Geekom A8 evaluation: Compact mini PC energy in a chic design

Greatest Costs In the present day: Geekom A8

Technical specs

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS (8 cores, 16 threads)
• Reminiscence: Micron 16 GB DDR5-5600, expandable to 64 GB
• Onerous drive: 1 TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD (Wodposit WPBSN4M8-1TGP)
• Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics 780M (built-in)
• Entrance ports: 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-A, 1 × 3.5 mm audio
• Rear ports: 1 × USB 4 (Kind-C), 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Kind-C), 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Kind-A), 1 × USB 2.0 (Kind-A), 2 × HDMI 2.0, 1 × 2.5G LAN
• Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Working system: Home windows 11 Professional pre-installed
• Dimensions: 112.4 × 112.4 × 37 mm (W × D × H)
• Equipment: VESA mount, HDMI cable, exterior energy provide

The marketplace for compact desktop options is growing quickly. With the Geekom A8, we now have a brand new machine that claims to exchange traditional tower PCs when it comes to workplace efficiency. Right here we’re testing the A8 in a configuration with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS, 16 GB DDR5 RAM and a 1 TB SSD. Let’s discover out if it might probably stay as much as that declare.

Geekom A8: Design

The chassis of the Geekom A8 is manufactured from aluminum alloy. The silver floor appears to be like elegant and is immune to fingerprints. In direct comparability to the bigger A9 Max fashions, the case seems considerably extra compact – it measures simply 112 x 112 x 37 millimeters (W × D × H).

Christoph Hoffmann

This makes the A8 flatter than rivals such because the Peladn WO4 or the Alliwava GH8. The rounded corners give the machine a contemporary look harking back to Apple merchandise.

Regardless of its small measurement, the mini PC seems strong. The gaps are exactly crafted. The producer’s brand is emblazoned on the highest. The facet panels are perforated for air circulation. There are rubberized toes on the underside to stop it from slipping on the desk. In addition they cowl the screws used to open the case. The workmanship is sweet, and every thing appears to be like as if it have been created from a single mould.

Christoph Hoffmann

The cooling system is exceptionally quiet beneath regular load. The fan is normally inaudible throughout easy workplace work. Below full load, it revs up audibly with out producing an annoying whistling noise. Warmth dissipation through the steel floor works nicely.

The included exterior energy provide continues to be compact.

Geekom A8: Options

The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS belongs to the Hawk Level era and is classed as a strong higher mid-range cell processor designed particularly for environment friendly multitasking, workplace workflows and productive purposes. The CPU was launched in early 2024 and provides eight cores and 16 threads, however not like the highest fashions, it intentionally does and not using a devoted NPU for AI acceleration.

The AMD Radeon 780M is a contemporary built-in graphics answer primarily based on the RDNA 3 structure, which is present in CPUs such because the Ryzen 7 8745HS and is appropriate for mainstream graphics duties and video games with low {hardware} necessities; It delivers considerably extra efficiency than older iGPUs, however nonetheless lags behind devoted graphics playing cards and is just really appropriate for e-sports titles, that are normally performed at decreased decision and low 3D settings.

Christoph Hoffmann

Given its compact design, the Geekom A8 surprises with its number of ports. On the entrance, there are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-A ports and a 3.5 mm jack for headphones and headsets. The flush-mounted energy button has an outlined strain level.

Christoph Hoffmann

The rear panel is densely populated: right here, customers will discover a USB4 port with as much as 40 Gbit/s. It additionally helps picture output and energy provide for exterior units. As well as, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports and one other USB-C port. The quick 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet connection (Realtek RTL8125) ensures secure community connections.

Christoph Hoffmann

Whereas cheaper fashions such because the Acemagic M1 usually skimp on USB pace, the A8 provides persistently quick ports.

For wi-fi connectivity, the mini PC depends on a MediaTek MT7922 (IEEE 802.11ax) Wi-Fi 6E module, which helps the 6 GHz band along with the two.4 and 5 GHz bands. This allows increased information charges, decrease latencies and a extra secure connection in closely utilized networks. Bluetooth 5.2 can be included within the wi-fi gear. This permits enter units, headsets and different equipment to be linked wirelessly.

The 16GB of RAM comes from Micron and is situated in a DDR5 SO-DIMM slot. Based on the producer, the RAM may be expanded to as much as 64GB of DDR5 RAM. This gives ample reserves for demanding multitasking eventualities, productive purposes and long-term use.

Christoph Hoffmann

A 2280-format M.2 SSD with PCIe 4.0 x4 connection from Wodposit (mannequin WPBSN4M8-1TGP) is used for information storage. It allows very excessive sequential switch charges and brief entry occasions, which has a constructive impact on each system begins and the loading of huge quantities of knowledge, noticeably dashing up the mini PC as an entire.

Christoph Hoffmann

Geekom A8: Working system

The Geekom A8 comes with a hardware-bound Home windows 11 license pre-installed, so no further activation is critical. While you change on the mini PC for the primary time, the Home windows setup wizard begins robotically. Throughout this setup, the primary system and safety updates are downloaded. However, it’s advisable to test for additional updates manually after the set up is full.

Christoph Hoffmann

Though Home windows 11 is mainly prepared to make use of as quickly as it’s delivered, the person should nonetheless set up drivers for secure and performance-optimised operation. Specifically, the most recent AMD drivers for the Radeon graphics unit and the chipset ought to be put in as quickly as doable. Each have a decisive affect on system stability, vitality effectivity and graphics efficiency.

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As well as, you’ll be able to test whether or not the function replace to Home windows 11 model 25H2 is already accessible and may be put in. This was the case for us. Amongst different issues, the replace incorporates security-related changes in addition to adjustments to system features and working system administration. An replace ensures that the system complies with the present assist and replace standing from Microsoft.

Geekom A8: Efficiency

On the coronary heart of the A8 is the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS processor. The eight cores clock at excessive pace and deal with multitasking duties with ease. The benchmarks clearly present the energy of this CPU: in PCMark 10, for instance, the system achieves a complete rating of 6,470 factors. The tiny machine is especially spectacular within the Necessities class with 9,912 factors and in Productiveness with 9,129 factors. Workplace purposes, browsing the online with dozens of tabs and video conferencing are not any drawback in any respect.

Christoph Hoffmann

The A8 achieves a stable 8,125 factors in digital content material creation. The A8 is ideally geared up for picture modifying in Adobe Photoshop or easy video modifying. The 16 GB DDR5 RAM ensures easy system operation.

For comparability: the Alliwava GH8 with AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS achieves nearly the identical consequence on this benchmark. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS within the Geekom A7 Max is just barely quicker.

Within the CPU-specific assessments of 3DMark, the processor scores 7,359 factors at most thread rely. This underlines its suitability for computationally intensive duties. The variations to the 2 mini PCs talked about above are much like these in PCMark 10.

Christoph Hoffmann

With regards to graphics efficiency, the Geekom A8’s built-in Radeon unit reaches its limits. It scores 1,877 factors within the Time Spy benchmark, which is just ten factors lower than the Geekom A7 Max.

The Metal Nomad Mild take a look at delivers a transparent sign with 12.41 FPS: this mini PC just isn’t a gaming machine. Even present blockbuster titles can solely be performed with tremendously decreased particulars and low decision. The estimated gaming efficiency normally stays under 30 FPS. Older e-sports titles comparable to League of Legends, then again, run easily.

In comparison with the Sapphire Edge AI 370 or the Minisforum AI-X1 Professional, the A8 ranks within the higher mid-range.

The dearth of an NPU is noticeable within the Geekbench AI scores: the system achieves 3,646 factors within the single precision rating. The costlier Max fashions are higher suited to specialised AI workflows.

Christoph Hoffmann

With learn speeds of over 7,160 MB/s and write speeds of 6,129 MB/s, the SSD delivers excessive switch charges. Applications begin with none noticeable delay. The system feels responsive and secure.

Christoph Hoffmann

Stress assessments present that the compact case reaches its bodily limits beneath extended full load. Though the Ryzen 7 8745HS briefly achieves very excessive increase clock speeds, after a couple of minutes of intensive computing, the system begins to barely throttle efficiency (thermal throttling) with a purpose to hold CPU temperatures inside a non-critical vary. Though the IceBlast cooling system is nicely optimized for brief efficiency peaks, you’ll be able to anticipate a efficiency drop of about 5 to 10 p.c in comparison with a chilly begin throughout hours of steady use.

Geekom A8: Power consumption & working noise

The Geekom A8 is sort of environment friendly total, nevertheless it takes its toll beneath load. When idle, the system consumes a modest 5 to 11 watts. Nevertheless, as quickly as full computing energy and Radeon graphics are required, consumption rises to a mean of 35 to 50 watts, with peaks of as much as 90 watts.

The included 120-watt energy provide is subsequently generously dimensioned and provides ample reserves to reliably energy linked USB 4 peripherals. Below full load, nevertheless, consumption is increased than that of straightforward workplace mini PCs.

The noise degree of the A8 is a compromise between measurement and efficiency. Whereas the PC runs nearly silently when performing easy duties comparable to browsing the Web, the fan curve spikes shortly beneath altering hundreds. This may result in audible fluctuations when background processes briefly demand CPU energy.

Below full load, the fan reaches ranges of as much as 45 to 55 dB(A). The noise is extra of a continuing hum with out high-frequency whistling. In a quiet working setting, the mini PC is clearly noticeable beneath load.

Is the Geekom A8 value it?

In testing, the Geekom A8 proved to be an especially versatile work laptop for personal use and the trendy house workplace. It handles typical on a regular basis duties comparable to workplace purposes, net analysis, video conferencing, picture modifying and multimedia playback with ease and with none noticeable delays. Because of its excessive system efficiency, the mini PC can be appropriate for extra demanding multitasking and productive workflows which are in any other case reserved for bigger desktop programs.

Naturally, limitations turn out to be obvious with graphics-intensive purposes. Customers who often render skilled 3D fashions, work on complicated CAD initiatives or need to play the most recent video games in 4K decision with excessive element ranges are higher off getting a system with a devoted graphics card. For the overwhelming majority of customers, nevertheless, the A8 is a compelling answer.

This text initially appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.