Last time we got acquainted with the affordable mini-PC Vinga Mini PC V500 in two modifications. Today we will talk about its two older siblings Vinga Mini PC V600 and Mini PC V650, which have received a number of serious changes and improvements. This concerns not only the hardware platform but also the possibilities for self-upgrade, case materials, interfaces, and other features.

Vinga Mini PC V600 arrived for testing in three modifications, while Vinga Mini PC V650 - in one. They differ significantly from each other, allowing for a clear assessment of their capabilities in different price ranges. The price difference between the younger and older versions almost reaches 10,000 UAH. Let's start by looking at their detailed technical specifications.

Specification

Notice that the index in parentheses says a lot about the model itself:

• V600 or V650 - model name
• xxxxU or xxxxxU - processor identifier
• 8 or 16 - amount of installed RAM
• 256/512 or 1T - capacity of the installed storage

Vinga applied this approach to other modifications as well, so that buyers could orient themselves in their configurations by name.

Packaging and Completeness

Vinga Mini PC V600 and Mini PC V650 are delivered in small unified elongated boxes made of dense cardboard with simple but attractive printing in dark tones. On the top side of the packaging, you can immediately assess the design of the devices.

The mini-PC package contents are indicated on a small sticker on the side of the box.

The delivery set includes a set of paper documentation, an external power supply with a replaceable plug, a SATA drive connection cable, and a VESA bracket with mounting elements.

Appearance, Element Placement

Unlike the recently reviewed Vinga Mini PC V500, the cases of Vinga Mini PC V600/V650 are entirely made of aluminum with a rough surface and painted in an interesting dark green color. There are small glossy plastic inserts on the sides - they easily collect dust and scratches. Most likely, they are needed for the operation of wireless interfaces: if the cases were completely metal, the antenna's working radius would be very small.

The top panel is devoid of significant elements except for the Vinga logo. To access the hardware platform, it needs to be removed by unscrewing two screws on the back panel of the case.

The bottom cover has ventilation holes, informational stickers, and four small rubber feet on the edges of the case. They improve grip with the table and dampen possible vibrations if you install a 2.5-inch hard drive inside. There are also mounting holes for the included bracket.

On the top side, there are two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a combined audio jack, two LED indicators, and a power button.

On the back side, besides the aforementioned screws for removing the cover, there is a power socket, HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs, another pair of USB 3.0 and one USB Type-C. Unfortunately, there was no space for a card reader.

On the two remaining sides, there are only ventilation holes and the previously mentioned glossy plastic inserts.

Internal Structure and Hardware Platform

Now let's take a look inside the case using the Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) as an example. Under the top cover, you will find a slot for a 2.5-inch drive. A special cable for its connection is included.

Inside the case is a black printed circuit board with two SO-DIMM slots, an installed network interface module, and a connector for an M.2 SSD.

For network connections, a gigabit LAN controller Realtek RTL8111F is used.

The audio subsystem is based on Realtek ALC269.

The Multi I/O capabilities are handled by the ITE8528E chip, which provides monitoring.

The Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) modification is equipped with a 2-core 4-thread Intel Core i3-8145U processor. Its base frequency is 2.1 GHz, and the dynamic frequency reaches 3.9 GHz.

The version with the index V6008265U.8256 received a 4-core 8-thread Intel Core i5-8265U. Its base frequency is 1.6 GHz, and the dynamic frequency reaches 3.9 GHz.

Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512) boasts a 4-core 8-thread Intel Core i7-8565U with a base frequency of 1.8 GHz and dynamic overclocking up to 4.6 GHz.

The most expensive modification, Vinga Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T), includes a 4-core 8-thread Intel Core i7-10510U with a frequency formula of 1.8 - 4.9 GHz. This is a representative of the Intel Comet Lake line, released in 2019. The other three processors belong to the Intel Whiskey Lake line (released in 2018). The TDP of all chips is 15 W.

In all cases, the graphics processing is handled by the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 core. It includes 24 execution units with a working frequency from 300 to 1150 MHz in the maximum variant. Memory for the graphics subsystem is allocated from the RAM.

The RAM subsystem of Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) is implemented using two DDR4-2666 MHz Exceleram E404269S modules, each with a capacity of 4 GB.

The version with the index V6008265U.8256 uses only one DDR4-2666 MHz ADATA AD4S266638G19-S module with a capacity of 8 GB.

Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512) is equipped with two DDR4-2666 MHz ADATA AD4S266638G19-S modules of 8 GB each.

Vinga Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T) also received two DDR4-2666 MHz modules of 8 GB each, but in the Exceleram version. 

The last distinction in the configuration of the considered modifications is the disk subsystem. In all cases, M.2 SSDs with PCIe 3.0 x4 interface are used. The junior versions Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) and (V6008265U.8256) are equipped with a 256 GB Apacer AS2280P4 solid-state drive.

The sequential read speed exceeds 1,875 MB/s, and the write speed is 1,000 MB/s.

Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512) is equipped with a 512 GB GOODRAM PX500 solution.

Its speed indicators are even higher: over 2,000 MB/s for reading and 1,600 MB/s for writing.

The Vinga Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T) is equipped with a 1 TB M.2 SSD Leven JP600.

Its speed performance turned out to be the highest: almost 2,060 MB/s for reading and 1,800 MB/s for writing.

Testing

Benchmark test results for Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256)

Benchmark test results for Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008265U.8256)

Benchmark test results for Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512)

Benchmark test results for Vinga Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T)

For greater clarity, instead of the usual table with results, we decided to show the difference in performance between versions using graphs.

The performance of the Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) with Intel Core i3-8145U does not reach for the stars. It is suitable for everyday tasks, but, for example, video editing on it is difficult. On the other hand, the 2-channel RAM operation mode is pleasing, which in some cases allows it to surpass a model with a more powerful processor.

The Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008265U.8256) can be used for more labor-intensive tasks thanks to the 4-core Intel Core i5-8265U. However, in certain scenarios, its capabilities are limited by the single-channel RAM mode, especially if the video core is actively used.

The Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512) and Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T) models with Intel Core i7-8565U and Intel Core i7-10510U chips handle various types of scenarios well and are better suited for multitasking mode than the first two models. For complete happiness, only a discrete video card is missing to more comfortably solve tasks related to graphics processing.

The video subsystem in all nettops is represented by the iGPU Intel UHD Graphics 620. Memory for its needs is allocated from the RAM. In the Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008265U.8256), it operates in single-channel mode with a 64-bit bus with lower bandwidth, which greatly affects gaming performance. Otherwise, the difference between the devices is small. You will only be able to play the simplest network projects and platformers.

Cooling system and power supply

The heat dissipation from the processor in all cases is handled by an active cooling system with a turbine-type fan. The air temperature in the test laboratory at the time of measurement was 24°C.

Summary table of temperature measurements in Vinga Mini PC V600/V650 mini-PCs:

In all cases, throttling was absent. The cooling system easily handles all processors and operates quietly even at maximum fan speed. The noise is below average. The case heating did not exceed 40°C for all models.

For powering the Vinga Mini PC V600 and Mini PC V650, an external 40-watt Vinga ADS-40SI-19-3 19040E power supply is used. The input signal parameters are 100 - 240 V at a current of 1 A and a frequency of 50 - 60 Hz. The output is 19 V at 2.1 A.

Power consumption of Vinga Mini PC V600/V650 nettops under different load types:

The results are practically identical, and the difference can be attributed to measurement error.

Summary

It's time to summarize our acquaintance with the nettops Vinga Mini PC V600 and Mini PC V650, which arrived for testing in four modifications. They differ in the model of the installed processor, memory subsystem, and storage.

The most affordable Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008145U.8256) features a 2-core Intel Core i3-8145U, 8 GB of RAM in dual-channel mode, and a 256 GB solid-state drive. It is quite sufficient for use as a workhorse in an office, store, library, or educational institutions.

The Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008265U.8256) model pleased with a more productive 4-core Intel Core i5-8265U CPU but received only one 8 GB memory stick. The single-channel RAM mode limits its performance, especially the graphics subsystem. For optimal operation, we recommend immediately installing a second memory module.

In turn, the senior Vinga Mini PC V600 (V6008565U.16512) and Mini PC V650 (V65010510U.161T) with 4-core Intel Core i7-8565U and Intel Core i7-10510U processors will handle a wider range of tasks even better, and they are more expensive.

Overall, all four versions were liked for their attractive aluminum cases, ease of self-upgrade, expanded interface sets, as well as productive and quiet cooling systems. For complete happiness, someone might miss a card reader.

Their features include weak gaming performance due to the lack of a discrete graphics card.

As a result, the Vinga Mini PC V600 and Mini PC V650 nettops turned out to be universal solutions with a very large number of various configurations. Thanks to this, you can choose a version with the necessary performance for the required budget.

Advantages:

• wide variety of processors;
• stylish design;
• aluminum case;
• compact size;
• possibility to install two drives;
• VESA mount included;
• excellent set of external interfaces;
• ability to work as a thin client;
• efficient and quiet cooling system;
• support for wireless interfaces Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.0.

Author: Kostyantyn Shorokhov
Translation: Liliya Masyuk
Link to the review on gecid.com