Pro Tech Radar

Mini PCs like this shows why your traditional desktop PC is going the way of the Dodo — Geekom’s latest powerhouse has eight USB ports, can drive four 4K monitors and has two 2.5GbE LAN ports

September 26, 2024
admin

Click here to visit Original posting

Geekom makes some of our favorite mini PCs, including the new Mini Air12 Lite, which features a 9-pin port on the front that could be useful for DIY projects. At IFA 2024, the Taiwanese tech maker unveiled a selection of new mini PCs, most notably the impressive GT1 Mega. Measuring just 135 x 132 x 47mm, with a sub-1-liter volume, this device packs powerful hardware and extensive connectivity options, making it a genuine alternative to many desktop PCs.

Powered by Intel's Meteor Lake mobile CPUs, the GT1 Mega comes with either a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or the higher-end 16-core Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, both of which are capable of handling some pretty demanding tasks. The system supports up to 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM through dual SODIMM slots and offers storage options of up to 2TB via an M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 slot. If that's not quite enough, an additional terabyte can be added through the M.2 2242 SATA slot.

GT1 Mega comes with Intel Arc graphics (8 cores) and while the mini PC's chassis doesn't accommodate discrete graphics cards or offer an OCuLink connector, a USB 4 port allows for eGPU support if you need a bit more oomph in the graphics department. There's also an AI Boost NPU for hardware-accelerated AI performance.

USB ports galore

Connectivity is the standout feature of the GT1 Mega. The mini PC boasts eight USB ports: four USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports on the front, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, one USB 2.0 Type-A port, and two USB4 Type-C ports capable of 40 Gbps data transfer and video output. It also includes two HDMI 2.0 ports, dual 2.5GbE Ethernet ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card reader. Wireless connectivity is provided by Intel's BE200 module, supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

The GT1 Mega can drive up to four 4K displays and supports 8K resolution, making it suitable for multi-monitor setups and high-resolution tasks, like photo and video editing, . This, combined with its compact form factor, makes it an attractive option for users needing extensive display support without the bulk of a traditional desktop.

Pricing starts at $899 for the Intel Core Ultra 7 model with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The higher-end version with the Core Ultra 9, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD is priced at $999, with shipping expected October. Geekom plans a lower-priced model featuring a Core Ultra 5 125H processor, but there's no word on when that will be added to the lineup.

More from TechRadar Pro