VOYO V1 Mini PC, the first swallow with Apollo Lake

Not long ago, mini PCs based on Intel's new Pentium N4200 processor (SoC), built around the Apollo Lake core, were announced.
The first one has landed in my hands. I've been waiting for it for a while, as I was eager to get my hands on the new hardware :)
Let's put it through its paces, take it apart, and compare it with other mini PCs.

Information about these processors actually appeared quite a while ago, but for some reason manufacturers were in no hurry to bring them to market—or to release computers based on them.


Apollo Lake processors replace two very popular families at once: Cherry Trail and Braswell. They're popular mainly in mobile devices and mini PCs.
The N4200 featured in this review has four Goldmont CPU cores, which were expected to deliver a 25–30% performance boost over the previous generation based on the Airmont core.
Another key advantage is the processor's low rated TDP of just 6 W. So it should be faster than its predecessors while producing less heat.

But since this is a computer review, not a lecture on processor differences, let's get to the point.
First, the specs:
Operating system: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Pentium N4200, 1.1 GHz (2.5 GHz in Turbo mode)
Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 505
Memory: SODIMM DDR3L, 1 slot; 4 GB installed, maximum 8 GB.
SATA — 1 x M.2 (with a 128 GB SSD installed) + 1 x SATA
Additional eMMC flash storage: 32 GB
LAN — Gigabit LAN
Wi-Fi — 2.4 GHz
Display output: miniHDMI
External interfaces: 3 x USB 3.0
Audio output — 3.5 mm jack
Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 28
Weight: 400 g

The computer comes in a cardboard box with full-color printing. The top also shows the four color options it's available in.


The box lists the specs, but they're very brief.


Everything inside is packed tightly, with nothing rattling around—a plus when ordering from online stores.


The bundle is a little unusual.
1. Computer
2. Power supply
3. miniHDMI-to-HDMI cable
4. USB Wi-Fi adapter
5. Manual and warranty card.


First, a few things that are nothing out of the ordinary.
The manual and warranty booklet, a 70 cm cable, and a power supply with a European plug. It's quite powerful for this device—12 V, 3 A—and barely gets warm even under a sustained load.


The manual is in Chinese and English. It briefly covers the initial setup, Windows activation, and the location of the ports.


And here's the small detail I hadn't seen before on a computer.
The computer has a metal case, and instead of fitting an internal antenna, the manufacturer took a more radical approach and simply included a USB Wi-Fi adapter.
In my opinion, it's a questionable choice. On the one hand, Wi-Fi isn't really needed when the computer is used as a stationary device. On the other, when you do use it, the adapter takes up one of the USB ports—and there are only three to begin with.
You may also have noticed that Bluetooth isn't listed in the specs. That's another drawback, though a less significant one.


Now we've reached the computer itself. It was available in two colors, blue and gold. I chose the former, though personally I think it looks better.
As I mentioned above, the case is metal and the paint job is good; I have no complaints about the finish. It looks very neat.


The computer is very compact, especially considering that the announcement said it could accommodate a hard drive, SODIMM memory, and an SSD.


There are no ports or ventilation openings on the sides of the case.


The front has only a power button and a white status LED.


All the ports are on the back.
1. Power input
2. Ethernet port
3. microSD card slot
4. Analog audio output, 3.5 mm jack
5. miniHDMI output for connecting a monitor.
6. Three USB 3.0 ports

Of course, the miniHDMI port isn't very convenient, since it requires either a special cable or an adapter. A full-size HDMI port would be more convenient, but the developers probably wanted to kill two birds with one stone: make the port more compact without sacrificing mechanical strength altogether, as with microHDMI.


The bottom has just four soft rubber feet and ventilation openings.
By the way, the ventilation is quite well thought out: cool air is drawn in at the front underneath, while hot air is expelled at the top of the rear.


First boot.
Yes, the developers clearly have a sense of humor. How did they not think to call it an iMac mini? :))
Windows comes “Russianized” out of the box; you just need to select Russian in the installer's first menu.


Since I had it powered on, I'll show you the computer's BIOS right away.
There should have been a few more photos, but these show the main points; there are very few settings.
Now I'll look back sadly on computers whose developers exposed everything the BIOS could do, whether users needed it or not. Of course, that came with its own problems: sometimes users could easily turn their device into a “brick” by changing just one setting. Here, they've decided to lock down everything users don't need to know about. What a shame.


The desktop is empty, although I suspect this wasn't actually the computer's first boot.


The operating system was not activated initially. I ran some of the tests in that state; after connecting the computer to the internet, activation happened automatically. The antivirus found no “backdoors.”


As the specs indicate, the computer has two storage drives installed.
I knew this when I placed the order, and it worried me a little. I was afraid the manufacturer would install Windows on the eMMC and leave the SSD unused.
It’s a pretty original setup, actually. I’ve never come across anything like it before: the 32 GB eMMC drive can be used for extra storage when replacing the SSD, or for installing programs that don’t need to load quickly.


There was no disc included in the box, and even if there had been, I’m always complaining that there’s usually nowhere to put it anyway. But this time the developers showed some welcome consideration for users: all the necessary drivers are on the extra eMMC drive. Definitely a win :)


As usual, the system drive is split into three partitions: an extra one for Windows, the system partition, and a recovery partition. The eMMC is entirely available for the user. Before installing all the programs and updates, the user has more than 130 GB available in total: 104 GB on the system drive and 27 GB on the extra drive.


Now for some information from CPU-Z.
As advertised, the processor runs at 1.1 GHz, though it does a pretty good job of adjusting its frequency as needed.
The BIOS is fairly recent, dated November 30, 2016. Given that updates are unlikely, that’s fine.
Interestingly, CPU-Z doesn’t “see” the installed memory and shows two empty slots.


Since CPU-Z includes a simple performance test, I run that one too now.
Judging by the results, the processor performs about as well as a Core2Duo E8500, which is pretty good.


The computer has a Foresee SSD. I’ve come across eMMC chips in TV boxes and mini PCs before, and can’t say I was impressed with their speed. In my opinion, this manufacturer’s products don’t quite match the overall quality of the computer.


During testing, I measured the speeds of the SSD and eMMC storage.
Both drives delivered quite respectable speeds, although CrystalDiskMark isn’t particularly accurate when it comes to measurements.


Because the storage speed measurements weren’t very accurate, I ran some additional tests.
AS SSD Benchmark showed only slightly lower speeds. However, in both tests, the program reported very low speeds when testing 4K block reads. That’s why I ran the test with a 5 GB volume rather than 10 GB: the program also tests the full volume in this mode.
On the plus side, this test revealed that the eMMC memory is made by Samsung. Based on my tests, it’s the best eMMC memory I’ve seen.


Next up was the Anvills test. Unfortunately, I could only use it to test the SSD, since it “crashed” about halfway through when I tried to test the eMMC.
Even so, it managed around 190 MB/s write and 475 MB/s read, which is pretty good for Foresee.


I remember one time when USB 3.0 was actually working as USB 2.0, so now I check every computer to make sure this interface works properly.
Although the test didn't run at full speed, it's still reasonable to conclude that USB 3.0 is present and really does work in the proper mode.
I also tested the microSD slot. It can operate at a fairly high speed, though not as fast as the USB 3.0 card reader.


I test all computers with eMMC memory using an old version of CrystalDiskMark, then put together a comparison screenshot.


CHUWI HiBox
Beelink BT7
Pipo X10
Pipo X9
Pipo X7
Pipo X7S
MeeGoPad T02
Pocket P1
Vensmile W10
Teclast X98 Pro
MeeGoPad T03
Wintel Pro CX-W8


The computer has a gigabit network card (if that's what you can call it) made by Realtek. Their chips are very common, though, so nothing unusual here.
The WiFi adapter only supports 2.4 GHz and, judging by the hardware ID, is based on the Ralink RT5370.


WiFi sensitivity isn't very good, mainly because the antenna is almost certainly tiny. At this spot, a decent receiver sees around 50–52 access points; this one sees just 31.


In the most challenging spot, I managed to connect to my access point, but speed tests were out of the question—the connection was literally hanging by a thread.


Next, the usual speed tests under different conditions.
1. 12 m away, reinforced concrete walls, no line of sight.
2. 6–7 m away, fewer walls, but still no line of sight.
3. In the room next to the router; line of sight is somewhat obstructed by a small barrier.
4. 1 m away, line of sight.

As expected, performance isn't great.


Now we can move on to the performance tests—and especially the temperature tests :)
At the end of the review, I'll put all the test results in one table to make them easier to compare.

First up is Cinebench. I was expecting a little more.


The same test, but with software version R15


3DMark 2006 test. The program is old, of course, but it's my go-to benchmark, and I've used it to compare the performance of previous computers.
There were no overheating issues here either.


As an extra, I also ran a test with a newer version of 3DMark, but I don't have much to compare the results with yet, so this is just for general reference.


The LinX test pulled a little trick on me at first. When I started the test, the temperature shot up to 103 degrees almost instantly, then just as quickly returned to normal, but HWinfo had of course recorded it.


During the test, performance remained unchanged. One of the results came in slightly lower than the others; I was taking a screenshot of the program and saving it at the time.


The processor reached the stated 2.4-2.5 GHz, and spent most of its time running at around 2.1-2.4 GHz.


After that, I ran LinX several more times, but didn't see any more sudden temperature spikes.


Then I moved on to extreme tests. First, I simply checked what happened with the graphics core fully loaded. OCCT wouldn't monitor the temperature, by the way, so the screenshot also shows the HWinfo readings. The test showed that the temperature stabilizes fairly quickly, and the processor temperature doesn't rise any further after that.


Running the test at the highest possible load didn't change much either. The highest recorded temperature was 78 degrees, which is a very good result.


I run these tests just for the stats, just in case.
WinRAR compression speed


And performance in 7ZIP.


And of course, a power consumption check.
1. Computer turned off
2. Desktop.
3. OCCT CPU test
4. Maximum-load test. At startup, power consumption briefly jumped to 20-22 W, then stayed below 12.5.
After accounting for the power supply's efficiency, the computer's actual power consumption is around 10 W even at maximum load.


As is customary in my reviews, let's take a look inside. This usually gives a better idea of what we're dealing with.
Peel off the feet, remove the four screws, and take off the bottom cover.


A small observation: there's a sticker with the serial number on both the board and the case. Obviously the numbers match, but it's unusual to see a sticker like that on the board. I suspect it's needed for the warranty department's logistics. Though the very concept of a warranty is rather vague for devices like these.


Everything inside is quite neat, at least better than most of the devices I've taken apart.


The first thing I noticed when I took the computer apart was the space for a hard drive. Yes, I thought, there it is :)))


Unfortunately, my joy was short-lived: connecting a hard drive requires a special adapter, which isn't included :(
So, in theory, you can install a drive and even get it working, but only if you have a soldering iron and know what you're doing. Most likely, this feature is reserved for more expensive versions of the device, which come with a drive installed.

The board also has footprints for connectors for an LCD panel (2), a microphone and a touchscreen, as well as a place to install RAM chips directly on the board.
The first items are probably intended for expanded versions of the device, such as all-in-one computers, where the monitor and computer are combined into a single unit.
But the space for RAM chips was a surprise; I hadn't seen that before.


Some of the voltage converters are located here too, along with the built-in clock battery and USB fuses.
There is also a footprint for a speaker connector.


At first I wondered why there were hard drive mounting brackets when no drive was included. It turned out to be simple: those same brackets hold the bottom cover in place.
The brackets are different and marked L and R accordingly. The screws holding them in place also secure the computer's board, though there's another pair of screws as well.


All right, let's take it apart completely.


All the computer's main components are on this side of the board, a fairly large section of which is covered by the processor heatsink.
The computer has active cooling. It's worth noting that it's not particularly quiet.
The fan has two speeds. It's not too noisy at the lower speed, but at full speed it becomes noticeable.
On the plus side, the fan can shut off completely under light loads, so enthusiasts can modify the cooling system to make the fan kick in very rarely. I once reviewed a pretty good computer, but it had one drawback: the fan was always running, albeit at one of two speeds. Before that, I had another computer where the fan ran at just one speed all the time. Give the Chinese engineers a little more time and they'll invent variable-speed control. :)


The protruding capacitors are handled quite elegantly: there are special holes for them :)
No need to worry: the heatsink isn't very thick, so they aren't likely to overheat.


Let's bring the memory module and SSD out into the open.


A memory module with 16 SK Hynix chips. That seems perfectly fine; according to the manufacturer, it can be replaced with an 8 GB module.


The SSD uses the rather inconvenient M.2 form factor; a standard mSATA drive would be more convenient. But as far as I know, M.2 drives are a little cheaper than their mSATA counterparts, so upgrading will cost a bit less.
Though in my opinion, 128 GB is already plenty for a small home computer used for movies, Odnoklassniki and office work. Especially since there's another 32 GB of eMMC to help out.
The drive controller is an SM2246XT; there's no cache.


Here are the locations where the modules were installed. The processor supports dual-channel RAM, but only one slot is populated. Too bad.


Undo three more screws and remove the heatsink with its small fan.


The heatsink's base, pressed out of aluminum, has been lightly polished. At first I wanted to replace the stock thermal pad with a better one, but after seeing that the original is no more than 0.5 mm thick while mine is about 1 mm thick, I decided against it. The original pad is visibly compressed, which suggests the processor is making perfectly good contact with the heatsink. That makes the sharp temperature spike recorded during testing even more puzzling.


As you can see in the photo, the layout is very compact, mainly because almost everything is inside the processor—or, more accurately, the SoC, or system on a chip.


Even with everything packed so tightly, they found room for another M.2 slot. Unfortunately, it isn't populated—and it would have been so useful...


So, the main components:
1. The N4200 processor itself
2. Samsung eMMC memory, which we already knew from the tests. It's good memory; Samsung's eMMC chips are still the fastest of those I've tested.
3. ALC269 audio codec made by Realtek
4. RTL8111 gigabit Ethernet chip from the same manufacturer. Lately I've noticed that almost all mini PCs—and plenty of other devices—use chips from this manufacturer.


1. Near the USB ports is a multichannel power converter based on the RT5074 (if I understood correctly).
2. Near the power connector is a memory chip containing the BIOS firmware.
3, 4. There's another converter nearby; I assume it's for powering the processor.


There is protection near the USB and HDMI ports, which is quite useful. By the way, I was pleasantly surprised by the fairly high build quality; there's really not much to complain about.


Finally, for convenience, I’ve put some of the test results into a comparison table. The results may vary slightly, but they’re all from tests I actually ran.
As you can see, some results are noticeably better than those of the previous-generation processors, while others are about the same.


So, what’s the verdict? First, let’s simply list the strengths and weaknesses.
Pros
Very good build quality
No overheating at all, and a well-designed cooling system
Low power consumption
Neat appearance
Includes an SSD and additional eMMC storage
Gigabit Ethernet
Quite high performance
Cooling fan works properly
The computer can be upgraded by replacing the RAM and SSD
Licensed Windows 10

Cons
Active cooling
External WiFi adapter
Almost impossible to install a hard drive
No VESA mount
Only 3 USB ports

My take: this is a successful computer. Everyday users get reliable operation without overheating, while more advanced users can make it virtually silent with a small modification. In terms of performance, it’s noticeably faster than many previous solutions, although it falls behind more powerful processors such as the Core i3. But it was never intended to compete with them. Its considerable advantage is high performance with very low power consumption, which gives us good reason to expect these processors to show up in expensive tablets soon.
I was disappointed that there’s no way to install a hard drive. All it would take is an adapter to connect one: there’s room for the drive and a connector, but unfortunately…
The M.2 SSD is a matter of debate: some people prefer it, others don’t. For me, it’s probably a downside.
The manufacturer took an unusual approach to WiFi, including a simple USB WiFi adapter. On the one hand, that’s not a bad solution if you don’t need it; and if you do, you can use a different adapter or, if the computer is awkwardly positioned, move the adapter somewhere more convenient with a USB extension cable. But there are only three USB ports, and it’s a shame to use one up on the adapter.

That’s about it. As always, I’m looking forward to your questions.

The computer was purchased for $215. The price is now listed at $218 with coupon GBV1N4.