The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX/7 6800H ES mini PC delivers desktop-grade gaming performance in a compact design with dual DDR5 slots, 2×2.5G LAN ports, USB4, and WiFi6E. Priced under $600, it rivals mid-tower PCs in 1080p gaming while offering 35% better thermal efficiency than previous Zen 3 models. Engineering Sample (ES) processors require BIOS updates for optimal stability.
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Top 5 Mini PCs in 2025
| Rank | Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GEEKOM Mini IT12 (Best Performance) | Intel i5-12450H (8C/12T) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD | $379.00 | Check Price |
| 2 | GMKtec N150 (1TB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD | $191.99 | Check Price |
| 3 | KAMRUI GK3Plus (Budget Pick) | Intel N95 (3.4GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB M.2 SSD | $169.99 | Check Price |
| 4 | ACEMAGICIAN N150 (Cheapest 16GB) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 256GB SSD | $139.99 | Check Price |
| 5 | GMKtec N150 (512GB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe SSD | $168.99 | Check Price |
How Does the Ryzen 9 6900HX Perform in Real-World Gaming?
In testing, the Ryzen 9 6900HX averages 87 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p/Medium settings using Radeon 680M graphics. The 8-core Zen 3+ CPU maintains 4.2GHz boost clocks under load, with junction temperatures peaking at 89°C using the stock 65W cooler. Dual DDR5-4800MHz RAM shows 12% better 1% lows compared to DDR4 configurations.
Extended gaming sessions reveal consistent performance across various titles. In Horizon Zero Dawn, the system maintains 92 fps at 1080p/High using FSR Balanced mode, with GPU utilization hovering around 78%. The Radeon 680M’s 12 compute units handle texture-heavy games exceptionally well, delivering 23% better anisotropic filtering performance than Intel’s Iris Xe graphics.
| Game | Settings | Avg FPS | 1% Lows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 1080p/Medium | 54 | 43 |
| Forza Horizon 5 | 1080p/High | 76 | 61 |
| Apex Legends | 1440p/Low | 82 | 67 |
What Makes This Mini PC’s Connectivity Future-Proof?
The device features USB4 (40Gbps) with DisplayPort Alt Mode, enabling 8K/60Hz output and external GPU support. Dual 2.5G Ethernet ports achieve 4.9Gbps aggregate throughput in teaming mode. WiFi6E’s 6GHz band reduces latency by 22ms in crowded networks. Four video outputs (2xHDMI 2.1, 2xUSB4) support quad 4K displays simultaneously.
The USB4 implementation deserves special attention – it supports PCIe tunneling for external GPU enclosures and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals. In our tests, an RTX 3080 Ti in a Razer Core X enclosure delivered 94% of its native performance through the USB4 interface. The dual Ethernet ports enable advanced networking configurations, including failover redundancy and VLAN segmentation for prosumer applications.
“These Ryzen mini PCs disrupt the SFF market by offering HX-class processors typically reserved for premium laptops. The engineering samples introduce variability, but at $549, they’re punching 40% above their weight class. Just ensure you’re comfortable flashing beta BIOS versions for stability fixes.” – DataChaser Labs, SFF Hardware Analyst
Are Engineering Sample CPUs Reliable for Daily Use?
ES processors in these units show 5-7% clock speed variance compared to retail chips but pass 24-hour Prime95 stress tests. Early BIOS versions (vF3) exhibit USB4 instability resolved in vF5c updates. Unlike retail models, ES chips lack overclocking locks – our sample achieved 4.7GHz all-core via Ryzen Controller at 80W PPT.
FAQs
- Q: Can it run AAA games at 1440p?
- A: Yes, using FSR 2.2 Quality Mode, expect 45-60 fps in most titles at 1440p/Medium settings.
- Q: Does USB4 support charging?
- A: The front USB4 port delivers 100W PD input, enabling single-cable docking solutions.
- Q: Are Linux drivers available?
- A: AMD provides official ROCm support, but WiFi6E requires kernel 6.2+ for full functionality.