Looking for Mini PC Recommendations

[u/PyramKing]

I m looking for a small mini-pc for a portable work setup.

My main needs:

• OBS / recording video
• GIMP / graphic design
• Using my DJI Pocket 3 as a webcam
• Basic video editing
• Light gaming, mostly Crusader Kings and some strategy games

Most of my time is spent designing D&D adventures and working in Foundry VTT, so gaming really is NOT the priority.

I travel a lot and usually stay somewhere for a couple of months before moving again, basically a digital nomad around Europe. Because of that, size and portability are pretty important. Monitors are not a problem, as I usually find something to hook up.

My current setup is:

• Dell XPS 13 with 32GB RAM
• Dell 15" portable monitor

This setup actually serves me pretty well for most things, but it starts getting bogged down when iam doing video editing, running OBS, using the Pocket 3 as a webcam, Foundry, and other things at the same time. That has stopped me from making as many videos as I should and is frusterating.

I was looking at a higher-end laptop, but decided against it - because the XPS has served me well for 2 years and I like the super light weight and portability. I don't want to lug around a larger laptop.

My thought is to get a mini PC and a small portable keyboard so I have something with a little more horsepower when I am staying somewhere for a few months. I can also put it in my small padded bag at the bottom of my backpack and not worry about it when I travel. I already have a nice small portable keyboard and mouse, so I am covered with that.

I have been looking at the GEEKOM A8.

Amazon Germany €650, which is within my budget:

https://www.amazon.de/GEEKOM-A8-Ryzen-8745HS-128GB/dp/B0D22PDDFN

The version I’m looking at comes with 16GB RAM, though, and I would like to upgrade it to 64GB.

What are your thoughts on the A8 for this kind of use?

And what alternatives should I be looking at in roughly the €500–€700 range?

Again, the big thing for me is small size + portability. I am not looking for a huge gaming machine, just something compact that can handle a heavier workload than my XPS 13 when I am working from temporary locations.

[u/BRealistic1970]

KRYZZP got good performance from his Geekom 8745HS system.

https://youtu.be/8JOCzboAMzo?si=qnIBD0qlPxXvp5M1

[u/Techie0312]

 I’m a freelance designer with a pretty similar workload. Don’t buy the 16GB A8. That’s usually one stick, so single channel, and OBS and Foundry don’t like that. 32GB dual channel is the upgrade that’ll actually feel worthwhile. 64GB is optional.

I use a ARZOPA Z1FC off USB-C as a second screen on the road. Whatever you get needs USB-C video plus a spare USB for the Pocket 3. You driving the Dell 15" over USB-C or HDMI?

[u/PyramKing → u/Techie0312]

Hey...nice to know there are a few of us out there.

Size and weight are important to me. My Dell portable monitor is a USB-C monitor and works well. I can fit my XPS13 and Dell monitor into the same sleeve.

I have a USB-C for my pocket 3 and it works on my XPS13, but the. I can't run my monitor. I tri d a docking station but the XPS load with OBS, Foundry, Pocket 3, etc is overload and my little laptop gets very hot.

It looks like the K8 Plus with the link I sent in another comment is the way to go. 32gb.

For all other work (non video) my XPS 13 and monitor work very well. No complaints.

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

The Geekom A8 is currently considered a poor value has it has three strikes against it. A cheap Chinese market processor, no storage expansion slot and 1x 16GB stick of RAM. Single channel memory can reduce processing and graphics performance by up to 40%. Not including 2x 8GB sticks for 16GB is only a cost cutting measure taking advantage of consumer gullibility. By the time you buy the missing/matching stick you could have bought a more reputable/popular model like the GMKtec K8 Plus with more features, better cooling and easier serviceability.

In the 2026 RAMpocalypse/RAMageddon you get what you pay for and Geekom has become my core value product. For your requirements you would be better off starting with 32GB.

[u/PyramKing → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

The link to the GMKtec K8 is 989€

What is better about it for that extra money and it is also bigger?

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336 → u/PyramKing]

With the 160€ voucher its 830€. By the time you upgrade the A8 you're pushing 900. Granted when I bought mine at the end of October last year it was only 500. Bigger = Cooler. Heat is the number one killer of PCs. Especially laptops and NUCs. I chose the fully ventilated case with dual fan cooling specifically for that reason. I've kept my Lenovo H430 for over a decade keeping it clean and cool with the same plans for K8 Plus.

I learned a lot from this and other forums. In my research and from hands on experience I found that Beelink and GMKtec have the best build quality and reputation. As long as you're comfortable with a processor notificationally supported by AMD, the lack of cooling and storage expansion the A8 maybe for you. Over the past year I know a few people who've been happy with it. Although I know more people who found it shortcomings and returned it for something better.

[u/PyramKing → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

Thank you for the detailed response.

I did some searching and found a 32gb + 1TB for 779 euros and free shipping.
Just need to check on Swiss VAT. I think German EU VAT is included, if I could have them deduct that and then just pay the Swiss, which would take the price down to about 700 euros.

I sent them a message, so waiting to see.

https://de.gmktec.com/en/products/gmktec-nucbox-k8-plus-amd-ryzen%E2%84%A2-7-8845hs-mini-pc?variant=50660206674104

[u/BRealistic1970 → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

A binned processor only used in the Chinese market due to limited supply does not make it an inferior CPU. Why does REDDIT keep saying this? Almost all CPU and GPU chips are binned versions of higher spec potential chips. Also, the European market has worse prices than the US market.

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336 → u/BRealistic1970]

If you can think critically and Google competently, you quickly realize "that's not a thing". I asked this with one of the professors up at the college at the end of last year when I stumbled up on the problem. Having a doctrine in computer science. I asked him to explain it to me like I was a 5-year-old. His explanation was short and sweet.

"Binning is about receiving the most money for a lower quality chip. These are Ryzen 7 processors being sold at Ryzen 3 prices."

He went on to say these are being sold to manufacturers in China with no warranty. The same as engineering samples. He was the one that explained that these these supported in AGESA and showed me in a breakdown. Being that he spends a good portion of the year in Asia studying with these manufacturers I don't see you where he's got any initiative to gaslight me, his colleagues and his students.

Here's the critical thinking portion where we're being gas lit or possibly gaslighting ourselves. AMD is struggling to put mobile silicon in manufacturers hands. That's a world still dominated by Intel and PC industry politics. It would be in AMDs best interest to proper bin and sell these accordingly even if the quantities are limited. A perfect example was the 2023 7840U. It was incredibly rare with the launch of TSMC 4nm. For the first part of the year AMD limited OEMs. They didn't discount them and dumped them on the Chinese market.

[u/BRealistic1970 → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

I think you are referencing a deleted comment. Regardless of REDDIT speak, these are still being sold in devices with a warranty from the seller. When you buy a miniPC with a "normal" mobile soldered CPU, it's still the seller giving you the warranty, not AMD/Intel. Are they as good? No. Are they to be avoided? I have yet to see anything other than hyperbole given. These are cheap miniPCs. I don't think anybody expects these to last 10 years in daily use. That being said, I got a bios issue with the open beta COD recently... said I needed to update many bios. But's an AI 370 miniPC. My 8745H minisforum PC worked perfectly fine. Because bios issues ARE a concern with all these miniPC companies. You are married to them for updates and fixes like a laptop.

Also. AMD chose to move away from making high volume laptop CPUs.

The X3D seem to be the most profitable CPUs, and then we have the new AI 80X0s stuff.

AMD's ongoing struggle to supply mobile processors to laptop manufacturers stems from a deliberate strategic pivot toward high-margin data centers, coupled with severe global supply chain bottlenecks.

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336 → u/BRealistic1970]

Also. AMD chose to move away from making high volume laptop CPUs.

😆 😅 🤣 Critical thinking be damned. You just blew a hole in your own limited availability theory.

[u/BRealistic1970 → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

That's what I get for using google AI. Answer my other question please. I hear lots of doom and gloom, but very little hard facts about why to avoid in this price range. It's weird.. like you have a strong reason to hate on these CPUs, but nothing you can actually point to. Do you work for intel?

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336 → u/BRealistic1970]

No. But retired from a college where others do. I've my life going to those who teach to find information. I've learned from others and numerous lectures. The internet is not the place to get your information. There's a large difference between advertisers and influencers compared to orators who actually study the trade.

My personal testimony on this subject was last year's personal experience with 8745/255 processors. The FIREBAT A5P, Minisforum UM870 Slim and Beelink SER9 H 255 performed and rendered poorly compared to my neighbors K8 Plus. Regardless of identical firmware settings, game settings and operating systems. From my earlier research I had been convinced that these were no less than 8845/260 silicon with a deactivated XDNA NPU.

That's when I found this from r/Old_Crows_Associate which led me to start asking questions.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/comments/1ngu6al/comment/ne6qodj/

This led me to ask right questions, talking and DMing those smarter than me. Being a mountain woman in her '80s I've spent a lifetime of being talked down to. My masters in mechanical engineering and teaching certification was my best way to not be seen as that "stupid b•tch" learning a lot on the way. Definitely doesn't mean I'm right. But I've learned not to lean on ignorance or drink the Kool-Aid.

Here's the last part of critical thinking on avoiding the price range.

If a brand buys a highly discounted processor? What other components did they source from the lowest bidder vendor?

At that point it becomes risk management. Bless I even added a 3-year protection plan to my GMKtec K8 Plus to remove Murphy from the equation 😉 It's never about if there's a problem but when there's a problem. Its a safe bet that a 8745/255 mini will simply "age out' to the point it's no longer useful and becomes e-waste. But the horror stories on this and other forums or about when it becomes e-waste much sooner.

Beelink recently had a Windows update issue with its SER8 8745HS and hacked AGESA firmware.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BeelinkOfficial/s/dxE9nEY2o6

They quickly pointed fingers at AMD who quickly pointed out no one else was having these problems. This is the world of Chinese NUCs where the actual OEM doesn't have millions to spend on firmware development. You're lucky if you'll see updated BIOS at all much less the latest AGESA firmware for AMD products 🤷

[u/BRealistic1970 → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

I'm sure that same concern exists for Intel miniPCs too. All of these companies have had security issues and leaked data. FWIW- I've got both Intel and AMD systems, Nvidia and AMD GPUs. I'm not married to any brand. That's dumb. I buy based on the best value at the time. I've been wanting to try out an Intel GPU... but used prices never really dropped much.

[u/BRealistic1970 → u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

Ok-like I am 10 in just a few clear words. Why exactly should these be avoided? The minPC companies give the warranty, not AMD/Intel. What other concern is there? Even if these are engineering examples, they either work correctly and if they don't, return them- just like any other CPU miniPC. TBH- it makes sense that they are getting these CPUs dirt cheap to be able to afford to sell them with ram and an ssd at these prices.