Video summary

The Mini NAS has arrived! (mini homelab)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Tech concepts & setup goals (mini home-lab NAS)

The creator is testing small “mini NAS” boxes built for a downsized homelab, emphasizing:

  • Low-latency, fast local storage in a tiny footprint
  • Network copy throughput (especially around 2.5 GbE)
  • Stability and cooling under sustained load (“torture tests”)

Devices compared (3 mini NAS)

All three are essentially in the same platform family:

  • GMK Techch G9 (initial model reviewed previously)
  • Aflro/Aphro (spelled “Apho/Afro”) K100
  • Beink (“Beink launched… Mi Mini”) Mi Mini

Shared base specs / performance expectations

  • Built on Intel N100 or N150 (for NAS use, “about the same”)
  • 2.5 Gig Ethernet: up to ~300 MB/s copy performance
  • Multiple M.2 NVMe slots
  • Key point: Even “slow” NVMe drives are overkill vs 2.5 GbE; the real differentiators are thermals, layout, and platform bottlenecks.

Product findings & key feature differences

1) GMK Techch G9 — cooling problem (potentially fixed via revision)

Issue found: it could not keep things cool unless he tore it apart and added more airflow. Cooling problems included:

  • Not enough airflow to hot chips
  • Not enough airflow to SSDs

He mentions a design revision may fix cooling, but he couldn’t test that revision yet.

Other notes

  • No built-in eMMC: to run Ubuntu, you must use an NVMe slot for OS or boot Linux from USB.
  • Price vs performance: ~$185 for G9, but cooling reduces confidence for unattended/“crash-free” use.

Assessment

  • He left it “in the dust” compared to the others—except for price—unless upgraded cooling is confirmed.

2) Aphro K100 — better cooling, solid performance, higher price, fewer expansion options

Hardware/feature notes

  • No built-in eMMC: OS must use NVMe or USB.
  • Case design: all metal with more ventilation than G9.
  • Power: includes a standard USBC power supply (safer/reusable).

Thermal/assembly trade-offs

  • Rubber feet are annoying to remove; adhesive may not survive multiple teardowns
  • No SSD access door (unlike G9)
  • NVMe heatsink not directly connected to metal casing (heat dumps mainly into a metal plate)
  • Only one thermal pad included; adding drives requires buying additional pads

BIOS limitations

  • Sparse settings, but supports:
    • Boot when power is restored
    • Three performance profiles

Cooling + performance results

  • Runs stable: temps mostly around 50°C
  • Noise: about 36–37 dBA in informal testing (quiet)
  • Network copy test (2.5 GbE): about 280 MB/s both directions
  • Zero stability/throttling issues after testing

Major downside for the creator’s requirements

  • Only 4-bay storage slots and no eMMC means one slot may be consumed by OS → fewer usable TB for RAID.
  • In his target case (needs ≥ 6 TB usable):
    • Would require 4×2 TB SSDs for size, but one SSD must run OS → only ~4 TB usable
    • USB boot stick is viewed as less stable due to external boot device

Assessment

  • Best for a compact, portable mini NAS with good performance: recommended
  • Works best if you prioritize compact size and consistent network throughput, accepting the OS/storage trade-offs.

3) Beink Mi Mini — more bays (6), built-in eMMC, improved cooling design, but write throughput bottleneck & hotter CPU

Hardware/feature notes

  • Built-in eMMC storage for boot:
    • Lets you use all 6 NVMe slots for data storage (important for his 6+ TB requirement)
  • Power: internal power supply (no external brick; “plug into any AC socket”)
  • Cooling design: central heat sink tower with a big fan (helps keep it very quiet)

Ports

  • Similar to K100 but:
    • Drops one USB-C port
    • Adds one USB-A port on the front

Expansion

  • 6 NVMe slots (vs K100’s 4)
  • Includes Intel Wi‑Fi 6 M.2 card preinstalled

Assembly quirks

  • Rubber covers over screws (same annoyance as K100; adhesive covers)

Thermal pad situation

  • NVMe slots have pads
  • The main pre-installed thermal pad contacts poorly (only in the middle of the controller chip area), but he reports drives still did not overheat.
  • He observed multiple PCB design revisions for a drive model purchased from the same listing (variation can matter for performance/fit).

BIOS + OS behavior

  • Shipped with Windows 11 pre-installed on internal storage
  • For an “even playing field,” he removed the Crucial drive and installed Linux on the internal eMMC

Cooling + performance results

  • Runs hotter than K100:
    • CPU ~60°C under load
    • But stays stable (doesn’t keep climbing)
  • Storage/network behavior:
    • Network copy nearly maxed out
    • Write speed lower: ~230 MB/s when writing to a 4-drive array
    • Read speed: ~10 MB/s faster than K100 (small improvement)

Likely bottleneck cause

  • PCIe lane/bandwidth limitations in this design:
    • Only one PCIe Gen 3 lane for 5 of the 6 slots
    • K100 provides two lanes per slot (nearly double bandwidth per drive)

Noise

  • Nearly inaudible / quietest unit tested
  • He couldn’t precisely prove due to a noisy environment (hot week with AC units running), but emphasizes the fan design helps

Assessment

  • Best fit for his “NAS for storage expansion + stable operation” needs due to:
    • eMMC boot
    • 6 NVMe slots
    • Very quiet cooling solution
  • Trade-off: lower sustained write throughput due to PCIe configuration

Price/ordering context & overall recommendation logic

  • Mi Mini pre-sale price cited: around $209 (likely rising after general sale)
  • K100: $299 (higher premium for metal/IO/cooling)
  • G9: cheaper (~$185) but had cooling issues in his reviewed unit

His home-lab priorities

  1. Small enough for mini rack
  2. At least 6 TB usable
  3. Must not crash / must be stable

Outcome

  • He rules out G9 for reliability unless revised cooling is verified.
  • Between K100 and Mi Mini:
    • K100 is better for network consistency and compact performance
    • Mi Mini better fits his usable-space requirement because eMMC enables full NVMe capacity without sacrificing a drive for OS
  • He’s currently leaning toward K100 only if 4 TB drives are a good deal; otherwise likely Mi Mini for the storage/expansion match.

Main sources / speakers (per subtitles)

  • Jeff Gearling (primary speaker / reviewer)
  • Brands referenced as reviewed/test sources: GMK Techch (G9), Aphro/Afro (K100), Beink (Mi Mini)

Original video