Beelink SEi14

The Beelink SEi14 delivers exceptional value at $619, combining Intel's Meteor Lake architecture with a compact 0.8L chassis. Its Ultra 5 125H CPU (14C/18T) excels in productivity, scoring ~11,500 in Geekbench multi-core tests—nearly matching AMD's Ryzen 7 7840HS while consuming less power (28W TDP). The Intel Arc iGPU (7 Xe-cores) handles 1080p gaming (CS:GO at 90fps) and AV1 decoding, though it trails AMD's Radeon 780M in AAA titles. The 32dB cooling system and dustproof design ensure quiet operation, even under sustained loads.

Where the SEi14 shines is AI acceleration. Its NPU (10 TOPS) enables smooth background blur and noise cancellation in video calls, outperforming AMD's Ryzen AI in latency-sensitive tasks. The Thunderbolt 4 port supports eGPUs (tested with RTX 3060), though the PCIe 3.0 x4 link bottlenecks high-end GPUs. Storage speeds impress (4,150MB/s read), but the Realtek WiFi 6 module limits wireless throughput to 160Mbps vs. Intel AX210's 500Mbps.

Compared to the GTi14's Ultra 185H ($869), the SEi14 trades raw CPU power (16C/22T vs. 14C/18T) for better efficiency. The 185H's PCIe 5.0 x8 dock unlocks full eGPU potential (e.g., RTX 4080 at 150fps in Cyberpunk 2077), but the total cost ($869 + $300 dock) dwarfs the SEi14's value. The Ultra 155H ($819) offers middling gains (4.8GHz turbo, 30 TOPS NPU) but lacks the SEi14's price-to-performance edge. For most users, the SEi14 strikes the ideal balance—unless you need desktop-grade GPU expansion.

Alternative Consideration: At the same $600 price range, the Beelink SER8 with AMD’s Ryzen 7 8845HS offers superior integrated graphics (Radeon 780M) and higher AI performance (16 TOPS NPU), making it a better value for gaming and creative workloads. However, it lacks the SEi14’s Thunderbolt 4/eGPU flexibility and Intel’s NPU-optimized software ecosystem. If you prioritize GPU performance without expansion needs, the SER8 is compelling—but the SEi14 remains the choice for modularity and future-proofing .

- GhostKeyboard Review