I tested a mini PC as quiet as the Mac mini but as expandable as a desktop — and it’s this close to greatness

The Minix Elite EU715-AI is one of the rare mini PCs that manages to pack high-end performance into an absolutely tiny chassis without compromising on cooling or noise. At just over an inch and a half tall, it barely takes up any room on your desk, and yet, despite its small size, it runs nearly silent.

Minix didn’t cut corners here either. Instead of using an underpowered processor for the sake of going smaller, the PC maker equipped the Elite EU715-AI with one of Intel’s Meteor Lake chips, along with enough RAM and storage to handle most workloads. However, if you need more, you can always open this mini PC up and easily upgrade it.

After spending over a month using it as my daily driver, I’m seriously impressed by just how quiet it is while handling everything I’ve thrown at it. Still, I wish there were a few more USB ports around back, and you’re definitely paying a premium price for its “Elite” all-metal case and whisper-quiet design.

My Minix Elite EU715-AI review will help you decide if this is the best mini PC for your needs or if it’s worth going with something slightly louder and taller for a lot less.

Minix Elite EU715-AI: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A business-focused mini PC that packs high-end performance into an absolutely tiny case.
• Who is it for? Users who want a powerful workstation that saves desk space and stays practically silent even under load.
• What does it cost? The Minix Elite EU715-AI costs $1,300. While it carries a premium price tag, this mini PC comes fully equipped with enough RAM and storage that most won't need to upgrade it for years.
• What do we like? The ultra-compact size, the convenience of standard USB-C power, the near-silent operation and the ability to easily add more storage later.
• What don’t we like? The high entry price and a frustrating lack of rear ports make cable management a challenge.

Minix Elite EU715-AI: Specs

Minix Elite EU715-AI: The ups

There’s a lot to like about the Minix Elite EU715-AI, from its tiny footprint to how you’ll practically never hear its internal fan spin up. However, it’s the small things, like the included power adapter and how upgradeable it is, even with such a thin profile, that stood out to me most.

Tiny package, plenty of power

Measuring 5.51 x 5.43 x 1.56 inches, the Elite EU715-AI is just slightly wider than the Mac mini M4, but it’s also half an inch shorter. This mini PC won’t take up much space on your desk at all, and Minix even includes a VESA mounting bracket if you want to install it behind a monitor. Be warned, though: it’s so quiet you might actually forget it’s there.

On the front, you get two high-speed USB-A ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port and a headphone/microphone combo jack. There are also two tiny microphones located above its front USB ports to complement its “AI” branding, just like on the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG. However, it lacks a built-in speaker like on that mini PC, so you will need to bring your own speakers to converse with your favorite AI chatbot or if you need to jump on a call.

Around back, you get two USB-C ports (one of which is used for power), one USB-A port, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports. There is also a Kensington lock on the right side and vents to expel hot air above the rear ports.

Under the hood, the Elite EU715-AI is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and 32GB of DDR5 memory. It also comes with a 1TB M.2 SSD and Windows 11 Pro. In our lab tests, the Elite EU715-AI beat out newer Intel-based mini PCs like the Geekom IT15 across the board despite having an older, first-generation Intel Core Ultra Series 1 chip.

The reason for this performance gap is that the EU715-AI features a 16-core processor designed for high-performance laptops, whereas many newer 2nd-gen Core Ultra (Lunar Lake) chips focus on power efficiency over raw processing power. While the Elite EU715-AI is a powerful yet pricey mini PC, it was the low noise levels that impressed me most.

Mac mini quiet

Just like I did with the AceMagic F2A, I had to break out my sound level meter to test the Elite EU715-AI, but for the opposite reason. With the F2A, its dual fans made a very audible hum and got as loud as 55dB. The same was true with the Geekom IT15, which hit 54dB. It’s a completely different story with the Elite EU715-AI, which was significantly quieter at just 36dB.

With other mini PCs I’ve tested, like the Atomman G7 TI, there’s a physical button on the front to switch between performance modes. With the Elite EU715-AI, I don’t even need one; even with over 20 Chrome tabs open across three windows, it never so much as made a peep while I was working. Even when I’d leave it on in the background, it wasn’t audible at all.

If you don’t want to hear your computer at your desk, the Elite EU715-AI is the closest a Windows-based mini PC has gotten to Mac mini M4 noise levels (or lack thereof) yet in my experience.

No barrel port here

One common feature that less premium mini PCs often share is large power adapters that use a vendor-specific barrel port connector. Fortunately, you won’t find one here. Instead, the Elite EU715-AI uses a standard 100W USB-C power adapter.

I know this is a small thing, but as someone who’s constantly building desk setups and trying out new mini PCs, I don’t like being stuck with a bulky, non-standard power adapter. Since the Elite EU715-AI relies on a 100W USB-C connection, the included adapter is very compact and roughly the size of a standard phone charger. Just like with the even smaller (and pocketable) Khadas Mind, this means you can actually use a third-party GaN charger if you want an even more portable setup for travel.

Some newer mini PCs like the Geekom A9 Max and the Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG let you use one of their USB-C ports for power in lieu of their barrel ports. However, since they still keep the barrel jack on the rear panel, that connector ends up being wasted physical space. That isn’t the case with the Elite EU715-AI; the back of the unit is cleaner because it was designed specifically for USB-C power input.

Easy upgrades in a small case

Even with a mini PC as small as the Elite EU715-AI, you can still open it up and upgrade the existing components — and you’re able to add new ones too. In this case, you can swap out the included 32GB of RAM for up to 96GB.

Likewise, you can also swap the included 1TB M.2 SSD for a 4TB drive, and there’s also a free M.2 2280 slot where you can add another 4TB drive for a total of 8TB of storage. Not bad for such a tiny case.

To get to the Elite EU715-AI’s internals, I flipped it over and removed a screw at each of its four corners.

One thing I really like about this mini PC, compared to the Geekom A5 and most of the others I’ve reviewed, is that I didn’t have to remove the rubber case feet on the bottom to get to these screws. Instead, Minix slightly offset the Elite EU715-AI’s feet and put the case screws closer to the edge. That way, you can easily open its case without worrying about damaging those rubber feet.

Minix Elite EU715-AI: The downs

The Minix Elite EU715-AI is a seriously impressive mini PC in a very petite package. Unfortunately, it’s not without its downsides that make cable management more difficult and put a serious dent in your wallet.

Short on ports

I don’t know about you, but when I want to plug wired devices into my computer, I prefer to do so at the back so that I can run their cables behind my desk. Well, the Elite EU715-AI does come equipped with three USB-A ports for doing so. The problem is, two are on the front and only one is at the rear.

Although this likely won’t be a deal-breaker for most people, at this price, I’d like to see a few more ports and even an SD card reader. Now, I get there are space limitations around back due to the Elite EU715-AI’s case, but both the Asus NUC 14 Pro and the original MSI Cubi NUC 1M both have dual USB-A ports around back. While they don’t have a DisplayPort like the Elite EU715-AI does (something you rarely see on a mini PC), the latter retains the same dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports.

Speaking of ports, I have another gripe with one of the rear ports in particular.

Underpowered rear USB-C video

Having a Thunderbolt 4 port on the front of the Elite EU715-AI is very convenient for quickly connecting a portable monitor. But what if you’ve permanently incorporated one into your desk setup? Well, I have a portable monitor next to my ultrawide, and as such, I’d rather connect it to the Elite EU715-AI using the USB-C Gen 2x2 port around back. Unfortunately, when I tried it with two different portable monitors, I couldn’t get either of them to work.

Eventually, I just used an angled USB-C extension cable and plugged my portable monitor into the Thunderbolt 4 port on the front instead of the more conveniently located USB-C one on the back. It worked well enough, though this fix did take away from the Elite EU715-AI’s sleek design.

After a bit of research, I finally found the problem. While both the Thunderbolt 4 port up front and the USB-C one around back provide 15W of power (and most portable monitors need 8-12W), the rear port seems to experience handshake issues where it isn’t able to “negotiate” the power draw required by the monitor while simultaneously handling a video signal.

Once I added another USB-C cable and connected it to an outlet to power the portable monitor, I was able to get the rear port working correctly. However, I would have loved to have the same one-cable connection I have at the front of the Elite EU715-AI around back.

Paying an Elite premium

When Minix first launched the Elite EU715-AI in May 2025, it was originally priced at $999. At the time, this was already more expensive than similarly specced mini PCs from brands like Minisforum and Geekom, but its compact form factor and all-metal case helped justify the "Elite" branding.

In the time since, however, the ongoing RAM crisis has pushed the price of memory through the roof. As a result, PC makers and retailers have been forced to raise prices significantly, much like how the Xbox Series X is now more expensive at $649 than it was when it launched back in 2020.

Let’s face it: you’re going to be spending more for PCs, laptops, and other electronics today than you would have just a few months ago. The problem with the Elite EU715-AI, though, is that you’re paying a $1,300 premium for a mini PC with an Intel Core Ultra Series 1 processor when Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) processors have already arrived.

Given that my colleague Jason England just reviewed a laptop with one of these new chips, I can tell you the performance and efficiency gains are significant, and they'll likely be making their way to mini PCs any day now. This makes the "Series 1" hardware inside this Minix feel two generations behind the curve for such a steep price.

Minix Elite EU715-AI: Verdict

The Minix Elite EU715-AI stands out thanks to its ultra-compact case and the premium materials used throughout its design. Despite being two generations older, its Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor is still very powerful and more than equipped for a wide variety of workloads. Its near-silent operation — peaking at just 40dB — is equally impressive given the thermal and acoustic limitations that usually come with such a small chassis.

Although I would have liked to see a few more ports around back, and I think swapping the position of the Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C ones would make sense, you’re still getting a solid selection. This includes features you rarely find elsewhere in this size, like DisplayPort 1.4 and a dedicated USB-C power port.

My biggest gripe, though, is with the price. Although slightly premium, $999 was originally the perfect price point for a machine like this. Unfortunately, Minix is just one of many manufacturers forced to raise prices due to the ongoing RAM crisis. The blame for this $1,300 sticker price doesn’t fall on the company; instead, the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure has effectively hijacked the global memory supply.

Still, if you’re looking for a whisper-quiet mini PC with a very small footprint and the option to upgrade it down the line, the Elite EU715-AI could be worth the premium. This is especially true considering that memory prices aren't expected to settle until at least 2027, and may even increase further as the year goes on.