GMKTec NucBox K9: 30-second overview
The GMKtec K9 mini PC targets customers looking for the facility of a desktop pc in a compact, moveable type. Despite its small dimension, it boasts spectacular processing and graphics capabilities.
If you are on the lookout for the best mini PCs, this one is right for inventive duties akin to video enhancing, images, intensive workplace functions, and gaming. With the flexibility to increase inner storage and RAM far past most rivals, it is a versatile alternative for varied demanding makes use of.
One of the standout options of the K9 is its expandability. It contains twin LAN ports and a USB4 port, which permit for supercharging with an eGPU or further large-format storage. However, it faces competitors from the GMKtec K8, an almost similar machine that includes the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (8 cores, 16 threads) and Radeon 780M. The K9 represents the Intel equal, mirroring the K8’s design however powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H CPU and Intel Arc Graphics.
The K9’s construct high quality is respectable, with a silver-coated plastic end that feels barely low-cost, although the massive cooling grates and button detailing add a contact of high quality. The inner structure is much like the K8, providing twin M.2 slots and dual-channel RAM for simple upgrades. The base configuration contains 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM, however energy customers can improve to 4TB of inner SSD and 96GB of RAM.
Accessing the interior parts for upgrades requires prying off the highest plate and unscrewing the fan plate, a course of that entails some stress and leverage. Once inside, customers can simply add or substitute {hardware} parts to reinforce efficiency.
Thanks to the Intel Ultra 5 125H processor, the K9’s efficiency in on a regular basis use is spectacular. Office functions run easily, and inventive packages like Photoshop and Da Vinci Resolve profit from the system’s sturdy capabilities. However, like most Mini PCs, the K9 struggles barely with gaming. While it performs properly in decreased settings, it would not match the graphics energy of devoted desktop PCs.
When evaluating the K9 with the K8, the selection boils right down to the choice between Intel and AMD. The K8’sgraphics efficiency edges out barely, whereas the K9 excels in processing velocity. Both machines are extremely highly effective and succesful, making both a strong alternative relying on particular wants and model loyalty. In abstract, the GMKtec K9 is a strong, expandable, and versatile Mini PC that holds its personal in varied demanding eventualities, making it a powerful contender within the mini PC market.
Check out our GMKtec NucBox K8 review and GMKtec NucBox K6 review to see how the K9 compares.
GMKtec NucBox K9: Price and availability
- How a lot does it price? From $800
- When is it out? Available now
- Where are you able to get it? Directly from GMKtec or Amazon.com
The K9 reviewed begins at $800 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB HD with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. Additionally, an Intel i7 13260H possibility with the identical RAM and storage choices is offered for $100 much less. In the UK, the Ultra 5 125H mannequin is priced at £630, whereas the i7 mannequin prices £551.
You can get it straight from the official GMKtec web site by clicking here.
GMKtec NucBox K9: Specs
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| CPU: | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (14 cores, 18 threads) |
| GPU: | Intel ARC Graphics 112EU iGPU |
| RAM: | 32GB Dual DDR5 5600MHz (expandable as much as 96GB) |
| Storage: | 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 |
| Expansion: | 1x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 |
| Front Ports: | USB4, two USB 3.2 Gen 2, 3.5 mm combo audio jack |
| Rear Ports: | Two USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, two 2.5G Ethernet ports |
| Networking: | 2x 2.5GbE LAN, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| OS: | Windows 11 Pro (pre-installed) |
| Dimensions: | 123 x 111 x 43 (mm) |
GMKtec NucBox K9: Design
There’s no doubting the fashionable aesthetics of the K9, that are similar to the K8. However, it suffers from the identical design points highlighted within the K8 overview. While the design is agreeable, for a machine of this value, the next specification steel casing could be anticipated slightly than the metallic-finished plastic used. Nevertheless, the general feel and appear are pleasing, albeit barely cheaper than some competitor fashions. The huge distinction between the 2 machines is the swap from the AMD chipset to Intel.
Access to the inside {hardware} is comparatively simple. No instruments are required to pry off the highest plate, revealing the small cooling fan. The fan plate itself is held in place by 4 small screws. A slight skirmish is required to carry this plate away, and the mainboard connector to the fan must be unplugged earlier than clear entry to the interior parts will be correctly reached.
Inside, the structure is spacious and neat, permitting loads of airflow by way of the system with the 2 giant grilled vents on both aspect. On one aspect are the 2 PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots and SODIMM DDR5 reminiscence slots, which in our overview pattern featured two 16GB Crucial DDR5 5600 modules, giving a complete of 32GB, upgradeable to 96GB—one of many largest capacities of any Mini PC. Opposite the RAM slots are the Dual M.2 slots, with one stuffed with a 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD, expandable to 2 2TB modules. Under the RAM is the WiFi 6 (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) and Bluetooth 5.2 card, providing improve choices for future compatibility.
The standard array of ports is on the back and front of the machine. In a barely odd transfer, the USB4 port is solely on the entrance alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 2 and a typical 3.5mm audio port. At the again are a DP v1.4 (4K@144Hz), HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), two RJ45 LAN (2.5Gbps), a Kensington lock, and the DC energy socket.
The total design is neat, however it does really feel like the facility of the chipset and potential of the machine are barely underplayed, with solely a single USB4 port on the entrance and a less-than-refined route into the machine for upgrades.
GMKtec NucBox K9: Hardware
The GMKtec K9 Mini PC is designed for energy customers looking for a compact computing resolution with future expandability each internally and thru related {hardware}. At its core is likely one of the newest Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processors, boasting 14 cores and 18 threads, able to reaching as much as 4.50 GHz.
Accompanying the CPU is the Intel Arc Graphics 112EU iGPU, constructed on the 10 nm course of and based mostly on the Meteor Lake GT1 graphics processor, supporting DirectX 12. This mixture allows customers to run demanding functions like video and picture enhancing. Further enhancing the CPU and GPU capabilities is IIntel’sAI Boost know-how, which makes use of each the CPU and GPU relying on the workload. This know-how is appropriate with OpenVINO, Windows ML, DirectML, and ONNX RT.
For energy customers, the K9 is provided with 32GB of DDR5 dual-channel RAM operating at 5600MHz, expandable as much as 96GB utilizing newly launched 48GB RAM modules. The included 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD affords loads of storage, with twin slot enlargement permitting for a most of 4TB inner storage.
Connectivity is powerful. The entrance has a USB4 port, which is Thunderbolt 4 appropriate and allows a most switch velocity of 40 Gbps. Although the place on the entrance is barely odd, it’s nonetheless useful. Alongside the USB4 port, there are two extra USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the entrance and one other two on the again.
Networking choices are plentiful, with twin 2.5Gbps LAN ports, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. The means to attach as much as three shows is a good characteristic, with the USB4 port providing as much as 8K@60Hz, plus DisplayPort and HDMI choices. Again, the positioning of the USB4 port on the entrance slightly than the again is barely uncommon.
GMKtec NucBox K9: Performance
| Mini PC | Header Cell – Column 1 | GMKtec K9 | GMKtec K8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS |
| RAM | Row 1 – Cell 1 | 32GB DDR5 (2x16GB) | 32GB DDR5 (2x16GB) |
| Storage | Row 2 – Cell 1 | 1TB NVMe | 1TB NVMe |
| Graphics | Row 3 – Cell 1 | Intel ARC Graphics 112EU iGPU | Radeon 780M |
| 3DMark | WildLife | 18016 | 16149 |
| Row 5 – Cell 0 | FireStrike | 6805 | 7664 |
| Row 6 – Cell 0 | TimeSpy | 3271 | 3102 |
| CineBench23 | Single | 1703 | 1764 |
| Row 8 – Cell 0 | Multi | 12685 | 15691 |
| GeekBench | Single | 2231 | 1957 |
| Row 10 – Cell 0 | Multi | 10863 | 11864 |
| Row 11 – Cell 0 | OpenCL | 26437 | 34563 |
| CrystalDisk | Read MB/s | 7036 | 5105 |
| Row 13 – Cell 0 | Write MB/s | 6628 | 4390 |
| PCMark 10 | Office | 6410 | 7396 |
| WEI | Row 15 – Cell 1 | 8.1 | 8.2 |
In setup, the GMKtec K9 is a neat machine that takes up a small quantity of desktop area or, for the last word space-saving resolution, will be VESA mounted. While the machine is properly laid out for essentially the most half, with loads of area for cables and helpful front-facing ports for shortly attaching drives and equipment, a further USB4 port on the again could be a superb increase to the connectivity efficiency.
Powering the machine on for the primary time requires the same old Windows 11 Pro setup, which takes round 5 minutes earlier than the complete energy of the machine will be explored. Starting out with the 1TB inner SSD immediately units the tempo for the machine, with CrystalDiskMark displaying learn speeds of 7036.31MB/s and write speeds of 6628.35MB/s. These excessive speeds guarantee quick file transfers, particularly for giant video and 3D information, and in addition make sure the continued clean operating of the machine.
In GeekBench testing, the K9 achieves a single-core rating of 10863 and a multi-core rating of 2231. This excessive single-core efficiency is right for functions that depend on sturdy per-core processing energy, akin to Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. Meanwhile, the respectable multi-core rating highlights the flexibility to deal with multi-threaded functions like Adobe Lightroom and DaVinci Resolve. When it got here to video enhancing, a Samsung 8TB SSD was utilised to spice up the storage and related by way of the USB4 with nice impact.
The K9 additionally performs properly with the PCMark benchmark, scoring 6410. This rating reveals the machine’s means to deal with a number of functions without delay, permitting you to change between digital content material creation, workplace duties, and a few informal gaming.
CineBench outcomes additional present the strengths, with a single-core rating of 1703 and a multi-core rating of 12685. These scores spotlight respectable rendering capabilities, that are obvious when enhancing in DaVinci and bulk exporting from Lightroom.
The 3DMark Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmarks present perception into the K9’sgraphic efficiency. The total Fire Strike rating of 6805, with particular scores of 7358 in graphics, 22141 in physics, and 2615 in mixed exams, reveals that whereas the K9 is able to dealing with trendy video games at average settings, akin to Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Similarly, within the Time Spy benchmark, the K9 scores 3271 total, with 2945 in graphics and a powerful 8804 in CPU efficiency. These outcomes present that the K9 can deal with graphically intensive duties and a few gaming, which was definitely true in real-world exams.
The Wild Life benchmark rating of 18016 helps the Mini PPC’s capabilities for video enhancing and average gaming. When it involves operating Windows and related functions, the Windows Experience Index rating of 8.1 reveals that it is a respectable all-around machine for workplace and residential use.
In real-world use, the K9 performs exceptionally properly with a variety of software program. Microsoft Office functions run easily, enabling you to change from one utility to a different with ease and no slowdown. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom deal with giant information and sophisticated edits with none important lag, with alternatives and drawing instruments working easily. Video enhancing in Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve is equally spectacular, with the K9 rendering timelines shortly and managing results easily for 4K video. If you are seeking to produce longer productions or complicated edits, then boosting the interior storage and RAM could be a good suggestion.
Although not overly resource-intensive, 3D printing functions like Formlabs PreForm and Ultimaker Cura work exceptionally properly, and laser-cutting software program akin to Lightburn runs easily. The machine connects to laser engravers with ease.
When it involves gaming, the K9 delivers good efficiency with trendy titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, albeit at decreased settings. At the identical time, the K9 could not compete with the graphics energy of devoted gaming desktops, however it’s ok for infrequent gaming enjoyable.
The GMKtec K9 Mini PC is designed as a strong and expandable Mini PC for the office or house workplace and excels in productiveness and inventive functions. The ease of enlargement additionally signifies that it’s comparatively future-proof and may give you years of use. The benchmark scores and versatile efficiency make it an important alternative for many workplace and inventive functions, though the high-end gaming efficiency is extra modest.
Overall, the K9 is a good alternative for a variety of makes use of, from common computing to inventive tasks and average gaming. When it involves a side-by-side comparability with the AMD K8, the 2 machines are intently aligned. The K9 simply has the sting in the case of gaming and Microsoft Office, whereas the K8 pushes ahead with inventive duties akin to video, images, and 3D.
GMKtec NucBox K9: Final verdict
The GMKtec K9 Mini PC is a good machine with loads of potential. It affords a flexible possibility if you’re on the lookout for a strong but compact desktop pc. The K9 options spectacular processing energy, in depth expandability, and a sensible design that make it ideally suited for a variety of functions, from workplace duties to inventive tasks.
However, whereas this machine is highly effective, its gaming efficiency and plastic construct could solely fulfill some. Although the plastic construct may not really feel premium, it nonetheless stays sturdy.
The K9 has many factors going for it. At the highest of the record are its energy and upgradability, that are past the scope of a lot of the competitors. Overall, it’s a nice machine, making it a troublesome determination between this and the AMD K8 model.
Should I purchase a GMKtec NucBox K9?
| Value | Good efficiency and expandability at a aggressive value | 4/5 |
| Design | Compact and glossy, however the plastic construct feels low-cost | 4/5 |
| Features | Excellent expandability and connectivity choices. | 4/5 |
| Performance | Strong CPU efficiency however restricted in high-end gaming. | 4/5 |
| Overalls | A strong, versatile Mini PC with minor drawbacks. | 4/5 |