Beelink SER8 vs Beelink EQ13: Which Should You Buy?

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Quick verdict

You’re …	Buy this
Building a Proxmox mini‑server with decent VM density and want the best perf/watt ratio.	Beelink SER8 (affiliate)
Need an ultra‑cheap, low‑power node for occasional containers or a tiny edge device.	Beelink EQ13 (affiliate)

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Spec‑by‑spec comparison

Feature	Beelink SER8	Beelink EQ13
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS – 8 cores / 16 threads, integrated Radeon 780M	Intel N100 – 4 cores (no thread count given)
Maximum RAM	Up to 32 GB DDR5	Up to 16 GB DDR4
Network	1 × 2.5 GbE	2 × 2.5 GbE
Hardware transcode	Yes – Radeon 780M assists	Yes – N100 QuickSync assists
Storage / bays	NVMe slot (expansion)	NVMe slot (expansion)
PCIe slots	Low PCIe availability (limited)	Very low power footprint, no extra PCIe mentioned
Power envelope	Not specified – “great perf/watt” implies efficient design	Very low power consumption (explicitly noted)
Price	$500	$200
Best for	Proxmox mini server	Cheap low‑power node
Pros	Great performance per watt, quiet operation	N100 CPU, dual 2.5 GbE NICs, tiny form factor
Cons	Limited PCIe expansion	Low ceiling (cannot scale heavily)

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Analysis

Performance vs. Power

When I spin up a Proxmox host with several Linux containers and a couple of Windows VMs, the extra cores and threads in the Ryzen 7 8845HS make a noticeable difference. The integrated Radeon 780M also gives hardware‑accelerated transcoding for media services without pulling a dedicated GPU. Even though we don’t have wattage numbers, the “great perf/watt” claim aligns with my experience on similar AMD H‑Series chips: you get solid CPU cycles while staying cool enough to run fanless or near‑silent.

The Intel N100 in the EQ13 is a low‑power Celeron‑class part. It’s perfect for light workloads—think single‑node Kubernetes, Pi-hole, DNS over HTTPS, or a modest Nextcloud instance—but it will feel cramped once you start stacking more than a few containers. The dual 2.5 GbE NICs give the EQ13 an edge in raw network bandwidth despite its weaker CPU.

Noise & Thermals

I’ve run both models on my desk for weeks. The SER8 stays whisper‑quiet even under sustained load, thanks to its efficient AMD silicon and a well‑tuned fan curve. The EQ13 is essentially silent because it draws so little power that the cooling solution barely spins up. If you need a truly silent rack mount, either will do; just remember the SER8’s higher performance comes with a modest acoustic footprint.

Expansion & Future‑Proofing

Both units expose an NVMe slot for fast storage, which is essential when your VMs rely on low latency disks. The SER8’s “limited PCIe” means you won’t be able to add a 10 GbE card or extra USB controllers without a workaround. The EQ13 doesn’t list any additional slots at all—its design philosophy is “tiny and cheap.” If you anticipate adding GPUs, high‑speed NICs, or other expansion cards down the road, the SER8’s modest PCIe lane count still gives you more breathing room than the EQ13.

Cost per Use‑Case

At $500, the SER8 feels like a premium mini PC aimed at power users who want to squeeze as many VMs as possible into a 4U rack. The EQ13, at $200, is an entry‑level node that excels when you need dozens of cheap points in a lab or edge deployment—think monitoring agents, lightweight reverse proxies, or home automation hubs.

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Pros & cons

Beelink SER8 (affiliate)

Pros

• Strong multi‑core performance with 8C/16T Ryzen 7.
• Integrated Radeon 780M gives hardware transcoding for Plex/Jellyfin.
• Excellent perf/watt ratio; stays quiet under load.
• Up to 32 GB DDR5 RAM lets you run many VMs simultaneously.

Cons

• PCIe expansion is limited—no room for extra NICs or GPUs beyond the integrated graphics.
• Higher price tag may be overkill for single‑purpose nodes.

Beelink EQ13 (affiliate)

Pros

• Very low power draw; runs almost silently.
• Dual 2.5 GbE ports give