Many mini PCs are becoming increasingly popular because they offer the power of a regular computer in a much smaller package, making them ideal for people who don't have a lot of space or who need a portable solution that they can easily take with them while traveling.
One of the more unusual mini PCs we've seen lately is the Meenhong JX5, which stands out because it looks like a smartphone and runs Windows 11, reminiscent of Microsoft's failed Windows Phone experiment.
The JX5 has a sturdy aluminum body and a 5.5-inch touchscreen with FullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The display is large enough to be usable, but it can be difficult to read smaller text or interact with some on-screen elements. At 161mm tall and 92mm wide, it’s slightly larger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max, but considerably thicker. Some of the 23mm depth is due to the inclusion of a cooling fan.
Limited battery life
This is another mini PC equipped with an Intel N100 processor with Intel UHD graphics. It comes with up to 12GB of soldered 4800MHz LPDDR5 RAM and can be purchased on AliExpress, where it is sold under the SZBOX brand. The barebone model without an SSD or operating system sells for $220. If you opt for the higher version, with a 2TB SSD, the price goes up to $356.32.
The Meenhong JX5 has WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, a full-featured USB Type-C port, a USB-A 3.0 port, two USB-A 2.0 ports, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It doesn’t have an SD card slot, though. It can power two additional displays at 4K at 60fps, so you could use it for a three-screen setup.
We’ve already talked about its predecessor, the Meenhong JX2, and while that device was interesting, the lack of a battery greatly limited its portability. The JX5 does have a battery, but it’s a 1500mAh model, so you’ll have to expect about an hour of use between charges. Like the JX2, it also doesn’t have a webcam, which seems like an odd omission. While the JX5 runs Windows 11, you can opt for a Linux OS if that better suits your needs.
This mini PC reminds us of similar products like HiGOLE's tablets, GOLE1 and GOLE1 Plus, both reviewed here previously.
