Beelink SER3 – Micro-PC with AMD Ryzen 7 3750H APU Review
If you do not use the PC to play, but if you use office automation and multimedia, equipment such as the Beelink SER3 is a success since they combine an ultra-compact format with more than enough power for both functions, even for some simple games.
Let’s see to begin the technical specifications of the Beelink SER3 barebone:
| Beelink SER3 | |
| Chassis | 126 x 113 x 40 mm (length, width, height) / 0.57 liters Active dissipation VESA mount |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 3750H 4 cores / 8 threads 2.3 – 4.0 GHz TDP: 35W |
| Memory | 8/16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4 @ 2400 MHz |
| Graphics | AMD RX Radeon Vega 10 @ 1400 MHz 2 HDMI video outputs |
| Storage | M.2 NVMe SSD 256/512 GB 2.5-inch bay SATA III |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) WiFi 5 Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Other connections | Front: 1 x USB-C 2 x USB 3.0 1 x TRRS Jack (headphones and microphone) Rear: 2 x USB 3.0 2 x HDMI Power |
| Feeding | 19V / 3A transformer |
| Operating system | Includes Windows 10 (upgradeable to 11) |
Before starting the review, we want to thank Beelink for giving us the Beelink SER3 barebone analysis.
Table of Contents
Packaging and Accessories
The Beelink SER3 comes to us in a black cardboard box that shows us its main specifications on the back and two QR codes that send us to an installation tutorial and the forum for doubts.
Inside, it is well protected by the packaging itself and is accompanied by the manual, the current transformer of 19V / 3A, an HDMI cable of 1 meter and another of 20 cm, making it perfect the latter if we choose to use the plate metal that allows it to be placed behind a monitor, on the VESA mount.
Beelink SER3
Once we have the Beelink SER3 in our hands, we are faced with an ultra-compact device in a black metallic chassis that offers dimensions of only 126 x 113 x 40 mm (length, width, height) so it cubes 0.57 liters. The top grill lets in hot air thanks to a built-in fan that helps keep system temperatures at bay.
We find a pair of USB 3.0 ports and a USB-C that allows both the connection of peripherals and the video output on its front. It also has a TRRS jack connector for headphones and a microphone, a power button, and a small recessed button to reset the BIOS if necessary.
On the backside, we find the air outlet of the internal aluminum finned radiator and the rest of the connectivity. In addition to the power connector, we have 2 HDMI 1.4 video outputs, another 2 USB 3.0 ports, and an RJ-45 connector that gives it Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. This is complemented by the WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.0 connection.
By removing four screws from the base, we can access the interior of the Beelink SER3, which has a tray for 2.5-inch drives in the lid itself, an M.2 slot occupied by an SSD that we will talk about later, and 2 DDR4 slots in SO-DIMM format for RAM.
Hardware and Performance
We begin to list the hardware included in the compact Beelink SER3 with its AMD Ryzen 7 3750H processor, a mid-range model from a few years ago with four cores and eight threads at frequencies that start at 2.3 GHz and reach the 4.0 GHz. Its TDP is 35W, perfect to be refrigerated with solvency in such compact equipment.
This is accompanied by 8/16 GB memory DDR4 to 2400 MHz, which offers a bandwidth around 30 GB / s, although very substantial latencies around 120 ns.
It should be noted that this combination offers a reasonably simple performance, as the terminology of its processor must not fool us.
The processor itself has integrated graphics AMD Radeon RX Vega October to 1400 MHz, commonly known as an APU. This allows you to play 4K video without any problems, although, in games, they do not offer excellent performance, having to go down to 720p for these to at least work. For modern titles, it is insufficient.
In addition, it has an SSD in M.2 NVMe format of 256/512 GB signed by Gsemi that, as we see below, is around 2 / 1.6 GB / s of sequential read / write, figures that are more than correct for its task. The inclusion of an SSD allows the performance of the equipment to be notably higher than it would have with a mechanical disk, being even more critical the significant improvement in terms of random access compared to the one offered by these.
Finally, we must talk about its consumption and sound, the first being around 40W, a really low figure for such a functional team. On the other hand, the loudness at rest is practically zero, while it is around 42 dB at the entire performance, which is not annoying.
Conclusion
The Beelink SER3 is an excellent HTPC, as it offers good performance for multimedia and office tasks in an ultra-compact format of only 0.57 liters of volume. Indeed, its power does not give to play any modern title, but to classics or emulators of equally classic consoles. Its active dissipation keeps temperatures at bay without being annoying, while the possibility of adding a 2.5-inch drive gives it just the suitable expansion capacity, in the most exciting aspect. It also offers excellent connectivity with WiFi 5, GbE, multiple ports USB 3.0, and 2 HDMI outputs, placing it behind a screen compatible with VESA support.
We can find the Beelink SER3 for sale in stores such as Geekbuying for about $579.99 in the analyzed 16/512 GB version, with an 8/256 GB version for about €450. It is a reasonable price if we are looking for an ultra-compact PC, although we can find a desktop with greater expansion capacity for the same price. It will already depend on individual needs, but it is an option to consider.
| Main advantages | |
| + | Ultra-compact chassis, only 0.57 liters |
| + | Enough power for smooth multimedia and office tasks |
| + | Extra 2.5-inch bay |
| + | Very controlled loudness |
| + | 2 HDMI video outputs |
| + | 4 x USB 3.0 + USB-C |
| + | Wi-Fi 5 + GbE |
| + | VESA mount compatible |
| + | Windows 10 upgradeable to Windows 11 |
| Negative Aspects | |
| – | Many cheaper options, with not much less performance |
| – | Minimal gaming performance |
