If you’ve ever tried building or buying a PC specifically for Unreal Engine 5, you already know — it’s not as simple as checking specs on paper. Unreal Engine 5 demands both raw power and stability over long working hours. Between heavy shaders, real-time rendering, Nanite, and Lumen lighting, even a great system can struggle if it’s not optimized properly.
Recently, a lot of creators, developers, and digital artists on forums have been debating which mini PC gives the best performance for Unreal Engine 5 — the Beelink SER5 MAX Mini PC (Ryzen 7 6800H) or the MINISFORUM AI Mini PC M1 Pro-125H (Intel Core Ultra 5). Both are compact, affordable, and come packed with high-end specs that make them serious contenders for small studio setups.
Let’s break down how they perform in real-world Unreal Engine 5 usage.
🔹 Beelink SER5 MAX Mini PC — Compact Powerhouse for Artists
The Beelink SER5 MAX is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (8 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.4GHz), built on a 6nm process. It’s already a proven chip among creators who handle 3D modeling, video editing, and game development.
Key Highlights:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
- Graphics: Radeon 680M (integrated RDNA2 GPU)
- RAM: Supports up to 64GB DDR5
- Storage: NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0 support)
- Ports: Dual HDMI, USB-C, and plenty of USB-A options
This setup is surprisingly smooth when working with mid-size Unreal projects. The integrated Radeon 680M GPU can handle Lumen and Nanite at low to medium settings — impressive for an integrated GPU. Users on forums have noted that viewport navigation, compiling shaders, and light builds all perform well without major stutters.
However, the cooling system is where Beelink deserves real credit. The SER5 MAX maintains decent thermals even under heavy load, which means longer work sessions without CPU throttling. It runs quietly too — something artists appreciate during long render sessions.
If your workflow involves:
- Level design
- Blueprints scripting
- Moderate 3D modeling and scene previews
then Beelink SER5 MAX delivers excellent value for its price.
The only downside? When you push Unreal to full production-level rendering or run multiple heavy tools (like Substance Painter or Blender) side by side, you’ll notice the integrated GPU’s limits. It’s not built for AAA-level assets or massive open worlds — but for indie and mid-scale projects, it’s a beast in disguise.
🔹 MINISFORUM AI Mini PC M1 Pro-125H — Future-Ready with Intel Ultra Power
Now let’s talk about the MINISFORUM AI Mini PC M1 Pro-125H, which uses Intel’s new Core Ultra 5 125H chip. This processor comes from Intel’s latest Meteor Lake architecture, featuring integrated AI acceleration and better efficiency cores for multitasking.
Key Highlights:
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (up to 18 threads)
- Graphics: Intel Arc integrated GPU
- RAM: LPDDR5 32GB (soldered)
- Storage: PCIe 4.0 SSD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1
What makes the M1 Pro-125H exciting is its Intel Arc GPU, which actually performs closer to entry-level discrete GPUs in rendering tasks. In Unreal Engine 5, you’ll see noticeably faster shader compilation and smoother real-time previews compared to older integrated graphics. The system also handles high-resolution textures and light builds with more stability.
The AI engine inside the Core Ultra chip also helps optimize background tasks — freeing up performance for Unreal when you’re working on complex environments or lighting adjustments. Add in Thunderbolt 4 ports (for fast external drives and eGPUs), and you’ve got a system that’s built for serious long-term productivity.
One thing users report, though, is slightly higher heat output when working continuously in Unreal for hours. While it doesn’t overheat, it runs warmer than the Beelink, meaning you’ll hear the fans spin up more often.
If your workflow involves:
- Large environment testing
- High-poly assets
- Real-time lighting builds or cinematic rendering
then the MINISFORUM M1 Pro will serve you better in the long run.
⚙️ Performance Comparison (Simplified)
| Feature | Beelink SER5 MAX | MINISFORUM M1 Pro-125H |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Ryzen 7 6800H (8C/16T) | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (14C/18T) |
| GPU | Radeon 680M | Intel Arc Graphics |
| Thermals | Cooler, quieter | Slightly warmer |
| Expandability | Upgradeable RAM/SSD | Fixed RAM (soldered) |
| AI Optimization | No | Yes (AI Boost Engine) |
| Price | Slightly cheaper | Higher, but future-proof |
💡 Final Thoughts
If you want a reliable and cool-running PC for Unreal Engine 5 and general 3D work, the Beelink SER5 MAX is an incredible value. It’s stable, quiet, and powerful enough for most indie or mid-range development.
But if you’re planning to work on bigger UE5 projects, experiment with cinematic scenes, or want something future-ready with AI optimization and faster rendering, the MINISFORUM M1 Pro-125H is the smarter investment — even if it costs a bit more.
In the end, both machines can handle Unreal Engine 5 — your choice depends on whether you value cool performance and upgradability (Beelink) or AI power and next-gen GPU performance (Minisforum).
