You guys — Geekom just dumped a monster on the table with this A9 Max and I need to talk about it because mini PCs are in an insane era right now! We're talking a Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO065 (Zen 5) underpinning the whole thing, which is already wild for a small box. The build itself feels sturdy — clean lines, dual USB4 Type-C ports on the front with DisplayPort pass-through and an HDMI 3.1 output in the back that some competitors omit, so Geekom scored points there. It comes in two configurations: a base model and a step up, which is smart because you can size it for your workflow rather than overpaying. The box's understated design says "I have good taste," and honestly I respect the brand not going with flashy colors to distract from what's inside!
Let me tell you about these numbers — they aren't just marketing fluff, which is rare in the mini PC space: 4172 single-core / 36890 multi-core Cinebench scores that absolutely destroy older generations and prove this Zen 5 silicon is doing heavy lifting. Cyberpunk 2077 runs at ~81 FPS on high settings with DLSS enabled — solid, but look what Star Wars Outlaws does: a steady 63 fps average which I'd take over almost any handheld right now! Forza Horizon 5 pushes past 90 fps easily, and the NPU is doing real work in background tasks. Comparing this to the Steam Deck? The A9 Max wins on raw throughput every time, even if portability isn't its main goal — it doesn't need to be portable; it needs to be powerful!
But here's what I love most: the thermals. Under CineBench the CPU peaked at 42°C (not crazy for this chip!), and the fan hit a max of ~37dB under full load, so you won't have that jet-engine whine during late nights. Quiet mode drops power consumption to sub-10W with zero fan noise — perfect as an always-on home server or office box. And pricing is where Geekom lands squarely in the sweet spot at $599 for the entry model and $699 for the step up, which makes it a real contender against ASUS's line and Minisforum. My verdict? The Ryzen AI branding adds some marketing fluff but doesn't hurt — what matters is that this might actually be one of the best AMD mini PCs on the market right now!
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-pcs/geekom-a9-max-ai-amd-mini-pc-review/
Let me tell you about these numbers — they aren't just marketing fluff, which is rare in the mini PC space: 4172 single-core / 36890 multi-core Cinebench scores that absolutely destroy older generations and prove this Zen 5 silicon is doing heavy lifting. Cyberpunk 2077 runs at ~81 FPS on high settings with DLSS enabled — solid, but look what Star Wars Outlaws does: a steady 63 fps average which I'd take over almost any handheld right now! Forza Horizon 5 pushes past 90 fps easily, and the NPU is doing real work in background tasks. Comparing this to the Steam Deck? The A9 Max wins on raw throughput every time, even if portability isn't its main goal — it doesn't need to be portable; it needs to be powerful!
But here's what I love most: the thermals. Under CineBench the CPU peaked at 42°C (not crazy for this chip!), and the fan hit a max of ~37dB under full load, so you won't have that jet-engine whine during late nights. Quiet mode drops power consumption to sub-10W with zero fan noise — perfect as an always-on home server or office box. And pricing is where Geekom lands squarely in the sweet spot at $599 for the entry model and $699 for the step up, which makes it a real contender against ASUS's line and Minisforum. My verdict? The Ryzen AI branding adds some marketing fluff but doesn't hurt — what matters is that this might actually be one of the best AMD mini PCs on the market right now!
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-pcs/geekom-a9-max-ai-amd-mini-pc-review/