Why the Beelink ME Pro caught my eye

The Beelink ME Pro is not another generic mini PC pretending to be a server. FygoOS sent one over and I spent time unboxing it, tearing down the installation routine, and replacing the factory Windows install with FygoOS to see how well a compact machine like this performs as a foundation for a NAS or home server.

This review sticks strictly to what I tested. I could evaluate construction, installation, networking, the OS interface, and how FygoOS recognizes the onboard hardware. I could not fully test two-drive behavior because I did not have two spare hard drives for drives-in-bay tests. Because of that gap I was careful with any conclusions about RAID performance, rebuilds, and long-term noise from populated drives.

What the ME Pro is designed for

From the start the ME Pro is clearly storage-focused. Key physical and hardware points I can confirm from the unit I used:

• Two 2.5- or 3.5-inch SATA bays for traditional hard drives or larger SSDs.
• Three M.2 NVMe slots for fast local storage.
• Two multi-gig network ports: one 5GbE and one 2.5GbE.
• Intel N95 processor inside a compact metal chassis.
• 12GB of soldered memory on board.

That parts list tells the story. The design priorities are storage expandability and network throughput, not flagship CPU grunt or user-upgradable RAM.

Replacing Windows with FygoOS

I wiped the included Windows installation and installed FygoOS using the included SSD. FygoOS installed cleanly and recognized the primary hardware: the SATA bays, the M.2 slots, and the multi-gig network ports showed up for management in the OS. The FygoOS install I used came from the SSD that shipped with the unit, so I could evaluate the interface and features without needing to configure everything from scratch.

What this proves in practice is that FygoOS is able to see and use the ME Pro hardware out of the box. That makes the ME Pro a solid candidate for someone who wants a small, pre-assembled box that can turn into a NAS with a straightforward OS swap.

Where this combo shines

• Compact storage-first chassis. Two full-size SATA bays plus three M.2 slots is rare in a small PC, and it means you can grow storage in stages while keeping NVMe for system or cache drives.
• Multi-gig networking. Having both 5GbE and 2.5GbE gives flexibility for connecting to newer switches or direct-attaching to a capable workstation. It raises the ceiling beyond standard gigabit networking.
• FygoOS recognition. The OS picked up what matters for a NAS: drives and network hardware. That reduces friction during setup.

Limitations you need to accept up front

• Soldered memory. The ME Pro ships with 12GB of RAM that is soldered to the board. That means no later RAM upgrades. If your plan includes running many containers, VMs, or memory-heavy services, you are stuck with 12GB.

• Low-power CPU. The Intel N95 is a low-power processor. It is fine for light to moderate NAS tasks and many home-server workloads, but it will be the limiting factor for heavy multi-user transcoding, many simultaneous VMs, or very high numbers of containers. Expect sensible limitations on workloads.

• Untested dual-drive behavior. I did not have two spare hard drives, so I could not evaluate two-drive RAID performance, rebuild behavior, vibration from populated bays, or long-term noise and temperatures with spinning disks installed. Those are important for a NAS and you should plan to test them yourself if you need enterprise-grade reliability.

A few practical gotchas and mistakes to avoid

• Do not assume RAM upgradability. The 12GB is soldered. If you buy this expecting to upgrade memory later, you will be disappointed. Decide now whether 12GB meets your planned use.

• Do not expect full 5GbE or 2.5GbE speeds without appropriate network hardware. You will need a switch or direct connection that supports those speeds to make use of the multi-gig ports.

• Back up the Windows image before you wipe it. I replaced Windows with FygoOS on the unit I tested, which is fine for my review, but if you want to preserve the factory Windows installation or vendor recovery, make a backup first.

• Avoid drawing conclusions about RAID rebuilds and populated-bay temperatures from this review. I could not run those tests, so any claims about rebuild time, drive vibration, or long-term noise need to come from hands-on tests with two drives installed.

If you plan to build this NAS in stages

This is where the ME Pro really makes sense. If you want to start small and add storage later, the mix of two SATA bays and three M.2 slots lets you do exactly that. Use an NVMe for the OS and cache, add a single hard drive for bulk storage now, then add the second drive later and configure redundancy when you are ready.

Because the device is storage-focused and compact, it fits in a bookshelf or small rack. Just be deliberate about your initial choices because the RAM cannot be changed later and the CPU is not designed to be a heavy compute workhorse.

What to test once you populate the drive bays

If you pick one up and put drives in the SATA bays, here are the tests I recommend you run yourself. These are the tests I offered to run in a follow-up if readers wanted them:

• Sustained transfer speeds between networked clients and the NAS. Test with both the 5GbE and the 2.5GbE ports if your network supports them.
• Drive temperatures under load with both bays populated. Watch for higher temps if the chassis has limited airflow.
• Power consumption while idle and under heavy I/O. This matters if you run the device 24/7.
• Noise and vibration from spinning drives, especially if you populate both 3.5-inch bays.
• Simulated drive failure and rebuild behavior. If you plan to rely on RAID, provoke a rebuild and measure the time and impact on performance.

Final take

The Beelink ME Pro shipped with a clear purpose: make a compact, storage-focused mini PC that is ready for a NAS OS like FygoOS. In the hands-on testing I did, FygoOS recognized the hardware and the system installed cleanly. The multi-gig networking and hardware layout make this a very attractive option for a staged NAS build.

However, keep expectations realistic. The soldered 12GB RAM and the low-power Intel N95 mean this is not a monster for heavy virtualization or large container farms. Also, because I did not test with two populated SATA drives, you should plan to do your own checks on rebuilds, noise, temperatures, and long-term reliability if those factors matter to you.

If you want a small, ready-to-go foundation for a home NAS and you are comfortable with the hardware trade-offs, the ME Pro plus FygoOS is worth a serious look. If you need upgradeable RAM or heavy CPU horsepower, look elsewhere.

If you are considering one and want me to run any of those two-drive tests, tell me which tests you want to see: sustained transfers, temperatures, power draw, noise, or a simulated rebuild. See you in the next one.

Josh