GMKtec EVO-X2 vs MINISFORUM MS-A2
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GMKtec EVO-X2
Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD, US plug
MINISFORUM MS-A2
Ryzen 9 9955HX barebone, US adapter
Amazon results may include other models. Verify the processor, memory, storage, and seller before buying.
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Storage |
1Is it fast for normal work?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Cinebench R23 single-core 1988 points
Retro Game Corps measured 1,988 in Cinebench R23 single-core on the exact 128GB/2TB review unit in Performance mode.
Cinebench R23 single-core · Performance mode; 120 W sustained power setting; Ryzen AI Max+ 395; 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 12:41 -
Desktop and operating-system support Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Cinebench R23 single-core Not available
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Desktop and operating-system support Windows and Ubuntu tested
Robtech found Windows 11 Pro free of detected malware on its configured sample and reported that Ubuntu recognized every network interface. A barebones retail unit includes neither operating system nor storage.
Operating-system installation and device-detection check · Configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample; barebones retail configuration differs
Robtech · 2:59
2Can it handle sustained work?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Cinebench R23 multi-core 35554 points
Retro Game Corps measured 35,554 in Cinebench R23 multi-core after a 10-minute run in Performance mode.
Cinebench R23 multi-core 10-minute run · Performance mode; 120 W sustained power setting; Ryzen AI Max+ 395; 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 10:50 -
DaVinci Resolve 1080p render time 97 minutes
Tame That Tech's four-minute 1080p Resolve project took 1 hour 37 minutes to render, and the reviewer also reported lag while scrubbing its 1080p timeline.
DaVinci Resolve four-minute 1080p project render · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit; project and codec details were not stated in the narration
Tame That Tech · 6:00 -
DaVinci Resolve 4K render time 105 minutes
The same four-minute project took 1 hour 45 minutes when rendered at 4K in Tame That Tech's test.
DaVinci Resolve four-minute 4K project render · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit; project and codec details were not stated in the narration
Tame That Tech · 6:18 -
CPU performance mode Not available
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Video encoding behavior Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Cinebench R23 multi-core Not available
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DaVinci Resolve 1080p render time Not available
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DaVinci Resolve 4K render time Not available
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CPU performance mode Fast CPU, cooling-limited
Robtech found that the 9955HX's strongest benchmark gains appeared after enabling Performance mode in BIOS, but also observed thermal throttling under load and said the multi-core uplift over its 7945HX comparison was modest.
Cinebench and Geekbench CPU benchmark suite · Normal and Performance BIOS modes; configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
Robtech · 3:25 -
Video encoding behavior No AV1 hardware encoding
Robtech reported that Performance mode did not shorten its brief H.264 encode and only shaved seconds from the longer AV1 test. The reviewer also noted that the Radeon 610M lacks AV1 hardware encoding.
H.264 and AV1 encoding benchmarks · Configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
Robtech · 4:07
3Can it game?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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3DMark Time Spy 10819 points
Retro Game Corps measured 10,819 in 3DMark Time Spy from the integrated Radeon 8060S.
3DMark Time Spy · Performance mode; Radeon 8060S; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 12:54 -
Cyberpunk 2077 85 fps
Retro Game Corps reported an 85 FPS average in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p using the High preset and no frame generation.
Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay · 1440p High preset; preset-applied FSR; frame generation off; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 18:33 -
Doom: The Dark Ages 60 fps
The same reviewer averaged about 60 FPS in Doom: The Dark Ages at 1440p Medium.
Doom: The Dark Ages gameplay · 1440p Medium; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 15:10 -
Integrated-graphics capability Not available
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Add-in GPU limits Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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3DMark Time Spy Not available
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Cyberpunk 2077 Not available
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Doom: The Dark Ages Not available
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Integrated-graphics capability Basic Radeon 610M
ServeTheHome emphasized that the Radeon 610M is intended for display output and media acceleration rather than high-end gaming. Robtech likewise found its 3D and GPU-AI results far below systems with discrete mobile GPUs.
3DMark and Geekbench AI GPU tests · Ryzen 9 9955HX configured review systems; no add-in GPU
Robtech · 4:25 -
Add-in GPU limits Single-slot, bus-powered GPU
The internal slot provides PCIe 4.0 x8 bandwidth in a physical x16 connector. Robtech says a GPU must be single-slot, shorter than 170 mm, and require no auxiliary power; active blower cooling is preferable in the confined bay.
Chassis and expansion compatibility inspection · MS-A2 chassis
Robtech · 2:05
4Is it loud or hot?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Peak CPU temperature 98 C
Retro Game Corps observed a 98 C peak during a 10-minute Cinebench multi-core run at the 120 W Performance setting and considered it hotter than desirable.
Cinebench R23 multi-core 10-minute run · Performance mode; 120 W sustained with a brief 140 W boost; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 10:50 -
Idle sound level 35 dB
Tame That Tech measured under 35 dB at idle even with Performance mode selected.
Windows idle · Performance mode; exact 128GB/2TB review unit; distance and room floor were not stated
Tame That Tech · 7:40 -
Full-load sound level 49 dB
Tame That Tech measured about 49 dB at full load. ServeTheHome independently measured about 41 to 44 dBA under AI workloads from roughly one meter, with a 34 dBA room floor.
Full system load · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit; Tame That Tech did not state measurement distance or room floor
Tame That Tech · 7:48 -
Maximum observed CPU temperature Not available
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Idle sound level Not available
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Load sound level Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Peak CPU temperature Not available
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Idle sound level Not available
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Full-load sound level Not available
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Maximum observed CPU temperature 90 C
Robtech observed about 90 C under load and reported thermal throttling, describing the 9955HX as difficult to cool in this chassis.
Full-load benchmark suite · Configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
Robtech · 6:18 -
Idle sound level 39 dBA
ServeTheHome measured roughly 38 to 39 dBA at idle in its 34 dBA studio after the system had warmed up.
Warm system idle · Approximately 34 dBA room floor; configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
ServeTheHome · 16:24 -
Load sound level 50 dBA
ServeTheHome measured sound levels reaching roughly 50 dBA under load and said the system was clearly audible.
Sustained system load · Approximately 34 dBA room floor; configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
ServeTheHome · 16:24
5How much electricity does it use?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Idle wall power 13 W
Tame That Tech observed 10 to 13 W at idle on the exact 128GB/2TB unit.
Windows idle · Observed range 10-13 W; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Tame That Tech · 7:56 -
Maximum observed wall power 220 W
Tame That Tech's maximum observed wall draw was 220 W at full load.
Full system load · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit; workload was not further specified in the narration
Tame That Tech · 8:01 -
Llama 3.3 70B GPU-only wall power 150 W
ServeTheHome observed about 147 to 150 W while running Llama 3.3 70B entirely in allocated GPU memory.
Llama 3.3 70B Q6_K inference in LM Studio · 64GB allocated to GPU; exact 128GB/2TB review unit; reported range 147-150 W
ServeTheHome · 10:20 -
Low-end idle wall power Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Idle wall power Not available
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Maximum observed wall power 160 W
Robtech measured 148 W from the wall at full load in the standard mode and 160 W after enabling Performance mode.
Full system load · Performance mode; configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
Robtech · 5:54 -
Llama 3.3 70B GPU-only wall power Not available
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Low-end idle wall power 25 W
ServeTheHome observed roughly 24 to 25 W at the low end of its idle configurations, with more populated configurations reaching about 35 to 45 W.
System idle · Ryzen 9 9955HX review system; measured values varied with installed memory, storage, and expansion
ServeTheHome · 15:31
6Can I upgrade and connect everything?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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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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Expansion and access 2x M.2 2280
The EVO-X2 has two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 storage slots. Retro Game Corps found the slots easy to reach after removing two screws, but the screws sit under adhesive rubber feet.
Manufacturer specification and hands-on access check · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 8:31 -
Network interface 2.5GbE
ServeTheHome identified the single wired network port as a Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE interface and criticized the absence of faster 5GbE or 10GbE at this price level.
Hardware identification · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit
ServeTheHome · 2:37 -
Memory compatibility Not available
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Network interfaces Not available
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Storage expansion Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Memory is upgradeable Yes
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Storage is upgradeable Yes
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Thunderbolt is present No
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Expansion and access Not available
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Network interface Not available
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Memory compatibility 96GB official; 128GB tested
MINISFORUM officially supports 96GB across two DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM slots. ServeTheHome also booted and exercised 128GB using two 64GB non-ECC modules, but found that ECC SO-DIMMs operated without ECC protection.
Memory installation and ECC-function check · Ryzen 9 9955HX review unit
ServeTheHome · 7:12 -
Network interfaces 2x 10GbE plus 2x 2.5GbE
The MS-A2 provides two Intel X710 10GbE SFP+ ports, one Intel I226-V 2.5GbE port, and one Realtek RTL8125 2.5GbE port. Its two rear USB-C ports are 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort, not USB4.
Manufacturer and controller inspection · MS-A2 chassis
ServeTheHome · 2:56 -
Storage expansion 3x NVMe, including U.2
Three PCIe 4.0 x4 storage positions include two M.2 2280/22110 slots and one position that accepts M.2 2280 or a 7 mm U.2 drive through the included adapter. The two conventional M.2 slots default to PCIe 3.0 x4 and must be changed in BIOS for Gen 4.
Manufacturer specification and hands-on teardown · MS-A2 chassis
ServeTheHome · 11:02
7Is it good value?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Manufacturer price $3,649.99
GMKtec listed the exact US 128GB/2TB configuration for $3,649.99 when checked, against a $3,999.99 compare-at price.
Manufacturer retail-price check · EVO-X2-5-75S: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB RAM, 2TB SSD, US plug
GMKtec -
Verified Amazon configuration B0F53MLYQ6
Amazon ASIN B0F53MLYQ6 matched the exact Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB RAM, and 2TB SSD configuration when checked.
Retailer identity check · Exact 128GB/2TB listing
GMKtec
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Manufacturer price $799
MINISFORUM listed the exact Ryzen 9 9955HX barebones US configuration for $799 when checked, against a $999 compare-at price.
Manufacturer retail-price check · MS-A200US barebone; no memory, storage, or operating system
MINISFORUM -
Verified Amazon configuration B0F8JG2SHN
Amazon ASIN B0F8JG2SHN matched the exact Ryzen 9 9955HX barebones configuration with no RAM, SSD, or operating system when checked.
Retailer identity check · MS-A2-9955 barebone
MINISFORUM
8Will it be dependable?
GMKtec EVO-X2
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Hardware warranty 1 year
GMKtec lists a one-year warranty and a seven-day return window on the EVO-X2 product page.
Manufacturer warranty-policy check
GMKtec -
Thermal headroom concern 98 C observed peak
Retro Game Corps measured a 98 C peak at the 120 W Performance setting after about a month with the unit and flagged the temperature as a long-term concern, while noting it remained below the platform's cited 105 C throttling point.
Cinebench R23 multi-core 10-minute run · Performance mode; exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Retro Game Corps · 10:50 -
Creator-software behavior Resolve weakness reported
Tame That Tech reported severe timeline lag and unusually slow renders in its DaVinci Resolve project despite strong gaming results, so performance should not be assumed uniform across GPU-accelerated applications.
DaVinci Resolve editing and render test · Exact 128GB/2TB review unit
Tame That Tech · 6:00 -
Seller warranty Not available
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Sustained-load cooling Not available
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Storage-lane default Not available
MINISFORUM MS-A2
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Hardware warranty Not available
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Thermal headroom concern Not available
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Creator-software behavior Not available
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Seller warranty 2 years
MINISFORUM advertises a two-year seller warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee on the US product page.
Manufacturer warranty-policy check
MINISFORUM -
Sustained-load cooling Throttling observed
Robtech observed thermal throttling around 90 C and called cooling the system's largest weakness. ServeTheHome independently found load noise near 50 dBA, so the compact form factor has measurable thermal and acoustic tradeoffs.
Sustained benchmark load · Configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review systems
Robtech · 6:18 -
Storage-lane default Gen 3 default
Robtech found the two M.2 2280 slots configured for PCIe 3.0 by default. The BIOS exposes PCIe 4.0, but its warning says higher speed may increase overheating risk.
BIOS and storage configuration inspection · Configured Ryzen 9 9955HX review sample
Robtech · 2:39
References
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GMKtec. GMKtec EVO-X2 AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 AI Mini PC. Product page. . Accessed .
Configuration: EVO-X2-5-75S: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD, US plug
Disclosure: Manufacturer specifications, current price, availability, warranty, and return terms.
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ServeTheHome. AMD's 128GB Answer to NVIDIA for AI and Gaming. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S, 128GB LPDDR5X, factory 2TB SSD plus reviewer-installed 8TB secondary SSD
Disclosure: The description says the unit was purchased and contains Amazon affiliate links.
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Tame That Tech. GMKtec EVO-X2 AI Max+ 395 Mini PC Unboxing & Review – The Ultimate AI Desktop?. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD
Disclosure: The description discloses Amazon, Mavely, and JoyLink affiliate storefronts; it does not state how the review unit was obtained.
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Retro Game Corps. A True "NEXT GEN" Mini PC - GMKtec EVO-X2. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S, 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB SSD
Disclosure: The reviewer says GMKtec supplied the unit on loan, exchanged no money, and did not see the review before publication; the description contains affiliate links.
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MINISFORUM. MINISFORUM MS-A2. Product page. . Accessed .
Configuration: MS-A200US: Ryzen 9 9955HX barebone, no RAM, no storage, no OS, US adapter
Disclosure: Manufacturer specifications, current price, availability, warranty, and return terms.
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ServeTheHome. Homelab Perfection Minisforum MS-A2. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen 9 9955HX sample configured with multiple tested DDR5 capacities and NVMe storage, including 96GB ECC-function testing and 128GB non-ECC testing
Disclosure: The description says the unit was purchased and contains Amazon affiliate links.
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Robtech. Powerful Mini PC Workstation - Minisforum MS-A2 Review. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen 9 9955HX configured sample with Crucial DDR5-5600, 2TB Crucial SSD, and Windows 11 Pro
Disclosure: The description identifies the unit as a free review sample and contains retailer 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 GMKtec EVO-X2
- Supports 32 GB more memory
Higher listed specifications for MINISFORUM MS-A2
- Provides 3 storage slots versus 2
- Has a manufacturer list price about $3,001 lower
Verified specifications
Manufacturer-sourced specifications and current testing status
Processor
| Specification | EVO-X2 | MS-A2 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX |
| Cores / threads | 16 / 32 | 16 / 32 |
| Processor default TDP | 120 W | 100 W |
| Integrated graphics | AMD Radeon 8060S integrated graphics, 40 compute units | AMD Radeon 610M integrated graphics |
Memory and storage
| Specification | EVO-X2 | MS-A2 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | LPDDR5X-8000 onboard | 2x DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM slots |
| Maximum memory | 128 GB | 96 GB |
| Upgradeable memory | No | Yes |
| Storage slots | 2 | 3 |
Connectivity
| Specification | EVO-X2 | MS-A2 |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet | 2.5GbE Realtek RTL8125BG | 2x 10GbE SFP+ (Intel X710) plus 2x 2.5GbE RJ45 (Intel I226-V and Realtek RTL8125) |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 6E (MediaTek RZ616) + Bluetooth 5.2 |
| USB4 | Yes | No |
| Thunderbolt | No | No |
Size and price
| Specification | EVO-X2 | MS-A2 |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosure volume | Not published | 1.78 liters |
| List price | $4,000 | $999 |
| Product class | Local AI and 1440p gaming | Home labs and compact servers |