MeLE Star Cloud PCG60 Plus is a new PC with the latest version of Windows, powered by a quad-core Intel X5-Z8300 Cherry Trail and equipped with a VGA port. Is it a good device? Read our MeLE Star Cloud PCG60 Plus review to find out.
We would like to thank MeLE for sending the PCG60 Plus for this review.
| Processor | Intel X5-Z8300 Cherry Trail |
| CPU | Up to 1.84GHz |
| GPU | Intel HD graphics |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| RAM | 2GB DDR3 |
| ROM | 32GB eMMC; microSD card port (up to 64GB) |
| WiFi | Wireless AC |
| Ethernet | 1000Mbps |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 |
| Video Output | HDMI 1.4 |
| Audio output | HDMI 1.4 |
| Other ports | 1 port x USB 2.0 |
| Dimensions | 110 x 110 x 38 mm |
The MeLE PCG60 Plus is a hefty device. It's a bit taller than most Windows mini PCs, but that makes it more compact than its competitors.
The casing is metal, in a stylish gray and black color scheme that matches other electronic devices.
The device is also very solid. I never knew a mini PC could be so heavy. This seems very important, as it won't budge an inch - even when running at full speed.
Looking at the ports, on the right side is the micro SD card slot (a nice touch is the cap to keep dust out).
The rest of the ports are located on the back of the device. There's a USB 2.0 port, a VGA port, a power button, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Kensington lock port, two USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet, an HDMI output, and a DC IN.
I really like the look of the MeLE Star Cloud PCG60 Plus, but it's a shame it doesn't have at least one USB port on the front for connecting a hard drive. A USB extension cable would also be a useful addition.
The device turns on by holding the power button for one second. Connecting the keyboard and mouse to the device takes about 30 seconds. Booting the device takes about 30 seconds. Resuming from standby is almost instantaneous.
The MeLE Star Cloud PCG60 Plus already has the latest version of Windows 10 installed. It's completely stock and active out of the box. The C: drive is 17.3GB with 28GB of free memory, right out of the box.
Performance is the same as other Intel X5-Z8300 devices with a Microsoft operating system. Multitasking performance was great. I was able to open several browser windows and watch a movie without a problem.
There is also the option of using both the VGA and HDMI ports for a dual monitor setup for advanced users. Not all mini PCs have this feature, so it makes this device even more appealing and credible, allowing us to use it as a traditional computer.
I installed the latest version of Kodi (Kodi 17.0 for this review) to test media playback.
| Supported standards and formats | Playback (Kodi 17.0) |
| 1080p 3D SBS H.264 | YES |
| 1080p 3D ABL H.264 | YES |
| 1080p24 H.264 | YES |
| 1080p High Bitrate H.264 | YES |
| 1080p60 H.264 | YES |
| 720p50 H.264 | |
| 1080i25 H.264 | YES |
| 4K 30FPS H.264 | YES |
| 4K 60FPS H.264 | The sound lags behind the image |
| 1080p24 HEVC | YES |
| 4K 30FPS 8-bit HEVC | YES |
| 1080p 10-bit HEVC | Decode problems |
| 1080p30 VP8 | YES |
| 720p Hi10p | YES |
| 1080p Hi10p | YES (decoding software) |
| 1080p MPEG2 | YES |
| 1080p VC1 | YES |
| Unencrypted Bluray ISO (Sintel) | YES |
Media playback on theMeLE Star Cloud PCG60 Plus was solid, as good as on other Cherry Trail computers. Most popular codecs play well, and even some of the more demanding ones were decoded by software (i.e. 1080p Hi10p).
Deinterlacing performance and automatic frame switching were aided by the appropriate settings enabled in Kodi, which made video playback smooth.
5.1 Audio
Dolby Digital 5.1 over HDMI works great with Kodi 17.0.
Netflix
Netflix plays in HD via the app on Windows 10.
External Storage Support
Plays movies perfectly from hard drive and USB.
To test PCG60 Plus in terms of gaming, I installed two games, one 2D and the other 3D:
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