Labthrift Labthrift What to buy. What to skip. Why.

Written 22 Aug 2026. Specs from the maker pages linked below. Prices from those stores. I haven't used these.

Buy RAM you can add later; skip soldered 12 GB cubes

Buy enough memory you can actually add later. Soldered RAM means memory you cannot add later. Skip 12 GB cubes. 16 GB is the floor for a mini PC.

Buy memory you can add later. Skip soldered 12 GB cubes. Soldered RAM means memory you cannot add later. Protectli VP2430e / VP2440e: official line is “Intel says 16 GB; we qualified 64 GB DDR5.” $419 / $499. EQ14 official max is 16 GB DDR4 SO-DIMM. AOOSTAR N1 Pro is 12 GB LPDDR5 soldered ($137–$175). ME Pro is 16 GB LPDDR5 soldered ($559 official). G3 Plus 8 GB Amazon B0DM58M5SD is a trap. GMKtec G3S N95 8 GB / 256 GB showed $249.99 on Amazon similar-items 22 Aug 2026. N95, not N150, still an 8 GB trap. Minisforum UN100L is soldered 16 GB LPDDR5 and was out of stock on Newegg fetch; not a buy path.

Don't plan a VM stack on soldered 12 GB. Don't assume every N150 SO-DIMM board takes 32 GB because one Amazon table said so. S12 Pro B0CBBV5NCT claims max 32 GB; confirm in a teardown. I haven't opened one. Details: roundup, N1 Pro, ME Pro, VP2430e, G3 Plus.

Ceiling table

BoardRAMCeilingStreet / date
Protectli VP2430e / VP2440e1× DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM64 GB Protectli-qualified (Intel sales tier still 16 GB)$419 / $499 official, 22 Aug 2026
Beelink EQ141× DDR4 SO-DIMMOfficial max 16 GB$375 official 16/500
AOOSTAR N1 ProLPDDR5-4400 soldered12 GB, single-channel, no upgrade$137–$175
Beelink ME ProLPDDR5-4800 soldered16 GB (12 GB on the N95 SKU)$559 official N150 16/1 TB, pre-order
GMKtec G3 Plus B0DM58M5SDDDR4 (this ASIN is 8 GB)8 GB config is the trap. 16 GB ASIN not live (old B0DM25BD7Y 404)Live 8 GB listing. Don't default it.

Skip

Skip 8 GB as a default, soldered or not. Skip G3S N95 8/256 at $249.99 as an N150. Skip UN100L and MS-01 as in-stock heroes. Listing examples that lie about the chip: Amazon traps (B0F6CPHY48 is G3 Pro i3, not G3 Plus N150).

Sources

Protectli VP2430e (64 GB claim). AOOSTAR N1 Pro official. Amazon B0DM58M5SD (8 GB G3 Plus). Beelink ME Pro official.

Also on this topic

Transcode checklist under Proxmox, not stream-count theaterA kernel and driver checklist for transcode on a mini PC under Proxmox. Not a stream-count contest. Quick Sync in a container. I won't invent stream counts. Bedroom-shelf quiet versus closet door-shut heatPick a quiet box for a bedroom shelf or a closet with the door shut. Extra network ports usually mean more heat when idle. Published maker ranges only. N100 vs N150 mini PC for ProxmoxBuy whichever of N100 or N150 is cheaper, in 16 GB.