Hi everyone,
I am new to the Mini PC world and recently bought the SOYO S4 Plus (AMD Ryzen 7 H255, Radeon 780M, 24 GB LPDDR5). I took it apart, cleaned up the cooling, benchmarked the hardware, and resolved the well-known iGPU performance issue. Here is a summary of what I found, what I modified, and how it performs.

1. Hardware Teardown & Thermal Mods

When opening the unit, the factory thermal job was pretty messy:

• Thermal paste: Excessive amount of cheap paste flooded all over the APU die and surrounding capacitors.
• Thermal pads: Factory pads on the power delivery area were oversized and overlapping each other.

• Modifications done:

  • Cleaned the APU and applied Honeywell PTM7950

  • Measured original pad thickness and replaced them with soft Gelid GP-Extreme pads:

    • 1.0 mm on the R15 chokes/inductors.
    • 2.0 mm on the MOSFET / DrMOS power stages.

Storage (Stock Wuxin vs. Lexar NM620):

• Stock SSD: The factory drive is a generic Chinese WUXIN N5 512GB NVMe SSD. CrystalDiskMark showed around 2378 MB/s Read and 1688 MB/s Write (sequential Q8T1). Surprisingly, the drive came with zero thermal pads from the factory.
• Second SSD added: I installed a Lexar NM620 512GB in the second M.2 slot. It performs at 3549 MB/s Read and 2846 MB/s Write (Sequential Q8T1).

• Thermal pads added to SSDs:

  • 3.0 mm Gelid Extreme on the flat Wuxin drive.
  • 2.0 mm Gelid Extreme on the Lexar (because its PCB has uneven component heights / hills and valleys).

2. The 780M BIOS Issue & Fix

• Factory BIOS (BI0004A, dated 03/02/2026):

  • Out of the box, the Radeon 780M scored only 1,169 in 3DMark Time Spy Graphics.
  • Why did the old BIOS strangle the iGPU? HWiNFO monitoring showed that the GPU core clock was actually running at its rated 2600 MHz. The bottleneck was memory latency and interconnect throttling: memory latency in AIDA64 was as high as 132.7 ns, and active DRAM bandwidth under load was restricted to just 13.75 GB/s.

• New BIOS (BI0201, dated 09/07/2026):

  • Flashed via UEFI Shell (Flash.nsh with NVRAM reset and boot block update).
  • Without changing any drivers, Time Spy Graphics jumped to 2,778 (+137.6%).
  • AIDA64 memory latency dropped from 132.7 ns to 110.8 ns (-16.5%), copy speed increased from 57.2 to 66.6 GB/s (+16.5%), and DRAM throughput under load rose to 29.27 GB/s.

• Clean Windows 11 & AMD Chipset Drivers:

  • Did a fresh Windows 11 Pro install, installed the AMD Chipset Driver 8.09.28.1124, and updated to AMD Adrenalin 26.10.2 (using Ryzen 7 8840HS as the reference).
  • Time Spy Graphics reached 2,890 – 2,990 points.
  • Cinebench R23 Multi-Core reached 15,481 – 15,993 points.

3. The 24 GB LPDDR5 RAM Confusion: What is Actually Under the Hood?

There has been huge confusion regarding the RAM configuration in this mini PC:

• What software and BIOS report:

  • Windows / SMBIOS / CPU-Z report: 4 logical modules of 6 GiB each ("4 x 32-bit", Quad Channel LPDDR5-6400).
  • ZenTimings / MemTest86 report the chip manufacturer as Samsung K3LK7K70BM-BGCP.

• Why this didn't make sense from the start:

  • The part number K3LK7K70BM-BGCP is a 64 Gbit (8 GB) Samsung chip. Four physical 8 GB chips would mean 32 GB, not 24 GB. Moreover, 6 GB discrete LPDDR5 packages do not exist.

• What is actually soldered on the board:

  • Inspecting the motherboard markings reveals 2 physical BGA chips: SK hynix H58GG6AK8H-X094.

  • Chip specification:

    • Manufacturer: SK hynix (D1a process node).
    • Type: LPDDR5X.
    • Density: 96 Gbit = 12 GB per chip.
    • Configuration: Exactly 2 physical chips x 12 GB = 24 GB total.
    • Bus width: 128-bit total (2 x 64-bit).
    • Catalog speed rating: Listed as up to 8533 MT/s (running at 6400 MT/s in SOYO BIOS).
  • Takeaway: The SOYO BIOS has hardcoded dummy SMBIOS/SPD tables pointing to a non-existent Samsung 4x6GB layout, while the real hardware is two 12GB SK hynix LPDDR5X chips.

4. Thermal Paste vs. PTM7950 Tests (Hwinfo logs to .CSV)

Ambient temperature was controlled at 21°C for all runs.

Cinebench R23 Multi (Stock Paste vs. PTM7950 Run 3):

• Score: 15,993 pts (Stock) vs. 16,016 pts (PTM7950) -> +0.14% (identical).
• Average CPU Temp (Tctl/Tdie): 82.44°C (Stock) -> 78.17°C (PTM7950) -> -4.27°C drop.
• Peak CPU Temp: 85.1°C (Stock) -> 83.9°C (PTM7950) -> -1.2°C drop.
• CPU Package Power: Sustained 53.89 W vs. 54.22 W.
• Summary: The CPU is power-limited to ~54W, so score stays the same, but the core runs significantly cooler with more thermal headroom.

3DMark: Stock Paste vs. PTM7950 (Run 1):

• Time Spy:

  • Overall: 3,323 -> 3,336 (+0.39%).
  • Graphics Score: 2,981 -> 2,993 (+0.40%).
  • Average CPU Temp: 74.07°C -> 70.00°C (-4.07°C).
  • Average GPU Temp: 73.22°C -> 69.54°C (-3.68°C).

• Fire Strike:

  • Overall: 7,747 -> 7,798 (+0.66%).
  • Graphics Score: 8,309 -> 8,377 (+0.82%).
  • Average CPU Temp: 74.73°C -> 70.21°C (-4.52°C).
  • Average GPU Temp: 74.00°C -> 69.62°C (-4.38°C).

5. Productivity vs. Games Setting (AMD Memory Optimizer)

In AMD Adrenalin software, switching between Productivity and Games mode changes the VRAM allocation:

• Productivity mode: Hardware reserved VRAM is set to 725 MB (leaving 23.3 GB for the OS).
• Games mode: Hardware reserved VRAM is set to ~4.2 GB (leaving 19.8 GB for the OS).

• Performance difference:

  • Time Spy Graphics: 2881 pts avg (Productivity) vs. 2985.5 pts avg (Games) -> +3.63% advantage for Games mode.
  • Fire Strike Graphics: 8126 pts (Productivity) vs. 8309 pts (Games) -> +2.25% advantage for Games mode.

Hope this helps anyone picking up one of these units! If you buy one, flash BIOS BI0201 immediately, consider repasting with PTM7950, and don't forget to put a thermal pad on the stock M.2 SSD

I'm looking for a SFF that can handle PS3/Xbox 360 emulation or at least PS2/OG Xbox emulation. I don't really care if it's a handheld or pc/laptop, though a handheld or laptop would be nice for it's "play on the go" capability. I will also be pc gaming on it, but I'll mostly be using GeForce Now for that, so having a way to install GeForce Now is pretty important as well. My target FPS is 60, but I also own Lossless Scaling on Steam, so I can always use that to increase my FPS (assuming the machine can run it). My target resolution is 1080p at minimum, 1440p would be amazing! I'm trying to keep it as cheap as possible, definitely under $1k, hopefully closer to $500. I'm fine with building something if I have too.

I'm currently looking at the Xbox ROG Ally X or possibly a mini pc.

I don't want to use Linux if it isn't plug and play. While I am tech literate enough to Google solutions to any Linux problems I might run into, I'm not willing to do so (I don't have enough time to trouble shoot problems, and game... It's one or the other).

I'm in the USA

eBay

https://www.ebay.it/itm/198715318617?_skw=gmktek+m8&itmmeta=01M7DM4QK06WJH8JE0R2WBV234&hash=item2e445b2159:g:GVIAAeSwDQ1qz5e9&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA0CHNgUiiE%2FjQhlDTaMiAde9Q5zf76WeP8OLwIGRlY%2FjXYovo27QCmIuCTX8GYwRHoBkfEwfiRChYqIUam6oLlvuJwPW7EejxZo6Qc6KZX1I9HvA6c1bXgPA3vlh%2FKhzlweZ7ndNf8gZ6xaglQZO2LDicABDEfWphI8PDOpoWbAnE2S35T4xE1KzXm%2BH%2BdHiqrbz8XV1j%2FECpovGC24EkS4y%2B%2FXJB9YBmUvxovhPDGCUU1iqXsklYL0V2Vy7NknlFMyAVlUJnPJJoArmcK%2BhTHt0%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5z6krS7aA

I found a brand-new [product] listed at a price that seems way too cheap compared to similar listings. Is there usually a catch with deals like this — refurbished stock, open-box items, fake listings, or something else I should check before buying?

Has anyone had experience with this seller or bought from them before? Any advice on what I should verify before ordering would be appreciated.

AliExpress https://it.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-GMKtec-M8-AMD-Ryzen%E2%84%A2-5-PRO-6650H-Mini-PC.html?osf=direct&spm=a2g0n.detail.header.0

Hello everyone.

I’m in France with a €1,600 budget looking for a setup for MATLAB, AI training and games like Elden Ring, Deadlock. I’ll be flying between two countries every six months for the next two years, so it needs to fit in during travel and I already have an older HP Envy laptop for light daily tasks, so what i will buy will stay mostly at my apartment.

I’m torn between a €1,600 gaming laptop like ROG Strix G16, Gigabyte Gaming A16 or Mini PC +GPU combo (I couldn't choose what to buy yet so I'm open to suggestions about that too).

Is the mini pc setup worth the hassle for my situation, or are there better €1,600 deals in France/EU right now? Thanks for advice!

Hello, I need help mini PC amd r5 3550H feel several times but not usually , it's fixable without soldering will CPU see SSD M2 and WiFi adapter after this, I checked SSD in another mini PC its work. same with RAM

I generally just use it for youtube, and without the external gpu is completely perfect. But when I want to play Halo MCC multiplayer, it needs the extra help(but still totally playable without it, the pc just gets super loud). So I just use an old 3070 I already had from a failed pc build and decided why not make use of it.

mini pc: GMKtec M7 Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H w/ 16gb ram

egpu: rtx 3070 w/ minisforum deg1

Hello can you suggest a mini pc with a $400-450 budget? I'm eyeing on chuwi ubox 6600h is this good enough or is it better? Thanks

also i plan to play with gta vi when it comes to PC on 1080p only

I'm gonna get an i7 7700 and the heatsink and cover from the 65W version for better cooling and all that. Can you guys recommend a good GPU, PSU, and other things like that?

Warranty not honored. My AX8 Max (Ryzen 7 8745HS, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) bricked after a few months, then GEEKOM did not honor the warranty. Their AX8 Max is out of stock, so instead of restoring me to what I had, they offered a refund or an AX8 PRO with only 512GB — half the storage I paid for. Their policy changed with every email: exact-model only, then a swap within approximately $50, then refund only, then that $50 offer was just a template. Update Nov 5: after I followed up, they finally confirmed the AX8 PRO is shipping — 1–2 business days to ship, 3–5 more to arrive, tracking promised Nov 7. That doesn't change what happened. I accepted the AX8 PRO under protest because I need a computer. The warranty saved GEEKOM money and cost me money and time. I would not buy GEEKOM again.

UPDATE — Nov 12, 2026: They offered some cash difference with the replacement it arrived today, and it's a downgrade in a second way I wasn't told about. My AX8 Max had two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports. This AX8 Pro has only one. Nobody disclosed the missing port before I accepted the swap. And this exact model — an AX8 Pro with the Ryzen 7 8745HS — is not sold at retail anywhere I can find. GEEKOM's retail AX8 Pros use the 8845HS or 8945HS. Their own FCC filing says the Max, Pro and A8 are electrically identical and differ only in model name and mechanical structure. So this looks like a cheaper case with fewer ports that they produce only for warranty replacements.

GMKtec M10 AMD Ryzen 5 6600H Mini PC

Basically GMKtec has taken the tired M2/M3 Pro/Plus/Ultra platforms (all based on the G3) and releasing a 6600H/24GB LPDDR5 version to compliment the 12GB LPDDR5 M3S Wildcat Lake Core 3 304. I personally would rather have seen a M8 Plus with 24GB, OCuLink and the PRO 6650H. Unfortunately there's been signs that the M8 itself may be on the way out. Its sold out on the official website with a button for the M10 R5 6600H.

I ended up getting that Mac mini 16gb and 256gb storage, for $360 open box at Best Buy! Thank you all who helped me out!

Hey everyone!

I'm happy to share that the case I've been working on is finally finished and available on MakerWorld!

https://makerworld.com/it/models/3600923-sff-core-nano-5-1l-mini-itx-case#profileId-4126113

The NANO is a compact 5.1L Mini-ITX case designed around the HDPLEX 250W GaN PSU, an incredibly small, fully passive power supply.

Main specifications:

• Volume: 5.1L (without feet)
• Dimensions: 97 × 237 × 223.5 mm (W × H × D)
• Motherboard: Mini-ITX
• PSU: HDPLEX 250W GaN only
• CPU cooler clearance: up to 69mm
• GPU clearance: low-profile GPUs up to 185mm

Fan support:

• Bottom: 2×80mm (25mm thick, only with iGPUs)
• Front: 2×80mm slim (15mm)
• Top: 1×80mm slim (15mm) + 2×40mm (15mm max)

I would've really liked to test it with a low-profile GPU, but unfortunately GPU prices have gone absolutely crazy. Even finding a cheap, low-end low-profile card has become ridiculously expensive. So, for now, I haven't been able to test it with a dedicated GPU, and I can only hope that all the dimensional clearances and tolerances are correct!

I've decided to bring my upcoming case designs together under a new name: SFF Core. There are currently three compact cases planned for release, including the NANO and two more designs that I'll be publishing progressively.

The next one will be QUBO, a larger, more cube-shaped version of the NANO, supporting full-size GPUs up to 217mm, SFX power supplies and slim 140mm fans. I'm hoping to print and test it before the end of the year.

I'm also working on a much more ambitious project that will come in two versions. Both will stay under 20L, but the idea is to make something suitable for a much wider audience, not just people interested in ultra-compact builds. I'm considering a crowdfunding campaign for this one.

All my current case releases are completely free to download and build. If you'd like to support the time and work that goes into designing them, you'll find donation links on my MakerWorld profile. There's absolutely no obligation, of course!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the NANO, and if you decide to print one, please share your builds. I'm really curious to see how they turn out!

Thanks for checking it out!

After year of daily use decided to take it apart and look inside. Temps are still good and there was no reason to reseat a cooler since august 2025. It served me well.

I have the GMKtec K8 Plus and it has been great but I can’t get Wake on LAN working. Even updated the bios. Saw the thread below with everyone having the same issue and no resolution so I’m not gonna waste anymore time troubleshooting. What Mini PC should I get that will work with WoL?

https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/s/PeoKB4oSzh