Now that we all are working from home, we need to have a good work from home set up. The XIDU PhilMac might be a good option. This small computer does not take that much space on your desk. I actually swapped my laptop for the XIDU PhilMac and I just love the extra space it gave me on my desk. Is this small computer able to be my next Work from Home computer? Let’s find out!

Introduction & Specifications

XIDU is a new brand for me. I had no idea what to expect from their computers, but I’m pleasantly surprised. Right now, I’m writing the review of the XIDU PhilMac and I really like the design, performance, and usability of this product. The specifications of the XIDU PhilMac are good, but not outstanding. Let’s see if you can use it comfortably with your day to day tasks or if it will freeze on you or become slow over time.

Specifications
Brand:	Xidu
Model:	PhilMac Mini
Processor:	Intel Celeron J4115 1.8GHz (up to 2.5GHz)
GPU:	Intel UHD Graphics 600
RAM:	8GB LPDDR4
ROM:	128GB eMMC
Material:	Aluminum Alloy
WiFi:	Dual Band WiFi Support 2.4G + 5G
Bluetooth:	V4.2
I/O Ports:	1x HDMI, 1x VGA, 1x Headphone Jack, 3x USB 3.0, 1x SD Card Slot
Size:	4.7 × 4.7 × 0.9 inches (12cm x 12cm x 2.3cm)
Weight:	322g

Unboxing

The XIDU PhilMac comes in a white box with a picture of the computer on the front. There are no specifications on the back, just some features on the side. Inside, we see the XIDU PhilMac first. Underneath it, we just find the power adapter and the manual. That’s it! No video cables or anything else. Simple packaging, I’m a fan of that.

Are you as interested as I am? Get yours and clean up your desk!
Click Here for the XIDU Official Store.
($15 EXTRA DISCOUNT WITH PROMO CODE “techrvw”)

Click Here for AliExpress.

Hardware & Design

This small computer comes in an Aluminum Alloy case, with XIDU marked on top. On the front, when turned on, you have a LED indicating it is turned on. On the sides, you have openings for cooling, which is done by a fan for active cooling. The outside is not surprising or maybe very interesting. What is more interesting is the inside.

You can use the XIDU PhilMac on 1920×1080 FHD, but if you connect a 4K monitor you get a resolution up to 4K 60fps. Via the VGA port, you can set up the PXIDU PhilMac using a dual display set up. This is no problem at all for the Intel Graphics 600 GPU.

Form Factor

Man, what a relief this is to have on my desk instead of my laptop. The form factor is just great at just 4.7 × 4.7 × 0.9 inches (12cm x 12cm x 2.3cm). This small computer is just packed with power and for my day to day work (multiple Chrome tabs, OpenOffice, and YouTube playing) it works fast and smooth. The weight, just 322g, is lightweight as well making the XIDU PhilMac a small, lightweight desktop alternative that is worth considering.

I/O Ports

A computer like the XIDU PhilMac needs at least a few USB ports, some video connectors, and a network port. Luckily the XIDU PhilMac offers it all. They have 3x USB 3.0 ports, two on the side, and one on the back. There are two video connectors, HDMI (on the back) and VGA (on the side). We also find a network port on the back. On the side where we also find the two USB ports, we also find the SD card reader.

Are you as interested as I am? Get yours and clean up your desk!
Click Here for the XIDU Official Store.
($15 EXTRA DISCOUNT WITH PROMO CODE “techrvw”)

Click Here for AliExpress.

Overall, for such a small computer, the XIDU PhilMac offers everything we need. I can connect my wireless mouse with a dongle, keyboard with a dongle, and still have a port left to charge my phone? Or stick in a USB key with work information. Enough ports are available. I also like that they have an HDMI and a VGA port on there, which makes it more compatible with older screens. You can use both ports to connect a second screen, which is just amazing to work on two screens.

Set Up

Setting up the XIDU PhilMac is pretty easy. It is not like a smartphone where you have specific device settings or features to turn on or off. You basically turn it on, configure Windows (or log in with your Microsoft account), configure some settings like Privacy or Cortana, and you are done! Log in to your account and Windows is there for you, ready to download some viruses explore the world!

Windows 10 Version

When you buy the XIDU PhilMac, it comes with Windows 10 Home Edition pre-installed and activated. This makes it easy for everybody to use it straight away and not having to install an operating system before you are able to use it. Now, it is almost a plug and play device, to be honest. There are different versions of Windows, like Windows 10 Home or Pro. What are the differences? Here is a list made by Microsoft: CLICK HERE.

During our tests, the XIDU PhilMac run stable and smoothly without any problems. It also receives regular updates, which you can download and install without any error.

Performance

What can we expect from the XIDU PhilMac? This small computer is able to run pretty smoothly with multiple tabs open, playing youtube, and have several OpenOffice documents open. Am I surprised? Maybe. As this is a new brand for me, I’m really happy with the performance. My words alone don’t say much, so let’s look at some benchmark tests to give you an insight into the performance.

Are you as interested as I am? Get yours and clean up your desk!
Click Here for the XIDU Official Store.
($15 EXTRA DISCOUNT WITH PROMO CODE “techrvw”)

Click Here for AliExpress.

Benchmark Test 1: CPU speed

This is not a powerful beast, Excel sheet killer, open everything without closing machine. The XIDU PhilMac is a compact computer that you should be able to use for your daily tasks, checking email, and browsing the internet. Here, I ran the …. benchmark on the CPU:

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Benchmark Test 2: Full Performance

Looking for a gaming PC? This is not the one. That doesn’t mean that you are totally unable to play games on it. I installed Football Manager 2020 and it worked fine! I’m actually able to play it comfortably without it blowing up or anything like that. As this is not a gaming computer, you can enjoy yourself and play light games on it, like Football Manager 2020, Asphalt 9: Legends, or Beach Buggy Racing. I ran the … GPU benchmark, and this is the score:

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Benchmark Test 3: Network speed

First, before we can judge how fast the XIDU PhilMac is with networks (WiFi as I don’t have a cabled network), you have to know the network package I have at home. Normally, I should be able to get 50mbps download and 5mbps upload speeds from my provider. I do live on the edge of the area and the coverage is not great, to be honest, so my default network speed could be lower. Let’s see how fast it is using my Google Pixel 5 on the same network, and compare that with the score of the XIDU PhilMac.

Conclusion

Now with the work from home situation, it might be nice to clean your desk and get rid of that big laptop. There are many small computers, and the XIDU PhilMac is definitely one to consider. I had never heard of the brand before but I really like how it works and how easy it is to set up and start using the computer. The performance is good for daily tasks, but gaming or heavy Excel sheet work might slow it down. For me, checking emails, web browsing, making reviews, and Football Manager 2020, it is a great computer. I now have more space on my desk and I really enjoy using it. Honestly, I can not think of a downside to this machine, maybe the missing HDMI cable?