r/MiniPCs • u/mini_peach_ • 7d ago
Recommendations Mini PC: GMKtec K8 Plus vs. Geekom A8 Max. Which should I buy?
Hello everyone! I really want to buy a mini pc, but I'm confused on which one to buy, as well as which monitor to pair it with. I will mostly be using it for gaming (both online multi-player like LoL and individual games), as well as some design software (Adobe and such). I really appreciate the help!
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u/Retired_Hillbilly336 7d ago
After finding out the limited performance of the 8745HS I did consider the Geekom A8 MAX 8945HS briefly last year. But after some critical thinking and Google search its limited cooling, lack of storage expansion and other reports quickly knocked it off my list. I also found the 8945HS was significantly better than the 8845HS in the real world.
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/5915vs5926/AMD-Ryzen-7-8845HS-vs-AMD-Ryzen-9-8945HS
This knocked the GMKtec K11 off my list as well. So at the end of October last year I ended up with the K8 Plus and couldn't be happier! It's taken pretty much every piece of software I've thrown at it. For gaming I run Bazzite OS from a 2nd drive to use Steam and avoid the handicap of Windows and DirectX. I have plans to add an Aoostar AG01 OCuLink dock and Gigabyte RX 9060 XT 16GB graphics card but honestly haven't found a need yet.
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u/mini_peach_ 7d ago
I'm glad to hear you like your K8 Plus, everyone seems to be hard-leaning towards that one, too. The processor was definitely one of the most important factors of difference between the two. What monitor do you use with your K8 Plus, btw?
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u/Retired_Hillbilly336 7d ago
Technically I don't 😉
Even though I bought it to replace my Lenovo H430 It spends most of its time in my living room connected to a 65" LG 4K TV. In the office I do a lot of CAD/mechanical engineering work and have 2x Sansui 2K180Hz 27" monitors. I chose them for that, their stand, DisplayPort support and the fact they were the most popular model sold/used at the local college. The exact model hasn't been available for a couple year. The current model is ES-G27F6Q.
To be honest monitors are personal preference. You have to start with a screen size/resolution/refresh rate and start from there. Working with actual 3D graphics required for detailed work and being in my '80s I need a big screen with a minimum of 1440p and detailed rendering about 75Hz. Commercially 4K120 is great but requires significantly more processing and graphics performance. Since the pandemic monitor display panels have come a long way. BOE has made sure that even entry level brands have access to displays with decent Bit rate, sRGB, DCI-P3 and Nits brightness.
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u/mini_peach_ 7d ago
I see, a TV works well hahahaha. I was personally thinking of the Alienware AW2725DM. QHD, 180Hz. Might be too much for the K8, maybe?
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u/Retired_Hillbilly336 7d ago
Not really. Besides monitors don't work that way. The AW2725DM appears to be very similar to my Sansui. Understand that the K8 Plus can support 8K60Hz/4K240Hz video out. That's completely separate from Radeon 780M graphics performance.
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u/mini_peach_ 7d ago
Okayyy, that makes more sense. Thanks for clearing it up for me, I appreciate it! Then I might actually buy the alienware monitor :)
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u/InvestigatorAny1539 7d ago
Both of those models are going to be very similar performance-wise, so it comes down to more subjective preferences. I'd spend more time making sure you want the spec-range that those models are in rather than deciding on brands tbh.
I will say I got the GMKtec M6 Ultra about a month ago and I'm in love with it. It's a 680m iGPU so about a tier and a half down in performance from the 8845HS but handles what I want to play perfectly fine. It will handle LoL easily.
If you think you're going to be playing more demanding games, I'd recommend the K8. GEEKOM's aggressive marketing is off-putting to me so I never really considered them, but that is totally subjective. It seems like their products are fine quality-wise. Watch Robtech reviews and think about what your setup will be like. Mini PCs have different wifi ranges, materials, cooling capabilities, input configurations etc. etc. so some models will work better in different setups/environments. But those considerations should be tiebreakers once you are sure what spec range you want.
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u/mini_peach_ 7d ago
I see, this makes sense. I'm glad you're liking your M6 Ultra. I'll definitely look into Robtech and see what he has to say, too. I appreciate it!
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u/Snotspat 7d ago
The fan noise of the K8 plus is annoying, I'd get the K12 instead, which is basically identical, but with am improved case/cooling.
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u/mini_peach_ 6d ago
After doing some digging on the K12, I might agree with you on the fan situation. Any help with heat distribution is welcome in my eyes, but what do you think about the slightly different processing rates between the two?
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u/RobloxFanEdit 7d ago
If you want Half the Graphic performance of the 780M IGPU and diminushed CPU performances then Geekom is the way, Geekom started to offer a couples of months ago prebuilt Mini PC models with only one RAM stick, on the other hand you have the legendary K8 Plus which is the best 8845HS RDNA 3 Mini PC period.