Beelink’s EQi13 Pro arrives as a pragmatic mid‑range Windows 11 Pro mini PC that squeezes a 13th‑Gen Intel Core i5‑13500H into a compact, user‑serviceable chassis with dual M.2 PCIe Gen4 slots, dual HDMI outputs and dual Gigabit Ethernet — and CNX Software’s thorough Part 2 tests show the machine delivers solid everyday performance, very good NVMe and USB throughput, excellent Wi‑Fi 6 realtime throughput, and quiet acoustics, while exposing the predictable thermal and power trade‑offs of stuffing a mobile H‑series CPU into a small enclosure. (bee-link.com)
Beelink positions the EQi13 Pro as an affordable, office‑focused mini PC built around the Intel Raptor Lake‑H mobile platform. Core SKUs use either the Intel Core i5‑13500H (12 cores / 16 threads) or the Core i7‑13620H, paired with two SODIMM DDR4 slots and dual M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 x4 sockets. Beelink’s spec sheet lists a compact metal case, an internal 85 W AC power supply, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a front 10 Gbps USB‑C, three 10 Gbps USB‑A ports and a single USB 2.0 A port, plus dual GbE and an Intel AX200 Wi‑Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.x combo. (bee-link.com)
Technical verification: the Intel Core i5‑13500H is a 12‑core (4 P‑cores + 8 E‑cores), 16‑thread Raptor Lake‑H mobile processor rated at 45 W base power with a max turbo frequency up to 4.7 GHz, and it includes Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics with 80 EUs on i5 variants. These CPU details match Intel’s product listing and independent CPU databases. (ark.intel.com, techpowerup.com)
Context: vendors commonly use H‑series laptop chips to hit a performance sweet spot for compact desktops — boosting single‑ and multi‑thread responsiveness versus Atom/Celeron mini PCs, while trading off desktop‑class sustained power, Thunderbolt/USB4, and multi‑gigabit Ethernet that are typically absent in aggressive budget designs. Beelink’s EQi13 Pro sits in that “lower mid‑range” mini‑PC tier by design and price.
Why this matters: dual user‑accessible M.2 slots and SODIMM sockets are rare value levers in this price band — they let buyers expand storage and RAM affordably without sacrificing the compact footprint. The internal PSU is a convenience (no external brick) but increases idle power draw, a trade‑off discussed later.
Quick caution for mixed‑OS users: while Intel components generally enjoy good Linux support, CNX plans a follow‑up Ubuntu 24.04 compatibility test; prospective buyers running Linux should validate drivers and firmware for integrated Intel graphics and Wi‑Fi on their exact SKU before deployment.
Practical takeaway: high‑speed external drives hit expected limits on the marked 10 Gbps ports; verify port labelling before connecting mission‑critical storage to avoid surprises.
Wireless: with a Xiaomi Mi Router AX6000 in the test setup, the review recorded ~1.52 Gbps download and ~1.73 Gbps upload over Wi‑Fi 6, measured by iperf3 at close range (~1 m). The Intel AX200 module supports 2×2 160 MHz operation with theoretical PHY rates up to ~2.4 Gbps on ideal channels; the reviewer’s numbers are credible real‑world results given router, channel, driver and environment constraints. Intel’s AX200 documentation and third‑party module pages confirm the AX200 is rated for ~2.4 Gbps peak with 160 MHz channels. (alfa.com.tw, en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com)
Takeaway: Wi‑Fi 6 performance here actually outpaced single‑GbE for local transfers, showing the practical value of a modern AX200 radio — but expect real throughput to depend heavily on router capability, channel width, and distance.
Acoustics: the EQi13 Pro’s fan is quieter than many actively cooled mini PCs in CNX’s experience. Measured sound levels were ~39–40 dBA at idle/light load, rising to 41–46 dBA under 3DMark Fire Strike load when measured about 5 cm above the case — audible in a quiet room but unobtrusive in normal office environments.
Power consumption: measured wall‑meter draws were:
Practical implication: Beelink’s conservative power limits keep temperatures and noise down, improving longevity and user comfort — but at the cost of peak burst performance. Power/PL tweaks (if comfortable and thermally supported) or operating in cooler ambient temperatures will raise sustained throughput; vendors often tune PL1/PL2 conservatively inside small chassis.
If your priorities are a quiet office workstation, expandable internal storage, and strong everyday responsiveness at a sub‑$500 price, the EQi13 Pro is a solid value. If you require sustained high CPU/GPU throughput for long renders, Thunderbolt/USB4 docking, or multi‑gigabit wired LAN out of the box, consider stepping up to a chassis with more advanced cooling and connectivity or choosing an alternative SKU.
Beelink’s online store shows competitive starting prices for the EQi13 Pro (listings around $399–$479 depending on configuration), while retail channels such as Amazon may list specific SKUs around the $429 mark referenced in CNX’s review sample sales note — pricing and promotions vary, so confirm the latest SKU price for your region at purchase time. (bee-link.com)
This technical evaluation combines CNX Software’s Part 2 hands‑on measurements with vendor specifications and independent component datasheets (Intel, WD, USB‑IF) to validate the EQi13 Pro’s claims and surface practical considerations for buyers seeking a compact, Windows 11 Pro mini PC optimized for office productivity, content editing at modest scales, and flexible internal expansion.
Source: CNX Software Beelink EQi13 Pro Review - Part 2: A mid-range Intel Core i5-13500H mini PC tested with Windows 11 Pro - CNX Software
Background / Overview
Beelink positions the EQi13 Pro as an affordable, office‑focused mini PC built around the Intel Raptor Lake‑H mobile platform. Core SKUs use either the Intel Core i5‑13500H (12 cores / 16 threads) or the Core i7‑13620H, paired with two SODIMM DDR4 slots and dual M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 x4 sockets. Beelink’s spec sheet lists a compact metal case, an internal 85 W AC power supply, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a front 10 Gbps USB‑C, three 10 Gbps USB‑A ports and a single USB 2.0 A port, plus dual GbE and an Intel AX200 Wi‑Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.x combo. (bee-link.com)Technical verification: the Intel Core i5‑13500H is a 12‑core (4 P‑cores + 8 E‑cores), 16‑thread Raptor Lake‑H mobile processor rated at 45 W base power with a max turbo frequency up to 4.7 GHz, and it includes Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics with 80 EUs on i5 variants. These CPU details match Intel’s product listing and independent CPU databases. (ark.intel.com, techpowerup.com)
Context: vendors commonly use H‑series laptop chips to hit a performance sweet spot for compact desktops — boosting single‑ and multi‑thread responsiveness versus Atom/Celeron mini PCs, while trading off desktop‑class sustained power, Thunderbolt/USB4, and multi‑gigabit Ethernet that are typically absent in aggressive budget designs. Beelink’s EQi13 Pro sits in that “lower mid‑range” mini‑PC tier by design and price.
What’s in the box, build and serviceability
The retail kit is simple: the EQi13 Pro unit, a mains cable (internal PSU design), a basic HDMI cable, and minimal documentation. CNX’s teardown shows the bottom cover provides access to two SODIMM sockets, two M.2 2280 slots (one populated in the review sample), and the M.2 2230 Wi‑Fi card. Beelink warns against opening the integrated power supply; the internal layout is user‑upgradable for RAM and storage but not meant for casual mains‑side repairs.Why this matters: dual user‑accessible M.2 slots and SODIMM sockets are rare value levers in this price band — they let buyers expand storage and RAM affordably without sacrificing the compact footprint. The internal PSU is a convenience (no external brick) but increases idle power draw, a trade‑off discussed later.
Windows 11 Pro: software, drivers and initial setup
The reviewed unit shipped with Windows 11 Pro 24H2 and 32 GB DDR4‑3200 (two 16 GB modules). Device manager, HWiNFO and GPU‑Z in the CNX tests reported the expected platform components: Intel i5‑13500H, Intel Iris Xe (80 EUs), Intel AX200 Wi‑Fi card and two Realtek RTL8168/8111 GbE controllers. Windows setup and driver availability were problem‑free for the reviewer’s Windows desktop use‑case.Quick caution for mixed‑OS users: while Intel components generally enjoy good Linux support, CNX plans a follow‑up Ubuntu 24.04 compatibility test; prospective buyers running Linux should validate drivers and firmware for integrated Intel graphics and Wi‑Fi on their exact SKU before deployment.
Benchmarks and real‑world performance (Windows 11 Pro)
CNX conducted an extensive test pass under “Best performance” Windows power mode in a warm room (27–29°C). Key results from that test run include:- PCMark 10: 5,743 points (complete system daily productivity weighting).
- 3DMark Fire Strike: 4,290 points (CPU+GPU stress).
- PassMark PerformanceTest 11: 4,734 overall; Disk Mark scored highly driven by the NVMe SSD.
- Cinebench R23: Single‑core 1,692; Multi‑core 10,594 (approx 6.26× MP ratio).
- Unigine Heaven 4.0: ~45.2 fps at 1920×1080.
NVMe storage: real throughput versus spec
The EQi13 Pro’s spare PCIe Gen4 x4 slot accepted a WD_BLACK SN850X 2 TB drive with measured sequential throughput of ~6,930 MB/s read and ~6,684 MB/s write in the reviewer’s CrystalDiskMark runs — very close to the SN850X’s published Gen4 limits. Western Digital’s official specs list up to 7,300 MB/s read and up to ~6,300–6,600 MB/s write depending on capacity, validating the reviewer’s numbers and demonstrating that the EQi13 Pro exposes a real PCIe Gen4 x4 lane in that slot. (westerndigital.com, techpowerup.com)USB ports: measured speeds and standard compliance
CNX tested each front and rear USB 3.x port with a high‑performance NVMe enclosure and recorded read/write peaks of roughly 1,060 MB/s on the front USB‑A and USB‑C Gen2 ports — consistent with USB 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps) real‑world limits. The rear “USB‑A #3” port behaved at ~44 MB/s, confirming it is a USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) port despite its identical physical appearance to the faster A‑type ports on the unlabelled retail unit. USB‑IF’s USB 3.2 spec defines the 10 Gbps Gen2 (SuperSpeedPlus) class and explains why practical throughput sits around the observed 1,000–1,100 MB/s on sustained transfers. (usb.org, tomshardware.com)Practical takeaway: high‑speed external drives hit expected limits on the marked 10 Gbps ports; verify port labelling before connecting mission‑critical storage to avoid surprises.
Video playback: 4K and 8K YouTube testing
CNX validated web playback in Firefox and Chrome using a 4K monitor. Findings were:- 4K @ 30 fps and 4K @ 60 fps streams played cleanly with zero frame drops in Firefox.
- 8K @ 30 fps streamed smoothly in Firefox with only a single dropped frame during a >5 minute test.
- 8K @ 60 fps was not viable in Firefox (thousands of dropped frames). However, Chrome handled the same 8K 60 fps stream much better, with only a few dropped frames over five minutes. The reviewer attributes the Firefox failure to memory bandwidth / decoding pipeline limits and notes that switching to Chrome improved 8K60 playback.
Networking: dual Gigabit Ethernet and Wi‑Fi 6 performance
Wired: both Realtek GbE ports produced sustained ~940–950 Mbps iperf3 transfers in both upload and download directions across 60‑second tests — exactly what you’d expect from properly functioning Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.Wireless: with a Xiaomi Mi Router AX6000 in the test setup, the review recorded ~1.52 Gbps download and ~1.73 Gbps upload over Wi‑Fi 6, measured by iperf3 at close range (~1 m). The Intel AX200 module supports 2×2 160 MHz operation with theoretical PHY rates up to ~2.4 Gbps on ideal channels; the reviewer’s numbers are credible real‑world results given router, channel, driver and environment constraints. Intel’s AX200 documentation and third‑party module pages confirm the AX200 is rated for ~2.4 Gbps peak with 160 MHz channels. (alfa.com.tw, en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com)
Takeaway: Wi‑Fi 6 performance here actually outpaced single‑GbE for local transfers, showing the practical value of a modern AX200 radio — but expect real throughput to depend heavily on router capability, channel width, and distance.
Thermals, fan noise and power consumption
Thermals: 3DMark Fire Strike and Cinebench R23 multi‑core runs drove CPU package temperatures into the mid‑80s°C (peaks of 84–88°C), with thermal throttling detected briefly under Fire Strike and for longer periods under sustained Cinebench load. Intel lists the CPU maximum operating temperature (Tjmax) at 100°C for the i5‑13500H, and Beelink appears to apply conservative PL/thermal limits in this chassis to protect longevity and control acoustics. CNX’s HWiNFO snapshots reported PL1/PL2/PL4 in the sample set to 35 W / 35 W / 65 W, which is lower than the CPU’s Intel Ark listed Processor Base Power 45 W and Maximum Turbo Power 95 W; that discrepancy looks to be Beelink’s thermal/power tuning for a compact chassis and was observed by the reviewer via monitoring tools. The Intel Ark listing verifies the CPU’s base/max power specs; the EQi13 Pro’s lower runtime limits are reviewer measurements and may vary by firmware. (ark.intel.com)Acoustics: the EQi13 Pro’s fan is quieter than many actively cooled mini PCs in CNX’s experience. Measured sound levels were ~39–40 dBA at idle/light load, rising to 41–46 dBA under 3DMark Fire Strike load when measured about 5 cm above the case — audible in a quiet room but unobtrusive in normal office environments.
Power consumption: measured wall‑meter draws were:
- Power off: ~2.0 W
- Idle: ~10.9–12.3 W (notably high for a mini PC)
- Video playback (YouTube 8K60 in Firefox): ~32–34.3 W
- Cinebench R23 multi‑core: ~62.4–64.2 W
Practical implication: Beelink’s conservative power limits keep temperatures and noise down, improving longevity and user comfort — but at the cost of peak burst performance. Power/PL tweaks (if comfortable and thermally supported) or operating in cooler ambient temperatures will raise sustained throughput; vendors often tune PL1/PL2 conservatively inside small chassis.
How the EQi13 Pro stacks up against similar sub‑$500 mini PCs
CNX compared the EQi13 Pro (i5‑13500H) with two sub‑$500 competitors: the GEEKOM Mini IT12 (i7‑1280P) and the GEEKOM A6 (Ryzen 7 6800H). Key summary points from that comparison:- The EQi13 Pro is the cheapest of the three but offers competitive day‑to‑day responsiveness and a very good Cinebench multi‑core score relative to its cost.
- The AMD‑based GEEKOM A6 leads in 3D and GPU‑heavy workloads (Radeon 680M) and generally offers higher 3DMark/Unigine scores. The Intel i7‑1280P sample edges the EQi13 Pro in some CPU and graphics marks but at a higher price point.
Strengths, weaknesses and risk profile
- Strengths
- Great value for an H‑series mini PC: 12‑core i5 Raptor Lake performance at a sub‑$500 street price.
- Dual M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 slots: real Gen4 throughput validated with fast NVMe drives.
- Excellent USB 3.2 Gen2 throughput on marked ports and a front USB‑C 10 Gbps data port.
- Very good Wi‑Fi 6 performance with the Intel AX200 module, often beating a single GbE link in close‑range tests.
- Quiet fan profile relative to other actively cooled mini PCs.
- Weaknesses / Risks
- No Thunderbolt/USB4 or DP Alt‑Mode on the USB‑C port — two HDMI 2.0 ports are the only video outputs, limiting single‑cable docking workflows.
- Only dual Gigabit Ethernet, not 2.5/10 GbE — inadequate for multi‑gig NAS or high throughput wired workflows without external adapters.
- DDR4 memory — fine for most workloads, but memory bandwidth limits are visible in extreme scenarios (8K60 browser playback stress).
- Relatively high idle power draw (~11–12 W) for a mini PC; a deployment with many units or continuous operation will incur higher energy costs.
- Potential thermal throttling under prolonged heavy loads — the small chassis and Beelink’s conservative PL limits lead to occasional thermal throttling on sustained CPU+GPU stress.
Practical recommendations
- For maximum, sustained CPU throughput: consider reducing ambient room temperature and, if comfortable and aware of warranty implications, exploring BIOS/firmware power‑limit adjustments — but measure thermals closely. The i5‑13500H’s Intel Ark entries show a 45 W base with higher configurable turbo power, so headroom exists if the chassis and cooling allow it. (ark.intel.com)
- For heavy storage work: use the internal spare PCIe Gen4 M.2 slot with a high‑end drive (SN850X or similar) — CNX’s testing shows Gen4 performance is preserved. (westerndigital.com, techpowerup.com)
- For ultra‑high‑resolution browser video: prefer Chrome for the best 8K60 playback behavior on this platform, based on the reviewer’s cross‑browser test.
- If you need multi‑gigabit wired networking or USB4/Thunderbolt docks, buy an external adapter or choose a different platform — the EQi13 Pro omits these by design.
Final verdict
The Beelink EQi13 Pro is a pragmatic, well‑priced i5‑13500H mini PC that delivers compelling day‑to‑day Windows 11 Pro performance, excellent Gen4 NVMe and USB 3.2 Gen2 throughput, and surprising Wi‑Fi 6 real‑world speeds thanks to the Intel AX200 module. CNX’s hands‑on Part 2 testing validates Beelink’s claims about dual NVMe support, dual HDMI outputs, and the quiet fan profile, while revealing the expected thermal and power trade‑offs of packing an H‑series laptop CPU into a compact chassis.If your priorities are a quiet office workstation, expandable internal storage, and strong everyday responsiveness at a sub‑$500 price, the EQi13 Pro is a solid value. If you require sustained high CPU/GPU throughput for long renders, Thunderbolt/USB4 docking, or multi‑gigabit wired LAN out of the box, consider stepping up to a chassis with more advanced cooling and connectivity or choosing an alternative SKU.
Beelink’s online store shows competitive starting prices for the EQi13 Pro (listings around $399–$479 depending on configuration), while retail channels such as Amazon may list specific SKUs around the $429 mark referenced in CNX’s review sample sales note — pricing and promotions vary, so confirm the latest SKU price for your region at purchase time. (bee-link.com)
This technical evaluation combines CNX Software’s Part 2 hands‑on measurements with vendor specifications and independent component datasheets (Intel, WD, USB‑IF) to validate the EQi13 Pro’s claims and surface practical considerations for buyers seeking a compact, Windows 11 Pro mini PC optimized for office productivity, content editing at modest scales, and flexible internal expansion.
Source: CNX Software Beelink EQi13 Pro Review - Part 2: A mid-range Intel Core i5-13500H mini PC tested with Windows 11 Pro - CNX Software
