30 seconds rating
The GTi11 is Beelink’s most powerful Intel-based mini PC and it struggles to tip the price-performance ratio favorably towards it, mainly because it doesn’t offer the only major advantage an Intel platform can currently offer, Thunderbolt 4 Simple. said, Beelink’s AMD-based workstations offer much more bang for the buck, albeit at a slightly higher premium.
That doesn’t mean the GTi11 is a bad product, far from it. It’s powered by one of Intel’s fastest quad-core mobile processors, has a generous amount of memory and storage plus some great features like dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, support for 8K video, a fingerprint reader, dual microphones and much more.
The problem is, Beelink offers the same PC for a small premium, but with an AMD Ryzen 9 4900H, a CPU that’s nearly twice as powerful as the Core i5 in the GTi 11, destroying it in most benchmarks. This makes it unlikely to be a best workstation (opens in new tab) list unless you are committed to using Intel.
Beelink GTi11: prices and availability
The Beelink GTi11 sells for $599 (opens in new tab) (about £480, UA$835) direct from the manufacturer’s website, this price does not include delivery, as well as postage and delivery charges which may be levied by customs and courier. There is only one configuration of the GTi11, one with 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD.
Beelink GTi11: Design
Beelink used the same reference system for the GTi as for the GTR4 and the GTR5 except the processor. Economies of scale matter at this end of the market, where margins are small. Not that it bothers us. This chassis is a well thought out; lots of holes for optimal air circulation, a blue metal finish to aid heat dissipation and the chamfered edges enhance the premium look of the product.
On the back are two Intel-powered 2.5GbE LAN ports, a barrel-type power connector, one HDMI 2.0 port, one full-size DisplayPort, two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports. The front houses the power button, a clear CMOS one, two USB 3.0 ports, an audio jack and a Type-C connector. We’re clearly disappointed by the lack of Thunderbolt 4 ports, which is a serious omission for such a promising platform.
At the top is the Beelink logo – which lights up when turned on – and a fingerprint scanner. At 120 x 168 x 39mm, the GTi was good compared to other NUC-style mini PCs that generally have a smaller footprint but a thicker profile.
Beelink GTi11: Hardware
Specifications:
CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7
GPU: Iris Xe
RAM: 16
Storage: 512
Connectivity: Intel AX201
The Intel Core i5-1135G7 CPU at its heart is a popular choice for both mainstream laptops and mini PCs, especially since the Iris Xe GPU is significantly better than previous-generation models. It has four cores and eight threads, a fairly high TDP of 28W (which explains why there is enough active cooling in the GTi) and 8MB cache.
The rest are slightly different from the models we tested earlier that use the same chassis. Our test PC had 16GB of Kingston brand DDR4 3200 RAM (in dual channel mode) and 512GB SSD, a Kingston SA2000M8500G model. However, wireless connectivity is handled by Intel’s own AX201, which is limited to WiFi-6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
It’s worth noting that the GTi, like its siblings, has generous internal expansion options. You can add a second SSD and a 2.5-inch SATA SSD/HDD. There aren’t many accessories in the box either; there is a wall power adapter, two HDMI cables, manuals and a wall bracket.
Beelink GTi11: Performance
The GTi’s overall performance is almost commendable. Don’t get me wrong, this little powerhouse will perform admirably with WIndows 11 Pro – the default operating system – especially since there’s no bloatware sucking the performance. But there’s only so much a quad-core processor can do, even with a pretty good GPU.
The Iris Xe proved to be more than a match for the Radeon GPU that comes with the Ryzen 7 4800U (as tested in the Beelink SER4) but that’s about it. It should be more than adequate for AAA games played at low resolutions (eg Full HD) on low settings.
The Intel Core i5-1135G7 is competitive with AMD’s 4xxx series when it comes to single-thread performance, but the latter pulls away easily on multi-thread. The storage subsystem performance was surprisingly good, outperforming the Kingston SNVS500G in the SER5 by a healthy 20 percent in Anvil Pro, a popular storage benchmark.
The lack of additional cores explains why it lags significantly behind Beelink’s other AMD-based offerings on Blender and Cinebench, both benchmarks that push the processor to its limits. Speaking of which, the fans are making themselves heard when under pressure, which was the case during the benchmarks.
Should I buy the Beelink GTi11?
Buy it if:
You want the closest alternative to an Intel NUC. This is probably the only reason why you want to buy this Intel based mini PC. That and probably if your budget can’t go beyond $599.
Don’t buy it if:
You are looking for a mini PC with the best value for money. Beelink and others offer better deals, thanks to the increased availability of faster AMD-based mini PCs at comparable prices.
Also consider:
The obvious rival of the GTi11 is the GTR4 (opens in new tab) which costs $40 more and offers nearly double the CPU performance. It really is a no-brainer, especially as it keeps the best bits (dual 2.5GbE LAN, fingerprint reader) and adds a few more (WiFi-6E, Bluetooth 5.2) as well as a 32GB option for those who need even more memory for their work processes.
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