Geekom A9 Max Review: Is This Mini-PC the Ultimate Power-to-Cost Champion?

Amidst other Chinese companies like Beelink and NiPoGi, Geekom stands out in the mini-PC market with its extensive, generally affordable range of machines that are easily available, especially through a well-known online platform founded by Jeff Bezos.

Aside from the A9 Mega, which has yet to make its way to us, the A9 Max is Geekom’s most powerful and expensive model. It boasts the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor mentioned earlier, at least 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB NVMe SSD for expandable storage—all packed into a machine with less than 1-liter volume. Impressive, right?

Technical Specifications

The review was conducted with a product loaned by Geekom.

Compact and Clever Design

The A9 Max, albeit slightly larger than previous models due to the integration of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, maintains a compact size of less than 1 liter, precisely 0.83 liters.

Typically, Geekom utilizes a nearly square chassis measuring 135 mm in length and 132 mm in width, slightly larger than earlier models such as the Geekom Mini IT15. The thickness has also increased slightly, but the weight difference is more noticeable: just under 750 grams compared to just over 620 grams for the Mini IT15.

The A9 Max adopts Geekom’s classic design aesthetics with an aluminum body and a silver finish. The only embellishment is the brand’s logo in chromed letters on the top of the casing—subtle and without any flashy LEDs.

Impressive and Comprehensive Connectivity

One of the A9 Max’s strengths is its array of connections. Although it lacks a 10 GbE network connector, front-facing USB-C ports, or an OcuLink connector for an external graphics card, it excels in other areas.

The front panel features a line of four USB-A ports, which are especially handy for connecting accessories like game controllers. These ports support USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) and are complemented by two USB-C ports on the rear that support USB4 (40 Gbps) and include DisplayPort. Additionally, there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, two 2.5 GbE RJ45 network ports, and two more USB Type-A ports—one supporting USB 3.2 Gen 2 and the other a simpler USB 2.0.

The machine also includes a 3.5 mm combo audio jack on the front, a DC power connector on the back, and as a bonus, an SD card reader on the right side next to a Kensington lock on the left. Unlike some competitors, Geekom does not include a clear CMOS.

Accessories: Slim Pickings

As with most mini-PC manufacturers, accessories are sparse. The A9 Max comes with just a VESA mounting kit, a 1.8-meter HDMI cable, and a basic user manual. There are no extras like a network cable or spare rubber feet, although a compact 260-gram power brick is included.

Windows 11 Pre-installed… And That’s It

Like many mini-PCs, the A9 Max comes with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. The initial setup requires minimal effort, although we recommend disconnecting the network cable during startup to avoid automatic updates.

Once Windows is set up, it’s crucial to update Microsoft patches and AMD drivers for the chipset and CPU/GPU to ensure optimal performance.

Performance: How Does It Hold Up?

The A9 Max is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, a powerful APU with 12 CPU cores and a maximum frequency of 5.1 GHz, paired with a Radeon 890M iGPU. The machine also includes a Neural Processing Unit for AI tasks, supporting up to 50 TOPS of compute performance, all within a configurable TDP of 15 to 54 watts.

The general configuration supports the APU well, with 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and an expandable M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 slot. Storage is handled by a 2TB Lexar NQ7A1 SSD, and the machine supports up to four displays via HDMI and USB-C ports.

In terms of gaming, the A9 Max performs well at reasonable settings, managing playable frame rates in titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider at high detail. For productivity tasks, it also shows strong performance, although the 64GB of RAM in some competitor models might offer better results in certain scenarios.

Consumption and Heat

Despite its compact size, the A9 Max manages heat well thanks to its IceBlast 2.0 cooling system, which includes two large copper heat pipes and a high-efficiency fan. While the fan remains quiet under normal use, it can become noticeably louder under heavy load.

Price and Availability

The A9 Max is available on Geekom’s official site and platforms like Amazon. It is typically priced at around 999 euros, although it is often discounted during sales events.

The model reviewed here includes the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB SSD, with no other variants currently available.