GMKtec to Release a New AMD Ryzen-based Mini-PC with Vapor Chamber and OCuLink

[Nomad76]

Chinese tech company GMKtec is preparing to unveil a new Mini-PC powered by an AMD Ryzen processor, featuring an enhanced cooling system. The company's product lineup already includes a variety of AMD and Intel-based compact computers, with their K-series representing their most powerful offerings. Now, GMKtec teased a new addition to their lineup on Weibo, China's popular social media platform. The upcoming model will support a 70 W TDP and is likely to feature the Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, based on the "R9" mentioned in the post title. This distinction is important as the next-generation processors (Strix Point) use "Ryzen AI 9" branding.

A standout feature of this upcoming model is its vapor chamber cooling system, which is uncommon in the Mini-PC market. However, GMKtec hasn't mentioned the use of a secondary fan or other cooling features, which some competitors employ. The new Mini-PC will include an OCuLink connector for external device compatibility, including graphics cards. Other features include dual 2.5GbE networking, USB ports, HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. While full specifications are yet to be disclosed, more details are expected to be revealed in the near future. GMKtec has not announced a specific release date or price for this new Mini-PC.



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[kondamin]

That would be nice, and a couple of those solid state blowers to wick away the heat during long workloads

 

[LabRat 891]

Nice. OCuLink-PCIe adapters are fairly common and affordable, now.

IMO, OCuLink should be a common and standardize connection. (Esp. with USB4 taking so very long to permeate the market)
Imagine: Option for disabling an M.2 Slot for externalized PCI-Ex4 over OCuLink.

 

[watzupken]

I feel there are way too many permutations of AMD based mini PCs. These Chinese companies are releasing a "new" mini PC every other month with very little difference. While I do like such mini PCs, I don't think people buying mini PCs will change them every year since the users based are generally not looking for cutting edge performance.

 

[rhqq]

I'd love to see occuling not succeed. Why? It hampers popularizing and progressing USB4 (especially v2). and USB4 has so many advantages over occulink. USB4v2 will offer 80Gbit, which is more than current occuling ~64Gbit. The main benefit of USB is hot-pluggability, something that occulink will never, inherently, provide. Not to mention all the typical USB3.2++ functionalities as being able to deliver all sorts of other data, video and power streams. USB is a superior standard and proliferation of lesser ones (or worse: some proprietary ones!) is just going to slow the progress down.

 

[HeadRusch1]

I'd love to see occuling not succeed. Why? It hampers popularizing and progressing USB4 (especially v2). and USB4 has so many advantages over occulink. USB4v2 will offer 80Gbit, which is more than current occuling ~64Gbit. The main benefit of USB is hot-pluggability, something that occulink will never, inherently, provide. Not to mention all the typical USB3.2++ functionalities as being able to deliver all sorts of other data, video and power streams. USB is a superior standard and proliferation of lesser ones (or worse: some proprietary ones!) is just going to slow the progress down.

True, but at this point in time we are now 'lagging' behind with Thunderbolt 3. I use a USB4 eGPU enclosure with an older GPU, a 1080Ti. To me this is sort of a perfect pairing, that level of performance paired up with the APU inside my mini PC = a perfect balance, I never feel like I'm leaving performance behind because of the lower throughput with USB4/TB3. However, if I were to buy a new 4070+ class card or an equivalent AMD product, you are leaving a healthy chunk of that purchase behind simply based on that TB3 bottleneck. 5 years ago different story, but today......the dropoff is more tangible so we need Oculink to buy us time while USB4 matures.

 

[rhqq]

True, but at this point in time we are now 'lagging' behind with Thunderbolt 3. I use a USB4 eGPU enclosure with an older GPU, a 1080Ti. To me this is sort of a perfect pairing, that level of performance paired up with the APU inside my mini PC = a perfect balance, I never feel like I'm leaving performance behind because of the lower throughput with USB4/TB3. However, if I were to buy a new 4070+ class card or an equivalent AMD product, you are leaving a healthy chunk of that purchase behind simply based on that TB3 bottleneck. 5 years ago different story, but today......the dropoff is more tangible so we need Oculink to buy us time while USB4 matures.

USB4v1 has matured already. there's a plethora of USB4 docks on aliex that cost nothing. I just connected one to 7600XT to my laptop and it was literally plug&play. In fact it was better than GDP G1 that I used to have - it was having major issues with signal integrity, both on hdmi and usb... Here - rock solid.

 

[Random_User]

I'm going to reply, with unpopular opinion: The more of these is good, as it increases the overall availability and penetration of such compact devices, and thus their enhancement.

I feel there are way too many permutations of AMD based mini PCs. These Chinese companies are releasing a "new" mini PC every other month with very little difference. While I do like such mini PCs, I don't think people buying mini PCs will change them every year since the users based are generally not looking for cutting edge performance.

The reason is, that AMD makes barely enough of these chips to begin with. So each iteration, variant of the same mobile chip is being sold out the minute it becomes available for the purchase. And doing the same stuff over again in different shapes is rather a good thing, since the mini-PC makers can release new revisions with fixed/advanced design, while not investing huge lot into mass production, having the room of flexibility and budget.

I'd love to see occuling not succeed. Why? It hampers popularizing and progressing USB4 (especially v2). and USB4 has so many advantages over occulink. USB4v2 will offer 80Gbit, which is more than current occuling ~64Gbit. The main benefit of USB is hot-pluggability, something that occulink will never, inherently, provide. Not to mention all the typical USB3.2++ functionalities as being able to deliver all sorts of other data, video and power streams. USB is a superior standard and proliferation of lesser ones (or worse: some proprietary ones!) is just going to slow the progress down.

I'd like the current state of things. OCuLink has complete right to be, and be popular, for the purposes it serves, for the audience it is applicable. And it's faster adoption is for a reason.

You see, the USB consortium is so much f*cked up, and they did themselves hamper their own adoption and progression. They deserver what they have. They sat on their monopoly status for decades, with barely any progression. I don't even mention the mess that is happening right now, with all the stadnards, naming, cables, and their branding, and certifiying. Alot of the stuff that been made, needs to go away from the market ASAP, like yesterday, and some have to be retested, and this is enormous pile of e-waste, that being sold on daily basis. I don't even mention, USB consortium let the literal sh*t being manufactured, that is hardly eligible for USB 2.0 standard, let alone 3.2 "whatever revision" or 4. And they didn't underwent any punishment. They had the every chance to improve the situation, but they didn't.

That's why any proper alternative is much welcome. If there's any solution, that has same qualities, or even superior, but has clean branding, proper certification, and has zero "dirty trail" scummy trail behind it, should overtake the USB, at least in areas, where OCuLink is more suitable.

 

[utmode]

I feel there are way too many permutations of AMD based mini PCs. These Chinese companies are releasing a "new" mini PC every other month with very little difference. While I do like such mini PCs, I don't think people buying mini PCs will change them every year since the users based are generally not looking for cutting edge performance.

It is because they want to be on top of news cycle. It is nothing to do availability, for example you can still buy 5800H based mini pcs.

 

[HeadRusch1]

USB4v1 has matured already. there's a plethora of USB4 docks on aliex that cost nothing. I just connected one to 7600XT to my laptop and it was literally plug&play. In fact it was better than GDP G1 that I used to have - it was having major issues with signal integrity, both on hdmi and usb... Here - rock solid.

Agreed, but they aren't getting any faster until the newer revisions come out, and that will take forever no matter what competition is out there...so Oculink is a bridge that eGPU users in particular can take advantage of right now. Oculink docks on Ali cost 1/2 of what USB wants I think, if USB4 was $100 then Oculink were like $60 from memory.....<shrug>. At least we got options.

 

[Neo_Morpheus]

I feel there are way too many permutations of AMD based mini PCs. These Chinese companies are releasing a "new" mini PC every other month with very little difference. While I do like such mini PCs, I don't think people buying mini PCs will change them every year since the users based are generally not looking for cutting edge performance.

Well, almost all markets have “standardized” on yearly releases so these companies are simply doing the same.

Also, each new APU released by AMD does come with improvements which some customers want or need.

Dont get me wrong, i wish the whole world to dial back a bit, like releasing new phones or SOC, etc every 2 years, for example.