows 10 (or the bloatware you discuss). Is there a configured one available?
  • Think again... Look at the spec sheet ;)
  • Product description: Packing a Core i5-7200U processor, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and dual storage design into a 5.1"-square footprint, the barebones VivoMini UN65U-M022M provides a powerful DIY mini-PC foundation. Bring your own storage drives (M.2 or 2.5" SSD), DDR4 SO-DIMM memory (up to 16GB) and OS to create your perfect multi-purpose mini PC.  Supports M.2 2280, a full size 2.5" SSD, and up to 16GB DDR4 Memory (2x SO-DIMM slots)              Where does it say they are included? Question:
    Does this include ram and hard drive ?
    Answer:
    No it doesn't. You have to buy an M.2 SSD or a 2.5" HDD/SSD and a pair of DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM. Question:
    Does this include the Windows 10 OS?
    Answer:
    No.    
  • When this type of tiny pc's are reviewed, nobody talks about the main thing - output video and audio quality in real life use. KODI etc.
  • This Asus VivoMini looks like an upgrade of the PC I use as media PC... (mine has Skylake, and Windows 10 home). Some comments on the article...
    * Does it come with HDMI 1.4, or 2.0 (with support for 4k TV?)
    * On my computer, every now and then the HDMI output (connected to a 55 inch 4k TV) locks up, and then the only thing to do is to restart the machine.
    * Some of the HDMI ports don't work for all types of equipment, e.g., with the USB plug for the Logitech keyboard. I don't know why... I seem to recall that only 2 of the 4 ports work on my computer.
    * Connecting the Logitech keyboard via the USB plug/transceiver... at times the response is sluggish...; the Bluetooth connection works better.
    * HOWEVER... sometimes at Win10 upgrades, the Bluetooth connection is turned off. Problem: then the keyboard (with mouse pad) doesn't work. Because I need a keyboard to log into the computer upon restarts, it is vital to not misplace the USB plug -- which is needed in order to log in so that I can turn on Bluetooth connection with the keyboard. It is still tricky to connect the keyboard; connecting the keyboard via Bluetooth at the same time that it is connected via USB transceiver doesn't work well. So my procedure is...
    1. plug USB transceiver and log in using my Logitech keyboard.
    2. turn on Bluetooth.
    3. pair the computer with a Bluetooth mouse.
    4. unplug the USB transceiver, pair the keyboard via Bluetooth.
    5. when connected, turn off Bluetooth mouse.
    6. make sure that I don't misplace the USB transceiver nor the Bluetooth mouse until the next time I need to connect. All in all, a somewhat clumsy procedure... When I upgrade the media PC, I will probably consider a more powerful computer. One possibility is the Asus VivoPC X. Or perhaps one of the more powerful AMD processors. (And possibly use it as a "workstation" which I can log into remotely, e.g., using a less powerful "always on" PC...). Mine came with Windows 10 Home edition. I would buy the Pro edition next time, and I would at least have 16 GB RAM (but that depends on the use, I guess).
  • How should I remove the bloatware ? Revo uninstaller or clean install ? What do I lose in terms of drivers, in a clean install ?
  • See, I'd love to have a light gaming capable PC in this form factor. Something like that Skull Canyon NUC from Intel. I don't think that's so hard to do. Intel Iris graphics is pretty powerful. I wouldn't use it to play the latest games, though it's pretty capable.