When it comes to mini-PCs, I see a lot of systems where corners are cut with storage or available system memory. Even if the base specifications are good, those limiting factors can take the wind right out of your sails. GEEKOM, however, has avoided that pitfall for the most part. Sure, the Intel Core i5-8259U isn't a glamorous CPU at this point since it is not the latest and greatest, but it is still a quad-core SoC with SMT giving you eight threads to work with, which have proven to be more than enough for daily tasks. The inclusion of 16 GB of memory alongside 512 GB of PCIe 3.0 NVMe storage certainly doesn't hurt, either. Altogether, it's an attractive package considering the price, and performance was quite good overall as well.

Sadly, some extra performance was left on the table due to design and space constraints. Thermal throttling was detected under extreme loads as the system can consume up to 70 watts (at the wall). Under more typical workloads, the system will hover in the 40–50 watt range. Allowing the fan to spin faster or beefing up cooling a bit would likely let the CPU stretch its legs further under more intensive loads. Another performance limitation is the single-channel memory. While the performance benefit varies depending on workload, including 2x 8 GB SODIMMs would still be a small price to pay on GEEKOM's end, especially when it comes to the IGP, which, while nothing extravagant, would likely see a nice bump from the increased memory bandwidth even with its 128 MB of eDRAM. Either way, at least with the current configuration, users can max out the system's memory by grabbing another 16 GB SODIMM for a grand total of 32 GB. Overall, a bit of a mixed bag, but nothing disastrous.

In fact, considering the system peaks at just 46 dBA under intense load, it is quiet enough to be unobtrusive, with the heatsink and fan proving more than adequate at handling loads below 40–50 watts. Temperatures will hit the throttle point when power usage goes above 60 watts. However, in the 20–50 watt range (idle to typical loads), the cooling solution works just fine, with temperatures peaking between 70–80 °C depending on the workload. Essentially, if you are using the system as intended—digital signage, media center, web browsing, etc.—it will perform exceptionally well. If your trying to run extreme CPU and GPU benchmarks, well, don't be surprised when it runs hot.

Other than that, build quality was good, with no major complaints other than accessing the heatsink and fan being a bit tedious. The BIOS is also very limited, but that was expected, so I won't fault GEEKOM for it. Finally, the warranty is a bit short, which is typical for this type of system. A two-year warranty, however, would have been nice. Still, for most users, the system will provide adequate performance at a fair price with the option for user upgrades, including more memory and storage should it be needed.

In summation, the GEEKOM Mini IT8 serves its intended purpose well, and while improvements can be made, the system comes with good specifications for the price, and some user upgrades are possible. Therefore, if you are looking specifically for a mini-PC for daily tasks, I have no issues recommending it.