ASUS ROG NUC 16 vs GEEKOM A9 Mega
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ASUS ROG NUC 16
Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
GEEKOM A9 Mega
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD
Amazon results may include other models. Verify the processor, memory, storage, and seller before buying.
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1Is it fast for normal work?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Cinebench 2024 single-core 136 points
ALKtech measured 136 points in Cinebench 2024 single-core on its ROG NUC 16 review unit.
Cinebench 2024 single-core · Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus; 32GB DDR5-6400; 2TB SSD; default Balance Enabled BIOS mode; Performance Armoury Crate mode
ALKtech · 12:40 -
7-Zip compression 156.204 GIPS
ALKtech measured 156.204 GIPS in the 7-Zip compression benchmark.
7-Zip compression benchmark · Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus; 32GB DDR5-6400; 2TB SSD; default system power settings
ALKtech · 12:33 -
Retail operating system Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Cinebench 2024 single-core Not available
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7-Zip compression Not available
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Retail operating system Windows 11 Pro
The exact US retail configuration ships with Windows 11 Pro. GEEKOM also describes the system as Linux-ready, but the manufacturer does not specify a supported distribution on the product page.
Manufacturer configuration check · GMA9MEGAAIMAX+395-1282-US
GEEKOM
2Can it handle sustained work?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Cinebench 2024 multi-core 2010 points
ALKtech measured 2,010 points in Cinebench 2024 multi-core. This remains attributed evidence because it was not run on the MiniPCBench test bench.
Cinebench 2024 multi-core · Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus; 32GB DDR5-6400; 2TB SSD; default Balance Enabled BIOS mode; Performance Armoury Crate mode
ALKtech · 12:40 -
Cinebench R23 multi-core 35512 points
The same review unit scored 35,512 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core.
Cinebench R23 multi-core · Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus; 32GB DDR5-6400; 2TB SSD; default Balance Enabled BIOS mode; Performance Armoury Crate mode
ALKtech · 12:49 -
Owner-tested local AI Not available
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Sustained power target Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Cinebench 2024 multi-core Not available
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Cinebench R23 multi-core Not available
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Owner-tested local AI 26B and 27B models demonstrated
Takashi Yoshinaga says he purchased the A9 Mega for local-AI work and found Gemma 4 26B A4B text generation fast, simple multimodal image recognition practical, and Qwen 3.6 27B usable in the short demonstration. The video does not report a repeatable tokens-per-second measurement.
Local LLM text generation and image recognition · Owner-purchased Ryzen AI Max+ 395 retail system; runtime and model quantization not stated
Takashi Yoshinaga · 0:00 -
Sustained power target 120 W sustained target
GEEKOM rates the IceBlast 5.0 dual-fan and vapor-chamber cooling system for a sustained 120 W processor setting. This is a manufacturer capability claim, not an independently retained endurance result.
Manufacturer thermal-design specification · Ryzen AI Max+ 395 configuration
GEEKOM
3Can it game?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Cyberpunk 2077 4K 43.28 fps
ALKtech measured 43.28 FPS average in Cyberpunk 2077 v2.31 at 4K using the Ray Tracing Low preset with DLSS and frame generation disabled.
Cyberpunk 2077 v2.31 built-in benchmark · 3840x2160; Ray Tracing Low; DLSS off; frame generation off
ALKtech · 13:36 -
Cyberpunk 2077 1440p 92.43 fps
At 1440p with the same Ray Tracing Low preset and no DLSS or frame generation, ALKtech measured 92.43 FPS average.
Cyberpunk 2077 v2.31 built-in benchmark · 2560x1440; Ray Tracing Low; DLSS off; frame generation off
ALKtech · 13:36 -
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4K 49 fps
ALKtech measured 49 FPS average at 4K with maximum settings, Ultra ray tracing, and upscaling disabled.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider built-in benchmark · 3840x2160; maximum graphics; Ultra ray tracing; upscaling off
ALKtech · 14:23 -
Integrated graphics Not available
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Pre-production gaming demonstration Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Cyberpunk 2077 4K Not available
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Cyberpunk 2077 1440p Not available
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Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4K Not available
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Integrated graphics Radeon 8060S, 40 CUs
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 includes Radeon 8060S integrated graphics with 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units and shared access to the system's 128GB unified memory.
Manufacturer hardware specification · Exact 128GB/2TB retail configuration
GEEKOM -
Pre-production gaming demonstration Hands-on prototype; no FPS retained
TechGround handled the A9 Mega at GEEKOM's IFA 2025 booth and showed the exact 128GB Strix Halo prototype, but did not run a reproducible game benchmark. No FPS claim from that demonstration is treated as a measured result.
IFA product demonstration · Pre-production A9 Mega prototype
TechGround in English · 0:30
4Is it loud or hot?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Gaming CPU package temperature 82.5 °C
During a roughly nine-minute F1 23 run, ALKtech recorded an 82.5°C average CPU package temperature and a 104°C maximum in a 30°C room.
F1 23, Singapore Circuit, five laps · 4K Ultra High; TAA; 16x anisotropic filtering; DLSS off; 30°C ambient; maximum 104°C
ALKtech · 14:36 -
Gaming GPU temperature 76.3 °C
The same run produced a 76.3°C average GPU temperature and a 79.3°C maximum.
F1 23, Singapore Circuit, five laps · 4K Ultra High; TAA; 16x anisotropic filtering; DLSS off; 30°C ambient; maximum 79.3°C
ALKtech · 14:36 -
Gaming noise 51.9 dBA
ALKtech measured 51.9 dBA during a typical gaming workload, but the room already measured 48.7 dBA, so the result is strongly limited by the high noise floor.
Typical gaming workload · 48.7 dBA ambient noise floor; meter position not stated
ALKtech · 14:36 -
Cooling hardware Not available
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Independent acoustics status Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Gaming CPU package temperature Not available
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Gaming GPU temperature Not available
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Gaming noise Not available
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Cooling hardware Dual fan plus vapor chamber
GEEKOM's IceBlast 5.0 system uses two fans and a full-coverage vapor chamber. The public product page claims this supports 120 W sustained operation, but the retained exact-model YouTube sources do not provide controlled temperature or sound-level measurements.
Manufacturer cooling specification · A9 Mega chassis
GEEKOM -
Independent acoustics status No controlled dB result
The retained owner video focuses on local AI, while the IFA hands-on used a show-floor prototype. Neither establishes retail-unit idle or load acoustics, so no decibel value is published here.
Evidence-coverage check · Exact-model retained video sources
Takashi Yoshinaga · 0:00
5How much electricity does it use?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Gaming CPU package power 46.9 W
ALKtech's HWiNFO64 sensor log reported 46.9 W average CPU package power during the F1 23 run. This is component power, not whole-system wall power.
F1 23, Singapore Circuit, five laps · 4K Ultra High; DLSS off; HWiNFO64 CPU package sensor; 72 W maximum
ALKtech · 14:36 -
Gaming GPU power 173 W
The same HWiNFO64 log reported 173.0 W average GPU power and a 173.7 W maximum. This is GPU sensor power, not wall power.
F1 23, Singapore Circuit, five laps · 4K Ultra High; DLSS off; HWiNFO64 GPU power sensor; 173.7 W maximum
ALKtech · 14:36 -
Processor power range Not available
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Power adapter Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Gaming CPU package power Not available
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Gaming GPU power Not available
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Processor power range 45-120 W cTDP
GEEKOM lists a configurable processor TDP range of 45 to 120 W and describes up to 140 W of heat dissipation for the platform.
Manufacturer power specification · Ryzen AI Max+ 395 configuration
GEEKOM -
Power adapter 330 W adapter
The exact retail system includes a 330 W external power supply. Adapter capacity is not a measurement of normal wall draw, and no independent wall-power result is published from the retained videos.
Manufacturer bundle specification · GMA9MEGAAIMAX+395-1282-US
GEEKOM
6Can I upgrade and connect everything?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Memory is upgradeable Yes
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Storage is upgradeable Yes
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Thunderbolt is present Yes
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Tool-less service access 2x memory and 2x M.2 slots
The two memory slots and two M.2 storage slots are user-accessible. The primary storage position supports PCIe 5.0 x4 and the second supports PCIe 4.0 x4.
Manufacturer upgradeability check · RNUC16JNK9X289AU
ASUS -
Storage expansion Not available
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High-speed I/O Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Memory is upgradeable No
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Storage is upgradeable Yes
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Thunderbolt is present No
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Tool-less service access Not available
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Storage expansion 2x M.2 2280, up to 8TB
The chassis contains two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 slots, supports up to 4TB in each slot, and exposes RAID 0 and RAID 1. The installed 2TB system drive occupies one slot.
Manufacturer expansion specification · Exact 128GB/2TB retail configuration
GEEKOM -
High-speed I/O 2x USB4 and 2x 2.5GbE
GEEKOM provides two 40Gbps USB4 ports with DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1 outputs, two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and an SDXC card reader.
Manufacturer connectivity specification · A9 Mega chassis
GEEKOM
7Is it good value?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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US list price $3,799
ASUS lists RNUC16JNK9X289AU at $3,799 before temporary discounts in the United States.
Manufacturer retail-price check · Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
ASUS -
Manufacturer price Not available
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Verified Amazon configuration Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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US list price Not available
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Manufacturer price $3,999
GEEKOM listed the exact 128GB/2TB US configuration for $3,999 when checked, against a $4,399 crossed-out price.
Manufacturer retail-price check · Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD, Windows 11 Pro
GEEKOM -
Verified Amazon configuration B0GL8XB8KX
Amazon ASIN B0GL8XB8KX matched the exact Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB LPDDR5X, 2TB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro retail system when checked.
Retailer identity check · Exact 128GB/2TB listing
GEEKOM
8Will it be dependable?
ASUS ROG NUC 16
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Limited warranty 3 years
ASUS states that its NUC products purchased from authorized distributors carry a three-year limited warranty covering hardware included in the box.
Manufacturer warranty-policy check · ASUS NUC products purchased from authorized distributors
ASUS -
Review-unit disclosure Loan unit
ALKtech disclosed that ASUS Singapore supplied its ROG NUC 16 review unit as a loan and that its article contains affiliate links.
Source-disclosure check
ALKtech · 16:41 -
Hardware warranty Not available
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Memory serviceability Not available
GEEKOM A9 Mega
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Limited warranty Not available
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Review-unit disclosure Not available
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Hardware warranty 3 years
GEEKOM advertises a three-year warranty and a 30-day refund and return window for the A9 Mega on its US product page.
Manufacturer warranty-policy check
GEEKOM -
Memory serviceability Fixed memory; replaceable storage
All 128GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory is soldered and cannot be replaced or expanded. Storage remains replaceable through two standard M.2 2280 positions.
Manufacturer serviceability check · Exact 128GB/2TB retail configuration
GEEKOM
References
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ASUS. ASUS ROG NUC 16 technical specifications. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: RNUC16JNK9X289AU: Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
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ASUS. Warranty Information for NUC Products. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: ASUS NUC products purchased from authorized distributors
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ALKtech. Is this the most powerful mini gaming PC yet? ASUS ROG NUC 16 Unboxing & Review. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB DDR5-6400, 2TB SSD
Disclosure: ALKtech states that ASUS Singapore supplied the review unit on loan. The accompanying article contains Amazon affiliate links.
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GEEKOM. GEEKOM A9 Mega. Product page. . Accessed .
Configuration: GMA9MEGAAIMAX+395-1282-US: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD, Windows 11 Pro
Disclosure: Manufacturer specifications, current price, availability, warranty, and return terms.
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Takashi Yoshinaga. Testing Local LLMs on GEEKOM A9 Mega. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Owner-purchased GEEKOM A9 Mega with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 128GB unified memory; installed SSD capacity is not stated
Disclosure: The description states that the reviewer purchased the machine as a dedicated AI system; no affiliate or sponsorship disclosure appears.
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TechGround in English. Testing the Most Powerful MINI PC Ever: 128GB RAM on the GEEKOM A9 Mega at IFA. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Pre-production A9 Mega show-floor unit with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 128GB LPDDR5X memory
Disclosure: The video was recorded at GEEKOM's IFA booth and its description contains Amazon affiliate links.
Value for money
No value comparison is available. It requires eligible test scores and at least four current price observations in seven days.
Specification differences
Differences supported by the listed manufacturer specifications
Higher listed specifications for ASUS ROG NUC 16
- Has a manufacturer list price about $600 lower
Higher listed specifications for GEEKOM A9 Mega
Verified specifications
Manufacturer-sourced specifications and current testing status
Processor
| Specification | ROG NUC 16 | A9 Mega |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 |
| Cores / threads | 24 / 24 | 16 / 32 |
| Processor default TDP | Not disclosed | 120 W |
| Integrated graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU with 16GB GDDR7 | AMD Radeon 8060S integrated graphics, 40 compute units |
Memory and storage
| Specification | ROG NUC 16 | A9 Mega |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | DDR5-6400 CSODIMM | LPDDR5X-8000 onboard |
| Maximum memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Upgradeable memory | Yes | No |
| Storage slots | 2 | 2 |
Connectivity
| Specification | ROG NUC 16 | A9 Mega |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet | 2.5GbE | Dual 2.5GbE |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| USB4 | Yes | Yes |
| Thunderbolt | Yes | No |
Size and price
| Specification | ROG NUC 16 | A9 Mega |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosure volume | 3.02 liters | Not published |
| List price | $3,799 | $4,399 |
| Product class | Compact high-end gaming | Large local AI models |