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Chuwi at its Best: Chuwi MiniBook Netbook Review

Two times brighter than the Topjoy Falcon. The Chuwi MiniBook is surprisingly a well-balanced and versatile netbook with its respectable system performance, bright 1080p touchscreen, and selection of ports. The unorthodox keyboard layout and twitchy mouse button will take some getting used to.

The Chuwi MiniBook is the Chinese OEM's latest IndieGogo project for users who want something even smaller and lighter than the typical 11-inch or 13-inch Ultrabook form factors. The UMPC in notable for its Lenovo Yoga-inspired 360-degree hinges, 16:10 1200p touchscreen, aluminum chassis, and expandable storage all in a compact 8-inch form factor.

The manufacturer plans to offer the MiniBook in two CPU configurations: Celeron N4100 and Core m3-8100Y for $429 and $529, respectively. Ports, RAM, and storage will be identical between both SKUs. The MiniBook is intended to compete against the MacBook Air, Surface Go, Lenovo Yoga Book, and the recent Topjoy Falcon.

More Chuwi reviews:

Chuwi MiniBook CWI526 (MiniBook Series)
Processor
Intel Celeron N4100 4 x 1.1 - 2.4 GHz, Gemini Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Core: 300 MHz, 24.20.100.6025
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4, 1200 MHz
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 283 PPI, 10-point capacitive, AU Optronics AUO17D8, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB eMMC Flash, 128 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Gemini Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Card Reader: MicroSD, Sensors: Gyroscope
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.3 x 201 x 128.6 ( = 0.76 x 7.91 x 5.06 in)
Battery
26.6 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes
Weight
662 g ( = 23.35 oz / 1.46 pounds), Power Supply: 173 g ( = 6.1 oz / 0.38 pounds)
Price
430 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The aluminum alloy chassis feels a lot stronger and firmer than Chuwi's LapBook laptops. Whereas a LapBook sacrifices rigidity to be thin and sleek, the MiniBook is relatively thick with wider bezels for additional reinforcement. Creaking and flexing are minor even for the lid.

Overall dimensions and weight are very similar to the Topjoy Falcon and so many of our existing comments on the Falcon also apply here.

Versatile 360-degree hinges. Keys are automatically disabled when display passes 180 degrees
Versatile 360-degree hinges. Keys are automatically disabled when display passes 180 degrees
Thick base is both stronger and more compact than many mid-range Ultrabooks
Thick base is both stronger and more compact than many mid-range Ultrabooks
Smooth matte aluminum chassis hides fingerprints well
Smooth matte aluminum chassis hides fingerprints well
Hinges are not uniformly firm. When nearing 180 degrees, hinge rigidity inexplicably becomes weaker.
Hinges are not uniformly firm. When nearing 180 degrees, hinge rigidity inexplicably becomes weaker.
261 mm / 10.3 inch 179 mm / 7.05 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 778 g1.715 lbs250.6 mm / 9.87 inch 174.1 mm / 6.85 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 456 g1.005 lbs245 mm / 9.65 inch 175 mm / 6.89 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 523 g1.153 lbs215.5 mm / 8.48 inch 124.2 mm / 4.89 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 310 g0.683 lbs201 mm / 7.91 inch 128.6 mm / 5.06 inch 19.3 mm / 0.76 inch 662 g1.459 lbs200 mm / 7.87 inch 130 mm / 5.12 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 680 g1.499 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The six ports are evenly distributed along the left and right edges. Note that the system integrates mini-HDMI and a MicroSD reader instead of the more desirable full-size HDMI and full-size SD reader.

There are a couple of annoyances worth mentioning. Firstly, the right USB Type-A port is upside-down while the left USB Type-A port is right-side up. Secondly, the lone USB Type-C port is used for both charging and data meaning that you will not be able to recharge the system and plug in a USB Type-C accessory simultaneously.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: MicroSD reader, USB 2.0, 3.5 mm earphones
Right: MicroSD reader, USB 2.0, 3.5 mm earphones
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: USB Type-C w/ Power Delivery, Mini-HDMI, USB 3.0
Left: USB Type-C w/ Power Delivery, Mini-HDMI, USB 3.0

SD Card Reader

Transfer rates are slow from the spring-loaded MicroSD card reader. Moving 1 GB of pictures from our UHS-II test card to desktop takes about 45 seconds compared to 7 seconds on the Dell XPS 13.

A fully inserted MicroSD sits flush against the edge for safe transporting. Ejecting can be difficult for larger fingers.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
67.8 MB/s +199%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
22.7 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
84.9 MB/s +205%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
81.1 MB/s +192%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
27.8 MB/s

Communication

The 1x1 Intel 3165 is limited to a maximum of 433 Mbps compared to 1.73 Gbps on the costlier 2x2 Intel 8260. Nonetheless, performance is reliable and more than sufficient for the purposes of the MiniBook. Bluetooth 4.2 is integrated with no WAN features.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
612 (449min - 687max) MBit/s +103%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
553 (481min - 580max) MBit/s +84%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
476 MBit/s +58%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
301 MBit/s
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
209 MBit/s -31%
iperf3 receive AX12
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
581 MBit/s +68%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
540 (499min - 581max) MBit/s +57%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
491 (446min - 517max) MBit/s +42%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
345 MBit/s
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
209 MBit/s -39%

Maintenance

The bottom panel comes off easily after removing the seven Philips screws. While RAM and WLAN are soldered, users can still easily add a secondary SSD or service the battery.

Easy to access with limited upgrade options
Easy to access with limited upgrade options

Accessories and Warranty

There are no included extras in the box and it appears that the touchscreen will not be compatible with WACOM pens.

We expect the usual one-year limited manufacturer warranty at launch. Owners will likely have to pay for any shipping expenses out of pocket.

Input Devices

Keyboard

To our surprise, the backlit keyboard keys are crisp in feedback with relatively deep travel despite the low price and small size. Keyboard layout, however, is very unusual. All keys outside of the main full-size QWERTY keys are understandably small and even oddly shaped in order to fit the limited surface area available. It'll take at least a few days of typing before the layout becomes second nature.

Touchpad

The MiniBook utilizes an OFN mouse much like on the Falcon. Unfortunately, the experience doesn't come close to an actual trackpad or even Lenovo's rubber TrackPoint. Slow precision movements are jittery to make clicking, dragging and dropping more difficult than it should be. We find it easier to simply tap the screen instead on many occasions. We recommend bringing along an external mouse for longer trips.

One-level white backlight comes standard
One-level white backlight comes standard
The mouse is noticeably less accurate and more jumpy than Lenovo's TrackPoint
The mouse is noticeably less accurate and more jumpy than Lenovo's TrackPoint
Surprisingly firm full-size QWERTY keys come at the cost of moderately loud "clicky" clatter
Surprisingly firm full-size QWERTY keys come at the cost of moderately loud "clicky" clatter
Red Power button is unfortunately not a fingerprint reader
Red Power button is unfortunately not a fingerprint reader

Display

The MiniBook utilizes the same AU Optronics AUO17D8 controller and likely the same panel as on the competing 8-inch Topjoy Falcon. In a surprising twist, however, contrast is measurably higher on the MiniBook and the display is much brighter than the Falcon to be about as bright as the iPad Air 2019. The deep black levels, crisp glossy overlay, dense PPI, and deep colors all contribute to an impressive visual experience relative to the price.

Our specific test unit exhibits slight-moderate uneven backlight bleeding as shown by our image below. It's only noticeable during boot up or video playback with black borders.

Edge-to-edge glass touchscreen. Note the awkward positioning of the webcam
Edge-to-edge glass touchscreen. Note the awkward positioning of the webcam
The side bezels are strong, but quite thick
The side bezels are strong, but quite thick
Subpixel array (283 PPI)
Subpixel array (283 PPI)
Slight-moderate uneven backlight bleeding along left and right edges
Slight-moderate uneven backlight bleeding along left and right edges
494.1
cd/m²
480.1
cd/m²
448
cd/m²
498
cd/m²
507.7
cd/m²
445.7
cd/m²
492.5
cd/m²
476.5
cd/m²
435
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO17D8 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 507.7 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 475.3 cd/m² Minimum: 55.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 507.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 1238:1 (Black: 0.41 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.08 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.03
ΔE Greyscale 7.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
91.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
58.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
64.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.11
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
AU Optronics AUO17D8, IPS, 8.00, 1920x1200
Topjoy Falcon
AUO17D8, IPS, 8.00, 1920x1200
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
IPS, 8.40, 2560x1600
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
IPS, 10.50, 2224x1668
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
BOE 0765, IPS, 10.80, 2560x1660
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Sharp SHP14A6, IPS, 10.00, 1800x1200
Display
25%
4%
Display P3 Coverage
64.3
88.5
38%
66.5
3%
sRGB Coverage
92.1
99.9
8%
97.5
6%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
64.9
83.2
28%
67.5
4%
Response Times
-14%
-48%
-32%
-9%
-8%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
36 ?(18.8, 17.2)
37 ?(17, 20)
-3%
59 ?(16, 43)
-64%
58 ?(27.6, 30.4)
-61%
43 ?(23, 20)
-19%
44 ?(22, 22)
-22%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(18.8, 8.4)
33.6 ?(20, 13.6)
-24%
36 ?(13, 23)
-32%
28 ?(10.4, 17.6)
-3%
27 ?(13, 14)
1%
25.6 ?(11.6, 14)
6%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(100, 266)
1020 ?(99)
Screen
2%
-4%
25%
8%
30%
Brightness middle
507.7
266
-48%
460
-9%
515
1%
351
-31%
456
-10%
Brightness
475
269
-43%
445
-6%
483
2%
338
-29%
426
-10%
Brightness Distribution
86
88
2%
90
5%
90
5%
87
1%
88
2%
Black Level *
0.41
0.34
17%
0.45
-10%
0.41
-0%
0.23
44%
0.31
24%
Contrast
1238
782
-37%
1022
-17%
1256
1%
1526
23%
1471
19%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.08
3.6
41%
6.2
-2%
1.6
74%
4.59
25%
1.3
79%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.32
8.2
21%
10.5
-2%
4.4
57%
9.81
5%
3
71%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.03
2.7
11%
3.26
-8%
1.1
64%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.2
3.6
50%
6.5
10%
2.8
61%
5.2
28%
1.4
81%
Gamma
2.11 104%
2.19 100%
2.33 94%
2.21 100%
2.41 91%
2.24 98%
CCT
8495 77%
6442 101%
8056 81%
6944 94%
7712 84%
6687 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
58.9
74
26%
62.3
6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
91.5
100
9%
96.8
6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-6% / -1%
-26% / -13%
-4% / 14%
8% / 9%
9% / 21%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is wide for its price range at about 90 percent of sRGB to be greater than most budget IPS panels where 60 percent sRGB is common. In other words, colors can be almost as deep and as accurate as flagship Ultrabooks costing over twice as much.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further display measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter reveal very inaccurate grayscale and colors out of the box. Color temperature in particular is far too cool for a bluish tint. Fortunately, the wide gamut mentioned above means that the panel is capable of reproducing accurate grayscale and colors after calibration. Grayscale improves significantly from an average DeltaE value of 7.2 to 2.7. We recommend an end-user calibration to get the most out of the display. If not possible, then users can still download and apply our calibrated ICM profile above.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 8.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 64 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 17.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 44 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is good when under shade and only average when on a cloudy overcast day. The bright glossy display may be brighter than most Ultrabooks, but it's still not enough to overcome direct sunlight. We recommend a higher text scaling since the default PPI is dense and difficult to read. Viewing angles are wide with only slight changes to contrast and colors if viewing from extreme and unrealistic angles.

Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Wide IPS viewing angles are useful for tablet mode
Wide IPS viewing angles are useful for tablet mode

Performance

While an uncommon CPU, the Celeron N4100 can be found on a handful of inexpensive HTPCs or very low-power netbooks including the Lenovo IdeaPad 330 and Chuwi's own LapBook SE. The 6 W CPU is designed to be slightly above the Atom series but still well below even the most basic Core i3.

LatencyMon shows no DPC issues with real-time audio recording even with WLAN enabled.

 

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

CPU performance is about 35 percent and 77 percent faster than the Microsoft Surface Go and LapBook Plus, respectively, in multi-threaded performance. Though still slow in general, even the smallest of performance advantages is appreciated because system responsiveness can be an issue for these low-power PCs. Running CineBench Multi-Thread in a loop shows no throttling issues over long periods.

See our dedicated page on the Celeron N4100 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

0153045607590105120135150165180195210225240Tooltip
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526 UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø247 (246.08-248.04)
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø198.6 (173.03-236.42)
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003 UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y, 64 GB eMMC Flash; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø162.9 (162.13-163.67)
Chuwi LapBook Plus HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø124.4 (124.01-124.67)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel Core i5-8265U
148 Points +139%
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel Core i3-8130U
138 Points +123%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel Core i5-7Y54
116 Points +87%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
78 Points +26%
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (62 - 71, n=12)
68.1 Points +10%
Chuwi AeroBook 13 inch 2019
Intel Core m3-6Y30
66 Points +6%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
65 Points +5%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel Celeron N4100
62 Points
Trekstor Primebook C11
Intel Celeron N3350
43 Points -31%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
41 Points -34%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel Core i5-8265U
666 Points +170%
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel Core i3-8130U
342 Points +38%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel Celeron N4100
247 Points
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel Core i5-7Y54
234 Points -5%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
231 (221.28min - 228.02max) Points -6%
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (161 - 254, n=12)
206 Points -17%
Chuwi AeroBook 13 inch 2019
Intel Core m3-6Y30
198 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
164 Points -34%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
125 Points -49%
Trekstor Primebook C11
Intel Celeron N3350
81 Points -67%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel Core i5-7Y54
1.41 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (0.8 - 0.83, n=3)
0.82 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
0.75 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
0.51 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel Core i5-7Y54
2.53 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (2.13 - 2.9, n=3)
2.4 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
1.8 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
1.61 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel Core i3-8130U
12172 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (4915 - 7123, n=5)
5999 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
5586 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
3769 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel Core i3-8130U
5419 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
2521 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (1664 - 2049, n=5)
1951 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
1304 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
982 s *
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel Atom x7-E3950
949 s *
Average Intel Celeron N4100
  (591 - 790, n=3)
724 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
62 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
247 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
20.06 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark results are low as expected from a Celeron system. Nonetheless, the numbers are consistently higher than the average Celeron N4100 in our database by 5 to 20 percent meaning that the MiniBook is slightly faster than other systems equipped with the same CPU. The Chuwi LapBook Plus powered by the Atom x7-E3950 is significantly slower on all accounts.

We experienced no software or hardware issues during our time with the MiniBook. Windows was automatically set to Korean on our test unit, but this can be easily fixed in the language settings.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
2385 Points +24%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
1990 Points +4%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1920 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (1502 - 1920, n=9)
1639 Points -15%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3
1144 Points -40%
Essentials
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
6033 Points +16%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
5199 Points
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
4797 Points -8%
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (3776 - 5199, n=9)
4374 Points -16%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3
2891 Points -44%
Productivity
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
3969 Points +33%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
3336 Points +11%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2993 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (2567 - 2993, n=9)
2761 Points -8%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3
1407 Points -53%
Digital Content Creation
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
1538 Points +24%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
1337 Points +8%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
1237 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3
1001 Points -19%
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (886 - 1237, n=9)
994 Points -20%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
2259 Points
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
2232 Points -1%
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
2216 Points -2%
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (1670 - 2259, n=12)
1912 Points -15%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950, Kimtigo KT256GM28S3
1371 Points -39%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y, 64 GB eMMC Flash
741 Points -67%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
3244 Points
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
3122 Points
Average Intel Celeron N4100, Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (2590 - 3191, n=9)
2895 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2259 points
PCMark 10 Score
1920 points
Help

Storage Devices

The MiniBook utilizes a soldered 128 GB eMMC 5.1 primary drive and a secondary M.2 2242 SATA expansion slot. Meanwhile, the Core m3 SKU promises M.2 NVMe SSD support. Sequential read and write rates are average at only 221 MB/s and 125 MB/s compared to ~500 MB/s on most SATA III SSDs. Still, the option to add a secondary drive is more than what we can say for most Ultrabooks and netbooks.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
Having a second storage bay is an unexpected welcome for an 8-inch netbook
Having a second storage bay is an unexpected welcome for an 8-inch netbook
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
128 GB eMMC Flash
Topjoy Falcon
FORESEE 256GB
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
64 GB eMMC Flash
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
AS SSD
155%
558%
19%
1517%
Seq Read
221.5
472.2
113%
1241
460%
289.8
31%
2533
1044%
Seq Write
124.6
431.4
246%
797
540%
126.7
2%
1438
1054%
4K Read
20.58
12.06
-41%
43.38
111%
18.29
-11%
51.7
151%
4K Write
23.74
26.05
10%
91.6
286%
35.07
48%
109.4
361%
4K-64 Read
19.43
87.9
352%
582
2895%
40.27
107%
771
3868%
4K-64 Write
28.41
188
562%
231.7
716%
44.48
57%
1268
4363%
Access Time Read *
0.15
0.23
-53%
0.057
62%
0.151
-1%
0.053
65%
Access Time Write *
0.73
0.444
39%
0.176
76%
0.233
68%
0.034
95%
Score Read
62
147
137%
749
1108%
88
42%
1076
1635%
Score Write
65
257
295%
403
520%
92
42%
1521
2240%
Score Total
163
482
196%
1526
836%
225
38%
3106
1806%
Copy ISO MB/s
162.5
474
192%
448.1
176%
99.1
-39%
Copy Program MB/s
148.5
150
1%
94.3
-36%
44.34
-70%
Copy Game MB/s
159.9
344
115%
254.5
59%
76.5
-52%

* ... smaller is better

128 GB eMMC Flash
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 152.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 117.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 21.77 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 31.74 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 246.4 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 142.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 20.69 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 28.51 MB/s

GPU Performance

The integrated UHD Graphics 600 is not designed for gaming. In fact, the Bioshock Infinite benchmark would fail to launch at 768p and 1080p. Even the UHD Graphics 620, which is already poor at gaming, outperforms the UHD Graphics 600 by at least 100 percent in 3DMark benchmarks. The GPU is instead designed for smooth 1080p and 4K video streaming which works well on the MiniBook. Note that multi-tasking will be very slow whilst video streaming.

See our dedicated page on the UHD Graphics 600 for more technical information and benchmark comparison.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1815 Points +184%
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1682 Points +164%
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U
1561 Points +145%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54
1267 Points +99%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
1257 Points +97%
Chuwi AeroBook 13 inch 2019
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
1041 Points +63%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950
765 Points +20%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000
742 Points +16%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100
638 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (410 - 854, n=27)
558 Points -13%
Trekstor Primebook C11
Intel HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350
534 Points -16%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1795 Points +127%
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U
1457 Points +84%
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1357 Points +72%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
1134 Points +43%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54
1101 Points +39%
Chuwi AeroBook 13 inch 2019
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
866 Points +9%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100
791 Points
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950
754 Points -5%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000
690 Points -13%
Trekstor Primebook C11
Intel HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350
558 Points -29%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (362 - 983, n=27)
552 Points -30%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
10126 Points +170%
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U
9312 Points +149%
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
8216 Points +119%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
6602 Points +76%
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
Intel HD Graphics 615, i5-7Y54
6430 Points +72%
Chuwi AeroBook 13 inch 2019
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
5424 Points +45%
Topjoy Falcon
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000
4485 Points +20%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950
3997 Points +7%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100
3746 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (2346 - 4958, n=20)
3365 Points -10%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
35452 Points +127%
Chuwi LapBook Plus
Intel HD Graphics 505, x7-E3950
17895 Points +15%
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100
15610 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 600
  (8277 - 19919, n=12)
13725 Points -12%
3DMark 11 Performance
732 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
24922 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3231 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 28.3

Emissions

System Noise

The 6 W CPU is not passively cooled unlike the majority of Atom-powered netbooks in the market. Fan noise is ever present on the MiniBook at a quiet 29.6 to 30 dB(A) against a background of 28.2 dB(A). It's essentially unnoticeable unless if in a completely silent room.

Extreme loads will bump fan noise up to 40.8 dB(A) to be even louder than some Ultrabooks like the Dell XPS 13. The sound frequency is higher-pitched than on most Ultrabooks as well because the fan is smaller in diameter. Thankfully, don't expect maximum RPM to occur often unless if you plan on running the CPU and GPU at 100 percent utilization for long periods.

Competing devices like the Falcon and Surface Go utilize passively cooled CPUs for slower performance than the MiniBook.

We're able to notice slight coil whine or electronic noise from our test unit.

Short heat pipe and large copper plate covers the soldered CPU and RAM
Short heat pipe and large copper plate covers the soldered CPU and RAM
Small 30 mm fan is always active, but difficult to notice in most scenarios
Small 30 mm fan is always active, but difficult to notice in most scenarios
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Topjoy Falcon
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, FORESEE 256GB
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y, 64 GB eMMC Flash
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
Noise
1%
-2%
off / environment *
28.2
28.4
-1%
30.4
-8%
Idle Minimum *
29.6
28.4
4%
30.4
-3%
Idle Average *
29.6
28.4
4%
30.4
-3%
Idle Maximum *
30
29.1
3%
30.4
-1%
Load Average *
30
33.8
-13%
31.7
-6%
Load Maximum *
40.8
37.7
8%
38.1
7%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 29.6 / 30 dB(A)
Load
30 / 40.8 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.2 dB(A)

Temperature

Rear exhaust when under load
Rear exhaust when under load

Surface temperatures are warmer than expected despite the active cooling solution likely due to the very compact form factor. Hot spots can become as warm as 50 C on both the bottom and top sides when subjected to extreme stress for long periods. Luckily, such temperatures will not occur during regular browsing or streaming workloads. It'll definitely still be warm, but not uncomfortably so.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Max. Load
 51.4 °C
125 F
49 °C
120 F
40.6 °C
105 F
 
 44.8 °C
113 F
48.8 °C
120 F
37.2 °C
99 F
 
 41.2 °C
106 F
39 °C
102 F
37 °C
99 F
 
Maximum: 51.4 °C = 125 F
Average: 43.2 °C = 110 F
40.4 °C
105 F
55.4 °C
132 F
50.2 °C
122 F
40.2 °C
104 F
46.8 °C
116 F
48.6 °C
119 F
40 °C
104 F
44 °C
111 F
46 °C
115 F
Maximum: 55.4 °C = 132 F
Average: 45.7 °C = 114 F
Power Supply (max.)  26 °C = 79 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 43.2 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 29.8 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Netbook.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 51.4 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 33.1 °C / 92 F, ranging from 21.6 to 53.2 °C for the class Netbook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 55.4 °C / 132 F, compared to the average of 36.6 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.3 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 29.8 °C / 86 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 41.2 °C / 106.2 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 29.3 °C / 84.7 F (-11.9 °C / -21.5 F).

Stress Test

We stress the system with synthetic loads to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU remains stable at 2.3 GHz throughout compared to the 1.1 GHz base clock rate of a Celeron N4100. In other words, the system will not throttle even when fully stressed. Results are consistent with our CineBench loop test results above. Core temperature, however, can be very warm at the mid 80 C range which explains the loud fan noise and high surface temperatures when under such extreme conditions.

Running on batteries will not limit performance. 3DMark Cloud Gate on battery power returns nearly identical results when running on mains.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 43
Prime95 Stress 2.3 -- 81
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 2.0 -- 87

Speakers

The integrated speakers are loud considering the size with no static or vibrations at maximum volume. Bass is very poor as one would expect. Our pink noise results show a steep roll off at about 500 Hz.

Stereo speakers near the front corners of the chassis
Stereo speakers near the front corners of the chassis
Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.940.32541.640.63137.338.24036.837.35037.337.16334.736.38034.735.41003534.71253434.816033.235.820032.238.525031.743.231531.749.740031.156.650030.861.463030.468.980030.368.6100029.366125029.666.1160029.770200028.467.3250028.665.1315028.365.1400028.168.8500028.167.8630027.959800027.956.61000027.856.51250027.753.61600027.753.1SPL41.278.4N4.141.1median 29.6median 59Delta1.310.335.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseChuwi MiniBook CWI526Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (35.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 14% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 14%, average was 25%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 92% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop draws between 3 W and 7 W depending on the brightness and power profile. Jumping from minimum brightness to maximum brightness will demand an additional 2.5 W. We're able to record a maximum consumption of 25.4 W from the small (~8 x 4.4 x 2.6 cm) 24 W AC adapter meaning that recharge rate will slow to a crawl when running extreme processing loads. This same AC adapter can be used to charge other USB Type-C devices from smartphones to tablets.

We noticed some strange power consumption behavior on our unit that's worth mentioning. Consumption would spike by 8 W for a couple of seconds every 1.5 minutes for seemingly no reason. This would occur when the system is in Sleep mode, when idling on desktop, and even when the system is completely turned off as shown by our power consumption graphs below. There is absolutely no reason why this should be occurring and we suspect that this could be due to software or hardware background activity.

Constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is constant at 17.8 W save for the short consistent spikes to 25 W
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is constant at 17.8 W save for the short consistent spikes to 25 W
The small spikes in power consumption continue even when the unit is completely shut off
The small spikes in power consumption continue even when the unit is completely shut off
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.57 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.3 / 5.8 / 6.4 Watt
Load midlight 19 / 25.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, 128 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1920x1200, 8.00
Topjoy Falcon
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, FORESEE 256GB, IPS, 1920x1200, 8.00
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Kirin 950, Mali-T880 MP4, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 2560x1600, 8.40
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 64 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 2224x1668, 10.50
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
i5-7Y54, HD Graphics 615, Toshiba KBG30ZMT256G, IPS, 2560x1660, 10.80
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 64 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1800x1200, 10.00
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Power Consumption
34%
52%
29%
-24%
6%
-125%
Idle Minimum *
3.3
2.5
24%
1.51
54%
2.18
34%
5.3
-61%
2.88
13%
9.4
-185%
Idle Average *
5.8
4
31%
3.64
37%
6.4
-10%
6.9
-19%
4.8
17%
13.3
-129%
Idle Maximum *
6.4
4.1
36%
3.68
42%
6.43
-0%
7.4
-16%
7.5
-17%
13.9
-117%
Load Average *
19
8.1
57%
6.95
63%
7.48
61%
19.7
-4%
16.9
11%
39.7
-109%
Load Maximum *
25.4
19.6
23%
9.11
64%
10.65
58%
30.5
-20%
23.8
6%
46.5
-83%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Runtimes are pretty good considering the small 26 Wh battery and questionable power consumption behavior noted above. Expect about 6.5 hours of real-world WLAN use when set to a display brightness of 150 nits (or 30 percent).

Recharging from empty to full capacity with the included USB Type-C adapter is slow at 2.5 hours. Other full-size Ultrabooks can fully recharge in about 1.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
6h 30min
Chuwi MiniBook CWI526
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, 26.6 Wh
Topjoy Falcon
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 22 Wh
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Kirin 950, Mali-T880 MP4, 19.5 Wh
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 30.8 Wh
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 YB-J912F
i5-7Y54, HD Graphics 615, 36 Wh
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 28 Wh
Lenovo Flex 14IWL
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Battery Runtime
-14%
40%
89%
-3%
15%
60%
WiFi v1.3
390
337
-14%
546
40%
738
89%
380
-3%
448
15%
623
60%
Reader / Idle
1110
1501
690
771
813
Load
268
214
153
180
72

Pros

+ expandable M.2 2242 storage slot
+ good performance for a Celeron
+ small, lightweight, and compact
+ bright 1200p IPS touchscreen
+ versatile 360-degree hinges
+ crisp QWERTY key feedback
+ firm aluminum alloy chassis
+ USB Type-C charging
+ long battery life
+ MicroSD slot

Cons

- loud high-pitched fan noise when under extreme stress
- OFN mouse is jumpy and inaccurate at slow speeds
- awkward key layout will take some getting used to
- hinges are not uniformly firm at all angles
- upside-down and right-side up USB ports
- webcam is angled and not centered
- mini-HDMI instead of full-size HDMI
- no fingerprint reader or RJ-45
- slow recharge rate
- thick bezels

Verdict

In review: Chuwi MiniBook CWI526. Test model provided by Chuwi
In review: Chuwi MiniBook CWI526. Test model provided by Chuwi

We've checked out a wide selection of Chuwi products in the past and they all have these three qualities in common: sleek visual designs, cheap prices, and super-slow processors. The latter has been the bane of Chuwi laptops because they would look like expensive flagship Ultrabooks of 2019 but perform like netbooks from 2009. The MiniBook bucks the trend by balancing looks, price, and performance more diligently than existing Chuwi laptops. The compact chassis is rigid, the display is of high quality, and the Celeron CPU pairs well with this screen size in contrast to the 13-inch and 15-inch Chuwi LapBooks powered by even slower Atom CPUs. The display and keyboard keys in particular are surprisingly brighter and firmer than the Topjoy Falcon, respectively, for a higher quality feel.

The most annoying aspects of the MiniBook will be its unorthodox keyboard layout, inaccurate cursor input at slow speeds, and uneven hinge rigidity. These factors directly impact the user experience making the first few days of use an uphill learning curve before everything clicks.

Strong design, firm QWERTY keys, and a bright display are the highlights of the Chuwi MiniBook. The low-power Celeron CPU performs slightly faster than expected and it pairs well with the 8-inch netbook form factor as opposed to larger 13-inch or 15-inch LapBook Ultrabooks.

Chuwi MiniBook CWI526 - 08/05/2019 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
46%
Pointing Device
51%
Connectivity
40 / 80 → 50%
Weight
81 / 35-78 → 100%
Battery
89%
Display
83%
Games Performance
50 / 68 → 74%
Application Performance
60 / 87 → 69%
Temperature
80 / 91 → 88%
Noise
93%
Audio
30 / 91 → 33%
Camera
37 / 85 → 43%
Average
63%
76%
Netbook - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Chuwi at its Best: Chuwi MiniBook Netbook Review
Allen Ngo, 2019-08- 5 (Update: 2019-08- 6)