The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is a small and economical office PC equipped with an Intel Alder Lake N97 processor, 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD (test device). However, other configurations of the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC can also be configured on the manufacturer’s website. As an alternative to my configuration, the Mini-PC can also be equipped with the Alder Lake N95 or a 1TB NMVe SSD. The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC has an integrated display, which shows the most important system information, as well as numerous connections for peripheral devices. In this review, I will test and evaluate the product in detail for you.
Acemagic S1 Mini-PC test Technical data
| Processor | Intel N97 (Alder Lake) |
| BIOS | AMI LLC. |
| RAM | Lexar 16 GB DDR-4 3200 MHz |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| SSD | MasonSemi 512 GB NMVe SSD |
| Ports |
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| Connectivity |
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| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro |
| Price | € 309.00 * |
Scope of delivery and packaging
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is delivered in what I consider to be a classy black box with a cardboard sleeve, which reveals the manufacturer’s logo and some of the Mini-PC’s technical data. The packaging is sturdy and protects the product well from damage. The scope of delivery includes
- The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC
- A power supply unit with an EU plug
- An HDMI cable
- A user manual in various languages
- Base for vertical positioning of the Mini-PC
The scope of delivery is clearly laid out and contains everything you need to operate the Mini PC. Personally, even though it has nothing to do with the performance of the Mini-PC, I was very positively impressed. Inside the box, the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is held in position by a foam carrier (velvety surface), which I personally find very appealing. Sometimes you eat with your eyes, even with PC hardware, and I have seen far more expensive hardware packaged much worse. Praise to the manufacturer!
Design and workmanship
- Compact design
- Good workmanship
- Many connections
- USB Type C and display port not available
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC Test has a compact and simple design that blends well into any environment. It measures 12.4 x 12.8 x 4 cm and weighs 380 g. It is available in black and the housing is made of plastic. The workmanship is solid and there are no sharp edges or gaps. Acemagic uses a piano lacquer look on the front, while the side covers are in gray/anthracite. Thanks to its compact size and design, the mini PC fits perfectly into any office or media island.
The 1.9 inch TFT display shows the current CPU load, temperature, fan speed, time and date. The display is bright, high-contrast and can be customized using pre-installed software. It is a nice feature that gives the mini PC a certain charm and provides useful information. During active operation, subtle RGB modifications become visible, which, like the display, can also be adjusted and customized by the user. At least for the RGB unit, there is also the option of simply deactivating it to further minimize power consumption.
The connections for the power supply unit, the HDMI outputs, the two Ethernet ports, a 3.5 mm audio output and the Kensington lock are located on the rear. The four USB ports (2x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0) and the power button are located on the top (vertical design). The cover on the left-hand side, like the stand, is magnetically attached and can therefore be removed very quickly.
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC therefore has a good variety of connections, which is sufficient for most application scenarios. However, it would have been nice if one of the HDMI ports had also been designed as a DisplayPort output so as not to have to rely solely on HDMI. In addition, a USB-C port with Power Delivery would have been desirable to maximize compatibility. The gaps shown in the following two images are due to an attempt to open the case and were therefore not present in the delivery state.
Hardware and performance
- Up-to-date technology
- Quiet operating noise even under load
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC Test is equipped with an Intel Alder Lake N97 processor, which has four cores with 4 threads and clocks at a base frequency of 1.9 GHz and a turbo frequency of up to 3.6 GHz. The processor is one of Intel’s new processors (Q1/2023) and offers improved energy efficiency and performance compared to its predecessors. The processor is cooled by a quiet fan that adjusts depending on the load. Although the fan became louder in benchmarks, it was surprisingly quiet and almost imperceptible in normal operation.
The Mini-PC has 16 GB DDR4 RAM, which is installed in a SO-DIMM slot ex works. Expansion is not possible. The RAM has a speed of 3200 MHz.
A 512 GB NVMe SSD is installed in the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC. The SSD has a high read and write speed and also offers a fast system start and a short loading time for programs and files. It is large enough for most applications and offers a good compromise between storage space and performance. The 2nd SSD slot (M.2 SATA) allows the Mini-PC to be expanded or used as a media server.
The Alder-Lake N97 has an integrated Intel UHD graphics chip. This is suitable for simple tasks such as web browsing, streaming and multimedia, but not for demanding games or applications. A maximum resolution of 3840×2160 at 60 Hz is supported via the HDMI output. The graphics chip achieves a maximum performance of 1.2 GHz.
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC therefore offers a good hardware configuration, which is appropriate for a small and economical office PC. It offers solid performance for most office tasks, web browsing, streaming and multimedia, but not for demanding games or applications. It is ideal for users who are looking for a compact, quiet and, above all, energy-saving PC for simple application scenarios.
Acemagic S1 Mini-PC test software and operation
- Windows 11 Pro pre-installed
- Clean delivery status
The Mini PC comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Pro, which is easy to set up and activate. The operating system is up to date and runs stably and smoothly on the Mini-PC. The manufacturer has also installed little additional software on the Mini-PC, which is a positive aspect. This means that a very clean Windows 11 Pro system is supplied.
The Mini PC is easy and intuitive to use. It responds quickly to inputs and commands and works smoothly even in multitasking without any noticeable performance restrictions. It should be noted that I did not run any complex games or a benchmark in my multitasking tests. Instead, I simulated a day in the home office with various active browser applications, OpenOffice and Spotify. The Acemagic S1 performed excellently in this use case.
Benchmarks
- Good read and write performance of the installed SSD
- Performance limits clearly visible
- Low cooling capacity on the SSD
The manufacturer Acemagic advertises a single-core performance of 993 points and a multi-core performance of 2521 points on the platform of a large online retailer. Unfortunately, it is not clear from the graph which benchmark was used as the basis here.
I ran the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC through the following benchmarks: CPU-Z, Cinebench 2024 as well as the 3D Mark Time Spy. AS SSD Benchmark was used for the NVMe SSD.
Especially in supposedly “simple” benchmarks such as the internal benchmark at CPU-Z, the Acemagic Mini-PC and the Intel N97 of the Mini-PC achieved 360.2 points in the single and 1254 points in the multi-core benchmark. This puts the Acemagic S1 between the Intel Core i5-7600k and the AMD A10-7850k. The CPU achieved 63 points in the Cinebench 2024 and 194 points in the multi-core test.
A total of 554 points were achieved in the 3D Mark Timespy. The details of the graphics chip’s performance can be seen in the gallery. As a result, I deliberately refrained from installing Battlefield V or comparable titles. The performance limits of the hardware are particularly evident when it comes to handling extensive graphics or complex tasks in benchmarks.
The installed M.2 NVMe SSD achieved good results. 1375.14 MB/s in read and 1180.56 MB/s in write are, in my opinion, very solid results and the Acemagic S1 certainly doesn’t have to hide here. However, I would have liked a little more active cooling for the SSD. The SSD definitely reached higher temperatures in the benchmarks. As a result, my previous assessment of the performance and the best application scenarios of the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is underpinned by the benchmarks performed.
Conclusion and recommendation for the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is a small, economical and affordable office PC equipped with an Intel Alder Lake N97 processor, 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD. It is suitable for office tasks, web browsing, streaming and multimedia, for example, but consequently not for demanding games or applications. Windows 11 Pro is a very good and up-to-date operating system pre-installed.
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC has some advantages and disadvantages, which I will summarize here:
Advantages:
- Compact and sleek design
- Integrated display with useful information
- Good hardware equipment with Intel Alder Lake N97 processor, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB NVMe SSD
- Good connectivity with HDMI output, Ethernet port, four USB ports, 3.5 mm audio output
- Good performance for simple office tasks, web browsing, streaming and multimedia
- Low energy consumption and quiet operation
- Windows 11 Pro pre-installed
- Easy operation and compatibility with common peripherals
Disadvantages:
- No DisplayPort output as an HDMI alternative
- No USB-C port with Power Delivery for more power and compatibility
In my opinion, the Acemagic S1 Mini-PC Test is a good product for users who are looking for a compact, quiet and energy-saving mini PC for application scenarios with a focus on office applications and media streaming. It offers solid performance, good connectivity and an integrated display that sets it apart from other Mini PCs. However, it is not suitable for users who want/need more power, more connection options or more than 2 monitors.
Acemagic S1 Mini-PC
Workmanship
Hardware
Features
Value for money
89/100
The Acemagic S1 Mini-PC is a fully-fledged office and media streaming Mini-PC or home server for its area of application, which impresses with sufficient power and low power consumption
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