Mini PC With Configurable Ports? ASUS ExpertCenter PN64 Review

MiniPCs have been around for more than a decade now and. Each iteration offers more features while still keeping its compact form factor. And here we are today with one of ASUS' newer miniPC, the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64.

Design & Specification

Let us start first with what is included in the box. Besides the actual unit, You also get its power brick, paper manuals, an HDMI cable, a VESA mount plate and finally, a mouse and a keyboard. I actually like the idea that they've included everything so basically all you need to do is add a monitor then just plug everything to have a full functioning desktop ready.

Design of this device is great as it looks like an Intel NUC but with a more industrial look while still keeping a small foot print. For comparison, my older iPhone 6 which is already small in today's standard still manages to be longer as compared to the PN64. It is enclosed in a thick plastic shell that actually feels sturdy and premium. Top and front have a smooth finish while the small ASUS print can be seen in the upper left of the device. Its grooved side vents are for intake, combo-ed with a Kensington Lock on one side, while the rear vents are used to expel heat out of the system. ASUS also claims that the this mini PC passed the MIL-STD 810H test ensuring its durability and reliability.

As with most mini PCs out there, the PN64 uses a mobile chip to run the system. The model that I have right now features an Intel Core i5 12500H, 16GB of DDR5 SODIMM memory and finally 256GB of Gen4 NVME for storage. Specs may vary depending on your requirement and there is also a bare bones option for those who would want to slot in their own memory and storage.

Connectivity

This is the part where the ExpertCenter PN64 differentiates itself among other mini PCs. This little device's rear I/O can be configured depending on what ports you might need on your setup. But before we dive deeper on that, let us first check the default ports included in the PN64. Besides the power button, ports in the front is pretty abundant, we got a single USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, two Type-A that are also Gen2 3.2, and lastly a combo audio jack. My model's Rear I/O includes another Type-C but with support for display and power delivery, a Type-A that is 3.2 Gen2, two HDMI 2.1 that is capable of 4k 60Hz, a 2.5Gig LAN, a COM port, slot for padlock and lastly its DC port. According to ASUS' website, the serial port can be swapped for additional display input for a quadruple display support or you can trade it out for another 2.5Gigabit Ethernet potentially for uses like pfSense or home servers. But according to ASUS reps that I talked to, they are not limited only with these ports and as long as clients will order by bulk, they can even spec-ed it out to any ports that they might need, they can add 3 more USB Type-A, add a Thunderbolt™ 4 port, more legacy ports if it requires connecting to older devices. I like its unique approach by offering different ports without adding extra slot in cards like those in regular desktops. I do wish though that they included a default Thunderbolt™ 4 port for expanded versatility.

Upgradeability

Upgrading the ExpertCenter PN64 is pretty straight forward as you just need to unscrew the bottom panel to reveal the upgrade-able parts. Credits to ASUS for making it captive so chances of losing it is slim. Similar to what you can do on laptops, you can swap around two RAM modules, the M.2 drive and an extra SATA slot for a 2.5-inch HDD support. Unfortunately you cannot swap processor or add a discrete GPU on mini PCs as these are embedded. the configurable ports are also connected via a ribbon cable so theoretically you can swap this around if you have an extra module for your PN64.

Mounting

The beauty of using a mini PC is being able to maximize your small desk space and ASUS did a wonderful job in making sure that mounting would be easy. Only requirement is a VESA mount compliant monitor and steps for mounting is would also require screwing the plate at the back of the monitor and the two screw standoffs to your PN64. Afterwards, its just a matter of hanging it and securing it with the lockable latch. Whole process only takes 5 minutes at most and would only require minimal effort.

Performance

Crammed in the ExpertCenter PN64 is an Intel mobile chip that varies from 12th Gen up to the newer 13th Gen. But the model that I have here is the Intel Core i5 12500H, a 12-core chip with a max turbo frequency of up to 4.5Ghz. On paper should be a great performer but based from my testing, the i5 12500H of the PN64 is only at par with the Intel i5 1240p mainly due to thermal throttling. It will immediately hit 98°C when running an all core task and clocks would dip down to measly sub 3GHz for both P-cores and E-Cores. Regardless, performance is still respectably good and you should not have any problem even with those complex data sets.

Verdict

Bare bones version for the ExpertCenter PN64 starts at 20,000 PHP, which is not cheap to be honest, but then again, you are mainly paying for the features, form factor and its no frills out of the box experience. It is also packed with powerful processing power that can handle most productivity tasks, support for fast storage for immediate file transfers and finally robust I/O ports supporting multi-generational devices. Few improvements could be done, including improved thermal dissipation, maybe an extra m.2 for extra storage and finally option to purchase only the configurable module. But if ever you are looking for a desktop like experience but lack the space for it and wants to avoid the small screen and cramped keyboard of a laptop, then surely the ExpertCenter PN64 would be the obvious choice for your daily productivity use.