Bought a Beelink GK55 dual-port software router on Double 12, but after reading the reviews, I found out that it can only run at the base frequency and does not support dynamic turbo frequency. Coupled with the fact that it doesn't have a fan, I was a little concerned (I'm not sure about the actual situation), so I decided to return it before it arrived.

There are very few manufacturers that produce software routers, mostly small companies. Many products may not have undergone 3C certification, and the quality varies, making it hard to find a reliable product. Software routers can be quite complex. Take the J4125 CPU as an example, there is a wide price range from 600 to 1200 yuan, and it's really difficult to find a reliable product.

I posted on Enshan for help, and someone recommended the Beelink GK55 (which can supposedly be bought for around 800 yuan on Xianyu). This little device supports dual Ethernet ports, making it very suitable for a software router and appears to be more reliable.

About the Brand

Before this, I had never heard of Beelink (Zero Hour) as a brand. I did a quick search online and found out that it's a company based in Shenzhen and mainly sells products overseas.

I'm not sure if this is their official website: https://www.bee-link.com/, the interface is in English by default.

Specifications and Price

• CPU: J4125
• Memory: 8GB DDR4 (2400MHz)
• Storage: 128GB NVMe (supports an additional 2.5-inch hard drive)
• Ethernet Ports: RTL8168/81111/8112 x 2
• Supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Purchase link: https://s.click.taobao.com/8UGkVcu

Price and specifications from a Taobao image:

Note: GKmini has only one Ethernet port, GK55 is the one with dual Ethernet ports. Make sure to choose the correct one if you want to use it as a software router.

Unboxing

It feels very light when I received it. The outer box contains an inner packaging box, and the packaging box is in English.

Inside are the user manual and some accessories. The user manual is available in multiple languages but does not include Simplified Chinese. It comes with two HDMI cables (one long and one short) and a power adapter.

The front panel has two USB 3.0 ports, one Type-C port, and one audio port. It's slightly wider than my NUC8i5BEH (Beelink on top, NUC on the bottom).

The rear panel has dual Ethernet ports, dual HDMI ports, and dual USB 2.0 ports. Overall, it has a good variety of ports.

It has a built-in fan and ventilation holes on both sides.

At the bottom, there are four rubber pads and four screws. After opening it, you can see the memory and NVMe SSD. The SSD also has a heat sink attached (thoughtful design). You can also add a 2.5-inch hard drive (note that the hard drive cable is connected to the case, so don't tear it off).

The GK55 is slightly wider than the NUC8i5BEH, but it's thinner. Overall, it has a very compact size.

Review

The Beelink GK55 comes with a pre-installed genuine Windows 10 system, and you need to complete the initialization yourself. It does not come with any third-party software and is very clean.

Here are some benchmark scores from PassMark.

The PassMark score is 225,538, outperforming 89% of users nationwide, making it capable of smooth internet browsing and chatting.

I also tested the SSD with AS SSD, and the performance is average.

The J4125 is sufficient for web browsing and watching videos, but I feel that its performance may not be enough for office work or heavier tasks. Therefore, I do not recommend buying the GK55 for office use. I bought it specifically for a software router, and its performance is more than enough. After receiving it, I installed the iKuai software router system (unfortunately, it replaced my genuine Win10). With the built-in fan and the winter season, the temperature does not exceed 30°C.

Conclusion

The Beelink GK55 has a small and compact size. Although it has a plastic case, the build quality is good. It also has a good variety of ports, making it very suitable for web browsing, watching videos, or being used as a software router. If you want to use it for office work, I personally recommend a small device with better performance, such as an Intel NUC or the "Tianbao Mini PC" that I previously purchased.

• Beelink GK55 purchase link: https://s.click.taobao.com/8UGkVcu
• Possible Beelink official website: https://www.bee-link.com/