It would be hard to argue against the idea that AMD has ruled the hearts of mini PC enthusiasts for a good number of years now. Specifically, its latest Strix Halo lineup with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU sporting 16 full-fat Zen 5 cores and an absolute unit of an iGPU offers shockingly good CPU and GPU performance.

GMKtec Evo-X2: Powerful gaming mini PC boasts Strix Halo goodness for gaming and local LLMs

The GMKtec Evo-X2 is one such mini PC with the powerful APU, and the product is now available for an all-time low price of just $1,800 on Amazon. This specific variant of the Evo-X2 gaming mini PC boasts 96 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory and 2 TB solid-state storage, which makes it quite an attractive value considering the sky-high memory and even storage prices of late.

As mentioned earlier, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU packs 16 cores and 32 threads, allowing for multithreaded performance that rivals the powerful Ryzen 9 9955HX in synthetic benchmarks. While there is no denying that benchmarks do not necessarily dictate real-world performance, it would be perfectly safe to assume that the Evo-X2 mini PC will be able to handle the vast majority of intensive workloads.

Excellent CPU and GPU performance at the cost of upgradeable memory

Our in-depth review of the Evo-X2 paints a similarly positive picture, with no major complaints concerning its overall performance. We were also quite pleased with the powerful system’s thermal performance, but we did point out that the lack of upgradeable memory might be a deal-breaker for some people. The I/O on offer is also quite decent, and has been detailed below:

• Triple USB 3.2 Type-A, Dual USB 2.0 Type-A
• Dual USB4 Type-C
• HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4
• SDXC
• 2.5G Ethernet
• 3.5 mm audio jack

The graphics performance of the Evo-X2 mini PC is particularly impressive, courtesy of the Radeon 8060S iGPU with 40 CUs. In synthetic GPU benchmarks, the 8060S is about as powerful as a GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, which is a pretty impressive feat for an integrated part. As our review indicates, gaming performance is equally impressive, trading blows with the aforementioned 4070 Laptop GPU.

Storage requirements are taken care of by 2 TB of solid-state storage, which is pretty easily upgradeable, unlike the memory. Wireless networking is taken care of by WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. 

All told, the GMKtec Evo-X2 gaming mini PC is an excellent option for folks on the lookout for a powerful mini PC with excellent multicore and iGPU performance, but do not mind the lack of upgradeable memory or an eye-watering price tag. At its current all-time low sale price, the Evo-X2 is a decent option, especially considering the skyrocketing memory and storage prices.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

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Sambit Saha – Senior Tech Writer – 699 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2023

As a true tech nerd and lover of all things Apple, I love reading, researching and writing about the latest advancements from the Cupertino giant. My fascination with Apple’s design philosophy, commitment to user satisfaction , and dedication towards pushing the boundaries of consumer technology keeps me eagerly anticipating what they’ll unveil next.