Core Ultra Mini PC! GMKtec K9 Review

Buy one on Amazon: lon.tv/otmwe (compensated affiliate link) - The GMKTec Nucbox K9 has a high performing Intel Core Ultra 5 on board delivering great graphics performance. It also has a 40 gigabit USB 4 port and dual 2.5 gig ethernet. See more Mini PCs: • Mini PCs and subscribe! lon.tv/s
VIDEO INDEX:
00:00 - Intro
00:51 - Price
01:09 - Processor, RAM and Storage
02:11 - Ports
02:45 - Thunderbolt test
04:14 - Windows 11 Version
04:43 - Web Browsing & KZbin
05:42 - Browserbench Speedometer Benchmark
06:38 - Video Editing
07:18 - Gaming: No Man's Sky, Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V
09:22 - 3DMark TimeSpy Benchmark
09:46 - 3DMark Stress Test & Fan Noise
10:40 - Linux
11:26 - Conclusion
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[@dansanger5340]

I really appreciate your mini PC reviews. After buying a mini PC, which you reviewed, to replace a seldom-used ancient tower PC that finally died, I've rediscovered the advantages of desktop computers, leading me to use my laptop computers significantly less. With so many to choose from, this seems like the golden age of mini PCs.

[@nelsonv741]

A very good and level headed review here. They are very small and stylish, and quick too. I built my first Clone PC back in the early 1980's with MS-DOS and floppy disks etc. This is a far far cry from that! I currently have an HP AIO Touch PC I got 10 years ago with an I-5 and runs Windows 10 like a champ, but it's never going to run Windows 11! These little Mini PC's are tempting, but it might be safer to stick with a more traditional configuration over the long run. Great video! I'm a long time subscriber! Keep doing this!

[@JeremyPeeples]

Loving all the mini PC reviews - love getting a deal on these whenever possible. Haven't tried a GMKtec yet - but the Ultra 5 chipset on this would be interesting to test out

[@Palosrob]

Lon, I know from time to time you share with us the numbers as far as viewers for various videos you do. I suspect these mini PC videos do very well but even if they don't do well please keep it up these are just great.

[@LonSeidman]

Thanks - lately these have been doing better than the laptop videos. So I've been doing a little more with them.

[@JonKho83]

@@LonSeidman Thank you for taking time to review these units as it is more economic to get it as compared to laptops.

[@neffjokes]

Lon I ❤ your reviews 🎉🎉🎉

[@dakkon74]

Good video. Would have been curious to hear about it's wattage usage, and noise levels, versus the AMD K8 version you tested a month ago.

[@asan1050]

Thanks for posting this video

[@RomanOnARiver]

Some software like Rufus allows you to create install media that skips Microsoft account, system requirement checks, and those "please send data to Microsoft" screens. I'm betting that's what these OEMs do. It's clearly an option for Windows installations, like they're editing a config file or something.

[@Deathgazer]

Appreciate the review! Would it be possible to swap that top fan with say, a 40mm 5V Noctua 4pin, or any others for that matter?

[@screenplayhouse4932]

This is INSANE power for a Mini. Wow.

[@Pantherman1979]

I have the AMD K8 version, been using it for months now as a Debian machine running Plex. And It's been doing that flawlessly; I had a coupon for mine too that took the price down to the $300 range. Couldn't be happier with it.

[@qbtc]

Did you get yours barebones? $300 is a steal for the K8. I got my K8 from Amazon for $599 about a month ago and thought that was pretty good.

[@Pantherman1979]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that. Yes, I got it barebones . $40 for 16 Gigs of RAM off eaby and I had a 4TB SSD laying around from another project that didn't work out.

[@richardremmele8685]

$670 is insane (maybe for gamers, but i don't know) I bought a GMKtec Mini PC Windows 11 Pro Intel Core i7-11390H (Turbo 5.0 GHz) 1TB SSD 16GB DDR4, Desktop Mini Computers WiFi 6, USB3.2, BT 5.2, DP, HDMI, RJ45 2 quite a while ago for $350 (currently $399 on Amazon) I mention this because I do light video editing and downloading UHD mp4 files as well a recording and playback with PlayOn TV. I am not a gamer. I believe Ron rated this one or a GMKtec similar quite well. It does everything I need for half the price

[@jasonacg]

I purchased a smaller GMK mini PC last week. Foolishly, I didn't consider that the order would be fulfilled from China, so there's no telling how long it will take to arrive. I saw there were some versions available on Amazon, presumably shipped from this country, but they didn't have the model with the higher specifications that I was after. Looking forward to testing it out when I receive it.

[@mariussm7797]

Hi Lon. Can you test this mew Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 "14AHP9" with Ryzen 5 8645HS + RTX 3050? I was wondering how good is this new gen Ryzen 5 CPU paired with this older RTX 3050 especially in games. Thanks.

[@Ockv74]

❤❤❤

[@jordanviray]

Looks like a solid machine and the Realtek might be a positive compared to the issue plagued Intel i225/6 ethernet chips.

[@stevegriffin1535]

Regular PC motherboards devote a lot of space to the VRM phases (2 fets, 1 diode, 1 cap, 1 inductor per phase). How do they cram that functionality into that small size ? The idea is to make .9 to 1.6 volts at many amps for the cpu/memory from the 12V supply.

[@user-kv8wg4vw4r]

I have the GMKTec K6 and it has cooling problems. The RAM overheats and the cooling can't cool it well enough. I was told by GMKTec that the problem was that I had set the PC to "Performance mode" in the BIOS, but when I set it to "Balanced Mode" the overheating problem still happens. I don't have the same problem with other mini PC's.

[@CharlesLScofieldJr]

Lon... Does this unit support VESA mounting to the back of a monitor?

[@LonSeidman]

Yes it has a mount in the box forgot to mention that

[@jjones2582]

I was just looking at the 13th gen version of this yesterday, for $450, but ultimately decided against it, or to hold off for a while, because I couldn't decide what the warranty support would be like. It is a little bit disconcerting that they don't have a physical address listed anywhere on their website, including the warranty, shipping, and contact pages.

[@CLTGeek]

As of 11pm EDT 5/16/24, I'm seeing it priced at $719.99 with no coupons available.

[@reticularimus]

I think that is for the one with 2tb nvme. Lon shows the 1tb model. Amazon B0CZJFZJFG is the 1tb model, which is 599 after coupon. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[@JtotheRizzo]

Only 1 USB-C4 port? Bummer! Needs 2 in the back OR at least 1 additional in the back along with a secondary HDMI2.1 port

[@StaceyAyodele]

Almost $900 they do have a $200 coupon tho...bringing it down to almost how much I paid for my HP Desktop....I'd rather go with a known company that has locations in the States tho.

[@LonSeidman]

Whereabouts are you located? My link has it at $519 after the coupon.

[@StaceyAyodele]

@@LonSeidman Midwest USA. It's exactly $839 on Amazon in my area. $639 after the coupon. Expensive but more reasonable considering you get a 2TB SSD and 32GB of RAM. Those higher space NVMe SSDs are quite high in price nowadays so it makes sense.

[@LonSeidman]

@@StaceyAyodele I wonder how they work that pricing - so weird - that same link is bringing me to a $719.99 - a $200 coupon here in CT.

[@john_in_phoenix]

Using a web browser, no coupon and $839. Using Amazon app on Samsung tablet and finding it, (no link) gives $719 with a $150 coupon. $799 version with 2tb and $150 coupon. Amazon thinks "all the traffic will bear" is the best.

[@StaceyAyodele]

@@LonSeidman I wonder if the price fluctuates based on location and if you have Amazon Prime. I dropped my Prime benefits temporarily so I could resign up at the end of the month. I'll check then and see if the coupon is there on the 28th of this month.

[@kirkkohnen5050]

Folks, if the company sends you the computer for review, they're going to fill it with name brand components - memory, SSD and the like. So, please don't pretend to tell us what brand of parts they're going to send if we buy the computer from them!

[@KameraShy]

Amazing specs but at that price, it's not for me.

[@arman20104]

I'm not a fan of GMKTEC due to security concerns or chines manufacture. Additionally, their drivers and BIOS offered on Google Drive are questionable, as you can't even download any drivers; it says 'quota exceeded for this file.' I will go with HP or another genuine manufacturer. At least I trust their BIOS chip firmware and drivers.

[@jothain]

What's up with these Chinese brands? They spawn like mushrooms in forest and disappear as fast? Are some of them so badly built that they just kill the brand when they begin to die or what?

[@LonSeidman]

That's a good question.. My understanding is that there are only a few master manufacturers and most of these brands are marketing the hardware in their own cases.

[@vancecost]

Do not care about Mini Pc’s , Not at that price point.