Azulle’s Access3 (starts at $140; $219 as tested) is a candy-bar-size micro-PC with just enough performance to run Windows 10. An HDMI port on one end plugs directly into a TV or monitor, no brackets required, for a simple, hideaway setup. Limited performance and storage capacity constrain its potential to internet surfing, web-based apps, and video streaming, so it likely won’t replace your main PC. However, its low cost and minimal footprint serve it well as an entertainment, travel, backup, or even kiosk PC. Provided you temper your expectations around what it’s good for (and what you’re paying), the Access3 is a fair value for a basic PC that runs Windows.
One Task at a Time
Like most Windows 10 mini PCs retailing around or under the $200 mark, the Access3 is saddled with a low-power CPU and marginal RAM and storage. The Intel Celeron J4105 CPU in our review sample isn’t available in the Access3 from Azulle’s web store as I type this, but it’s essentially the same CPU as the Celeron N4100, the most powerful option among the available processor choices.
The base model has just 2GB of RAM and should be avoided, while even the 4GB version I’m testing refused to run certain apps. For storage, the Access3 uses eMMC flash memory, which is slower than a solid-state drive (SSD). Despite a clean install of Windows 10 Pro (that is, minus unwanted trial software and the like), the meager 32GB drive in our review unit had just under half of it free (13GB), leaving little wiggle room for installing apps and storing data. This is a PC meant to do just a few basic things.
The light-hitting hardware creates a constrained user experience. It’s responsive for navigating around Windows 10 and using simple apps, but be prepared to wait a few seconds while loading large web pages or online apps. Switching among browser tabs and apps usually isn’t instant, either. Fortunately, streaming full-HD (1080p) video is stutter-free provided you’re not trying to do anything else at the same time.
The fact that it can’t do (or will seriously struggle with) advanced tasks like photo editing does hurt the appeal of this Windows-based PC; after all, one of the biggest reasons to get a Windows device is to run Windows-specific apps. If what you do can be done strictly through browser-based apps, a Chrome OS-based device like an Asus Chromebit is a less expensive alternative.
Stick ‘Em Up
At 0.75 by 2 by 5.2 inches (HWD), the Access3 resembles a squashed candy bar, slightly wider and longer than most stick PCs we’ve tested. Like other stick PCs, its form factor can be problematic depending on where it’s supposed to be plugged in. For instance, it might protrude too far behind a wall-mounted TV that has horizontal HDMI ports, or it could be too wide to fit into a depression where an HDMI port may reside. Its width could block neighboring HDMI ports, too. Azulle addresses these potential headaches by including a 9-inch HDMI extension cable. The Access3 will most certainly swing around like a pendulum if that’s used, so you’ll want to secure it.
The Access3 weighs a couple of ounces and feels solid in the hand. Its outside is a busy but functional place. Take the circular grooves, which add some needed design flair while also increasing the body’s surface area for better heat dissipation.
There are no moving parts in this little PC, not even a cooling fan, so it runs silently. It does tend to heat up under continuous usage, so it’s important that it gets some airflow around it for its passive cooling to be effective.
The Access3 has a respectable port selection for a PC its size. The hump at the back edge is there to accommodate an Ethernet jack, a curious inclusion for a stick PC, but not one that’s unwelcome for business or kiosk use, or places where wireless connectivity isn’t available.
Also back here is an audio combo jack (headphone/microphone) and a Kensington-style cable-lockdown notch.
A stubby antenna on the right edge is for the built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 radios. It swivels only 180 degrees, so don’t try to twist it all the way around.
Nearby is a microSD card reader that can come in handy for data storage. As I mentioned, internal storage capacity in the Access3 is a precious commodity. The rest of the Access3’s physical features are on the left edge: a pair of USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a micro USB port for power, and the power button.
A tiny LED on the top of the Access3 is blue when the system is powered on, and red if otherwise.
One String Attached
Since HDMI ports don’t supply power, the Access3 uses an external AC adapter. I can’t ding it for that, but the included adapter isn’t ideal for all situations. At 44 inches, the adapter cord is probably long enough to reach an outlet if the Access3 is mounted behind a monitor, but it may not make it behind a TV mounted far up a wall. (Dangling adapters aren’t in style yet, so I’m told.) The second issue is that the adapter itself is a chunky wall plug that can block adjacent plugs. (At least its two-prong design allows it to be plugged in upside down if needed.)
No keyboard or mouse is included with the Access3. A tiny PC like this is practically begging for a wireless set, though take note that Bluetooth devices will need to be paired before they’re usable. That means, on first power-on, that you’ll need wired USB versions to run the setup before you can pair anything. It’s a small inconvenience and not a fault of the Access3, just the nature of how PCs work right now.
Slow & Steady
The benchmark-testing section of this review is going to be short, by necessity; the Access3 couldn’t complete some of our tests. It’s common for that to happen on very low-powered systems like this. Our Photoshop test cried “insufficient RAM,” while the Storage test in PCMark 8 crashed a few minutes in. I used these tiny PCs for comparisons in the other tests…
Azulle’s own Inspire Mini PC is, by far, the most powerful PC here, but I included it in the test set anyway because it’s a fanless design (in the test model PC Labs had) and can be had with lower-end CPUs that fall in line with the others here. The two ECS PCs, the Liva Q2 and the marginally more powerful Liva Z2, are low-cost mini systems that come fully configured. They’re not sticks, but they’re not much larger than the Access3.
Let’s start with PCMark 10. It’s the most important benchmark for these PCs. It measures overall system performance by simulating real-world productivity and content-creation scenarios.
The Access3 splits the difference with the ECS pair. Its 1,528-point showing is underwhelming next to a basic mainstream computer, as the Azulle Inspire Mini PC demonstrates. Nonetheless, as I noted earlier, it’s capable enough for basic work. Just don’t expect to do a whole lot of different tasks simultaneously.
Next is Cinebench R15, a narrowly CPU-focused test that makes use of all available processor cores and threads.
The Access3 does better than the ECS lot here because of its higher-wattage Celeron J4105 CPU, which can run at higher frequencies for longer periods. It trails the laptop-grade Core i5 in the Inspire Mini PC by a long way, though; the Core i5 can address more threads.
Last, let’s look at the graphics performance, courtesy of UL’s 3DMark test. The Fire Strike subtest is too demanding for these PCs, but the same can be said for the simpler Sky Diver scenario…
Even the most entry-level of gaming PCs hits about 10,000 points in Sky Diver, so that says enough about the Access3’s performance. The integrated GPUs in these little PCs are best suited to streaming video and browser-based games. For what it’s worth, the Access3 powered my 4K monitor without a problem.
Bottom Line? A Decent Bottom-Dollar Value
A low price doesn’t guarantee that a PC delivers maximum value, but Azulle manages both with the Access3. As one of the least-expensive fully configured Windows PCs at retail, it has qualities that any PC would be proud to boast about, such as silent operation and a reasonable port selection for its size. Performance is where it struggles; think of light browser-based productivity and video-streaming duties as the limit. Its candy-bar-like design, while compact, also isn’t ideal for plugging into all displays, but Azulle mostly remedies that by including an HDMI extension cable.
At the end of the day, you have to keep your expectations in line with what you’re paying. The Access3 won’t replace your main PC, but it can fill the role of a secondary, backup, or travel PC. The Intel Compute Stick is even less expensive, but it doesn’t perform as well, and it lacks an audio jack. The Access3 is also better suited to business and kiosk environments, thanks to its Ethernet jack and Pro version of Windows 10. On the flip side, if you can do everything you need through a web browser, an Asus Chromebit can do the job and costs less than $100. None of those devices should break the bank, but for basic computing, it doesn’t make sense to spend more than you need. If Windows 10 is your OS of choice, the Access3 is a fair buy for a compact, light-duty PC.
