Many mini PCs are becoming increasingly popular because they offer the power of a regular computer, but in a much smaller size. This makes them ideal for people who are short on space or who need a portable solution that they can easily take with them anywhere.
One of the more unusual mini PCs we’ve come across lately is the Meenhong JX5. It 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 aluminium chassis and a 5.5-inch touchscreen with FullHD (1920×1080) resolution. It’s big enough to be usable, but you’ll struggle to read smaller text or interact with some on-screen elements. At 161mm tall and 92mm wide, it’s slightly taller than an iPhone 15 Pro Max, but considerably thicker – part of the 23mm depth is thanks to the addition of a cooling fan.
Limited battery life
It’s another mini PC powered by an Intel N100 processor with Intel UHD Graphics. It comes with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 4800MHz soldered RAM and you can buy it on AliExpress, where it’s branded SZBOX. The barebone model without SSD and without OS costs $220. If you opt for the top version, with a 2TB SSD, the price rises to $356.32.
The Meenhong JX5 has WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, a full-size 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. There’s no SD card slot, however. It can drive two additional displays at 4K@60fps, so you can use it for a triple-display setup.
We’ve covered its predecessor, the Meenhong JX2, before, and while that device was intriguing, the lack of a battery severely limited its portability. The JX5 does have a battery, but it’s a 1,500mAh model, so you’re going to get 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 operating system if that suits you better.
This mini PC is reminiscent of similar products such as HiGOLE’s tablets, the GOLE1 and GOLE1 Plus, both of which we’ve reviewed here before.