Full- featured computer in a small footprint with plenty of customisation options
Small computers are nifty. They can provide a full desktop PC experience where the physical space for a traditional tower case would be cumbersome or impractical. In the past, a tiny form factor meant weak specs and woeful performance - but the ASUS VivoPC VM62 platform brings compact size and low power consumption together with performance and a reasonable price.
The guts, for all intents and purposes, is a laptop squished into a 19cm x 19cm x 5.6cm rectangle. The VM62 is sold in various configurations through many PC stores thanks to ASUS’s large distribution network. The base config is either an Intel i3-4030U or i5-4210U CPU, Intel HD 4400 graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and Gigabit LAN. There’s a swathe of ports on the back - 4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0, HDMI, DisplayPort, an SD card reader and even a socket for a Kensington lock.
Resellers are able to configure the machine with up to 16GB of memory, various disk options and can decide to include an OEM copy of Windows or not. Great if you don’t intend to use Windows on the machine.
An excellent piece of ingenuity from the ASUS engineers is a dual bay storage enclosure inside the VivoPC VM62, dubbed the VivoBay. With the VivoBay, you can install a single 3.5” drive or two 2.5” drives, allowing great flexibility with storage. If you want a 6TB HDD and create a versatile NAS, you can. If you want to go with an SSD for your OS and apps and a separate 2.5” hard disk for storing media, you can do that too.
RAM slots and drive bays are easily user accessible, making upgrades a breeze. Thanks ASUS for not taking the same route as Apple’s latest Mac Mini and making it a pain in the arse to upgrade simple things like RAM and storage.
The VM62 performs how you’d expect an Intel i3-4030U or i5-4210U CPU would. They wouldn’t be your first choice if you’re encoding video all day, but for practically anything that isn’t too CPU intensive, it works fine. Ditto the Intel HD 4400 graphics. Perfectly fine for anything that isn’t gaming or 3D related.
Included is a VESA mount adaptor which enables attaching the VM62 to the back of a monitor or TV with screws. Power is provided by an external adaptor, just like a laptop. An internal power supply like the Mac Mini would be nice.
The VM62 excels as use as a HTPC or home server. Due to the ability to have a high capacity 3.5” drive or two 2.5” drives, it eliminates the need for an external HDD or a NAS if your storage requirements aren’t that extreme. Because it’s simply an Intel CPU computer, just in a small package, you can run any operating system you like. The VM62 can act simultaneously as a HTPC and a home server too, with plenty of grunt to do both. Install Ubuntu Linux or Windows and configure the server stuž (local file serving, cloud syncing, automatic downloading, etc) to work in the background, then run Kodi or Plex for TV use.
There are a few other tiny computers on the market. In fact, the competition is even physically smaller than the VivoPC. Intel’s NUC and Gigabyte’s Brix have a footprint almost half the size of the VivoPC. Specs wise, they’re also very similar, with Intel CPUs, HDMI, Wi-Fi and Ethernet ports. Intel’s own NUC has a newer generation of CPU, the i3-5010U and i5-5250U and the much improved HD Graphics 5500 and 6000. The NUC is even cheaper than the VivoPC VM62 - with the Intel NUC5i3RYK selling for $399 without RAM or HDD, versus $449 for the barebones VivoPC VM62.
The faster CPU and GPU, smaller size and lower price of the Intel NUC make it a better buy over the VivoPC VM62. However, the NUC requires a less ubiquitous M.2 Key Type M SSD for internal storage. The VivoPC VM62’s ability to internally house a 3.5” or 2x 2.5” drive may make it more cost effective overall compared to Intel’s NUC if the larger size and using the previous generation CPU and GPU aren’t an issue. Anthony Agius
KEY SPECS
Intel i3-4030U or i5-4210U CPU • Intel HD 4400 graphics • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • Gigabit LAN • USB 3.0 • HDMI • Max 16GB RAM & various storage options