CPU: Ryzen™ 7000 (R9-7940HS & R7-7840HS) Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Graphics 780M RAM: Dual channel DDR5 5600MHz SODIMM, up to 64GB Storage: 1 x M.2 2280 SSD Slot, support PCIe Gen4*4, up to 2TB, or SATAIII SSD, up to 1TB Rear Ports:1 x Rear USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x Rear USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x USB 4 Gen3 Type-C, 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x RJ45 RTL8125BG-CG, Front Ports: 1 x Front USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x Front USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x 3.5mm front stereo headset jack Connectivity: M.2 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, Audio: HDA CODEC Camera: N/A Size: 112.4 x 112.4 x 37 mm OS installed: Microsoft Windows 11 (64-bit) Accessories: 19V power supply adapter (120W)
The Geekom A7 mini PC represents the upper echelon of Mini PCs, with its all-metal casing exuding a premium look and feel. Upon examination, it's clear this is not just another compact, space-saving device.
Unlike many of the best mini PCs we've tested, it boasts a high-quality build complemented by a wide array of ports on the back, convenient quick-access ports on the front, and an SD card slot on the side, indicating Geekom's targeting of creatives, gamers, and high-end users.
The machine, preloaded with Windows 11 Pro, impresses with its quick boot time and effortless handling of demanding applications including some of the best video editing software and photo editing apps. Gaming performance is notable, though some adjustments to quality settings are necessary for smooth gameplay. For instance, Tekken 8 benchmarks at a score of 287 are suitable for mid-range settings, while Cyberpunk, when set to Medium graphics at 4K, is playable despite occasional glitches. However, lowering the resolution to 1080p while boosting graphics settings allows for smoother gameplay.
In everyday use, the A7 showcases its prowess by efficiently running all Office applications and breezing through tasks. Creative professionals will appreciate the ultra-fast USB Type-C ports for quick data transfer to and from large-capacity storage devices. Additionally, the dual HDMI ports facilitate an easy dual monitor setup, with the option for further expansion through USB ports.
Our review unit came equipped with 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD M.2 storage, serving as a solid base for various work types. With the option to expand the RAM up to 64GB, this compact machine demonstrates significant potential for serious users.
Geekom A7 mini PC: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Geekom A7 is readily available in several configurable options. The model reviewed features an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS with Radeon Graphics, while a slightly more affordable version comes with the Ryzen 7 7840HS, also equipped with AMD 780M graphics. Both variants can be customized with either 32GB or 64GB of RAM and a choice of 1TB or 2TB of SSD storage. These configurations can be purchased through Amazon.com, the Geekom website, and numerous other retailers.
Score: 4/5
Geekom A7 mini PC: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The first thing you notice about the A7's build quality is its premium metal casing, contrasted with a standard plastic base. This design not only creates a strong and durable machine suitable for both home and workshop use but also makes it conveniently portable for those needing to transport their computer between home and work without opting for a laptop.
A notable feature of the design is the abundance of ports on the back, facilitating easy connections to a wide array of devices via HDMI, USB Type-A and C, along with a direct network connection. This feature is particularly beneficial for creative users like photographers and videographers, thanks to the built-in SD card reader on the side for quick downloading of image and video files post-shoot.
The ample ports and connections also mean the system can be attached to numerous accessories without overloading it or draining its power, which is crucial for those requiring fast transfers for large storage and control desks.
While the mini PC comes with a range of hardware options for RAM and SSD at the time of purchase, both can be upgraded as budget allows. Access to the hardware is straightforward, requiring the removal of the small rubber feet and unscrewing four small screws to detach the plastic base. Beneath this, a metal plate adds an extra layer of protection to the electronics and assists with cooling. This plate, held in place by another four screws, can be removed to access the SSD and RAM directly.
A large fan is situated at the top of the machine, integral to the cooling system that allows the powerful CPU and GPU to maintain smooth operation. Similar to other high-performance mini PCs recently observed, this fan is designed to be large yet run quietly, ensuring it does not distract from multimedia activities, gaming, or work conducted on the machine.
Design: 5/5
Geekom A7 mini PC: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Geekom A7 ushers in a new era of Mini PCs, elevating performance and demonstrating that this compact form factor is more than just a space-saving solution. It houses powerful Ryzen processors and offers a wide range of connectivity options, catering to professionals, creators, and everyday users.
Key features include the Ryzen 7000 Series CPU, known for its exceptional performance with a thermal design power (TDP) of up to 45W. This balance between performance and power consumption means users relying on intensive applications for video editing, graphic design, or software development will find the processing power they need for complex tasks.
Complementing the CPU is the AMD Radeon Graphics 780M, a mobile GPU with an impressive track record. While it may not match the power of a dedicated external GPU, it provides a balanced solution for content creators and casual gamers who need competent graphics performance for video editing, graphic design, and gaming.
This mini PC supports high-speed DDR5 memory in a dual-channel DDR5 5600MHz SODIMM configuration, expandable up to 64GB, ensuring smooth multitasking across applications. It also offers versatile storage options, supporting an M.2 2280 SSD for PCIe Gen4*4 (up to 2TB) or a more economical SATAIII SSD (up to 1TB), catering to the needs of creatives and gamers with faster transfer speeds, as well as general users.
A significant feature appealing to professional users is the extensive array of I/O ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A/C, HDMI 2.0, and more. Alongside Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 support, it ensures versatile connectivity. Its compact size (112.4 x 112.4 x 37 mm) and lightweight (420g) make it ideal for space-constrained environments, offering a discreet, minimalist design that doesn't stand out, whether in homes or workshops. Its durable metal case and small footprint also facilitate easy wall mounting or placement away from potential hazards.
Despite its compact size, which could pose challenges for heat management, the A7 is equipped with the Geekom 4.0 cooling system, featuring a large top-mounted fan and side venting to ensure the system remains cool. The necessity of an external power adapter supporting a 120W power draw facilitates higher processing performance, compensating for the lack of USB-C power delivery.
The Geekom mini PC is preinstalled with Windows 11 Pro and ready to go after the usual initial setup process.
Features: 4.5/5
Geekom A7 mini PC: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 4908.63MB/s
Crystal Disk Write: 4720.80MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 2674
GeekBench CPU Multi: 13296 GeekBench Compute: 33438
PC Mark: 7289 CineBench CPU Multi: 19835
CineBench CPU Single: 1802 Fire Strike Overall: 7875
Fire Strike Graphics: 8512 Fire Strike Physics: 27471 Fire Strike Combined: 2994
Time Spy Overall: 3244 Time Spy Graphics: 2886
Time Spy CPU: 10925 Wild Life: 16681 Windows Experience: 8.2
The A7 demonstrates formidable performance across a diverse range of applications, evidenced by its impressive test scores. For creative tasks, such as working in Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro, its GeekBench Multi score of 13,296 and a CineBench CPU Multi score of 19,835 indicate its capability to manage complex, CPU-demanding tasks. Practically, this translates to smooth and responsive performance when editing high-resolution images from the Canon EOS R5 in Photoshop or handling 4K video editing in Premiere Pro, facilitated by high-speed DDR5 RAM for seamless layer manipulation and real-time footage preview.
In DaVinci Resolve, the GeekBench Compute score of 33,438 and Fire Strike Graphics score of 8,512 showcase the mini PC's proficiency in colour grading and 4K video rendering—a testament to its sufficient GPU power for demanding video editing tasks, ensuring fine 4K video editing with smooth playback and quick render times. If you've been on the look-out for a compact alternative to the best video editing PCs or even the best video editing laptops, this could be the mini PC for you.
In fact, content creation across the board is good. The A7 comfortably handles Adobe Audition performance for track mixing and effect applications. Its HDA CODEC ensures high-quality audio output, indicating its well-rounded capabilities in handling audio editing tasks without hitches.
Although not primarily a gaming rig, the A7's performance in creative applications hinted at respectable gaming capabilities. With a Time Spy Graphics score of 2,886, it supports casual to moderate gaming experiences. Games such as "Tekken 8" and "Cyberpunk" can be played in mid-range settings, requiring adjustments for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions.
The A7 excels in everyday productivity tasks as well, including Microsoft Office applications. A PC Mark score of 7,289 signifies that it can effortlessly manage word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and other office-related tasks, corroborated by actual use. The fast SSD, with Crystal Disk Read and Write speeds of 4908.63MB/s and 4720.80MB/s, respectively, ensures rapid application launches and almost instantaneous file access, enhancing efficiency, especially when transferring image and video files via the SD card slot. This combination of high-speed memory, robust processing power, and fast storage highlights the mini PC as a powerful, versatile computer capable of meeting a wide array of user needs, from creative to everyday productivity and casual gaming.
Performance: 4/5
Should you buy the Geekom A7 mini PC?
The A7 from Geekom is ideal for creatives, professionals, and users seeking a compact, powerful computer. Its robust processing and graphics capabilities make it perfect for demanding tasks like video editing, graphic design, and multitasking with ease. Casual gamers and those valuing a space-saving design without sacrificing performance will also find it appealing.
However, hardcore gamers and users requiring the utmost in graphical performance may not find it meets their needs due to its limitations compared to dedicated gaming PCs. Additionally, those on a tight budget might consider the price point and explore more cost-effective options.
Value: Solid performance at a reasonable price. 4/5 Design: Compact, efficient, unobtrusive design. 5/5 Features: Versatile, with comprehensive connectivity and expansion options. 4.5/5 Performance: Strong in multitasking, moderate in gaming. 4/5 Total: Well-rounded, efficient for professionals and casual users. 4/5
CPU: AMD Ryzen™ 7 7840U
Graphics: AMD Radeon™ 780M
RAM: 16GB/32GB LPDDR5
Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe4.0 SSD
Rear Ports: HDMI, USB4, 2x USB3.2 Type-A Ports
Front Ports: USB4, 3.5mm audio jack Side Ports: USB3.2 Type-A Ports, USB4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Audio: 3.5mm audio jack
Camera: N/A
Size: 80 x 80 x 44mm
OS installed: Windows 11 Pro
Accessories: 65W GaN Type-C power adapter
The Minisforum Mercury EM780 stands out for its incredibly compact size, challenging the norms of the best mini PCs by being 1/4 the size of standard ones and astonishingly 1/120th smaller than a typical desktop PC. Its diminutive stature is the immediate highlight, with its robust AMD Ryzen 7 7840U and AMD Radeon™ 780M Graphics initially taking a secondary role. Once in operation, this diminutive powerhouse excels in handling demanding creative applications like the best video editing software and photo editing tools, breezing through processing tasks. It also performs well with office software and can manage most games when graphic settings are adjusted.
The device further impresses with its array of external ports and connectivity features, including Wi-Fi 6E and numerous USB4 and MicroSD ports, offering ample expansion possibilities despite the smaller onboard SSD storage. This makes it highly versatile for connecting external drives and accessories.
Although priced at the higher end, its exceptional performance and ultra-compact design make it a worthwhile investment for those seeking to maximize space without sacrificing power.
Minisforum Mercury EM780: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The EM780 is available for purchase directly from Minisforum's website. Its pricing mirrors its premium status within the mini PC market, targeting users who prioritize exceptional performance within a compact form factor.
Score: 4/5
Minisforum Mercury EM780: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Minisforum Mercury EM780 showcases an ultra-compact design, taking up merely a quarter litre in volume, offering substantial space savings compared to standard Mini PCs and desktop machines. This diminutive size and full power makes it especially appealing for those with limited workspace or for users seeking a more transportable alternative to the best business computers or best business laptops. For us, we found the EM780's portability is unparalleled, fitting into a backpack's side pocket along with a USB Type-C power cable, HDMI lead, keyboard, and mouse with ease.
Cooling is a critical aspect for any Mini PC, particularly with the EM780's powerful AMD Ryzen 7 7840U and AMD Radeon 780M Graphics. It employs the COLD WAVE 2.0 cooling system to effectively dissipate heat from key components such as the CPU, memory, and SSD, enhancing cooling performance while maintaining low noise levels.
For storage, it utilizes a high-speed M.2 2230 PCIe4.0 SSD. Despite being smaller than the standard 2280, it delivers comparable performance, offering ultra-fast transfer speeds ideal for professional creative work, gaming, and general computing tasks.
The EM780's power solution features a 65W GaN Type-C power adapter, contributing to the system's minimalistic design. This adapter allows for the use of any 65W PD USB to power the device. GaN technology also reduces heat generation and enhances energy efficiency at maximum power delivery, compared to traditional power adapters.
Design: 5/5
Minisforum Mercury EM780: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The standout feature of the Minisforum Mercury EM780 is undoubtedly its size. Among Mini PCs, few can match the "mininess" of the EM780, with its 1/4L volume equating to roughly 1/4 the size of most standard mini PCs and a mere 1/120th the volume of a traditional desktop. This ultra-small form factor makes it an ideal choice for those with limited space who wish to maintain machine performance. It features an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor capable of handling demanding applications from DaVinci Resolve to Tekken 8. The inclusion of LPDDR5-6400MHz memory and a high-speed M.2 2230 PCIe4.0 SSD ensures quick boot times and bolsters overall performance.
Despite its compact size, the EM780 incorporates an innovative COLD WAVE 2.0 cooling system, which maintains optimal temperatures for the CPU, memory, and SSD even under heavy loads, ensuring consistent performance without excessive fan noise. Connectivity is robust, with an array of USB ports and WiFi 6 support.
An interesting addition is the docking station, which connects to one of the USB4 ports, providing a high-speed, stable RJ45 network connection. This feature is particularly beneficial for creatives working with large files and gamers seeking stable connections.
For display options, the machine includes a standard HDMI port for wide compatibility alongside two USB4 ports that support display connections, allowing for up to three displays to be connected simultaneously.
Overall, the EM780's small size, combined with its powerful performance and comprehensive connectivity options, places it at the core of its feature set, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a compact yet highly capable machine.
Features: 4/5
Minisforum Mercury EM780: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 4504.62MB/s Crystal Disk Write: 4632.32MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 2015 GeekBench CPU Multi: 9787 GeekBench Compute: 24393 PC Mark: 6106 CineBench CPU Multi: 12836 CineBench CPU Single: 1279 Fire Strike Overall: 6791 Fire Strike Graphics: 7315 Fire Strike Physics: 20220 Fire Strike Combined: 2682 Time Spy Overall: 2779 Time Spy Graphics: 2502 Time Spy CPU: 7480 Wild Life: 14513 Windows Experience: 8.2
As we delve into the performance aspect, there's initial scepticism about whether a machine of this size can truly accommodate its CPU and GPU. However, any doubts quickly dissipate once the setup process is complete and the machine springs to life with remarkable speed.
Navigating through the options and settings, the computer feels fast and responsive. Applications like Photoshop, Resolve, and any office application open swiftly and operate smoothly.
The 1TB internal storage shows its limitations when editing 4K video, but connecting a Samsung T5 Evo 8TB through the USB4 ports as a working drive proves to be an effective solution.
If you're looking for the best video editing PC or an even more portable substitute for any of the best video editing laptops, it performs well, but there are some trade-offs here. In our own tests, editing 4K videos up to approximately 15 minutes in length is manageable with relatively good render times. Beyond that, the process becomes slower, necessitating the use of proxy media.
Gaming performance is impressive, with titles like Red Dead Redemption II and Cyberpunk playing well. Tekken 8 also performs surprisingly well, with a game benchmark of 190, although some graphics settings need to be adjusted for smooth gameplay. While there are some screen glitches, the gameplay remains consistent and stable.
The EM780's Crystal Disk Mark scores, with read speeds of 4504.62MB/s and write speeds of 4632.32MB/s, demonstrate its proficiency in handling data-intensive tasks. These speeds are especially beneficial for software like Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, where fast access to and storage of large video files can enhance workflow speed.
GeekBench scores of 2015 for single-core and 9787 for multi-core show the machine's versatility across creative, office, and gaming applications, allowing users to switch between tasks like complex Photoshop edits and managing large Excel datasets seamlessly.
CineBench results, with a single-core score of 1279 and a multi-core score of 12836, underline the EM780's rendering power, making it ideal for 3D modelling and animation and as a companion machine for 3D printing and laser engraving.
Graphics benchmarks with Fire Strike and Time Spy scores of 6791 and 2779, respectively, highlight the EM780's robust gaming and creative application capabilities. This graphical performance level ensures enjoyable gaming experiences with some graphic adjustments and efficient GPU-accelerated tasks in video editing and design software.
A PC Mark score of 6106 further indicates the EM780's capability to handle a wide array of office tasks, whether it's managing large databases, performing complex calculations, or multitasking between various applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Performance: 5/5
Should you buy the Minisforum Mercury EM780?
Yes, if you need a compact, powerful PC for a wide range of tasks. No, if you're on a tight budget or require extensive internal upgradeability.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HX
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6600M
RAM: DDR5 Dual channel (SODIMM Slots×2), supports up to 64GB
Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe4.0 SSD, up to 2TB
Rear Ports: RJ45 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port, USB3.2 Gen1 Type-A Port x2, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port, USB4 Type-C Port ×2, HDMI ×2
Front Ports: USB3.2 Gen1 Type-A Port, USB3.2 Gen1 Type-C Port, 3.5mm audio in, 3.5mm audio out
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Audio: HDMI ×2, Headphone Jack ×1
Camera: N/a
Size: 205x203x69.3 mm
OS installed: Windows 11 Home
Accessories: Power Adapter, Power Cable, HDMI Cable, Base Support Frame, Base Bottom Plate, Technical Documents, Mounting Screw Set
The MinisForum Neptune HX100G is classified as a mini PC; however, in size and stature, it is slightly larger than the vast majority of recent Mini PC releases. It does, however, bridge the size difference between the ultra-compact mini PCs and larger desktop offerings.
While much of the internal componentry is similar to many of the best mini PCs we've tested, with the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS and equipped with Radeon RX 6650M graphics, that extra size enables a significant step up in cooling, which helps to unlock the full potential of these components. It also allows for a little more airflow and space in and around the machine, so plugging in external drives and accessories is simple.
With the two HDMI ports on the back, you have the option to hook up dual 8K displays, making it an ideal solution for anyone needing a multi-monitor setup for creative work or gaming. That additional space and cooling also mean that under most loads, the machine runs nice and quiet, and only when put under intense load do you really hear the fans kick in. For creative work such as using the best video editing software (think DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro), this machine is simply outstanding, providing the power you need. For gaming, the speed is good, with all games running well, albeit with some settings slightly reduced.
MinisForum Neptune HX100G: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The MinisForum Neptune HX100G is at the higher end of the mini PC pricing scale, but it packs in a high-end CPU and GPU combo that pushes the power and capability of the machine well beyond the reach of most other mini PCs. Moreover, there are several options for you to select from when purchasing this machine, including both barebones and slightly different configurations to meet your budget. The machine is widely available through the MinisForum website, as well as Amazon and other retailers.
Score: 5/5
MinisForum Neptune HX100G: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The MinisForum Neptune HX100G boasts an attractive design with its all-black carbon exterior featuring intricate detailing. This outer casing isn't just for aesthetics; it serves a practical purpose by aiding in the machine's cooling.
Another noteworthy aspect of this external case is that it's made from a carbon and resin composite, making it extremely strong and protective of the internals. If you're in the market for a compact and portable machine, this model offers an excellent solution.
The overall build quality is high, and the machine, while larger than most mini PCs we've got our hands on, feels solid yet retains a relatively compact size. This allows it to sit neatly on your desktop, though it's a bit too large to mount behind a monitor like many other models.
The layout of the machine simplifies the expansion of storage with external hard drives and other accessories. The back features a generous array of ports, from HDMI to USB Type-C, providing ample connectivity options. For those needing a wired network, there's an RJ45 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port.
The front is kept simple, with a USB Type-A and C port alongside audio in and out, making this machine a solid choice for both creative work and gaming.
A notable feature of this machine is the option to upgrade from a barebones configuration, meaning it comes without RAM and an SSD, which you might already own. This can significantly reduce the cost, making it an appealing option for those looking to upgrade power. Access to the internals is a bit less straightforward than in most cases; the rubber feet on the base need to be removed to uncover four screws. These screws can be removed, and the base pulled away with a bit of force. This exposes a metal plate that aids cooling and protects the internals, secured by four screws. Once removed, it reveals the dual RAM slots and SSD slot.
Overall, the design of the machine is very neat, but it's the build quality that truly stands out.
Design: 4.5/5
MinisForum Neptune HX100G: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The MinisForum Neptune HX100G mini PC offers a variety of features that cater to a diverse user base. Its support for dual 8K displays via USB4 Type-C ports stands out as a future-proof feature. For the present, the inclusion of these ports along with two HDMI sockets allows for the potential connection of up to four 4K@60 monitors.
In terms of connectivity, like most modern machines, it includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for fast and reliable wireless connections, and a network port for those who prefer a wired solution.
Internally, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, paired with Radeon RX 6650M graphics, provides ample power. Our review unit came equipped with a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD and 32GB RAM SO-DIMM memory, offering a solid foundation for both creative tasks and gaming.
This power, housed within a relatively compact (though not the smallest) case, could potentially generate a significant amount of heat under load. This is where the machine truly shines. Peering through the Carbon Fiber Armor's case reveals two large fans that facilitate airflow through the system while keeping fan noise to a minimum. Additionally, seven copper cooling pipes and liquid metal cooling significantly mitigate any heat issues.
The cases of such compact machines are often simple, but the MinisForum Neptune HX100G, while maintaining a discreet appearance, has been meticulously designed to maximize cooling efficiency and durability. Its Carbon-Fiber Armor case, composed of 70% carbon and 30% resin, ensures the machine is both lightweight and robust. Upon accessing the interior, further reinforcements are evident, indicating this PC is built to withstand more than most.
Features: 4/5
MinisForum Neptune HX100G: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 4810.72MB/s Crystal Disk Write: 3899.02MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 2654 GeekBench CPU Multi: 13382 GeekBench Compute: 65629 PC Mark: 8490 CineBench CPU Multi: 16787 CineBench CPU Single: 1736 Fire Strike Overall: 21660 Fire Strike Graphics: 23769 Fire Strike Physics: 29743 Fire Strike Combined: 10449 Time Spy Overall: 8545 Time Spy Graphics: 8112 Time Spy CPU: 12257 Wild Life: 48783 Windows Experience: 9.4
In performance tests, the MinisForum Neptune HX100G shines, showcasing its ability to effortlessly handle intensive gaming, content creation, and multitasking. If you're looking for, say, the best video editing PC in a small form-factor, this one shows impressive prowess.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor and Radeon RX 6650M graphics deliver outstanding performance, easily tackling demanding applications and modern games at mid to high settings. Popular titles such as Assassin's Creed, Cyberpunk 2077, and Tekken 8 all perform well, albeit with some reductions in Ray Tracing settings.
For video editing, 4K footage in DaVinci Resolve was handled with ease, though the 1TB internal storage proved somewhat limited, necessitating the use of an external Samsung T5 EVO 8TB as the primary working drive on this occasion.
The test scores for the MinisForum Neptune HX100G are impressive across the board, with Crystal Disk Read and Write speeds of 4810.72MB/s and 3899.02MB/s respectively, indicating swift storage access for applications. These transfer speeds are particularly beneficial for applications like DaVinci Resolve, enhancing 4K video editing with quicker file transfers and smoother playback, despite the limiting factor of a 1TB capacity.
High GeekBench scores, such as a Multi-Core score of 13,382, highlight strong CPU performance, suitable for demanding tasks like photo editing and multitasking office work.
For gaming and graphics-intensive tasks, Fire Strike and Time Spy scores suggest smooth gameplay and competent rendering for creative applications.
Performance: 4.5/5
Should you buy the MinisForum Neptune HX100G?
If you're seeking outstanding performance in a compact form factor, the HX100G is an excellent choice. It's well-suited for gamers and creative professionals who need the power of a desktop in a more compact package. A solid alternative, then, to some of the best video editing laptops (and even the best laptops for photo editing). However, those on a tight budget or looking for a system with more upgrade potential might consider other options.
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE was originally launched in China back in July 2023, and from what everyone was told, that card was going to be exclusive to that region.
Well, following the launch of the RTX Super series of GPUs last month, AMD's decided to surprise everyone and launch the RX 7900 GRE globally, starting this week, and it looks primed to upend the midrange GPU market in a pretty huge way.
That's because the RX 7900 GRE (Golden Rabbit Edition) is going on sale starting at $549, which puts it directly in competition with the Nvidia RTX 4070 on price, and undercuts the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super by offering competitive performance for just over 90% of the cost.
To be clear, the card that is being released globally is the same card that has already been available for Chinese consumers, and so it has been extensively benchmarked for months, with much of that data freely available online for everyone to see.
This has no doubt driven much of the global interest in the RX 7900 GRE since it originally launched back in July, and I fully expect this card to fly off the shelves since it is without question one of the best graphics cards for the midrange you're going to find.
In terms of raw synthetic performance, the RX 7900 GRE follows the familiar AMD-Nvidia pattern where the Radeon card is better at pure rasterization while the GeForce card is the better ray-tracer, but the difference between the RX 7900 GRE and the RTX 4070 Super in ray-tracing performance isn't as wide as it might have been last generation.
What's more, when it comes to gaming, Nvidia's advantage in native ray tracing is overcome by the RX 7900 GRE as soon as you bring upscaling into the mix, which you invariably have to do whenever ray tracing above 1080p is involved.
The RX 7900 GRE is even a much more capable creative card than I was expecting, so long as you're not working with CUDA, but for graphic designers, photographers, and video editors, this is a surprisingly powerful GPU for a lot less money than it's rivals.
Overall, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE isn't so powerful that it completely knocks out Nvidia's RTX 4070 Super, but it's hitting Nvidia's newest GPU a lot harder than I think Nvidia was expecting so soon after launch. Unfortunately, this does put the only-slightly-cheaper-but-not-as-good AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT in a bit of an awkward position, but for gamers looking to get the best performance for their money, more options are better in this case.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $549 (about £440/AU$770)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is available starting February 27, 2024, with a US MSRP of $549 (about £440/AU$770). This is the same price as the Nvidia RTX 4070, $50 less than the RTX 4070 Super, and $50 more than the RX 7800 XT.
This launch doesn't include an AMD reference card, so you will need to buy the RX 7900 GRE from third-party partners like ASRock, Gigabyte, Sapphire, and others. The sample I was sent for review is the PowerColor Hellhound RX 7900 GRE, a model line that typically sells for AMD's MSRP or below (when on sale).
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: Features & specs
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is a modified Navi 31 GPU with four fewer compute units than the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, as well as slower clock speeds. It's power requirements are also officially lower at a starting TGP of 260W, but this will vary by which card you go for.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE also has 16GB GDDR6 VRAM to the RX 7900 XT's 20GB, and while the RX 7900 XT has a 320-bit memory bus, the RX 7900 GRE has a slimmer — but still sizeable — 256-bit bus. With a memory clock of 2,250 MHz (compared to the RX 7900 XT's 2,500 MHz), the RX 7900 GRE comes in with an effective memory speed of 18 Gbps and a memory bandwidth of 576 GB/s, which is a notable decline from the RX 7900 XT's 800 Gbps and 800 GB/s, respectively.
Also notable are the two 8-pin power connectors, which won't require you to fuss around with a 16-pin connector like Nvidia's latest graphics cards require you to do, whether that's through an adapter or an ATX 3.0 power supply.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: Design
While there is an AMD reference card for the RX 7900 GRE, AMD has said that global availability will only come through AIB partners, so the design you get with your card will vary by manufacturer.
The card I tested, the PowerColor Hellhound RX 7900 GRE, sports a triple-fan cooler with RGB lighting in the fan. It's a long card to be sure, and even though it's technically a dual-slot card, the shroud makes for a tight fit.
The backplate of the Hellhound RX 7900 GRE has some notable features, like the Hellhound logo, the exposed GPU bracket, and a hole in the backplate opposite the third fan to leave an open path for air to pass over the GPU cooler's heatsink fins to improve cooling efficiency.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: Performance
Now we come to the heart of the matter. I can't tell if AMD was inspired by the release of the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super or not, but whatever convinced Team Red to bring the RX 7900 GRE out of China to the rest of the world, midrange gamers everywhere should be grateful because this is easily the best midrange graphics card on the market right now.
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Starting with synthetic benchmarks, the typical rasterization-ray tracing divide between AMD and Nvidia remains, but like we've seen with other cards this generation, the gap is narrowing. The Nvidia 4070 and RTX 4070 Super definitely pull ahead in terms of raw compute performance, but overall, the RX 7900 GRE is the champ of the under-$600s.
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For creative use, the RX 7900 GRE is the strongest rasterizer, but lags Nvidia with video editing, and serious stumbles when it comes to 3D rendering as seen in Blender Benchmark 4.0.0.
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When it comes to gaming, though, the RX 7900 GRE is the clear winner among midrange cards, with spectacular 1080p and 1440p gaming performance, with only slightly worse ray tracing performance than the RTX 4070 Super.
As a 4K graphics card, however, the RX 7900 GRE isn't that far behind the RTX 4070 Ti, with the former getting an average 55 fps (30 fps minimum) and the latter getting an average of 63 fps (minimum 42 fps). The RTX 4070 Super, meanwhile, only averages 41 fps at 4K, with a minimum of 28 fps.
Ultimately, the RTX 4070 Super can't really be considered among the best 4K graphics cards, but the RX 7900 GRE definitely can, thanks to its wider memory pool and larger memory bus.
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Of course, this performance comes at the cost of power draw. You can throw the official 260W TGP right out the window here, with the RX 7900 GRE pulling down 302W, but the strong cooling performance on the PowerColor Hellhound card did manage to keep the RX 7900 GRE below 53 degrees Celsius.
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Overall, then, there's just no getting around the fact that the RX 7900 GRE effectively outperforms any other card in the midrange. And despite the RX 7900 GRE falling well short of the RTX 4070-series GPUs overall, it's worth keeping in mind that with Photoshop and similar rasterization-dependent programs, the RX 7900 GRE performs the best, and it doesn't fall too far behind the RTX cards when it comes to video editing.
The weakness of the RX 7900 GRE is that most, if not all, 3D modeling software relies so heavily on Nvidia's CUDA that it heavily skews the creative performance averages, that it can be somewhat deceptive—unless you NEED this graphics card for 3D modeling. If that's the case, nothing else matters, and you need to go with an RTX 4070-class graphics card despite the RX 7900 GRE's superior performance everywhere else.
How many people will that stipulation apply to ultimately? Not enough to hold the RX 7900 GRE from claiming the crown as the best graphics card in the midrange, and since its final value score is just shy of the RX 7800 XT's, there really isn't any reason to opt for any other card right now. The RX 7900 GRE is honestly just that good.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Should you buy the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE?
Buy the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE if...
You want the best midrange graphics card
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is the best overall graphics card for under $600 you can get.
You want to game at 4K Thanks to the RX 7900 GRE's 16GB VRAM and wide memory bus, you can absolutely game effectively at 4K with this card.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best ray-tracing graphics card
The AMD RX 7900 GRE is a good ray-tracing graphics card, but it's not as good as the RTX 4070 Super.
You do a lot of 3D modeling
If you're a 3D modeling professional (or even a passionate amateur), you need an RTX card, full stop.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE: Also consider
If my AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE review has you looking for other options, here are two more graphics cards to consider...
How I tested the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE
I spent about a week with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE
I tested its synthetic, creative, and gaming performance
I used our standard suite of benchmarks
Test system specs
This is the system I used to test the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE
I spent about a week testing the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, including extensive benchmarking as well as general use of the card in my primary work PC.
I also made sure to benchmark other competing graphics cards in the same class with updated drivers to ensure correct comparable data, where necessary.
I've been reviewing computer hardware for years, and I have tested and retested all of the best graphics cards of the past two generations, so I know very well how a graphics card in a given class ought to perform.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
CPU: Intel Core i5 (12th Gen) Graphics: Intel Iris Xe; Optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000 RAM: 32GB - Up to 64GB (4800 MHz DDR5) Storage: 500GB (256GB-2TB NVMe PCIe SSD; Optional 2nd/3rd storage) Rear Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 (Type A/C), HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, Serial, Nano-SIM, DC-In Front Ports: Audio in/out, microSD card Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth V5.3; Optional GPS, 4G/5G Audio: Integrated microphone, High Definition Audio, Speakers Camera: Optional 2.0/5.0 MP; IR for Windows Hello Size: 375mm x 273mm x 29.5mm; Weight: 2.6kg OS installed: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit Accessories: Various, including SSDs, Docking Stations, Adapters
The Durabook S15 strikes a fine balance between rugged durability and a sleek, slimline design. Its build quality is reassuring and reinforces its capability to withstand challenging conditions; it's also a reflection of its rugged aesthetics.
WIth plenty of experience testing the best rugged laptops, one aspect that really stands out is how this model is impressively adaptable, offering customisation options, including CPU and GPU variations at the time of purchase. Our test of the base model, equipped with an Intel i5 CPU and Intel Iris XE GPU, demonstrated sufficient flexibility with ample RAM, 32GB, and storage expansion options. Despite not being waterproof, its IP5X rating highlights its resilience in tough environments.
In use, the S15 effortlessly handles office tasks and internet browsing, with Windows operating smoothly across various applications. However, its base GPU does show limitations when pushed with graphically intensive tasks, a gap filled by the optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000 variant for those needing extra power. Durability tests, including repeated drop tests, underscore its robustness, easily surviving falls from typical working heights.
In essence, the Durabook S15 very much feels like that link between the refined style of the best business laptops we've tried and the durability of full-on rugged models. While it may struggle with high-end gaming or demanding CAD applications, its core strength lies in its tough build and operational flexibility. Durabook offers enhanced versions if you are looking for additional power, which makes the S15 a versatile choice for professionals who require a durable yet capable laptop.
Durabook S15: Price & availability
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Durabook S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop is available online from both the official Durabook site and elsewhere. Expect prices of around $2000 / £1800 plus.
Score: 4/5
Durabook S15: Design & build
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Durabook S15's design is instantly recognisable as rugged, with the style highlighting the durable nature of the machine and how it is tailored to demanding field environments. Its exterior is notably tough, featuring a large, easy-to-use lever lock on the lid that ensures the laptop remains closed even when dropped, and it's designed in such a way that it's unlikely to be accidentally released.
The laptop's build quality is reflected in design elements such as the toughened corners and overall sturdy construction. It is designed to withstand a significantly higher degree of physical stress compared to standard laptops, including resistance to knocks, scratches, and bashes, of which it sustained quite a few through the test.
This durability is not just superficial; the attention to detail extends to the protection of vital components. All ports on the S15 are safeguarded by strong plastic doors, ensuring they remain free from dust and damage. This includes the expansion slot, which is versatile enough to accommodate traditional optical drives or a range of other drive types, such as NVMe SSDs. The laptop even supports RAID array configurations, demonstrating Durabook's commitment to providing flexible and practical solutions for field use.
One user-friendly feature is the inclusion of a convenient carry handle, making the laptop extremely easy to transport. This may seem like a minor addition, but for professionals working in field conditions, such convenience is invaluable. Overall, the Durabook S15's design and build quality clearly reflect a deep understanding of the challenging environments it is intended for, offering a highly functional and robust computer for on-site professionals.
Design: 4.5/5
Durabook S15: Features
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
The Durabook S15 is a decent blend of rugged durability and computing power, designed to meet the needs of professionals in demanding field environments. One of the standout features of the S15 is its incredibly thin and light profile, which is unusual for a rugged laptop. Despite weighing just 2.6kg and being only 29.5mm thin, it does not compromise on strength. It can endure a 4-foot drop and is both IP5X and MIL-STD-810H certified, ensuring reliability in challenging field conditions.
When using laptops outside, being able to see the screen clearly is essential, and here, the S15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD DynaVue sunlight-readable display, offering up to 1,000 nits brightness, making it perfect for outdoor use. Inside powering the graphics is Intel Iris Xe graphics, offering the average graphics processing speed that's required for standard Windows operation. For professionals needing more graphics power, such as in rendering or CAD applications, there's an option to upgrade to the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 at the time of purchase.
Mobility is a key aspect of the S15's design, with options for 4G LTE or 5G cellular connections, along with Bluetooth V5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. For remote workers, the optional built-in GPS is a great addition, providing accurate location tracking. The laptop also features a long-life battery, capable of operating up to 12 hours of standard use, and the option of a bridge battery for swapping in the field, which is crucial for many industries.
Beyond just being a laptop, the S15 can transform into a mobile workstation. It can be equipped with up to three storage drives, supporting RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. The flexibility extends to its media bay, which can be converted into an ExpressCard 54 slot, broadening its use.
The connectivity and security features of the S15 include an array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Type-A/-C, HDMI, and VGA, ensuring easy connection in any work setting. Security is paramount, with multi-factor authentication options like Windows Hello webcam, RFID/NFC, smartcard, and fingerprint readers safeguarding sensitive data.
The ergonomic design of the S15 includes a 98-key membrane keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad and optional LED backlight. Finally, the S15 offers expandability, and it can be configured with a dedicated graphics card for specialised tasks like graphics rendering and CAD programs and configured with additional connectivity options like a 2nd RJ-45 and a 2nd RS-232 port, making it an adaptable tool in an evolving mobile work environment. These are all added at the time of purchase and are not additions to the laptop you can make later.
Features: 4/5
Durabook S15: Performance
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 3647.40MB/s Crystal Disk Write: 2200.13MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 3970 GeekBench CPU Multi: 1871 GeekBench Compute: 8727 PC Mark: 4314 CineBench CPU Multi: 4147 CineBench CPU Single: 1374 Fire Strike Overall: 2581 Fire Strike Graphics: 3053 Fire Strike Physics: 9825 Fire Strike Combined: 791 Time Spy Overall: 929 Time Spy Graphics: 830 Time Spy CPU: 2895 Wild Life: 5757 Windows Experience: 8.1
The Durabook S15 delivers a robust performance across various benchmarks, indicative of its capabilities in handling a range of tasks from basic to moderately demanding applications.
In terms of storage performance, the Crystal Disk scores are quite impressive. The read speed of 3647.40MB/s and write speed of 2200.13MB/s suggest that the S15 is more than capable of handling large files and data-intensive operations swiftly, making it suitable for applications that require quick data access and processing.
The Geekbench scores offer a glimpse into the CPU's capability. A single-core score of 3970 and a multi-core score of 1871 demonstrate that while the S15 is competent in handling everyday tasks efficiently, it might face some limitations in heavily multi-threaded applications. The computed score of 8727 further underscores its adequacy for general computing tasks.
In the CineBench tests, which are more focused on the CPU's rendering capabilities, the S15 scores 4147 in multi-core and 1374 in single-core tests. These scores reflect its ability to manage moderately demanding rendering tasks, although it may not be the top choice for highly complex rendering work.
The graphics performance, as indicated by the Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmarks, shows a decent capability with overall scores of 2581 and 929, respectively. The laptop seems to handle standard graphical tasks well, but it might not be optimal for high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering. The Wild Life score of 5757 further reinforces this perspective.
Lastly, the Windows Experience score of 8.1 is a good indicator of the laptop's overall capability to provide a smooth user experience for most typical applications and tasks.
The Durabook S15 appears to be a solid performer for everyday professional tasks, including data management and basic graphical applications. It offers quick storage speeds and decent CPU and GPU performance, making it a reliable choice for professionals who require a rugged laptop with balanced performance features. However, for highly demanding graphical or rendering tasks, it might be worth considering models with higher-spec CPUs and GPUs.
As well as the standard computing performance test, this is a tough laptop, and as such, the durability of the S15 also needed to be tested. In the product description, Durabook highlights that the laptop is IP5X rated and drop-proof to 4 feet.
In the first test, the laptop was used in a CNC, laser and 3D print workshop, left between the Bambu Labs A1 and the SnapMaker Artisan with CNC tooling. It was left open to the debris created by the two machines. While most laptops will withstand this amount of dust, it can render keys and ports blocked. Here, due to the design of the keyboard, the dust was not an issue, and a quick shake and vacuum quickly returned the machine to an almost new condition. Likewise, the plastic port covers did their job of keeping dust out.
The next test was to see how the laptop would cope with being used in light rain. It's worth noting that this is not a waterproof laptop, so time in the rain was kept to five minutes. Here again, the laptop functioned without issue and continued to work after the product shot without issue.
The final test was the drop test here, measuring four feet off the floor. The laptop was dropped, then dropped again, rotated, dropped, etc. and aside from a nasty crack as it hit the stone and then the wooden floor on countless occasions, it seemed to be absolutely fine.
Performance: 3.5/5
Should you buy the Durabook S15?
Deciding whether to purchase the Durabook S15 hinges on your specific needs. Its rugged design, MIL-STD-810H and IP5X certifications make it an ideal if you're a field professional working in uncontrolled environments, workshops, warehouses and factories.
The inclusion of a 15.6” Full HD DynaVue display and options for Intel Iris Xe or NVIDIA Quadro T1000 graphics make it versatile for a range of professional tasks. Moreover, its lightweight and slim profile defies the typical rugged laptop stereotype, enhancing portability.
However, the S15 might not be the best fit for those requiring a machine for advanced gaming or intensive multimedia tasks like high-end video editing or 3D rendering nor should it be as that's not it's key market. While it performs well in standard and moderately demanding applications, its capabilities in handling extremely graphics-intensive tasks are limited. Additionally, the investment cost, which starts relatively high, should be considered, especially if your requirements are more aligned with general computing rather than rugged field use.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS Graphics: AMD Radeon 780M 12cu RAM: 16GB DDR5 Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD Rear Ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 2 x LAN, 1 x DP Front Ports: 2 x USB 3.2, 3.5mm audio, 1 x USB 4 Connectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack Camera: N/A Size: 13.15 x 13.15 x 5.5 cm OS installed: Windows 11 Pro Accessories: Charge Adapter, User Manual
The T-Bao MN78 is a mini PC with a difference and one that will instantly appeal to gamers and, for that matter, anyone who wants a machine with a little aesthetic appeal. There's no doubt that the MN78 Cyberpunk name and futuristic design outline instantly that this is a machine designed for gamers, especially when plugged in and the rainbow lights illuminate. The T-Bao MN78 mini PC is a more affordable gamer option than the impressive Acemagic Tank 03, we reviewed. But then again, it doesn't quite have the pure processing grunt offered by some of the other best mini PCs we've tested.
At the heart of the MN78 lies an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor; this new generation of processors certainly ups the game when it comes to outright performance and, through the test, impressed. This processor is further boosted by the integrated AMD Radeon 780M GPU. While these processor combos were designed for laptops, they're perfectly suited to these mini PCs and offer superb performance. Whether it's running graphically intensive games or multitasking between creative applications, the MN78 proved a great solution. However, it's worth noting that in order to get the best gaming performance, a bit of tweaking in the graphics settings might be required for some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077; while this machine is good, it doesn't quite meet the power of a full-sized laptop.
Connectivity options on the MN78 are generous, featuring USB 3.2 and 2.0 ports, HDMI, DP, and Type-C ports, along with dual LAN ports. This range allows for easy connection to various peripherals and displays, making it a versatile unit for different setups.
While the machine is designed for gamers, it packs decent power, so it is perfectly suited to creative applications; the small size and distinctive design with a solid build means that it's easy to transport without worry. If you are looking for a decent all-rounder that looks a little different, then this is a great machine, although I would be tempted to opt for the 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD version to enable some headroom.
T-Bao Cyberpunk Mini PC: Price & availability
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
You can easily pick up the T-Bao MN78 Cyberpunk on popular online platforms like Banggood and Geekbuying, catering to a wide range of consumers. As of the latest information, it's priced at approximately $600-790 / £500-600. But we recommend checking the sites for flash sales and discounts to get it cheaper.
You can get a variety of different configurations, such as the version with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD, provides options if you need more power and storage, although this will come at a higher cost.
Score: 4/5
T-Bao Cyberpunk Mini PC: Design & build
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
This mini PC instantly stands out, blending functionality with futuristic, Cyberpunk aesthetics. Its compact form factor, measuring just 13.15 x 13.15 x 5.5 cm, makes it an ideal choice if you're limited in space. The machine's design sees a sleek, white exterior that reflects the Cypherpunk name engraved into the top, with plenty of venting to help aid with the cooling. If the futuristic white is not your thing, then the machine is also available in black.
The Cyberpunk-inspired design that truly sets the MN78 apart. The mini PC features customisable RGB lighting, which adds a vibrant touch to its overall look and really helps to define this as a gamer; a nice touch here is a button on the front that enables you to personalise the lighting in accordance with your mood or preference, which can be off if the bright light is too distracting. This feature is, of course, aimed at gamers, but it has a certain appeal beyond that genre as well.
In terms of build quality, the MN78 is impressive. OK, it's plastic, but it feels robust and well-constructed, indicating a focus on durability alongside style. If you want to take this machine with you, then the size and high build quality mean that it is very suitable for this purpose. Every aspect, from the ports to the cooling vents, has been well-designed, with good spacing for cable insertion and flexibility over the accessories you use.
One of the key design features is its large cooling fan. This component can be seen through the cutouts in the top plate of the machine; these aren't just there for looks and serve a practical purpose in enabling heat management to keep the machine cool when working under load; the size of the fan also helps to contribute to the MN78's quiet operation.
Design: 4.5/5
T-Bao Cyberpunk Mini PC: Features
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
Central to the MN78's performance is the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, designed for laptop platforms and perfectly suited to the compact PC form-factor, making it ideal for both demanding gaming sessions and intensive creative work. This processor features an integrated AMD Radeon 780M 12cu GPU. It's never going to be a true alternative to the best gaming laptops, but it offers enough processing weight to handle most modern games with ease, with some settings adjustments and creative applications.
While internal processing is a key feature, unlike many other mini PCs we've tried, the striking design makes this model stand out. The futuristic design looks great, with the customisable RGB lighting adding ambience, but as well as being aesthetic, it also plays a functional role.
The cutouts in the design enable plenty of venting, and all ports on the back are well-spaced, making plugging in and removing accessories nice and easy. The LEDs on the large cooling fan that covers the majority of the top section of the computer are visible through the cutouts on the top plate, which are all part of the design to enhance heat management. This ensures that the mini PC remains cool under load; playing Cyberpunk 2077 with some of the settings reduced to enhance the gameplay, the cooling system proved it's worth keeping the performance of the machine consistent and the fan noise low.
Build quality is another area where the MN78 shines. Despite its plastic construction, it feels robust and well-made, indicating a focus on durability. The Build, coupled with the compact size of the MN78, makes it an ideal companion if you need a portable yet powerful computing solution for gaming, creative tasks or both.
Features: 4/5
T-Bao Cyberpunk Mini PC: Performance
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 5072.98
Crystal Disk Write: 2598.10
GeekBench CPU Single: 2486
GeekBench CPU Multi: 11474
GeekBench Compute: 32878
PC Mark: 7243
CineBench CPU Multi: 14608
CineBench CPU Single: 1720
Fire Strike Overall: 6587
Fire Strike Graphics: 7033
Fire Strike Physics: 22487
Fire Strike Combined: 2598
Time Spy Overall: 3004
Time Spy Graphics: 2680
Time Spy CPU: 9567
Wild Life: 13154
Windows Experience: 8.2
The T-Bao MN78 showcases impressive performance across a variety of applications and games and, through the test results and real-world usage, we found it to pack more power than most.
Starting with benchmark tests, the Crystal Disk Read and Write scores of 5072.98 and 2598.10, respectively, show swift data transfer rates, making it an excellent choice for tasks requiring quick access to large files such as video editing. The GeekBench scores, both in single (2486) and multi-core (11474) tests, highlight the processor's efficiency in handling both singular intensive tasks and multitasking scenarios. The high GeekBench Compute score of 32878 further underscores its graphical power, helping with gaming and video rendering.
In CineBench tests, the MN78 achieves a multi-core score of 14608 and a single-core score of 1720, which indicates that it will be able to handle CPU-intensive tasks effectively. The PC Mark score of 7243 aligns with this, suggesting a well-rounded performance in everyday computing tasks.
Gaming performance is the main focus of this machine. In the Fire Strike and Time Spy tests, the MN78 scores 6587 and 3004 overall, with particularly strong results for graphics and physics, again reinforcing its suitability for gaming. The Wild Life score of 13154 and a Windows Experience Index of 8.2 shows that it's good for gaming as well as general use.
Real-world application tests paint a similar picture. In Photoshop, the MN78 performs excellently, though the benefit of a RAM upgrade to 32GB and a larger SSD for files from the latest cameras, such as the Sony A7IV and Canon EOS R5 C. And there's scope for swapping out the best video editing laptops for the even small, more portable mini PC in some use-cases. Its performance in Premiere Pro is excellent for HD video editing and good for 4K, showing it can handle professional-grade video editing tasks, albeit more comfortably with expanded memory and storage.
Gaming tests reveal its abilities further. It was never going to match the power of the best gaming PCs, of course - while playing Cyberpunk, we had to make adjustments in settings for optimal performance. But the gameplay was more than satisfactory, and running the in-game bench helped me fine-tune the settings. In Dirt Rally and Portal 2, the MN78 delivers excellent performance, showcasing its ability to handle fast-paced games and deliver smooth graphics. Hogwarts Legacy also runs excellently after some settings adjustments.
Overall, the T-Bao MN78 Mini PC is as a versatile performer, capable of handling a range of tasks from professional creative applications to intensive gaming, with the lowering of some graphic and resolution settings. While it benefits from additional RAM and storage for more demanding tasks, its base configuration offers a solid foundation for a variety of uses.
Performance: 4.5/5
Should you buy the T-Bao Cyberpunk Mini PC?
The T-Bao MN78 is a great blend of style, power, and versatility, offering great value for money. Its performance in gaming and creative tasks is impressive, especially considering its compact form. The customisable RGB lighting and sleek design add to its appeal, making it not just a powerful machine but also a stylish addition to your desktop. While it excels in many areas, the need for potential upgrades in RAM and storage for high-end tasks is worth considering. Overall, for those seeking a compact yet powerful PC, the MN78 is a solid choice in the mini PC market.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS Graphics: AMD Radeon 780M RAM: Up to 32GB DDR5 Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Rear Ports: 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 2x HDMI ports, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, and 1x USB 3.2 Type-A Front Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1 x USB 4.0, 1 x 3.5mm Audio Connectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Audio: Features a 3.5mm combo headphone/mic jack. Camera: N/A Size: 123 x 113 x 432 mm) OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro Accessories: Power adapter, VESA mount with screws, HDMI cable, and a user manual
The GMKTec NucBox K4 is a decent blend of power and design, neatly packed into a compact and understated form factor. Aimed at users who want a machine for gaming and creative work, this small machine packs impressive performance thanks to its AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and Radeon 780M GPU. This new generation of combined AMD CPU and GPU offer impressive performance. Despite the small size, the machine was more than capable of handling demanding tasks such as 4K video editing and many of the latest games.
The design of the NucBox K4 is a refreshing departure from the typical gamer-centric aesthetics that we've seen from the likes of the Acemagic Tank 03 mini PC, favouring a more professional and sleek look that would be better suited to a creative workspace. This design choice broadens its appeal, attracting not just gamers but also professionals in creative and other fields.
However, the NucBox K4 is not without its challenges. The initial setup requires a bit more technical knowhow than usual, particularly with the need to install AMD software to unlock the full potential of the hardware. This might be a minor hurdle for tech-savvy users but could be a bit daunting for those less familiar with such processes.
Having tested plenty of the best mini PCs, performance here impresses with strong benchmark results across various tests, demonstrating its capability to handle different types of workloads well.
One area where the NucBox K4 could see improvement is in its storage capacity. The 1TB SSD, while ample for many, might be limiting for creative tasks if using, for example, the best video editing software, as the app and video files can require more space. Users dealing with large files or extensive video content may need to consider additional storage solutions.
The GMKTec NucBox K4 is an excellent choice for those looking for a compact yet powerful mini PC. Its balance of power, portability, and professional aesthetics make it a versatile device suitable for a wide range of applications. While the initial setup and storage capacity might be points of consideration, they don't significantly detract from the overall value and performance that this mini PC offers.
GMKTec NucBox K4: Price & availability
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
The GMKTec NucBox K4 is available for purchase from various retailers. You can it on both Amazon US and Amazon UK, for example. Additionally, the mini PC is available directly from GMKTec through their official website.
Score: 4/5
GMKTec NucBox K4: Design & build
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The GMKTec NucBox K4 features a design that's both minimalist and functional, which it has in common with many other mini PCs we've tried. It features a sleek, compact chassis, measuring just 123 x 112 x 43 mm and weighing in at a mere 422g, again reflecting the form factor of many mini PCs and making the format ideal if you're looking to save desktop space. This small footprint makes it an ideal choice if you're limited on space or would like a clutter-free workspace. It's also ideal if you're looking for a powerful machine to use in a Van or part of the Van life movement.
Despite its small size and lightweight, the NucBox K4 is well made and has a decent build quality. The chassis feels robust and well-constructed, capable of withstanding the rigours of everyday use, so it is ideal if you do need to take the machine with you on occasion. The design is understated, featuring a simple yet elegant exterior that forgoes the flashy lights and aggressive styling often found in gaming-oriented PCs.
Notable design features include a decent array of ports on the front and back of the machine. It includes multiple USB ports, HDMI connections, and an Ethernet port, so it pretty much deals with all your connectivity needs. The inclusion of a VESA mount option is a great touch and, again, an increasingly common feature for this style of machine. The VESA mount essentially enables you to attach the PC behind compatible monitors or TVs, further saving desk space.
Design: 4/5
GMKTec NucBox K4: Features
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At the core of the GMKTec NucBox K4 Mini PC is an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor featuring 8 cores that bring desktop-grade performance into a mini PC. This processor, combined with the integrated AMD Radeon 780M graphics, makes the NucBox K4 a machine perfectly suited to moderate gaming and professional creative work. It might not be the gaming laptop-killer, but it's certainly an ideal alternative to the best laptops for photo editing.
Complementing the processor is 32GB of DDR5 RAM, 32GB being the max for this machine and the amount that was supplied in our review sample. This amount of RAM ensures smooth multitasking and quick data processing for all office and creative work and enables you to indulge in many of the latest games without lag. The storage solution, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, enables incredibly quick data access, helping to boost all areas of performance for the machine.
When it comes to connectivity, there's a good range of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and Ethernet.
One issue that can occur with this amount of processing in such a small box is heat. Thankfully, the K4 features a decent cooling system. This system ensures stable performance even under heavy load and manages to keep the noise of the fans reasonable.
When it comes to the operating system, the K4 comes with Windows 11 Pro Pre-installed; however, the AMD driver software will also need to be downloaded and installed before unlocking this machine's full potential.
Features: 4/5
GMKTec NucBox K4: Performance
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 6985.97
Crystal Disk Write: 5451.54 GeekBench CPU Single: 12584
GeekBench CPU Multi: 2640 GeekBench Compute: 33486
PC Mark: 7532 CineBench CPU Multi: 15385
CineBench CPU Single: 1822 Fire Strike Overall: 7412
Fire Strike Graphics: 7701 Fire Strike Physics: 25932 Fire Strike Combined: 2715
Time Spy Overall: 3033 Time Spy Graphics: 2698
Time Spy CPU: 10234 Wild Life: 13661 Windows Experience: 8.0
The GMKTec NucBox K4's performance is impressive and made possible by the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor coupled with the Radeon 780M GPU, making it suited to various tasks and applications.
In gaming, the NucBox K4 handles most modern games at respectable frame rates. While it might not match the performance of a full-sized gaming rig with a dedicated GPU for a mini PC, its gaming capabilities are decent and more than enough to play the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy. Setting the display to 1080p enables a decent gaming experience.
For creative professionals, the NucBox K4 handles demanding applications such as Premiere Pro and Da Vinci Resolve, Photoshop and Lightroom, and even Blender, one of the best 3D modeling software tools around. When it comes to video editing, particularly at 4K resolution, the performance of the small machine is surprisingly good, although the 1TB storage is a little limiting, and an external drive through the USB 4.0 is a good upgrade option if you want to a super-compact alternative to the best video editing laptops.
The benchmark results highlight the machine's capabilities. High scores in Crystal Disk Read (6985.97) and Write (5451.54), GeekBench (CPU Single: 12584, Multi: 2640, Compute: 33486), and CineBench (CPU Multi: 15385, CPU Single: 1822) reflect its strong performance in processing speed, multitasking, and graphical tasks.
In everyday use, the NucBox K4 offers an experience for office work as well as simply browsing the internet.
Through testing the machine, the cooling system did its job and maintained a stable performance without significant thermal throttling; the sound levels also seemed to be kept in check as the cooling system worked hard to keep things cool.
In summary, the GMKTec NucBox K4 stands as a versatile performer, balancing the demands of gaming, creative work, and everyday computing within a compact and efficient package. Its ability to deliver such performance in various tasks and applications makes it a compelling choice for a wide array of users, from gamers and creatives to general users seeking a powerful yet space-efficient desktop solution.
Performance: 4.5/5
Should you buy the GMKTec NucBox K4?
The GMKTec NucBox K4 is impressive for its size, catering to both gaming enthusiasts and creative professionals. The Mini PC's ability to handle demanding applications such as 4K video editing and gaming at respectable frame rates makes it a great all-around choice and one of the most powerful Mini PCs out there.
Design-wise, the NucBox K4's minimalist and functional aesthetic sets it apart from the more flamboyant gaming-focused PCs, making it an attractive option for professional environments. Despite its small size and plastic exterior, the build quality is solid, assuring longevity if you want to carry the machine around. The variety of ports and the inclusion of a VESA mount further enhance its appeal by offering flexibility when it comes to connection options from home to the office or other locations.
However, the NucBox K4 does require a bit more technical know-howknowhow during the initial setup, primarily due to the necessity of installing additional AMD software. This might be a minor issue for some users, but it shouldn't put you off; the process is a simple download, install and restart, and you're done. Additionally, the 1TB SSD, while sufficient for many tasks, may fall short for users with extensive storage needs, particularly in creative fields such as video editing.
In terms of value for money, the NucBox K4 stands as a slightly pricey option, but its performance and features justify the cost. It is especially appealing for those who require a powerful yet compact and aesthetically pleasing desktop solution without the flashing lights.
OnePlus is kicking off 2024 with a pair of new phones, its latest flagship OnePlus 12 and the intriguing OnePlus 12R; which marks the first time an R-series device has launched internationally and not just in India.
While we've seen T-series entries on the global stage before, the R more closely delivers on the promises of the company's full-fat flagship phones and this year's 12R is no exception; running on familiar hardware for those who knew last year's OnePlus 11, while also serving up some company and industry firsts all its own.
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At a glance, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the 12R for both the OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus 12, as all three phones sport a familiar aesthetic, with rounded edges and the distinct 'Starlight Dial' circular camera surround that we were first introduced to on 2023's OnePlus flagship.
The iconic physical alert slider may have swapped sides (OnePlus says this improves antenna performance), and the phone may lack wireless charging and full IP68 dust and water resistance, but it's otherwise a beautifully crafted and premium-feeling phone with plenty of power and battery longevity to boot.
If it weren't for the lesser secondary cameras, the 12R amounts to a revamped OnePlus 11, with the same flagship-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in 2023's finest, up to 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and the biggest battery ever seen in a OnePlus phone, which translates to the best longevity we've ever gotten from a OnePlus phone – battery life that matches the likes of the mighty Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
OnePlus has also included its latest OxygenOS 14 user experience out of the box, which comes with a heap of branded technologies; most importantly the 'Trinity Engine': an umbrella term for a number of features that ensure the 12R's performance doesn't degrade over time, focusing on CPU, RAM, and ROM management.
A killer 1.5K LTPO 4.0 AMOLED display fronts the phone, with a more advanced adaptive refresh rate, touch response rate and peak brightness (4,500nits) than even the OnePlus 11.
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If there's one area where the 12R does fall short of its otherwise flagship standing, it's with camera versatility. The main 50MP Sony sensor delivers a similar experience to that of last year's flagship – running on the same sensor and with a fast shutter not to mention a year's worth of refinement from OnePlus. However the 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro cameras don't keep step with regards to quality and consistency.
For the price, there's little that matches the 12R directly, however, alternatives like the OnePlus 11, Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and iPhone 14 come close; provided you're willing to trade away the phone's excellent display tech and battery prowess. One of the best OnePlus phones yet? Quite possibly, even without being a fully-fledged flagship in its own right.
The OnePlus 12R serves as the global variant of the OnePlus Ace 3, which launched in China at the very start of 2024. The 12R made its debut as part of the OnePlus 12's global launch event in India on January 23, with a staggered on-sale date that sees the phone released first in India (on February 6), before arriving in markets including the US, UK and Europe on February 13.
US customers get the choice of two storage configurations, starting at $499.99 with 128GB of space, while UK and European customers only have access to the single higher-capacity 256GB model, which sells for $599.99 in the US and £649 / €699 in those two other markets, respectively.
Pricing means it undercuts other newcomers, like the Samsung Galaxy S24, Google Pixel 8 and baseline iPhone 15 by quite a margin, and in truth, there's little worth considering around the 12R's launch price, save for more expensive but older phones that have had time to drop in price, including the company's own OnePlus 11.
The company's 2024 flagship – the OnePlus 12 – comfortably sits around $300 / £200 more expensive for the same amount of storage, but for the extra cash you're getting a sharper screen, better cameras, longer-term software support, and Qualcomm's latest and greatest flagship silicon in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Note though that there's no current Australian availability for the OnePlus 12R or the standard OnePlus 12.
Value score: 4 / 5
OnePlus 12R review: Specs
OnePlus 12R review: Design
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Elegant, premium curved glass and metal aesthetics
Physical alert slider on left side
IP64-certified against dust and water
The OnePlus 12R presents itself as a premium handset, with a level of fit and finish on par with any of the latest top-tier phones out there, not least because it shares in the 'Starlight Dial' design language of this year's and last year's OnePlus flagships.
The Iron Gray model (pictured) has a matte glass back that's superb at repelling fingerprints (and other marks) but has an almost Teflon-like low friction coefficient, meaning it's a little slippery in the hand. The Cool Blue alternative, meanwhile, is the more head-turning option, that's better at catching the light (and fingerprints), if you're in the market for a little more flare. It's worth noting that colorway availability varies by region and storage variant too.
If you're not a fan of the straight-sided iPhones or Galaxy phones (or the rumored design of the forthcoming Pixel 9 series) leading the market, the 12R is the perfect remedy. The front and back glass curve elegantly into the thin metal frame, which makes it a touch trickier to hold by comparison but nicer in the hand and on the eye.
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A trait that's slipped in since OnePlus more closely buddied up to sister company Oppo is the adoption of a flat top and bottom to some of its phones' frames, and that's the case with the 12R. A USB-C port, SIM tray and speaker grille reside along the bottom, while microphones and – perhaps most intriguingly of all – an IR blaster can be found on the phone's top edge. This is a novel addition that's seldom seen on phones nowadays, but gives the 12R universal remote functionality which you won't readily find on the competition; great for controlling your TV, aircon, projector, and even some smart lights, all from the one device.
OnePlus' iconic alert slider (oddly absent from previous performance flagships like the OnePlus 10T) is reassuringly present on the 12R, although perhaps not as 'correct' as long-time OnePlus users might expect, as across both entries in the series, this knurled three-stage switch is now found on the opposing side to where it usually sits (the right side). OnePlus claims this helps with antenna performance – especially when gaming in landscape – and in practice, the learning curve of adjusting to a swapped alert slider and volume rocker is negligible.
While the 12R is notably thinner (and a touch lighter) than the standard OnePlus 12, that's partly down to the lack of wireless charging, while that finely-crafted bodywork also falls short of the industry-standard dust and water resistance, with only IP64 certification (most flagships boast IP68 protection against water ingress).
Look past the marketing spiel (which there's a lot of) and the 12R's display is spec'd as one of the market's best right now. Beyond the fundamentals as a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the ProXDR screen on the 12R boasts the same peak brightness as the OnePlus 12, at a whopping 4,500nits (with an HBM or high brightness mode peak of 1,600nits).
For comparison, the iPhone 15 series tops out at 2,000nits, while the S24 series reaches 2,600nits. Although that peak isn't an increment you'll likely hit in day to day use, the additional headroom over screens of the most prominent players in the industry means everything from outdoor legibility to HDR content consumption (it's also Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid and HDR10+ compliant for good measure) is comparatively better. Speaking of HDR content, being able to view HDR imagery shot on device, natively in both the OnePlus Photos app and the Google Photos app – similarly to the likes of the latest Pixel 8 Pro – is a nice flex.
The LTPO 4.0 tech at work also means improved power efficiency (relative to LTPO 3.0, as on the OnePlus 11), as this new panel is able to switch between more frequency increments through its 1Hz to 120Hz range, depending on the situation (lower frequencies equal less power drain, higher frequencies offer more fluid visuals).
As for gamers, an impressive 1,000Hz touch response rate (branded 'HyperTouch') is on-hand to ensure accurate touch input at any pace (that's faster than any of the best gaming phones currently out there), while 'HyperRender' is responsible for backlight calibration when gaming; accounting for the environment you're playing in and optimizing contrast and brightness dynamically.
There's also the presence of Aqua Touch: an algorithm that helps the 12R discern between water droplets and true touch inputs on a wet display; making use in rain or similarly wet conditions far more reliable than you'd experience with a conventional touchscreen and in practice, it's a huge win for convenience, especially if, like me, you're a Londoner all too familiar with the Great British weather's habits.
Throw in 2160Hz PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dimming for reduced eye strain in low light (backed by independent certification from TÜV Rheinland), and an overall A+ rating from DisplayMate, and OnePlus has receipts to back up its claims surrounding the 12R's screen tech.
Sure, these aren't all headline features worth buying the phone for explicitly but they're 'nice to haves' that elevate the 12R's viewing experience beyond both expectation and more prominent competitors.
Display score: 5 / 5
OnePlus 12R review: Software
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
OxygenOS 14 atop Android 14 out of the box
Customizable user experience without feeling overwhelming
3 years of OS + 4 years of security updates
If you're a long-time OnePlus user, you'll know OxygenOS has lost a little of its individuality since OnePlus and Oppo more closely collaborated on their respective mobile user experiences (we lost the 1+ calculator easter egg with OxygenOS 13), however, OxygenOS 14 (running atop the latest Android 14) still delivers on the core values of OnePlus' software from previous generations; packed with sparks of software design so good that you'd wish other brands would crib from it.
While delivering a relatively clean aesthetic and user experience, OxygenOS has supported user generated wallpapers long before Samsung and Asus called upon AI smarts to offer similar results with their latest-generation phones, Zen Space is a one-stop destination for mindfulness that supports Android's native Digital Wellbeing toolset, gestures and floating windows add a heap of flexibility to the base OS's multitasking experience, and being able to quick-launch apps from the fingerprint sensor is a nice trick too.
The Shelf on OxygenOS 14 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The Shelf is an interesting inclusion that OnePlus has struggled to find a consistent home for within OxygenOS and I'm not convinced its current location – accessed by swiping down on the home screen, replacing quick access to notifications and quick settings – should be its final destination. Nevertheless, as a dedicated home for widgets – akin to Today View on iPadOS – it's a nice way to keep glanceable information all in one place.
OxygenOS manages to walk the line between simplicity and functionality where other brands' user experiences tend to err on the side of 'more features equals better', even if that's at the expense of intuitive navigation and interaction.
The 12R's standing below that of the company's true current flagship does mean that its software support isn't quite as extensive – at three years of OS upgrades and four years of security updates – but that does at least keep it in step with the similarly-spec'd OnePlus 11, meaning both phones won't fall out of favor until Android 18 (and presumably OxygenOS 18).
Software score: 4 / 5
OnePlus 12R review: Cameras
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Robust 50MP Sony IMX890 lead sensor, as on OnePlus 11
Same RAW HDR algorithm, as on the OnePlus 12
Ineffectual macro camera
While at a glance the OnePlus 12R's rear camera setup may resemble the OnePlus 11's and 12's, it's likely the biggest departure from both phones and one of the biggest cost-saving aspects of the 12R's spec sheet. You still get the same 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 sensor that leads the OnePlus 11's camera setup, complete with a year's worth of software refinement, plus improved speed from mode switching to shutter lag, but beyond its main snapper, the 12R's photographic capabilities are more pedestrian.
The 8MP Sony IMX355 ultra-wide serves up consistent colors with the main camera in good lighting, but detail is noticeably lacking when comparing similar shots taken between the two, while the 2MP macro camera lacks the pixels, dynamic range and color depth to be anything other than novel.
OnePlus 12R camera samples
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Portrait mode
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Ultra wide camera
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1x zoom
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2x zoom
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5x zoom
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20x zoom
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Main camera
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Macro camera
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Main camera
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Macro camera
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Ultra wide camera
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Macro camera
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Low light
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Night mode
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Low light w/ maximum ISO and shutter speed
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Front
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Front camera w/ Portrait mode
If you're serious about shooting on the 12R, all your photos should really come from the OIS-supported (optical image stabilization) main 50MP sensor. It offers enough versatility in its own right to satiate the average mobile photographer, and while there's no Hasselblad tuning to speak of – as on the brand's other premium phones – image quality is generally great; with a particular talent for HDR shooting, exemplified by the 'ProXDR' toggle in the phone's native gallery app that shows this trait off most clearly.
Along with excellent colors, detail, and dynamic range when snapping standard 12.6MP jpeg stills, you have the choice of capturing full-sensor 50MP images, as well as HDR shots in RAW, with the 12R benefitting from the same RAW HDR algorithm as found on the OnePlus 12.
One growing trend from the current era of smartphone photography that isn't as prevalent on the OnePlus 12R is AI-supported shooting, especially when it comes to editing tools. Features like generative fill are being popularized by the likes of the latest Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and is one such AI feature you won't find here.
Camera score: 3.5 / 5
OnePlus 12R review: Performance
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC
Trinity Engine for CPU, RAM and ROM optimization
Dual vapor chamber cooling design
If you thought the branding for the various technologies in the display section of this review was a bit much, OnePlus kicks things into overdrive when it comes to talking about the phone's performance. Practically every performance-centric hardware and software optimization comes with a catchy name attached, with the 'Trinity Engine' being the umbrella brand under which they all sit.
Building on memory optimization features the company first introduced with the OnePlus 11, the Trinity Engine consists of three key parts: CPU-Vita, RAM-Vita and ROM-Vita, which collectively work to keep the 12R feeling fast and fluid long into your time with it. This is primarily achieved by throttling for heat management and battery longevity, prioritizing memory allocation for more frequently used apps, and on-the-fly defragmentation of storage to keep files accessible; all in the pursuit of peace of mind for users looking for a worthwhile long-term smartphone purchase.
Running on the same chipset as the OnePlus 11 – paired with the latest UFS 4.0 storage (on the 256GB model, at least) and LPDDR5X RAM for greater speed and power efficiency – you'd expect comparable flagship performance, and in artificial benchmarking tests, you'd be right. In fact, the OnePlus 12R feels as fast and as fluid to use as any current flagship, including more cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phones. The performance shortfall likely won't be felt for at least a year or two, which is to say this phone is comfortable with whatever you throw at it, right now.
Gaming on Genshin Impact with default (medium) graphical settings and a bump up to a 60fps frame rate cap proved zero issue for the 12R for extended periods and seldom were frames dropped. The caveat to that is that despite a new 'Cryo-Velocity' dual vapor chamber cooling system – offering a reported three-times-larger vapor chamber area compared to the OnePlus 11 – heat build-up was more noticeable during intensive tasks than expected; never to a concerning degree, but still.
There are some great user-accessible performance tools worth digging into too. Live Lock is perfect for pinning apps that you want the system to leave resources available for – ideal for downloading system updates for Genshin while doing other things. Gaming Tools let you customize graphical settings, manage notifications and performance allowances, and even toggle improved HDR visuals.
There's also the fact that OnePlus (and Oppo and Realme) phones don't run in a high performance state out of the box. While the 12R feels perfectly tightly wound for responsive everyday use, dive into the phone's power menu and you'll find a toggle for 'high performance mode.' It's a little bonus that you'll likely never need, but additional grunt on tap is never to be sniffed at.
Performance score: 4 / 5
OnePlus 12R review: Battery
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Largest capacity battery in a OnePlus phone ever
Up to 100W SuperVOOC wired charging
Rated for only 20% capacity degradation after 1,600 cycles
Along with the screen, the battery is arguably one of the OnePlus 12R's greatest strengths. Around the same physical size as the OnePlus 11's battery, the company has managed to up the capacity to a whopping 5,500mAh – making this the largest power cell in a OnePlus phone ever.
Even without the latest-generation Qualcomm chipset, that larger capacity helps deliver the best battery life we've tested in a OnePlus phone, clocking in at around eight hours of screen-on time per charge, equivalent to two days of light to average use on a single charge. It's not quite iPhone 15 series longevity, but matches some of the best Android phones on the market, beating out mainstream rivals like the Pixel 8 series, handily.
Not only that, in most markets save for the US (where it peaks at 80W), the OnePlus 12R comes with rapid 100W fast charging, which OnePlus claims means you can hit 100% charge after only 26 minutes, In testing, the review sample used here reached 92% in the same time, fully charging at the 30-minute mark exactly; making this one of the faster-charging phones out there right now.
Being built for long-term use seems to be a key theme of the OnePlus 12R, with the company promising a four-year or 1,600-cycle on the battery, after which they claim longevity will equate to around 80% of the out-of-box performance. For comparison, Apple officially states that its iPhones reach this same 80% capacity threshold after just 500 cycles.
The only real fly in the ointment here is the reduced peak 80W charging speed in the US (a trait found on other OnePlus phones too) and the absence of any form of wireless charging.
Battery score: 4.5 / 5
Should you buy the OnePlus 12R?
Buy it if...
You like media and gaming The combination of display, performance, and battery life make this a superb phone for high-fidelity gaming or enjoying HDR content for hours on end.
You like curved-edge smartphones The latest iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones and, as it currently looks like, the next batch of Pixels have all adopted straight sided designs with flat screens. The OnePlus 12R shirks this design trend and places elegant curves first.
You want an Android phone with great battery performance One of the longest-lasting Android phones on the market also packs in a battery that's built to charge quickly and last years upon years of recharge cycles with minimal degradation. Great for travelers, gamers, and power users.
Don't buy it if...
You want a killer camera That main 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor is a real joy to use and highlights the strides OnePlus has made in its camera tuning over the years, but as the 12R packs three cameras on the back, you have to consider the whole packages and those other sensors don't pull their weight.
You need the best water resistance or wireless charging Most flagships come packing IP68-certified dust and water ingress protection, the 12R falls short of the mark when it comes to withstanding the wet stuff by comparison, and that slim body may look good but leaves no room for wireless charging.
OnePlus 12R review: Also consider
Even though it's a great device, there are issues with the OnePlus 12R, so you might want to consider one of the following alternatives.
OnePlus 11 Similar specs and the same software update expiration date, but the previous year's OnePlus 11 boasts a superior camera with Hasselblad tuning to boot.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE The last of Samsung's Galaxy S23 series is smaller than the 12R and doesn't pack the same degree of grunt, but it offers affordable access to a premium Samsung experience and is one of the few phones that comes to market around the same asking price as the 12R.
How I tested the OnePlus 12R
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Review test period: three weeks
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Having received both the OnePlus 12 and 12R a week ahead of the OnePlus 12 series' launch, I got straight to using the 12R (check out our OnePlus 12 review if you're curious about the company's new flagship), adding my own Google account and OnePlus account before using the device as my main phone for the duration of the review period.
Usage included streaming video, snapping stills and video with the phone's various cameras, and toying with the ProXDR display's abilities with both compatible content and gaming.
Publicly available, industry standard benchmarking apps were used to meter the CPU, GPU, and AI performance of the OnePlus 12R, and while we don't always publish the results, we keep them on file for comment and comparison with other devices we've tested. Battery life was tested by recording screen-on time each day across a single charge from 100% to 0%, based on normal everyday use, while the in-box charger was used to recharge the phone, with the charge checked at intervals to assess the rate of replenishment.
The cameras were used in a myriad of conditions to test their versatility, with comparisons between sensors and the cameras of other phones as part of the testing process.
Having extensively reviewed numerous smartphones, including a myriad of OnePlus phones during my 12 years of journalistic experience, I felt confident in putting the OnePlus 12R through its paces and evaluating its abilities in a fair and informed manner, based on the market, its target audience, pricing, and the competition.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super: two minute review
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super is a difficult card to rate, despite it being without a doubt one of the best graphics card releases of this generation.
For a US MSRP of $799.99, you're essentially getting a pared-down Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, including 16GB GDDR6X VRAM, a wider 256-bit memory bus so you can actually play the best PC games at 4K (with tweaks), with noticeably less power draw. On the flipside, you're also getting a card that is only marginally better than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, despite its seriously upgraded specs.
As far as the design goes, unfortunately, there is no Founders Edition for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super, so you don't get the sleek-as-hell all-black metallic finish of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super. Instead, you'll have about a half-dozen or so board partners like Asus, MSI, and others making these GPUs. Which card you get will determine a lot from overclock settings to cooling and RGB lighting effects.
The Asus Tuf Gaming model I reviewed is identical to the Asus Tuf Gaming RTX 4070 Ti I reviewed, and it's a massive chonky card for what it's worth. Given the power requirements and the need to dissipate a lot of heat, you can fully expect that whatever RTX 4070 Ti Super card you pick up, it's going to be a triple-slot monster.
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In terms of performance, there's no getting around the fact that this is essentially the Nvidia RTX 4080 we should have gotten a year ago (it's built off the RTX 4080's AD103 GPU, rather than the RTX 4070 Ti's AD104), and for that, it is one of the best 4K graphics card models to hit the market this year. It's gaming performance is superb pretty much across the board, with the only area it struggles to be playable is where every other graphics card struggles other than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, and that's native ray tracing at 4K.
Even there, however, this card manages to average about 32fps (though its average minimum/1% fps dips below the 24fps that registers as fluid motion, so yeah, it can sometimes be a bit of a slideshow).
Unfortunately, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is also right there further complicating the picture for this card. Outside of creative workloads that rely on CUDA (like Blender or V-Ray), the RX 7900 XT goes toe-to-toe with the RTX 4070 Ti Super in terms of gaming performance, though the RTX 4070 Ti Super will generally handle ray tracing better.
Surprisingly though, AMD's FSR seems to be at the point where it is battling Nvidia DLSS to a draw by and large, with the only real difference being whether you have ray tracing turned up to its highest setting or not. Given the recent price cut for the RX 7900 XT down to $749.99 in the US, anyone looking at the RTX 4070 Ti Super will have to ask themselves some hard questions.
This is especially true given the big looming release set to drop at the end of January, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super. Though 25% more expensive at MSRP than the RTX 4070 Ti Super, given the high cost of entry for this card, it suffers from a similar problem as the original RTX 4080 had; it's too close in price to a clearly better card, and so ultimately, you'll almost certainly be better off buying the RTX 4080 Super in a week's time. Which is a shame, because the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super is a fantastic card that really should have hit the scene a whole lot sooner than it is.
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Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super: Price & availability
How much is it? MSRP listed at $799.99 (about £640, AU$1,120)
When is it out? It was released on January 24, 2024
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super goes on sale January 24, 2024 for a listed MSRP of $799.99 in the US, which is about £640 in the UK and AU$1,120 in Australia.
This is the same MSRP as the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti is replaces, which is definitely a positive given the generally terrible pricing of Nvidia best graphics cards this generation.
As stated above though, AMD isn't sitting on its laurels, and it's dropped the price of its competing RX 7900 XT graphics card to counter this release. And, given, their relative levels of performance, it's a smart move as it makes the RX 7900 XT a better value as a result, at least enough to be competitive in the absence of any RX 7050 XT-series releases thus far.
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Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super: Specs & features
16GB VRAM
Wider memory bus
Slightly faster clock speed
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Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super: Performance
Marginally better than RTX 4070 Ti
Loses to RX 7900 XT in gaming performance
Extra VRAM makes 4K gaming much smoother
Where it counts, the RTX 4070 Ti Super is a fantastic graphics card for work and play, though it's definitely more of a refresh of the RTX 4070 Ti, which is unfortunate since it really should have shown better performance given its specs.
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In terms of synthetic performance, the RTX 4070 Ti Super averages about 4.5% better performance than the RTX 4070 Ti, and about 13% slower performance than the RTX 4080, which more or less matching the RX 7900 XT. On this latter point, much like other AMD vs Nvidia comparisons, in pure rasterization, AMD comes out on top with Nvidia winning out in ray tracing workloads.
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For creative performance, the RTX 4070 Ti Super greatly outperforms the RX 7900 XT, but falls well short of where the RTX 4080 lands. If you're looking for the best creative graphics card, then, the RTX 4080 Super is definitely going to be one to look out for considering it's only going to retail for $200 more and should be much more powerful.
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In gaming performance, no card really comes close to the RTX 4080, but the RTX 4070 Ti Super more or less ties the RTX 4070 Ti and the RX 7900 XT.
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In 1440p gaming performance, the additional 4GB VRAM in the RX 7900 XT starts to become a factor to the RTX 4070 Ti's detriment, but overall, the RTX 4070 Ti Super comes up about 3.5% behind the RX 7900 XT, and roughly tied with the RTX 4070 Ti.
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At 4K, the additional 4GB VRAM in the RTX 4070 Ti Super vs the RTX 4070 Ti starts to really have an impact, giving the RTX 4070 Ti Super about 6.5% better performance on average but a nealy 10% higher fps floor at 4K than the RTX 4070 Ti.
The RTX 4070 Ti Super also runs about even with the RX 7900 XT as well.
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Wrapping things up, a couple of other points I definitely want to hit on, namely that the biggest thing holding this card back in a lot of ways is its TGP. With the same TGP as the RTX 4070 Ti, you get the sense that this card leaves something on the table in terms of performance given its specs. On the plus side though, it does manage to squeeze some extra performance from the same amount of power, which is a good thing. If you want to try and overclock this card to tap into its full potential, have at it.
It's not going to run particularly hot (unless you overclock the hell out of it) and it's gaming performance is exceptional, even into 4K, where you can expect to average about 70 fps at 4K when not using ray tracing, or you can turn ray tracing on and flip DLSS to balanced or performance for the same amount of frames or better.
It's ultimate value proposition isn't as good as the RX 7900 XT's, but it's better than the RTX 4070 Ti's, and since AIBs are likely to be switching themselves over to the Super rather than keep putting out non-Super RTX 4070 Ti's, this card is effectively giving you something extra for no additional cost.
The ultimate value tell though will be how the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super performs, and it's unfortunately the case that the success of this card depends very much on how well Nvidia's last major graphics card of this generation is received.
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Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super
Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super
Test system specs
This is the system we used to test the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super:
I spent about a week working with the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super, running our standard battery of tests on it and similar cards in its price category.
I ran it through a number of real world use cases where it will be used, primarily gaming and content creation.
I've been reviewing computer hardware, including graphics cards, for years now, and I am intimately familiar with the kind of performance you should expect from a graphics card at this price point. I bring that knowledge to bear on my graphics card reviews and make sure that every graphics card I compare to the card under review is retested using the most up-to-date drivers to get the best relevant data for comparison, even (as in this case) it means I only test the most relevant competing cards to provide the reader with the most important comparative data when they are considering making their next graphics card purchase.
First reviewed in January 2024
I spent about a week working with the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super, including using it as my main work PC graphics card for content creation work. I ran our standard battery of tests on it and its two main competitor cards due to time constraints (you can see my RTX 4070 review for its relative performance versus many more cards, and than consider a roughly 12%-15% better performance over that for the RTX 4070 Super).
I've been reviewing computer hardware, including graphics cards, for years now, and I am intimately familiar with the kind of performance you should expect from a graphics card at this price point. I bring that knowledge to bear on my graphics card reviews and make sure that every graphics card I compare to the card under review is retested using the most up-to-date drivers to get the best relevant data for comparison, even (as in this case) it means I only test the most relevant competing cards to provide the reader with the most important comparative data when they are considering making their next graphics card purchase.
CPU: 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12650H (12 Cores, 16 Threads, 18MB Cache, up to 4.70 GHz) Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors RAM: Dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM, 32GB, expandable up to 64GB Storage: 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD 1TB onboard, expandable up to 2TB, 1 x M.2 2242 SATA SSD slot, expandable up to 1TB, 1 x 2.5" SATA HDD (7mm) slot, expandable up to 2TB Rear Ports: 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 2 x USB4 ports, 2 x HDMI 2.0 ports, 1 x 2.5GbE LAN port, 1 x DC jack Front Ports: 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x SD card reader (side), 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack, 1 x Power button Connectivity: Ethernet: Intel 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps RJ45, Wireless LAN: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 5.2 Audio: Not specified Camera: N/A Size: 117 x 112 x 45.6 mm OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro Accessories: 1 x Mini 1 x VESA Mount, 1 x Power Adapter, 1 x HDMI Cable, 1 x User Guide
Considering the size and price, the Geekom Mini IT12 is a high-performing, compact mini PC designed for a range of applications, from office tasks to moderate gaming, with a real focus on creatives using processor-intensive applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Da Vinci Resolve. There are several variants of the machine, but in this test, we're looking at the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H.
The processor ensures that this mini PC packs power. At the same time, the RAM allocation is impressive, with 32GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM, which is expandable up to 64GB, catering well to heavy workloads. Storage is also versatile and generous, featuring a mix of M.2 and SATA SSD slots and a 2.5" HDD slot, expandable up to 2TB.
We've tested many of the best mini PCs, and in our experience, the Mini IT12 also offers a decent volume of connectivity and expansion options. It has a range of ports, including USB 3.2, USB4, HDMI 2.0, and a 2.5GbE LAN port, making it adaptable for various peripherals and network setups. Intel's Wi-Fi 6E AX211 and Bluetooth 5.2 ensure a fast wireless connection.
While it lacks a dedicated GPU, the integrated Intel UHD Graphics are sufficient for everyday tasks and moderate gaming and handle image and video editing up to 4K well.
Measuring a compact 117 x 112 x 45.6 mm, it's ideal for space-constrained environments or if you need a machine that is easily portable while still offering robust performance. The system runs on Windows 11 Pro, which provides the reliability and speed that many professional users will need.
The Geekom Mini IT12 is a well-rounded mini PC offering a blend of performance, connectivity, and versatility, suitable for a wide range of users, from professionals to casual gamers and creatives. What makes this small machine stand out is its versatility for creatives, with plenty of connection options for external control desks and hard drives. There's the fact that it has a built-in SD card reader and the ability to expand internal storage capacities.
Considering the size and price, this is an incredibly powerful machine that will suit creatives looking for a compact computing solution that offers portability.
Geekom Mini IT12: Price & availability
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
The Geekom Mini IT12 12th Gen Intel Cor i7 model is currently priced at $639 MSRP. However, there's a promotion available where a $30 discount can be applied using the coupon code IT12GEEK30 during checkout, effectively bringing the price down to $609. Availability is widespread, including through the official Geekom website and Amazon.
Score: 4/5
Geekom Mini IT12: Design & build
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
The Geekom Mini IT12 Mini PC is housed in a green, metallic-looking casing made of high-quality plastic, offering a feel that is solid and reliable, though not quite premium. The design is both practical and aesthetically pleasing, with an unobtrusive, simple appearance. Its compact form factor (117 x 112 x 45.6 mm) and the addition of a VESA mount enhance its portability and make it suitable for a variety of settings, from studio work to mobile offices.
The build quality is robust, with accurately moulded and fitted cases. The ports and power buttons are easily accessible, all adding to the machine's user-friendly design. The device's internal components, including RAM slots, M.2 slot, and a 2.5" HDD drive slot, are easily accessible after removing the base, which is secured with cross-head screws.
Cooling and ventilation have been well-integrated into the design. Vents and fans are compactly arranged, ensuring efficient heat dissipation while keeping noise levels low. Side grills offer additional airflow, aiding in maintaining an optimal operating temperature.
Port placement is pretty standard, with two USB Type-A ports on the front and a variety of connections on the back, including two HDMI ports and a USB Type-C port, supporting up to four displays. The inclusion of an SD card slot on the side is a superb additional touch, especially for creative professionals.
The Mini IT12 is designed with the needs of creatives in mind. It features a powerful 12th Gen processor, 32GB of RAM (expandable to 64GB), and extensive storage options, including an ultra-fast M.2 slot and a 2.5" HDD slot, allowing for the expansion of up to 5TB of internal storage. These features make it well-suited for demanding applications like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
Design: 4.5/5
Geekom Mini IT12: Features
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
The Geekom Mini IT12 Mini PC offers a strong set of features that will appeal to content creators and anyone looking for a compact machine that offers more power than a simple office machine. At its core is the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H processor, which, with its multitasking ability, makes it an ideal choice for demanding tasks like video editing and graphic design. Complementing this on the graphics side is the Intel Iris Xe Graphics, which, although not a dedicated card, is powerful and capable of handling multiple 4K and 8K video streams.
Another feature that really boosts the creative appeal of the Mini IT12 is its comprehensive selection of ports. It includes two USB4 ports, allowing for high-speed data transfer and the capability to run multiple high-resolution displays. Connectivity is further enhanced by the latest Intel Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E, ensuring a stable and speedy wireless connection even in crowded network environments.
Storage and memory are important features for anyone working on creative projects, and with dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM expandable up to 64GB and a range of SSD options, including an M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD, there are plenty of options for internal upgrades and expansion. Ensuring that everything stays cool, the machine has an integral cooling system that features a built-in fan that maintains a balance between optimal performance and low noise levels.
The Mini IT12 also has the ability to support multiple displays, including two 8K displays, making it ideal if you like to split your tool pallets from your workspace or have a separate monitor for admin, web browsing, and email.
Energy efficiency is another key feature, with the machine drawing up to 45W of power, far less than a traditional workstation. Pre-installed comes Windows 11 Pro, meaning that you can get up and running in around 10 minutes from the time you unpack and connect the machine.
Features: 3.5/5
Geekom Mini IT12: Performance
(Image credit: Ali Jennings)
Benchmarks
Crystal Disk Read: 5096 MB/s Crystal Disk Write: 4474 MB/s GeekBench CPU Single: 2323 GeekBench CPU Multi: 9386 GeekBench Compute: 11065 PC Mark: 5253 CineBench CPU Multi: 1677 CineBench CPU Single: 1660 Fire Strike Overall: 3730 Fire Strike Graphics: 4093 Fire Strike Physics: 18843 Fire Strike Combined: 1301 Time Spy Overall: 1331 Time Spy Graphics: 1167 Time Spy CPU: 6670 Wild Life: 9511 Windows Experience: 8.1
The Geekom Mini IT12 Mini PC has a decent all-round performance across a variety of applications, making it a versatile machine for both professional and home use. When it comes to handling creative applications such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve, the Mini IT12 shines. Its high GeekBench Compute and CineBench scores reflect its capability to manage intensive processing tasks, while the impressive Crystal Disk Read and Write speeds ensure fast data handling, crucial for video editing and image processing.
The ability to handle creative software is made possible by the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, backed by strong multi-core performance. The Intel Iris Xe Graphics, though not top-tier for 3D rendering or ultra-high-resolution cuts in the top video editing software, is more than sufficient for running any of the best graphic design software and video editing tasks. This makes the Mini IT12 a great choice for creative professionals who require a balance of performance and price.
When it comes to general office work, the Mini IT12 meets all demands. Its PC Mark score indicates that typical office applications such as the Microsoft Office Suite will run smoothly, and you can quickly switch from one application to another without issue. Tasks in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are handled with ease, and there are no worries about this machine's abilities with any office tasks.
Gaming on the Mini IT12, while not its primary focus, is possible. The test scores from Fire Strike and Time Spy suggest that while it can run graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption, it may need to compromise on settings for optimal playability. The machine is more suited to less graphics-intensive games or older titles, as indicated by the Wild Life score. Thus, while the Mini IT12 can cater to casual gaming needs, it might not satisfy hardcore gamers seeking to play the latest games at high settings.
The Geekom Mini IT12 stands out as a well-rounded mini PC. Its ability to handle a range of tasks, from creative software to everyday office applications, along with its capability to provide a decent gaming experience, makes it a great choice for users seeking a compact yet powerful computing solution.
Performance: 3/5
Should you buy the Geekom Mini IT12?
If you're a creative professional or a user with intensive multitasking needs, the Geekom Mini IT12 is an excellent choice. Its powerful processor, coupled with upgradable and expandable memory and storage options, makes it ideal for applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, and any of the best Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives. However, if you're a hardcore gamer looking for a machine to handle the latest high-end games at maximum settings, you might want to explore options with dedicated graphics cards. For general office work, multimedia, and casual gaming, the Mini IT12 offers great value, making it a smart purchase for everyday users seeking a compact yet capable PC.
Value: Solid performance at a reasonable price. 4/5 Design: Compact, efficient, unobtrusive design. 4/5 Features: Versatile, with comprehensive connectivity and expansion options. 4/5 Performance: Strong in multitasking, moderate in gaming. 4/5 Total: Well-rounded, efficient for professionals and casual users. 4/5
