A small, attractive and upgradeable mini PC
Most PCs are large, hefty beasts wrapped in plain black casings, but the Acer Revo One RL85 is the polar opposite. This mini Windows 8.1 PC is about the size of a large mug. It could easily sit unobtrusively beside your TV or on a bookshelf because it comes in a striking, minimalist, white curvy casing.
Performance
The RL85 is available in several configurations. The model we reviewed is fitted with 4GB of memory, a 2.1GHz Intel Core i3 dual-core processor and a 2TB hard drive. This processor is much faster than the Intel Celeron 2957U, which comes in the cheapest version of the Revo One (£230), and makes the £350 configuration quick enough for use as your main computer – although the integrated graphics chip isn’t made for 3D gaming. It’s a shame the Revo One comes with only 4GB of memory – and you can’t upgrade this easily. 4GB is enough for now, but it’ll prove limiting because forthcoming software will inevitably make greater demands on your memory. The noise it generated wasn’t excessive, even when it grappled with our demanding benchmark tests. It emitted a slight whirring sound, which we could only really hear when pressing our ears against its casing.
Expansion
Unusually for a mini PC, it’s easy to upgrade the Revo One’s storage. Press and hold the small latch on the back using a small pen or screwdriver and the casing slides off to reveal the interior.
The 2TB hard drive (originally designed for laptops) is fixed in place, but there’s space for another two laptop hard drives or SSDs. Simply screw your drives into the trays and slide them into place. Laptop hard drives are currently available in sizes up to 3TB, so you could have as much as 8TB of storage which is very impressive in such a small PC.
Although you can theoretically fit up to 8GB of memory, you have to literally disassemble the entire PC to get to the memory slot, which is a very tricky procedure. Also, because there’s only one slot, you’d have to dispose of the 4GB chip already in there. Oddly, accessing the combined 802.11n and Bluetooth card, which sits behind a panel held in place by a single screw, is far easier, though replacing it yourself would void your warranty. You could even swap it for a faster 802.11ac wireless card to get a theoretical maximum speed of 900Mbps.
Connections and accessories
Upgrading the RL85’s internal hard drives is very straightforward, but there are plenty of external connections if all that sounds too intimidating. There are four USB ports (two each for USB 3.0 and USB 2.0) for keyboards, mice, printers, external hard drives and USB sticks. If you want a DVD writer, then you’ll have to use a USB model because, you won’t be surprised to hear, there isn’t space for one in this PC. Alongside the Gigabit Ethernet connector are two video ports, HDMI and Mini DisplayPort, so you can connect up to two monitors. All these connections are located at the back except for the SD card slot, which is up top – making it easy to pop cards in and out.
The configuration we tested comes with a basic keyboard and mouse. Disappointingly, it doesn’t come with the combined remote control and mini keyboard that you get with the £230 version. Clearly designed for use in your living room, the remote has a miniature keyboard on one side and playback controls and a touchpad on the other. The small rubbery keys aren’t designed for typing over long periods, but are more than sufficient for tapping out search terms and other snippets of text.
There’s no danger of accidentally moving the cursor while typing because you have to press a button on the side of the remote to activate the touchpad, which is large and accurate. The remote can also be used to put the RL85 to sleep and wake it. Annoyingly, the remote doesn’t connect via Bluetooth but instead relies on its own dedicated USB dongle. This not only occupies a valuable USB port, but the jutting dongle also adds more depth to the RL85, which could be a drag if you’re trying to fit it into a tight space. Still, it’s a shame this remote can’t be bought separately.
As seems to be the fashion, the RL85 comes with a lot of junk software pre-installed, including Acer’s own online storage and basic office programs, none of which are better than popular alternatives like Dropbox and LibreOffice. Media-centre software would’ve been a better choice, given that the RL85’s compact size and quiet operation make it an ideal choice for a media-centre PC.
Conclusion
The Acer Revo One RL85 is a cracking little PC. Despite its modest price tag, it’s quiet, attractive, and – for such a small PC – it’s surprisingly simple to add lots of internal storage. If only it was as easy to add more memory however, and there are problems with the remote. As a result, it just misses out on our Buy It! award.
VERDICT
There are a few niggles, but this is still one of the best mini PCs available.
SPECIFICATIONS
2.1GHz Intel Core i3 5010U dual-core processor • 8GB memory • 2TB hard drive • Intel HD5500 integrated graphics chip • 155x107x107mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty