After trying GEEKOM AS6 we can finally say that we have found a mini PC with a superior GPU, capable of withstanding modern challenges
The only thing GEEKOM mini PCs lacked was a good GPU. Finally with GEEKOM AS6 we have what begins to look like a GPU worthy of the name, thanks to the AMD Ryzen 6900HX APU with GPU based on the RDNA2 graphics architecture, the same as the desktop GPUs from the Sunnyvale house a few years ago.
Technical specifications
- APU: Ryzen 9 6900HX con iGPU RDNA2, 8C/16T fino a 4.9 GHz
- RAM: 32GB DDR4-3200 MHz
- SSD: 1TB M.2 2280
- Bluetooth: v5.2
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E
- LAN: 2.5G RJ45
- Front doors: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (supporto DP1.4 60Hz)
- Rear doors: 2 x Porta HDMI 2.1 (4096 x 2160 @60Hz), 1 x Display Port 1.4 (7680 x 4320 @60Hz), 1 x LAN 2,5G RJ45, 1 x Lucchetto, 1 x DC-in
- Dimensions: 120 x 130 x 58 mm, weight 750 g, VESA mount
- Operating system installed: Windows 11 Pro, compatibile con Linux
- Packaging: 120W, 20V 6A power supply, VESA mount, various mounting screws
GEEKOM AS6 review: design and construction
With the AS line based on Ryzen processors and developed in collaboration with Asus. GEEKOM decided to change the stylistic choices a bit compared to IT cousins that mount Intel processors. We always find a square section chassis, slightly larger than what we were used to, but still very compact.
Lines tend to be longer aggressive, broken. The air inlets also become much larger and are used as a design element to give this GEEKOM AS6 an edge. However, the philosophy remains minimalist and elegant: a few details highlighted, the rest disappears in the matt black finish. We appreciate the change in style, which however does not betray the tradition of the Taiwanese company which has always made very elegant products.
The construction as good as ever, although in this case we have a body made entirely of plastic. However it is a good quality polymer, reinforced on the edges. It tends to flex slightly in the center, but that’s okay. The rubber feet offer good stability. And as always great job by GEEKOM in terms of accessing the logic board: just remove 4 normal Phillips screws and you can remove the top cover. Very easy!
GEEKOM AS6 Review: Technical Analysis
Let’s move on to the numbers. We expect them to be quite high given the premises. To move this mini PC we find an AMD Ryzen 6900HX with its 8 cores and 16 threads that can be pushed up to 4.9 GHz, with a base frequency of 3.3 GHz. In Cinebench we measured 1535 points in single core and 10643 in multi core. Numbers that are not really astronomical, but we believe that GEEKOM has made some conservative choices, limiting the CPU slightly. In fact, our graphs show that the CPU frequency never goes beyond 4.5 GHz in single core and 3.7 GHz in multi core. The absorbed power never exceeds 35 W, compared to the standard 45 W. However, there is plenty of power available. The conservative choice makes sure to limit the speed of the fans, making it quieter of its younger brother AS5.
But it is the GPU that most interested us in this configuration. In fact we find an AMD Radeon 680M, based on RDNA2 architecture, with 12 CUs operating up to 2400 MHz. It is finally an iGPU that can be exploited as such for example in gaming. In our tests we have confirmed that to play in FHD there shouldn’t be any big problems even in medium to high details in recent games (certainly not at 120fps). Instead, raising the resolution is still a bit utopian. There is always an annoying misunderstanding – perhaps at the level of drivers and OS – which limits the dedicated memory to 512 MB, which does not happen with iGPUs from Intel counterparts.
Excellent memories coming to 3000 MB/s in reading and about 2500 MB/s sequential write. Random read and write are also not bad at 570 MB/s read and 450 MB/s write. In fact, GEEKOM AS6 is always fast and responsive and starts up in a few seconds.
GEEKOM AS6 review: use in daily life
With a powerful CPU and GPU finally up to par, there are things this mini PC can’t do. No problem indaily use between office work and web browsing. We used it for plan and develop software without too many hesitations. It manages to handle tons of open applications and remain responsive thanks to the abundant RAM. We installed Ubuntu without difficulty and it runs very well.
In gaming, as we have said, we must limit ourselves to FHD. Different titles can be played at medium-high quality. There may be some sporadic drops in frame rates, but nothing to worry about. Of course you can’t expect a fixed 60 fps. The integrated GPU also facilitates the video editing. In FHD there are no major problems, playback is smooth and live effects can be applied. Instead in 4K it’s still a bit of a struggle.
Conclusions
GEEKOM AS6 finally offers us a good GPU. For such a compact PC the performance is satisfactory, albeit still something is missing on the graphics side. Will they ever be able to compete with a high-end laptop with discrete graphics? Instead for everything else you could not wish for more probably. The design and construction are also well thought out and it makes a very good impression. The list price starts at 649 euros for the version with Ryzen 7 6800H processor, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. However, for the entire month of July 2023 you can buy this mini PC on the official store with a discount of 30 euros, simply by applying our promotional code “TDAS6”. That’s all from the hardware section, keep following us!
Plus points
- Design and constructions
- Accessibility and expandability
- CPU power
- Finally a good GPU, but…
Points against
- … there’s still a little something missing
- GPU memory issues