SOYO Mini PC Y5 AIR Review with Intel i5: Is it worth it in 2026 for only €142?

The SOYO Y5 AIR is an ultra-compact mini PC that surprises with its price of €142 with Windows 11 Pro included, but it comes with a 2013 generation processor.

It's ideal for light office tasks, web browsing, and multimedia, but don't expect modern performance.

✅ Pros:

• Very aggressive price (€142 with Windows 11 Pro included)

• Ultra compact: only 250 grams, virtually silent

• Dual 4K HDMI output, built-in WiFi and Bluetooth

• Very low energy consumption (~15W in normal use)

• Easy to expand with an additional M.2 SSD

❌ Cons:

• Intel i5-4250U CPU from 2013 (late 10th generation)

• DDR3 RAM (not DDR4/DDR5), with no possibility of expansion.

• Without WiFi 6 or USB 3.2 Gen 2

• 128GB of storage, just right for everyday use

🏁 Quick conclusion: For basic tasks like browsing, watching 4K series, or working with documents, it does the job well. If you need more power, there are modern alternatives at a similar price.

👉 View Prices and Availability — SOYO Y5 AIR i5 4250U

📦 Unboxing and Box Contents

Upon opening the box of the SOYO Y5 AIR, the first thought is: Is it really that small? The device barely fits in the palm of your hand.

Contents included in the box:

• 🖥️ Mini PC SOYO Y5 AIR

• 🔌 Power adapter (included)

• 🖇️ HDMI cable (in some orders)

• 🔩 VESA mount for mounting behind the monitor

• 📄 User manual in English and Chinese

🔧 Technical Specifications Table

🎨 Design and Construction Quality

The SOYO Y5 AIR has a sleek and professional aesthetic with a matte black plastic casing and textured finish. There's no RGB lighting or unnecessary embellishments, making it suitable for both offices and living rooms.

Weighing just 250 grams, it's almost unbelievable that it's a complete PC. Its volume is a mere 0.36 liters, allowing you to place it behind your monitor using the included VESA mount, on your desk, or even carry it in your backpack. The side ventilation grille discreetly dissipates heat. Compared to other similarly priced Chinese mini PCs, the build quality is above average.

📺 Screen and Multimedia

The Y5 AIR includes two HDMI outputs that allow you to connect up to two monitors simultaneously with 4K resolution at 60fps thanks to the hardware decoding of the Intel HD Graphics 5000.

Video playback on YouTube 4K, Netflix, and Plex is smooth thanks to hardware acceleration. Audio is output via the HDMI ports or through the monitor's speakers. If you're looking for a quiet and efficient media player for your living room, this device performs exceptionally well.

👉 View Prices and Availability — SOYO Y5 AIR i5 4250U

⚙️ Performance and Software

This is where we need to be completely transparent. The Intel i5-4250U is a 2013 processor, manufactured using a 22nm process, with only 2 cores and 4 threads.

Performance in everyday tasks:

Windows 11 Pro comes pre-installed and activated. The system boots in about 25-30 seconds from the M.2 SSD. No excessive bloatware was detected, although it's advisable to review the programs installed on first boot.

🔋 Energy Consumption and Cables

With a TDP of 15W, the SOYO Y5 AIR is one of the most energy-efficient mini PCs on the market:

• 🟢 Standby: ~5–7W

• 🟡 Light office applications: ~8–12W

• 🔴 Maximum load (CPU+GPU): ~18–22W

This translates to minimal annual electricity costs, ideal for devices that are left on for many hours. The included power adapter is compact and doesn't take up much space in the outlet.

🌡️ Temperature and Noise (Actual Thermal)

Thanks to its low TDP of 15W and low-speed internal fan design, the SOYO Y5 AIR is virtually silent during normal use. At maximum sustained load, the fan activates slightly, but remains below approximately 35 dB, which is about the ambient sound of a quiet room.

The CPU temperature is generally kept between 40–60°C under normal use, and can reach 75–80°C under sustained load, without causing significant throttling thanks to the thermal design of the equipment.

🔌 Connectivity and Extras

The Y5 AIR offers basic but functional connectivity:

• 4x USB (combination of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0)

• 1x USB-C (datos y video)

• 2x HDMI (salida dual 4K)

• 1x Ethernet Gigabit (RJ-45)

• WiFi 5 (802.11 ac, 2.4GHz y 5GHz)

• Bluetooth 4.2

• SD Card Slot (on some models)

⚠️ What it doesn't have: WiFi 6, USB 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt, NFC, fingerprint reader, or IP certification for water or dust resistance.

🔧 Expansion and Upgrades

💡 Tip: If you buy this computer, the first recommended investment is to expand the storage with a 512GB or 1TB M.2 SATA SSD, as the 128GB fills up very easily once Windows and some applications are installed.

👉 View Prices and Availability — SOYO Y5 AIR i5 4250U

🆚 Comparison with Direct Competitors

⚠️ Comparison conclusion: The modern Intel N100 nearly doubles the performance of the i5-4250U for a similar price. If performance is the priority, mini PCs with the N100 or N150 are objectively better options in 2026.

💬 Reviews on Well-Known Pages

This section is key to understanding the real user experience:

AliExpress ⭐ 4.7/5 (hundreds of reviews)

Buyers highlight the positive value for money, the fast shipping, and that the equipment works exactly as described in the advertisement:

• "Slow for multitasking, but perfect for the basics"

• "The 128GB SSD fills up very quickly, I recommend upgrading it."

• "It's perfect for watching series and working with documents."

• "No WiFi 6, but the WiFi connection works fine"

YouTube (independent reviewers)

Content creators who have reviewed the SOYO Y5 AIR agree that it's a solid buy for the price, especially for basic needs. However, they all caution that it's no match for mini PCs with modern processors like the N100.

Ozon.ru (~339 ratings)

On the Russian platform, the device has accumulated hundreds of reviews with generally positive ratings, mainly highlighting its size and quietness.

🔬 Technical Tests

Benchmarks CPU — PassMark

The most revealing statistic: the 2023 Intel N100 nearly doubles the multitasking performance of the i5-4250U, while also being more energy efficient (6W TDP vs. 15W). In single-threaded tasks, the i5-4250U performs slightly better thanks to its higher turbo frequency.

SSD performance

The included M.2 SATA SSD offers sequential read speeds of approximately 450–500 MB/s, which is sufficient to boot Windows quickly and open applications without noticeable waiting.

🎮 Gaming and Emulation

With Intel HD Graphics 5000, gaming expectations should be realistic:

🟢 Works well:

• NES, SNES, GBA, Game Boy, PSP emulation (PPSSPP 100%)

• PS1 (ePSXe/DuckStation) — perfecta

• Nintendo DS (DeSmuME/melonDS) — fluid

• Classic 2D games (Steam: Stardew Valley, Undertale, Terraria)

🟡 Works with limitations:

• PS2 (PCSX2/LRPS2 RetroArch) — simple games at 60fps, demanding games below 60%.

• Nintendo Wii (Dolphin) — simple games at 30fps

• Nintendo 3DS (Citra) — variable performance

🔴 Not recommended:

• PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch (require a much more powerful GPU)

• Modern PC games (GTA V, Fortnite, etc.)

• GameCube at high resolutions

  🎮 Gaming verdict: If your goal is retro emulation up to PS2 and PSP, the SOYO Y5 AIR performs decently. For anything more modern, it's not the right device.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the i5-4250U a good processor in 2026?
For basic tasks, yes, but in modern benchmarks it falls far short of current processors like the Intel N100 or N150. It's a 2013 chip, and it shows.

Can the RAM be upgraded?
No. The RAM is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.

Does it support two monitors at the same time?
Yes, it has two HDMI outputs and can work with dual-screen configurations up to 4K@60fps.

Is Windows 11 Pro a legal license?
The computer came with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. According to user reviews, the system is activated, although the license type (OEM/retail) is not always clearly specified by the manufacturer.

Does it work well for remote work (Zoom, Teams)?
For standard-quality video calls and Office documents, yes. For high-quality video calls while performing other tasks, it may start to struggle.

How much does it consume per month?
With 8 hours of daily use for office applications, the approximate consumption is 2-3 kWh per month, which amounts to less than €0.60/month at current European prices.

🏁 Final Conclusion

The SOYO Mini PC Y5 AIR is an honest machine within its price and limitations. If you're looking for an ultra-quiet and compact PC for browsing, working with documents, watching 4K series, or playing retro games up to PS2/PSP, this machine at €142 with Windows included could be a worthwhile purchase.

Who is it ideal for?

• 👴 Older or non-technical users who need a basic PC

• 📺 Silent multimedia center for the living room

• 🏢 Second office screen for light tasks

• 🎮 Retro emulation (up to PS2/PSP)

• 💼 Basic teleworking (documents, email, simple video calls)

Who is it NOT ideal for?

• 🎬 Video editors and photographers

• 🎮 Gamers who want to play modern titles

• 💻 Users with intense multitasking (15+ tabs, heavy programming)

• 🤖 Anyone who wants a team with room for growth

Alternatives to consider:

• 🥇 Intel N100 Mini PC (~€140–170): almost double the performance, lower power consumption

• 🥈 Beelink EQ12 N100 (~€180): 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, far superior performance

• 🥉 SOYO Y5 Plus i7-4650U (~€180): same CPU generation but slightly more powerful

🛒 Where to buy it?

💰 Precio actual: 142€ (8GB RAM + 128GB SSD + Windows 11 Pro)

🔗 Buy on AliExpress (affiliate link):
👉 View offer — SOYO Y5 AIR i5 4250U