GMKtec has launched the EVO-X2 mini PC, personally autographed by AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su. As the world's first AI mini PC equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, it delivers exceptional performance. This processor features 16 cores and 32 threads, with a maximum frequency of 5.1 GHz and 80 MB cache, ensuring rapid data processing. The integrated Radeon 8060S iGPU excels in graphics handling, while the XDNA2 architecture NPU offers 50 TOPS of AI computing power, significantly outperforming competitors. In AI inference tasks involving 70-billion-parameter local models, it even surpasses the NV 5090D.

GMKtec EVO-X2: A New Era in AI Mini PCs
GMKtec has officially unveiled the EVO-X2, a groundbreaking mini PC that marks a significant milestone in AI computing. This compact device is the world's first to feature the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, a testament to GMKtec's commitment to innovation and performance.

We dedicated a lot of our launch presentation of Framework Desktop to the Ryzen AI Max processor it uses, and for a good reason. These truly unique, ultra-high-performance parts are the culmination of decades of technology and architecture investments that AMD has made, going all the way back to their acquisition of ATI in 2006. For our first technical deep dive on Framework Desktop, we're going to go even deeper into Ryzen AI Max and what makes it a killer processor for gaming, workstation, and AI workloads.

What makes Ryzen AI Max special is a combination of three elements: full desktop-class Zen 5 CPU cores, a massive 40-CU Radeon RDNA 3.5 GPU, and a giant 256-bit LPDDR5x memory bus to feed the two, supporting up to 128 GB of memory. Chips and Cheese did an excellent technical overview of the processor with AMD that goes even deeper on this, and we'll pull out some of the highlights along with our own insights. We'll start with the CPUs. Ryzen AI Max supports up to 16 CPU cores split across two 4 nm FinFET dies that AMD calls CCDs. These dies are connected together using an extremely wide, low power, low latency bus across the package substrate. The CPUs are full Zen 5 cores with 512-bit FPUs and support for AVX-512, a vector processing instruction set otherwise only available on Intel's top end server CPUs. We're excited for you to see the multicore performance numbers these CPUs can do in our upcoming press review cycle!

Mini PCs have steadily increased in popularity in recent years, primarily thanks to the performance and efficiency improvements brought to the table by APUs from Intel and AMD. There is no shortage of such systems with commendable computing horsepower, but there also exists a certain segment which prioritizes compactness over anything else. The Topton M1 undoubtedly belongs to that category, boasting a chassis that is 7.8 x 7.8 x 5.5 cm in dimensions.

As can be expected from a system as diminutive as the M1 mini PC, the internal specifications are nothing to write home about. At its core, a Ryzen 3 5425U APU powers the system, paired with up to 32 GB of soldered LPDDR4X memory. The "Cezanne" APU is based on the Zen 3 microarchitecture, packing four cores and eight threads. The 15-watt APU boasts similar CPU performance to the Core Ultra 5 134U, which should allow it to chew through most non-intensive workloads. Needless to say, support for discrete graphics is absent, and the integrated 6-core Vega iGPU should suffice for video playback and extremely lightweight tasks.

Minisforum is proud to unveil AI X1 Pro, the world's first Copilot-empowered AI mini PC, setting a new standard in low power efficiency and redefining performance. Powered by the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, the AI X1 Pro delivers next-level AI technology, supercharging multitasking, boosting productivity, and enhancing teamwork like never before. With performance up to 45% faster than competitors, this mini PC is designed to meet the demands of professionals, creators, and gamers alike.

Unmatched Gaming and Creativity
Equipped with the powerful AMD Radeon 890M processor, AI X1 Pro transforms your gaming experience. Dive into AAA titles with smooth, breathtaking visuals and zero lag. Every battle and adventure comes to life in stunning detail, delivering pure excitement. For creators, the AI X1 Pro is optimized for AI workloads, featuring total 80 TOPS NPU for all-local AI processing. Streamline your daily tasks, enhance creativity, and save valuable time with unparalleled convenience.

ASUS today announced ExpertCenter PN54, a high-performance Copilot+ mini PC powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processors and AMD Radeon graphics. ExpertCenter PN54 offers extensive connectivity, including WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and is able to support up to four 4K displays. This mini PC enables retailers and business to maintain their competitive edge alike: it's well-equipped to handle data-intensive workloads, AI-enhanced applications, and edge data processing. PN54 boasts more I/O ports than other mini PCs, allowing retailers to connect to multiple devices for field deployment or in limited-space environments.

First Copilot+ mini PC by ASUS built on AMD architecture
At the heart of ExpertCenter PN54 is the latest AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor that delivers over 50% more on-chip memory for enhanced performance. Built on the cutting-edge AMD Zen 5 cores previously only available in desktop CPUs, this latest processor features eight cores of processing power and a 5 GHz boost frequency. And with the advanced AMD XDNA 2 NPU Architecture, ExpertCenter PN54 handles AI-powered content creation, code compilation, data analysis, meetings, and other tasks seamlessly.

Mini PCs that prioritize performance over anything else are far from hard to find. Most such systems opt for high-end laptop chips instead of desktop ones, which is to be expected considering that there is quite a lot of overlap in terms of thermal expectations between the two segments - in other words, both have to deal with limited thermal headroom. The newly launched K10 mini PC from the well-known brand GMKtec is no exception, and packs the Intel Core i9-13900HK CPU paired with up to 96 GB of memory. Pricing details are under wraps as of this writing, and the system is available for pre-order in China. A global release in not in sight, although GMKtec does like to bring many of its products to the global market.

The 14-core, 20-thread Core i9-13900HK CPU may be over two years old at this point, but is far from a slouch. With performance that is almost neck-and-neck with the Core Ultra 9 185H, the high-end Raptor Lake-H is more than sufficient for the vast majority of intensive workloads that one might throw its way. Dual SODIMM slots are present, which can accommodate up to 96 GB of DDR5-5200 memory, Moreover, the K10 sports a whopping three M.2 2280 slots, which allows the system to pack up to 12 TB of solid-state storage. A pretty decent cooling system is also present, the performance of which, however, can only be established once independent reviews arrive.

There are a plethora of mini PCs available on Amazon as well as oher reputed retailers. Many of these systems are from brands that are not exactly well known, but sport interesting features that set them apart from the rest. The Healuck HL, also known as the CWWK S7 in UK, is one such mini PC from a Chinese brand that sure does offer a decent selection of features, primarily aimed at networking aficionados. That said, the mini PC is not meant to be a computing powerhouse - a fact that is given away by the entry-level CPU options and affordable pricing that starts at around $300 without RAM and storage.

At the highest-end, the Healuck HL can be equipped with the 15-watt Intel Core 3 N355 CPU, which boasts eight cores and eight threads. The processor is about as powerful as the aging Core i5-10300H CPU, which should be enough to chew through most non-intensive tasks. The system can be equipped with up to 32 GB of DDR5-4800 memory, and dual M.2 2280 slots take care of storage requirements. Where the Healuck HL truly shines, however, is in the networking department. The product boasts dual 2.5 G LAN ports, as well as dual 10G LAN ports. This should allow the system to serve rather well as a budget high-speed NAS of sorts, although capacity will undoubtedly be limited due the lack of more drive bays.

AAEON's UP brand this week confirmed the release of the UP Squared 7100 Edge, its fourth generation of Mini PC based on the compact UP Squared (85.6 mm × 90 mm) developer board. The UP Squared 7100 Edge comes equipped with either the Intel Processor N97 or Intel Processor N100 as its default CPU, a substantial upgrade on the Elkhart Lake platform offered by the PC range's previous generation. Further upgrades can be seen in its 16 GB of soldered LPDDR5 system memory, which delivers up to 50% higher data rates with greater power-efficiency.

Equipped with a solid I/O primarily geared towards industrial automation and communication tasks—such as dual Gigabit LAN and three USB Type-A ports—the UP Squared 7100 Edge sees AAEON add a second DB-9 port. This upgrade grants systems integrators with two COM ports, both supporting RS-232/422/485 signals.
The UP Squared 7100 Edge's design makes it a very suitable option for upgrading existing industrial automation setups that require communication with legacy equipment. However, with CPU-native functions such as Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology and AVX2 Instruction sets, the UP Squared 7100 Edge can execute more demanding edge computing workloads while remaining power-efficient, making it an equally good choice for new, more advanced projects.

Chuwi is a pretty decent brand of competent mini PCs which have received positive reviews. The brand's latest offering, the AuBox mini PC, combines a powerful AMD APU with an attractive design that is not only commendably compact, but also quite premium looking. The product measures 15 x 15 cm with a height of only 4.5 cm that gives it a genuinely sleek appeal, unlike other mini PCs available on the market which are going for a somewhat tall form factor ever since the M4 Mac Mini has hit the scene. At its core, the AuBox is powered by the Ryzen 7 8745HS APU with eight Zen 4 cores and sixteen threads. Apart from not having an NPU, the 8745HS is basically a slightly down clocked version of the Ryzen 7 8845HS that results in a 6-7% performance drop in synthetic benchmarks.

That said, the APU is plenty performant for the vast majority of workloads that are likely to be thrown its way, provided that they are not overly demanding GPU-wise, since the compact AuBox mini PC lacks discrete graphics, which is hardly out of the ordinary for mini PCs. The integrated RDNA 3-based Radeon 780M iGPU with 12 CUs is perfectly potent for lightweight tasks, however, and entry-level gaming with modest settings should not be much of a hassle either. The AuBox ships with 12 GB of DDR5-5600 memory, which can be upgraded to a healthy 64 GB down the road courtesy of user-accessible SODIMM slots.

Geekom has revealed yet another member of its 'XT' family of mini PCs. However, unlike most other mini PCs that have recently hit the scene, the Geekom XT1 Mega utilizes Intel Core Ultra 100H CPUs instead of the newer Arrow Lake-H units. The system can be equipped with either the Core Ultra 5 125H, or the Core Ultra 9 185H. Compared to the Core Ultra 9 285H, the 185H is roughly around 15% slower in multicore benchmarks, which is not exactly an earth-shattering difference. The integrated 8-core Arc iGPU (Xe LPG) found in the high-end SKUs boast enough compute power to challenge the RTX 2050 Mobile GPU in certain scenarios, although it is by no means powerful enough to compete with newer systems that feature discrete graphics.

The XT1 Mega mini PC can be configured with up to 64 GB of memory, courtesy of its dual SODIMM slots. A single M.2 2280 and a single M.2 2242 slot take care of storage requirements, although a 2.5-inch slot is not present. In terms of I/O, the XT1 boasts a total of five USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, dual HDMI 2.0, dual 2.5 G ethernet, dual USB4, a single audio jack, and a single UBS 2.0 Type-A port. There is no room inside for discrete graphics, which would have made an OCuLink port a welcome addition. Due to its absence, however, customers will have to settle for slower USB4-based eGPUs. Wireless connectivity, on the other hand, is taken care of by Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The Core Ultra 5 125H variant with 32 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD costs $769, and the higher-end Core Ultra 9 185H variant costs $989.

ASUS today announced the ASUS NUC 15 Pro mini PC, a compact powerhouse that delivers versatile performance for a wide range of development needs, from AI model training to data visualization. Featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors, DDR5 6400 MHz memory, and the Intel Arc GPU, NUC 15 Pro delivers outstanding speed and efficiency. Additionally, advanced Intel Wi-Fi 7 offers ultrafast connectivity for seamless collaborations. NUC 15 Pro offers an unbeatable combination of performance and innovative design to elevate workflows.

Optimized for AI
ASUS NUC 15 Pro unleashes the potential of AI thanks to the latest Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2). Featuring up to 99 platform TOPS, this next-generation CPU is purpose-built for diverse workloads and unrivaled AI performance. These advanced processors are built on Intel 18A process and deliver remarkable compute performance. This innovative CPU redefines productivity and creativity to set a new benchmark for AI-powered computing.

Yet another Brix mini PC from Gigabyte has hit the scene, powered by the very modest six-watt Intel N250 CPU. Undoubtedly, this mini PC is targeted at folks with modest computing demands. If the system's specifications are anything to go by, the BTIP-N250 is most likely to command an affordable price tag, although that cannot be said with certainty for now considering that Gigabyte is yet to reveal any pricing or availability details regarding the system.

As mentioned, the Intel N250 quad-core, quad-thread processors is not here to set any performance records. That said, the N250 is actually as performant as the Zen+ Ryzen 5 3500U, which means moderate workloads and office-based workflows are likely not going to be much of a challenge for the system. The processor can be paired with up to 16 GB of DDR5 memory, and the system supports M.2 as well as 2.5" drives to take care of storage requirements. Dual USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, dual USB-A 3.2 gen 2, HDMI, and audio in/out ports are also present. Wireless connectivity can be added via the M.2 2230 slot, while the 1G ethernet takes care of wired networking.

The list of potent mini PCs continues to expand, with the Minix NGC-NR6600 being one of the latest additions. The mid-range mini PC should be sufficiently potent for the majority of non-intensive workloads, and should be able to fly through daily workloads without breaking a sweat. The system is already available for purchase on Amazon, starting at $399 for the entry-level variant with 16 GB of memory and a 512 GB SSD. Specs-wise, the Minix mini PC appears to be a well-equipped system that should suffice for most moderately intensive workloads, as long as it is forgiving on the GPU side.

At its core, the Minix mini PC in question is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H APU with 6 Zen 3+ cores and 12 threads, which can be paired with up to 64 GB of DDR5-4800 memory, courtesy of dual SO-DIMM slots. The diminutive 5 x 5.12 x 1.97 inch chassis, unsurprisingly, lacks the physical space for the comfort of discrete graphics, and has to settle for the decently capable Radeon 660M with 6 CUs, although it is by no means sufficient for modern AAA gaming. Some lightweight gaming is not our of the question, though. A 512 GB SSD takes care of storage requirements, while a supplementary M.2 slot allows for expansion down the road, up to a whopping 8 TB. The system packs HDMI 2.1 (TMDS, so basically HDMI 2.0), DisplayPort 1.4, USB4, as well as dual 2.5G LAN ports.

The mini PC market has grown substantially in the past few years, in no small part thanks to the commendable performance and efficiency improvements brought to the table by the x86 giants. Gigabyte has unveiled its fair share of such systems, with its latest offering sporting an Intel Core Ultra 5 225H CPU paired with up to a whopping 96 GB of memory. As of right now, we do not have any concrete information regarding when the system will be made available to the public, and at what price. But given the system specifications and Gigabyte's track record, we can expect the system to command an affordable price tag.

As mentioned, the mini PC, dubbed the GB-BRU5-225H, is powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H CPU including four high-performance "Lion Cove" cores, eight high-efficiency "Skymont" cores, as well as two additional "low power" cores for a total of 14 cores and 14 threads. The 12.6 x 3.4 x 11.9 cm mini PC has no room for discrete graphics, and has to rely on the integrated Arc 130T iGPU with eight Xe cores. The system can be equipped with up to 96 GB of DDR5-6400 memory courtesy of its dual SO-DIMM slots. Considering the specifications, the mini PC should be sufficiently potent for the vast majority of moderately intensive workloads thrown its way.

There is hardly a scarcity of mini PCs available on the market. These pocket-friendly computers have an ever-expanding fan base, and now it appears that brands are pulling all sorts of tricks to make their offerings stand out from the rest. Chaatrey is a well-known player in the mini PC segment, and has announced the AMD-powered AN3P mini PC. The product does have quite an interesting feature, which we will get to later.

At its core, the AN3P mini PC is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS APU with eight Zen 3+ cores and sixteen threads. Despite having already blown out two birthday candles, the Ryzen 7 7735HS continues to be quite a performant chip in 2025, trading blows with the Intel Core 5 120U in synthetic benchmarks. In terms of memory and storage, the AN3P can be equipped with up to 32 GB of memory, and up to 1 TB of solid-state storage. Both the memory and storage are user-accessible and can be upgraded down the road, which surely is a must-have for many people.

A brand-new Minisforum mini PC has hit the scene, dubbed the UN100/150P. Unlike most of the other mini PCs that Minisforum offers, the UN100/150P is not meant to be as much of a powerhouse as its siblings. Powered by either the Intel N100 or the slightly higher-clocked N150 processors, the UN100P is barely performant enough for most workloads and casual usage in the modern-era. For those unaware, the 6-watt Intel N100 and N150 are quad-core, quad-thread CPUs based on Alder Lake-N, with the latter boasting a 200 MHz higher boost clock than the former's 3.4 GHz.

Unsurprisingly, there is no room for the luxury of powerful discrete graphics, which means that customers will have to settle for the integrated Iris Xe iGPUs with 24 EUs. As mentioned earlier, the system should be speedy enough for lightweight workloads and casual usage, but expecting anything more out of the UN100/150P in terms of performance will most likely prove to be futile. At 12.7 x 11.2 x 3.9 cm, the Minisforum UN100/150P is plenty compact, which is hardly a surprise considering the modest internals. In terms of memory and storage, the mini PC can be equipped with up to 16 GB of user-upgradeable DDR4-3200 memory and 256 GB of SSD storage, also user-upgradeable via its M.2 2280 slot.

ASUS is working on a new line of NUC mini PCs powered by the AMD Ryzen AI MAX "Strix Halo" mobile processors that come with oversized iGPUs and CPU core counts as high as 16-core/32-thread "Zen 5." This was sniffed out in shipping manifests by Olrak29_ on its way to being tested by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) for regulatory certification similar to CE, with the manifest describing the NUC model as the "NUC14LNS," meaning that this box is from the NUC 14 series. The manifest describes the NUC sample as featuring the top of the line Ryzen AI MAX+ 395.

The Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 maxes out everything on the silicon, featuring 16 "Zen 5" CPU cores across two CCDs with full 512-bit FPUs, with 80 MB of "total cache" (L3+L2) between them; a 50 TOPS-class NPU that can locally accelerate Microsoft Copilot+, and that large RDNA 3.5 iGPU with 40 compute units (2,560 stream processors), 80 AI accelerators, and 40 ray accelerators. What's interesting about this NUC is that it will not come with SO-DIMM slots, since the "Strix Halo" SoC features a 256-bit wide LPDDR5X memory interface. It will either have hardwired memory, or use a pair of LPCAMM2 modules (each with a 128-bit bus width), which is less likely. With all the rage about AI developers using M4-powered Mac minis to accelerate DeepSeek, is ASUS eying a slice of the AI market?

As a leader in innovative technology, Acemagic is excited to announce the upcoming pre-sale launch of the F3A AI 370 MINI PC by the end of January 2025. Powered by AMD's latest Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, this high-performance mini PC combines outstanding computational power with cutting-edge cooling technology, designed to meet the needs of professionals, content creators, and high-end users.

The F3A AI 370 MINI PC features an advanced 12-core, 24-thread processor, built on AMD's Zen 5 and Zen 5c architecture. With a base clock speed of 2.0 GHz and a turboboost up to 5.1 GHz, it delivers exceptional multithreaded performance and processing power. Additionally, the F3A is equipped with the third-generation Ryzen AI NPU (Neural Processing Unit) based on the XDNA2 architecture, offering up to 50 TOPS of AI computing performance. With seamless collaboration between the GPU and CPU, the F3A achieves an impressive total performance of up to 80 TOPS, making it ideal for high-demand applications like deep learning and AI inference.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), a globally recognized leader in motherboards, mini PCs, and laptops, will participate in the renowned Bett 2025 education technology exhibition in London from January 22 to 24, 2025. ECS will showcase its new series of education laptops integrated with AI technology and multifunctional mini PCs, designed to enhance teaching efficiency and the learning experience. These products not only offer exceptional performance and portability but also incorporate innovative solutions to provide smarter technological support for the education sector.

A New Series of AI-Powered Education Laptops, Delivering Smart Learning Solutions
At Bett 2025, ECS will feature a series of lightweight AI laptops tailored for higher education, including the 14-inch UP40ML, UP42KP, and UP42PW models, as well as the 15.3-inch UP52PW model. These laptops are focused on improving the teaching and learning experience by offering powerful computing capabilities and advanced features. They support multiple processor platforms, such as Intel, AMD and Snapdragon, providing flexibility to meet various needs while maintaining a high-quality metal chassis for durability in campus environments.

The Beelink SER9 Pro made headlines a few months ago as one of the first mini PCs with AMD's Strix Point APUs. Powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU with the powerful Radeon 890M iGPU, the SER9 Pro promised impressive performance and efficiency in a commendably compact form factor. Now, the brand has unveiled a new variant of the SER9 Pro, powered by the slightly less-powerful Ryzen AI 9 365 APU. This variant will likely be more affordable than its higher-tier sibling, which currently starts from $999 in the US.

The differences between the Ryzen AI HX 370 and the Ryzen AI 365 are actually more substantial than one might think. Both the APUs sport four Zen 5 cores, while the AI 365 gets only six Zen 5c cores compared to the HX 370's eight. The AI 365 also gets a 100 MHz lower boost clock, and a notably slower Radeon 880M iGPU with fewer shaders. Beelink had equipped the HX 370 variant with a 65 watt TDP, but has not disclosed the TDP value for the AI 365 variant yet. That said, going by synthetic benchmark scores, the Ryzen AI 9 365 variant will likely be roughly 20% and 10% slower in CPU and GPU performance respectively than the Ryzen AI HX 370 variant.

The world of mini PCs keeps on growing, thanks to a boost in popularity made possible by the impressive efficiency and performance improvements brought to the table by the silicon giants, allowing compact systems to function just as well as full-fledged towers. The Morefine M6S Plus is yet another addition to the list of mini PCs, and it appears that the system prioritizes portability and compactness over raw performance. For a sizeable chunk of casual desktop users, even entry-level processors pack enough computing grunt to ease through their workloads, and that demographic is exactly what the M6S Plus targets.

With dimensions of 7.2 x 7.2 x 4.2 cm, the Morefine M6S Plus is commendably compact indeed. As mentioned, the computing horsepower offered is very limited, thanks to the quad-core Intel N150 processor that lacks Hyper-Threading. The memory is, unfortunately, not user upgradeable, so customers are will have to stick the 12 GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory on offer. The storage however, is upgradeable, thanks to the M.2 2242 slot which can accommodate up to 4 TB of storage. In terms of connectivity, the options are acceptable, including dual Type-C ports with DP, gigabit ethernet, triple USB 3.2 Gen 1Type-A ports (two on the front), HDMI 2.1, as well as a headphone jack.

The newly unveiled GMK G9 is not here to set any records in terms of raw performance. However, it does pack a different trick up its sleeve - impressive storage capabilities, allowing for its use as an affordable NAS. GMK has not revealed any price or availability details as of now, although Liliputing did manage to dig up a retailer listing which reveals that the G1 mini PC will start at an affordable $289 for the base variant with 12 GB of memory and no SSD storage, whereas the same unit with 512 GB of storage will command an extra $30.

The GMK G9 is powered by Intel's N150 processor - a slightly higher-clocked version of the N100, which packs a total of four cores and four threads, a boost clock of 3.6 GHz, and a modest 6-watt TDP. As mentioned previously, the G1 is by no means a performance system, and packs just enough computing grunt to function as a lightweight daily driver or a NAS. The system can be equipped with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory and 64 GB of eMMC storage. To justify its NAS credentials, the G1 packs a whopping four M.2 2280 slots, allowing for a maximum of 32 TB of SSD storage. The port selection is plenty decent as well, including a USB-C port, triple USB-A ports, dual HDMI ports, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and of course, dual 2.5G RJ-45 LAN ports. For the price and the features offered, the G1 sure does like a commendable choice for a nifty little home server.

GEEKOM, the Green Mini PC Global Leader, is going to release a new model named the A6 on January 17th, 2025. This mini PC is already available for pre-order on GEEKOM's official website. Priced at $449, it may just be the new best mini PC under $500.

According to the official information, the GEEKOM A6 mini PC employs a well-ventilated aluminium chassis which measures only 0.47 liter, but it packs enormous power under the hood, thanks to the perfect combination of a beefy processor, high-bandwidth DDR5 RAM, and a fast PCIe Gen 4 SSD.

The list of mini PCs available on the market has grown quite a bit in the past few weeks, with a bunch of such systems getting unveiled at CES 2025. Now, Gigabyte clearly does not wish to be left out of the party either, and has unveiled its Brix Extreme mini PC powered by a last-gen, but decently powerful AMD "Hawk Point" APU and a plethora of connectivity options in a compact package.

The system, as mentioned, boasts the 28-watt Ryzen 7 8840U PRO APU, which sports 8 Zen 4 cores and 16 threads. Performance should be identical to its non-PRO counterpart, which should put it roughly in the same class as the Intel Core Ultra 256V "Lunar Lake" CPU. The APU is paired with up to 64 GB of DDR5-5600 memory. Dual M.2 2280 slots take care of storage requirements, both of which are user-accessible.

ASUS today announced ASUS NUC 14 Essential, an ultracompact, entry-level mini PC powered by the latest Intel Core N-series processor. Designed for exceptional performance and enhanced power efficiency, the capabilities of NUC 14 Essential are further boosted by a versatile array of ports including Bluetooth 5.3 and Intel Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+). Support for up to three 4K displays provides users with smooth multitasking experiences, allowing them to stream videos, create content, and analyze data with ease.

Energy-efficient performance in a compact package
The latest Intel Core N-series processor enables ASUS NUC 14 Essential to make light work of daily office tasks. Featuring up to eight E-core architectures, the processor offers a perfect balance of energy efficiency and performance, offering a 42% improvement over previous-generation processors. NUC 14 Essential lets users browse the web, attend videoconferences, stream videos, or create content with ease, making it ideal for office workers and students.