Post
Featuring AMD HX470! Beelink SER10 Max Mini PC In-depth ReviewThe Beelink SER10 Max is a mini PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen HX470 CPU and Radeon 890M graphics, succeeding its predecessor, the SER9 Max. This model offers several improvements, including enhanced CPU clock speeds, replaceable RAM slots, and a 10Gbps network port, and is particularly noted for its excellent low-noise performance. Overall, it boasts powerful performance and an efficient cooling system, though some areas show little difference from the previous model or have room for improvement.
1. 💻 Beelink SER10 Max Key Features and Specifications
· The Beelink SER10 Max is the successor to the SER9 Max, featuring an AMD Ryzen HX470 CPU and Radeon 890M iGPU.
· It's an AMD refresh CPU that maintains the same core/thread count and iGPU as the HX370 but with improved clock speeds.
· The 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD configuration costs $1,259, which is $259 higher than the SER9's launch price.
· The warranty period has been extended from 1 year to 3 years, putting it on par with major brands like ASRock, Asus, and MSI.
· Included components are a 19V 120W power adapter (not a compact GaN type), a manual, and an HDMI cable.
· The front ports consist of a power button, Clear CMOS, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 10Gb (data only), and USB-A 10Gb.
· The rear ports include USB-A 10Gb, USB 2.0, a Marvel 10Gb network port (an upgrade from the SER9's 2.5Gb), DisplayPort, USB 2.0, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB4 40Gb (supporting power and display), and a barrel jack power connector.
· Wireless connectivity supports Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, but Wi-Fi 7 would be expected given the price point.
· Internally, it features SODIMM RAM slots, equipped with Crucial 5600 MT/s RAM, which is slower than the SER9's soldered LPDDR5X 7500 MT/s RAM but allows for replacement and upgrade.
· It provides dual M.2 Gen 4 NVMe slots, one of which is populated with a Crucial SSD.
· No pre-installed apps were found, and the latest version of Ubuntu also worked without issues.
· It's an AMD refresh CPU that maintains the same core/thread count and iGPU as the HX370 but with improved clock speeds.
· The 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD configuration costs $1,259, which is $259 higher than the SER9's launch price.
· The warranty period has been extended from 1 year to 3 years, putting it on par with major brands like ASRock, Asus, and MSI.
· Included components are a 19V 120W power adapter (not a compact GaN type), a manual, and an HDMI cable.
· The front ports consist of a power button, Clear CMOS, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 10Gb (data only), and USB-A 10Gb.
· The rear ports include USB-A 10Gb, USB 2.0, a Marvel 10Gb network port (an upgrade from the SER9's 2.5Gb), DisplayPort, USB 2.0, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB4 40Gb (supporting power and display), and a barrel jack power connector.
· Wireless connectivity supports Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, but Wi-Fi 7 would be expected given the price point.
· Internally, it features SODIMM RAM slots, equipped with Crucial 5600 MT/s RAM, which is slower than the SER9's soldered LPDDR5X 7500 MT/s RAM but allows for replacement and upgrade.
· It provides dual M.2 Gen 4 NVMe slots, one of which is populated with a Crucial SSD.
· No pre-installed apps were found, and the latest version of Ubuntu also worked without issues.
00:00 - 03:42
1. 💻 Beelink SER10 Max Key Features and Specifications
· The Beelink SER10 Max is the successor to the SER9 Max, featuring an AMD Ryzen HX470 CPU and Radeon 890M iGPU.
· It's an AMD refresh CPU that maintains the same core/thread count and iGPU as the HX370 but with improved clock speeds.
· The 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD configuration costs $1,259, which is $259 higher than the SER9's launch price.
· The warranty period has been extended from 1 year to 3 years, putting it on par with major brands like ASRock, Asus, and MSI.
· Included components are a 19V 120W power adapter (not a compact GaN type), a manual, and an HDMI cable.
· The front ports consist of a power button, Clear CMOS, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 10Gb (data only), and USB-A 10Gb.
· The rear ports include USB-A 10Gb, USB 2.0, a Marvel 10Gb network port (an upgrade from the SER9's 2.5Gb), DisplayPort, USB 2.0, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB4 40Gb (supporting power and display), and a barrel jack power connector.
· Wireless connectivity supports Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, but Wi-Fi 7 would be expected given the price point.
· Internally, it features SODIMM RAM slots, equipped with Crucial 5600 MT/s RAM, which is slower than the SER9's soldered LPDDR5X 7500 MT/s RAM but allows for replacement and upgrade.
· It provides dual M.2 Gen 4 NVMe slots, one of which is populated with a Crucial SSD.
· No pre-installed apps were found, and the latest version of Ubuntu also worked without issues.
· It's an AMD refresh CPU that maintains the same core/thread count and iGPU as the HX370 but with improved clock speeds.
· The 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD configuration costs $1,259, which is $259 higher than the SER9's launch price.
· The warranty period has been extended from 1 year to 3 years, putting it on par with major brands like ASRock, Asus, and MSI.
· Included components are a 19V 120W power adapter (not a compact GaN type), a manual, and an HDMI cable.
· The front ports consist of a power button, Clear CMOS, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C 10Gb (data only), and USB-A 10Gb.
· The rear ports include USB-A 10Gb, USB 2.0, a Marvel 10Gb network port (an upgrade from the SER9's 2.5Gb), DisplayPort, USB 2.0, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB4 40Gb (supporting power and display), and a barrel jack power connector.
· Wireless connectivity supports Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, but Wi-Fi 7 would be expected given the price point.
· Internally, it features SODIMM RAM slots, equipped with Crucial 5600 MT/s RAM, which is slower than the SER9's soldered LPDDR5X 7500 MT/s RAM but allows for replacement and upgrade.
· It provides dual M.2 Gen 4 NVMe slots, one of which is populated with a Crucial SSD.
· No pre-installed apps were found, and the latest version of Ubuntu also worked without issues.
03:43 - 06:08
2. 📊 Benchmark Performance Analysis
· The BIOS offers two performance profiles (Balanced, Performance), both of which were tested in the review.
· In Cinebench R23 single-core tests, the HX470 is the fastest among AMD Ryzen chips but falls short of the Intel 285H. In multi-core, the SER10 Max showed top performance, but with a marginal 1% improvement over the SER9.
· In Geekbench single-core tests, the HX470 was only behind one Intel unit, showing about a 4% improvement over the SER9. In multi-core, it's the fastest AMD chip, but with only a few percent improvement over the SER9.
· H.264 and AV1 video encoding tests showed a slight improvement over the SER9.
· In iGPU-accelerated video encoding, the SER10 Max showed significant performance gains but did not reach the best HX370 results.
· In AI CPU tests, the HX470 did not surpass two HX370 AMD chips, but in AI GPU tests, it showed a clear advantage across all metrics.
· In 3D Mark DX11 tests, the SER9, using faster LPDDR5X RAM, had an advantage due to limited memory bandwidth on the SER10 Max. In Time Spy and Steel Nomad Light tests, clock speed was crucial, and the SER10 Max achieved the highest score with a 2% improvement.
· In Cinebench R23 single-core tests, the HX470 is the fastest among AMD Ryzen chips but falls short of the Intel 285H. In multi-core, the SER10 Max showed top performance, but with a marginal 1% improvement over the SER9.
· In Geekbench single-core tests, the HX470 was only behind one Intel unit, showing about a 4% improvement over the SER9. In multi-core, it's the fastest AMD chip, but with only a few percent improvement over the SER9.
· H.264 and AV1 video encoding tests showed a slight improvement over the SER9.
· In iGPU-accelerated video encoding, the SER10 Max showed significant performance gains but did not reach the best HX370 results.
· In AI CPU tests, the HX470 did not surpass two HX370 AMD chips, but in AI GPU tests, it showed a clear advantage across all metrics.
· In 3D Mark DX11 tests, the SER9, using faster LPDDR5X RAM, had an advantage due to limited memory bandwidth on the SER10 Max. In Time Spy and Steel Nomad Light tests, clock speed was crucial, and the SER10 Max achieved the highest score with a 2% improvement.
| Benchmark Item | SER10 Max (HX470) | SER9 (HX370) |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (Single) | Best among AMD Ryzen | Lower than SER10 Max |
| Cinebench R23 (Multi) | Top performance (1% improvement over SER9) | 1% lower than SER10 Max |
| Geekbench (Single) | Only behind one Intel unit (4% improvement over SER9) | 4% lower than SER10 Max |
| Geekbench (Multi) | Fastest AMD chip (Slight improvement over SER9) | Slightly lower than SER10 Max |
| 3D Mark DX11 | Lower than SER9 due to memory bandwidth limitation | Higher than SER10 Max with faster LPDDR5X RAM |
| 3D Mark Time Spy | Highest score due to clock speed advantage | Lower than SER10 Max |
| 3D Mark Steel Nomad Light | Highest score (2% improvement over SER9) | 2% lower than SER10 Max |
06:09 - 07:34
3. 🎮 Gaming and Emulation Performance
· The AMD Radeon 890M is the fastest iGPU in this price range, allowing smooth gameplay for esports and older titles.
· Latest AAA games (e.g., Doom The Dark Ages) are difficult to play even at 1080p low settings. Lowering graphics settings further and using upscaling increases frames, but the gaming experience is not good.
· In Cyberpunk 2077 tests, the SER9 and SER10 Max showed nearly identical frame rates, indicating that the SER10 Max performed on par with the SER9 despite its slower RAM.
· In Forza Horizon 5, the SER9's faster RAM helped achieve higher frame rates.
· In God of War Ragnarok, the new chip's higher iGPU clock speed proved advantageous.
· For emulation, most Wii U, PS3, and Xbox 360 games can be played without issues on the SER10 Max.
· An eGPU can be used via the USB4 port to achieve higher detail, resolution, and frame rates, but there is a performance degradation due to the 40Gb interface.
· Latest AAA games (e.g., Doom The Dark Ages) are difficult to play even at 1080p low settings. Lowering graphics settings further and using upscaling increases frames, but the gaming experience is not good.
· In Cyberpunk 2077 tests, the SER9 and SER10 Max showed nearly identical frame rates, indicating that the SER10 Max performed on par with the SER9 despite its slower RAM.
· In Forza Horizon 5, the SER9's faster RAM helped achieve higher frame rates.
· In God of War Ragnarok, the new chip's higher iGPU clock speed proved advantageous.
· For emulation, most Wii U, PS3, and Xbox 360 games can be played without issues on the SER10 Max.
· An eGPU can be used via the USB4 port to achieve higher detail, resolution, and frame rates, but there is a performance degradation due to the 40Gb interface.
07:35 - 09:41
4. ✨ Other Performance and User Experience
· In Linux kernel compilation tests, performance mode did not significantly increase task speed, but the HX470 held an advantage.
· There was no improvement in Adobe Photoshop compared to the HX370, and performance mode did not show an advantage either.
· In Adobe Premiere, the SER10 Max performed better, ranking second when performance mode was enabled.
· The SSD is a Crucial Gen 4 drive, but the results were somewhat unimpressive, staying in the mid-range on performance charts. The SSD is well-cooled thanks to a thick heatsink and airflow.
· Bluetooth range was worse than the SER9, which was disappointing. Wireless connectivity was good, with no disconnections or latency issues when tested on the 5G band 12m away from the router.
· Power consumption was good at 8W in idle, identical to the SER9. Maximum power consumption was similar, but an additional 17W was consumed between Balanced and Performance modes for minimal performance gain, making it inefficient.
· Maximum CPU temperatures were good, lower than average, but the HX470 runs hotter than the HX370.
· Fan noise is designed to be even quieter than the SER9, making it one of the quietest mini PCs in this wattage class. While this contributes to slightly higher temperatures, Beelink shows an overwhelming strength in fan noise.
· There was no improvement in Adobe Photoshop compared to the HX370, and performance mode did not show an advantage either.
· In Adobe Premiere, the SER10 Max performed better, ranking second when performance mode was enabled.
· The SSD is a Crucial Gen 4 drive, but the results were somewhat unimpressive, staying in the mid-range on performance charts. The SSD is well-cooled thanks to a thick heatsink and airflow.
· Bluetooth range was worse than the SER9, which was disappointing. Wireless connectivity was good, with no disconnections or latency issues when tested on the 5G band 12m away from the router.
· Power consumption was good at 8W in idle, identical to the SER9. Maximum power consumption was similar, but an additional 17W was consumed between Balanced and Performance modes for minimal performance gain, making it inefficient.
· Maximum CPU temperatures were good, lower than average, but the HX470 runs hotter than the HX370.
· Fan noise is designed to be even quieter than the SER9, making it one of the quietest mini PCs in this wattage class. While this contributes to slightly higher temperatures, Beelink shows an overwhelming strength in fan noise.
09:42 - 11:50
5. ✅ BIOS Settings and Final Review
· The BIOS is feature-rich and can be accessed by pressing the Escape key at startup.
· Memory overclocking can be attempted via AMD CBS options and UMC (6000 MT/s resulted in lower 3D Mark scores, 6400 MT/s caused crashes).
· The amount of VRAM can be set in NBIO Common Options, with a default of 4GB.
· FCH includes an AC Power Loss option, and power modes can be configured in Advanced Settings under OEM Feature Management. NVMe RAID is also supported.
· An overclocking tab is also provided for more granular control.
· The SER10 Max has an increased price compared to the SER9, and the lack of a compact power supply and VESA mount support is disappointing.
· Common features like USB-C PD and USB4 are provided, but Oculink or dual LAN are not.
· It's easy to open, provided you don't mind removing the rubber feet.
· Overall, performance is good, and cooling is well-implemented where needed. Bluetooth range is lacking, but wireless connectivity is decent.
· Fan noise is the SER10 Max's biggest strength.
· Beelink provides BIOS updates more frequently than other Chinese brands, and the 3-year warranty is a very positive change.
· The Beelink SER10 Max inherits the strengths of the SER9 and offers minor improvements such as a CPU refresh, replaceable memory, and 10Gb networking.
· It remains a mini PC with excellent performance and low noise, but due to AMD's refresh policy, the performance improvement is not significant.
· Memory overclocking can be attempted via AMD CBS options and UMC (6000 MT/s resulted in lower 3D Mark scores, 6400 MT/s caused crashes).
· The amount of VRAM can be set in NBIO Common Options, with a default of 4GB.
· FCH includes an AC Power Loss option, and power modes can be configured in Advanced Settings under OEM Feature Management. NVMe RAID is also supported.
· An overclocking tab is also provided for more granular control.
· The SER10 Max has an increased price compared to the SER9, and the lack of a compact power supply and VESA mount support is disappointing.
· Common features like USB-C PD and USB4 are provided, but Oculink or dual LAN are not.
· It's easy to open, provided you don't mind removing the rubber feet.
· Overall, performance is good, and cooling is well-implemented where needed. Bluetooth range is lacking, but wireless connectivity is decent.
· Fan noise is the SER10 Max's biggest strength.
· Beelink provides BIOS updates more frequently than other Chinese brands, and the 3-year warranty is a very positive change.
· The Beelink SER10 Max inherits the strengths of the SER9 and offers minor improvements such as a CPU refresh, replaceable memory, and 10Gb networking.
· It remains a mini PC with excellent performance and low noise, but due to AMD's refresh policy, the performance improvement is not significant.