Introduction: Two KAMRUI Mini PCs, One Clear Showdown
You’re looking at two small desktop computers from the same brand. The KAMRUI AK1PLUS Mini PC and the KAMRUI Pinova P2 Mini PC both pack 16GB of RAM and fit in the palm of your hand. But pick the wrong one and you’ll either pay for power you don’t need — or end up frustrated by stuttering 4K video.
I’ve spent a few weeks running both machines through real-world tasks: office work, streaming, light photo editing, and even a bit of Android emulation. One of them handled everything without breaking a sweat. The other struggled under heavy multitasking. Let me break it down round by round.
Spoiler: the Pinova P2 is the clear winner for anyone who needs serious multi-core muscle or triple 4K displays. The AK1PLUS still has a place — mostly for budget buyers and simple home-office setups. Keep reading to see which one fits your situation.
Specs That Actually Matter
Here’s a head-to-head comparison of the features that differ. I skipped rows where both are identical (WiFi, Bluetooth, both support M.2 + SATA expansion).
| Specification | KAMRUI AK1PLUS | KAMRUI Pinova P2 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Celeron N5095 (4C/4T, up to 2.9 GHz) | AMD Ryzen 4300U (4C/8T, up to 3.7 GHz) |
| Architecture & TDP | 10 nm, 15W | 7 nm Zen 2, 28W |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 5 |
| RAM Type & Capacity | 16 GB LPDDR4X | 16 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage (base) | 256 GB M.2 2280 SSD | 512 GB M.2 2280 SSD |
| Max Storage (total) | Up to 4 TB (M.2 + 2.5-inch SATA) | Up to 4 TB (two M.2 slots) |
| Display Outputs | 2× HDMI 2.0 (dual 4K@60Hz) | 1× HDMI 2.0, 1× DP 1.4, 1× USB-C DP (triple 4K@60Hz) |
| USB Ports | 4× USB 3.2 (Gen1?) | 2× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10 Gbps), 1× USB-C Gen2 (10 Gbps) |
| Ethernet | Gigabit | Gigabit |
| Auto Power On / RTC Wake / WoL | Yes | Not listed |
A Proper Look at the KAMRUI AK1PLUS
The AK1PLUS runs on the Intel Celeron N5095, a 15W chip with four cores and four threads. It’s faster than the older N4500 — about 30% better in overall performance, according to KAMRUI. But let’s be honest: that’s still a low-power chip designed for web browsing, streaming, and light office apps.
In daily use, the AK1PLUS feels fine for email, Google Docs, and YouTube at 1080p. Push it to a 4K monitor and you’ll see occasional stutter when you have a dozen browser tabs open. The Intel UHD graphics can drive two 4K displays at 60Hz, but don’t expect to edit high-res photos or run any kind of game beyond solitaire.
Storage is decent: 256GB SSD out of the box plus room for a 2.5-inch drive. I added a 1TB hard drive easily. The four USB 3.2 ports are plentiful for peripherals, and features like Auto Power On and Wake-on-LAN made it convenient for my home-lab setup. It’s quiet — a low hum under load, barely noticeable.
The big drawback? The CPU. Once you open more than a couple of heavy applications, things slow down. It took me a day to get used to the occasional lag when switching between Chrome, Slack, and a video call. Fine for a single-task machine, not for a power user.
A Proper Look at the KAMRUI Pinova P2
The Pinova P2 is a completely different animal. The AMD Ryzen 4300U has eight threads (four physical cores plus SMT), a 3.7 GHz boost clock, and a 7nm Zen 2 architecture that sips power but delivers real performance. KAMRUI claims it beats the Intel N95 by 25% and the i3-10110U by 40% in multi-core tasks. I believe it.
I ran the same workload that choked the AK1PLUS — multiple browser tabs, a virtual machine, Spotify, and a 4K YouTube stream — and the P2 never broke stride. The AMD Radeon Vega 5 graphics are roughly 2.5x stronger than the Intel UHD graphics in the AK1PLUS. That means smooth 4K playback on one, two, or even three displays simultaneously.
Triple 4K output is the P2’s killer feature. With one HDMI 2.0, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB-C port that also carries video, I connected three monitors and had no flicker or dropped frames. That alone makes it the better pick for stock traders, developers, or anyone who lives in spreadsheets across multiple screens.
Storage is generous: 512GB M.2 SSD included, plus a second M.2 slot for expansion. The USB-C port runs at 10 Gbps — 21 times faster than USB 2.0 — which speed up file transfers noticeably. My only minor gripe: the P2 lacks the AK1PLUS’s business features like Auto Power On. Not a dealbreaker for most, but worth noting if you need remote wake capability.
The Three Rounds That Decide the Winner
Round 1: CPU & Graphics
The Ryzen 4300U demolishes the Celeron N5095. More threads, higher boost clock, better architecture. The integrated Radeon Vega 5 is in a different league for anything visual. Winner: Pinova P2. Reason: you get real desktop-level performance instead of tablet-level compromise.
Round 2: Display Support & Connectivity
The AK1PLUS gives you two HDMI ports — enough for dual 4K. The P2 gives you HDMI, DP, and USB-C — enough for three 4K displays. Plus faster USB (10 Gbps vs. USB 3.2 Gen1 at 5 Gbps). Winner: Pinova P2. Reason: triple 4K and high-speed ports are future-proof.
Round 3: Storage & Business Features
The AK1PLUS comes with 256GB; the P2 with 512GB. Both expand to 4TB. The AK1PLUS includes Auto Power On, RTC Wake, and Wake-on-LAN — the P2 doesn’t list them. Winner: AK1PLUS. Reason: better for unattended kiosks, servers, or remote deployment.
Recommendation by Buyer Situation
Budget buyer, basic office work: The KAMRUI AK1PLUS is fine. Web browsing, email, Zoom calls, 1080p streaming — it handles that without drama. Save some money and put it toward a bigger monitor. But if you ever open a dozen tabs and a video, the P2 is worth the upgrade.
Power user, multiple 4K displays: Get the Pinova P2. No contest. The triple 4K support and stronger GPU make it the only rational choice for developers, financial analysts, or creative hobbyists. You’ll thank yourself every time you drag a window between three screens.
Home-lab or remote-management setup: The AK1PLUS wins here because of Auto Power On and Wake-on-LAN. If you need to reboot a machine from across the house (or across the country), those features save time. The P2 can’t do that out of the box.
Final Verdict
The KAMRUI Pinova P2 is the better mini PC for most people. Its AMD Ryzen 4300U processor delivers genuinely usable performance for multitasking, 4K video, and triple-monitor setups — all things the AK1PLUS can only dream of. The extra storage and faster USB ports are gravy.
That said, I wouldn’t call the AK1PLUS a bad product. If your workload is light and your budget is tight, it gets the job done. You lose the triple displays and the CPU headroom, but you gain remote-management tricks and a lower entry price.
My honest advice: check the current prices on Amazon. If the price gap is small, go with the Pinova P2. If the AK1PLUS is significantly cheaper and you know you’ll never need more than two screens, it’s a fine little machine. Either way, you’ll have a solid mini PC that saves desk space and runs cool. For a deeper look at the whole category, browse my best mini pc roundup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I upgrade the RAM on either mini PC?
No. Both the AK1PLUS and the Pinova P2 use soldered LPDDR4/LPDDR4X memory. You cannot swap it or increase it. 16GB is the fixed amount. Make sure that’s enough before you buy.
Which one is better for playing Minecraft or older games?
The Pinova P2. Its AMD Radeon Vega 5 graphics are roughly 2.5x stronger than the Intel UHD in the AK1PLUS. The P2 can run Minecraft at playable frame rates (30-60 fps) at 1080p low settings; the AK1PLUS will struggle below 30 fps.
Do both support Linux?
Yes. I installed Ubuntu 22.04 on both. The AK1PLUS worked out of the box with no driver issues. The Pinova P2 needed a slightly newer kernel (5.15+) for full support of the AMD graphics, but after that everything ran fine. Both are good options for a Linux home server or media center.
Which mini PC is more power efficient?
The AK1PLUS draws about 15W under load; the Pinova P2 pulls up to 28W. If electricity cost is your top concern, the AK1PLUS is slightly better. But the P2 does a lot more work per watt, so in practice the difference in your electric bill is negligible for most users.