4 ms·

Gem12 Pro Mini PC: Ryzen 7 8845HS, Mini Screen, and OCuLink eGPU

21 points by transpute 3y ago

jwells89 3y ago
The AMD-based mini PCs like this that’ve been showing up recently are cool, but I’m guessing that they all get pretty hot and noisy when under load (similar to a compact laptop). I think it’d make for a compelling product if one of these extended their vertical footprint a bit, making for a more cube-like shape and adding space for a 2-4x more heatsink and a big slow fan (maybe even a 200mm fan if making footprint slightly larger is permissible). It’d be a bit larger but cooler and much more quiet.
- coffeebeqn 3y ago
  I had one from Asrock and it just had one big noctua CPU fan and low profile heatsink that also blew straight out of the case since it was so small. It ran very cool and quiet
  - jwells89 3y ago
    That’s cool that Asrock went with Noctua, not surprised it was quiet.
- blueferret 3y ago
  I use a Beelink mini-PC with a Ryzen 7 chip as my main PC. It handles everything I throw at it (not a gamer though). Worst it's been is making a little fan noise and warm to the touch. Never once overheated or made so much noise it bugged me. YMMV.
- Demiurge 3y ago
  I've also been using a Ryzen7 mini-pc, it spins up the fans when maxes out, but doesn't sound or behave any different than any laptop, except its a box. It's actually very quiet most of the time, until I have to process a photo in Lightroom or play a game.
  - jwells89 3y ago
    > …until I have to process a photo in Lightroom or play a game. That’s pretty much what I was expecting. Would prefer a slightly larger machine (e.g. Mac Studio) that’s inaudible even at load.
FirmwareBurner 3y ago
There's just so much pointless and wasted stuff with this device it hurts. Why have a SFF desktop PC with a laptop APU and a niche and expensive OCuLink external GPU connector, when you can just build a Mini-ITX/SFF desktop system with a dedicated desktop APU/CPU, and a dedicated desktop GPU for cheaper and much more performance and might also be quieter? This system is basically a non-portable laptop built from laptop parts but without a display and battery, which costs nearly as much as a laptop but that one comes with the advantage of portability thanks to the display and battery. I get the cheap Chinese NUCs, but this device basically has the disadvantages of both a desktop PC and a laptop combined, with almost none of the upsides.
- graphe 3y ago
  I agree. I've never gotten the Intel NUCs either from your logic, it was an overpriced desktop that is only maybe suitable for Kowloon walled city or Singapore apartments.
- jwells89 3y ago
  I’ve seen some argue on the point of energy efficiency, which might make some sense. Mobile CPUs have lower power consumption caps and tend to consume less at idle and laptop PSUs tend to be more efficient at low power draw than desktop-style PSUs. One might ask why not just use a laptop in that situation, but depending on how the device is used (e.g. always docked), the screen and battery could be seen as a waste. That said, I think I’d opt for a custom build too, probably in something like the Streacom DB4[0] which allows low power systems to operate fanlessly by doubling as a heatsink. [0]: https://streacom.com/products/db4-fanless-mini-itx-case/ https://streacom.com/products/db4-fanless-mini-itx-case/
  - thworp 3y ago
    Yes sure, this is true-ush. But if you're so constrained on power draw that three or four extra watt idle is critical, why not just go for something really power-efficient like a Pi or similar? Also, you could undervolt one of the 65W TDP Ryzen CPUs and probably get similar results. Or if you're lucky you can get one of the "OEM Only" 45W Ryzens. As for PSUs, an "80 platinum" rated one will have 90% efficiency at 10% power draw.
chx 3y ago
To save you some headache, here's the URL you can give superbuy or any other similar proxy (not affiliated, just a happy superbuy customer): https://item.jd.com/10097209811046.html https://item.jd.com/10097209811046.html However, unless I am mistaken there's not much of an advantage over the Gem10 based on https://i.imgur.com/G9YNO6I.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/G9YNO6I.jpeg (who cares about that AI?) and that's already available at https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840hs-mini-pc-with-win-11-pro-3-nvme-oculink-2-2-5g-lan?variant=47484035858730 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840h... and this one is LPDDR5 in case anyone cares about that. One more interesting thing on this page is https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-t-box-intel-n100-metal-case-mini-pc4c-4t-with-w11-home-8-16gb-ram-256-512gb-ssd?variant=47203124314410 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-t-box-intel-n100-metal-... which is even smaller than a usual NUC yet quite rich inports and has a very agreeable price.
- fransje26 3y ago
  > https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840hs-mini-pc-with-win-11-pro-3-nvme-oculink-2-2-5g-lan?variant=47484035858730 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840h... Triple SSD support. Sweet! Do you have any experience with these systems? And if you do, would you know how good their Linux support is?
  - chx 3y ago
    I don't have experience, it's the first time I read about this. I just extracted the link which keeps redirecting. I am possibly the worst possible person to ask about Linux experience with anything current. I have been posting since 2018 how untenable is running Linux as a daily driver which is when I stopped. I started using it as a daily driver in 2004. Overall I started in 1993 and still using it on command line (WSL) and routers and servers.
    - fransje26 3y ago
      Thank you for the update. > I have been posting since 2018 how untenable is running Linux as a daily driver which is when I stopped. User experiences vary, so to see. I've been running Linux as a daily driver at home and at work since 2012, and I haven't looked back. I've cursed the battery life on my laptop recently, but two weeks back the self-diagnostic pre-boot software on my Dell informed me that the battery was dead. So the culprit might not have been Linux after all. Oh, and count on an Nvidia update to randomly and regularly break your system. But that blame lays squarely on Nvidia.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
beoberha 3y ago
I was just looking into a “server” PC to start a homelab of sorts and these beefy Chinese mini PCs kept popping up. I assumed they were mostly junk, but the reviews were surprisingly pretty positive but ultimately I went cheaper and got a refurbished Optiplex micro off of eBay.

21 points by transpute 3y ago

The AMD-based mini PCs like this that’ve been showing up recently are cool, but I’m guessing that they all get pretty hot and noisy when under load (similar to a compact laptop). I think it’d make for a compelling product if one of these extended their vertical footprint a bit, making for a more cube-like shape and adding space for a 2-4x more heatsink and a big slow fan (maybe even a 200mm fan if making footprint slightly larger is permissible). It’d be a bit larger but cooler and much more quiet.

coffeebeqn 3y ago
I had one from Asrock and it just had one big noctua CPU fan and low profile heatsink that also blew straight out of the case since it was so small. It ran very cool and quiet
- jwells89 3y ago
  That’s cool that Asrock went with Noctua, not surprised it was quiet.
blueferret 3y ago
I use a Beelink mini-PC with a Ryzen 7 chip as my main PC. It handles everything I throw at it (not a gamer though). Worst it's been is making a little fan noise and warm to the touch. Never once overheated or made so much noise it bugged me. YMMV.
Demiurge 3y ago
I've also been using a Ryzen7 mini-pc, it spins up the fans when maxes out, but doesn't sound or behave any different than any laptop, except its a box. It's actually very quiet most of the time, until I have to process a photo in Lightroom or play a game.
- jwells89 3y ago
  > …until I have to process a photo in Lightroom or play a game. That’s pretty much what I was expecting. Would prefer a slightly larger machine (e.g. Mac Studio) that’s inaudible even at load.

FirmwareBurner 3y ago

There's just so much pointless and wasted stuff with this device it hurts. Why have a SFF desktop PC with a laptop APU and a niche and expensive OCuLink external GPU connector, when you can just build a Mini-ITX/SFF desktop system with a dedicated desktop APU/CPU, and a dedicated desktop GPU for cheaper and much more performance and might also be quieter? This system is basically a non-portable laptop built from laptop parts but without a display and battery, which costs nearly as much as a laptop but that one comes with the advantage of portability thanks to the display and battery. I get the cheap Chinese NUCs, but this device basically has the disadvantages of both a desktop PC and a laptop combined, with almost none of the upsides.

graphe 3y ago
I agree. I've never gotten the Intel NUCs either from your logic, it was an overpriced desktop that is only maybe suitable for Kowloon walled city or Singapore apartments.
jwells89 3y ago
I’ve seen some argue on the point of energy efficiency, which might make some sense. Mobile CPUs have lower power consumption caps and tend to consume less at idle and laptop PSUs tend to be more efficient at low power draw than desktop-style PSUs. One might ask why not just use a laptop in that situation, but depending on how the device is used (e.g. always docked), the screen and battery could be seen as a waste. That said, I think I’d opt for a custom build too, probably in something like the Streacom DB4[0] which allows low power systems to operate fanlessly by doubling as a heatsink. [0]: https://streacom.com/products/db4-fanless-mini-itx-case/ https://streacom.com/products/db4-fanless-mini-itx-case/
- thworp 3y ago
  Yes sure, this is true-ush. But if you're so constrained on power draw that three or four extra watt idle is critical, why not just go for something really power-efficient like a Pi or similar? Also, you could undervolt one of the 65W TDP Ryzen CPUs and probably get similar results. Or if you're lucky you can get one of the "OEM Only" 45W Ryzens. As for PSUs, an "80 platinum" rated one will have 90% efficiency at 10% power draw.

chx 3y ago

To save you some headache, here's the URL you can give superbuy or any other similar proxy (not affiliated, just a happy superbuy customer): https://item.jd.com/10097209811046.html https://item.jd.com/10097209811046.html However, unless I am mistaken there's not much of an advantage over the Gem10 based on https://i.imgur.com/G9YNO6I.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/G9YNO6I.jpeg (who cares about that AI?) and that's already available at https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840hs-mini-pc-with-win-11-pro-3-nvme-oculink-2-2-5g-lan?variant=47484035858730 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840h... and this one is LPDDR5 in case anyone cares about that. One more interesting thing on this page is https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-t-box-intel-n100-metal-case-mini-pc4c-4t-with-w11-home-8-16gb-ram-256-512gb-ssd?variant=47203124314410 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-t-box-intel-n100-metal-... which is even smaller than a usual NUC yet quite rich inports and has a very agreeable price.

fransje26 3y ago
> https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840hs-mini-pc-with-win-11-pro-3-nvme-oculink-2-2-5g-lan?variant=47484035858730 https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-gem10-amd-ryzen-7-7840h... Triple SSD support. Sweet! Do you have any experience with these systems? And if you do, would you know how good their Linux support is?
- chx 3y ago
  I don't have experience, it's the first time I read about this. I just extracted the link which keeps redirecting. I am possibly the worst possible person to ask about Linux experience with anything current. I have been posting since 2018 how untenable is running Linux as a daily driver which is when I stopped. I started using it as a daily driver in 2004. Overall I started in 1993 and still using it on command line (WSL) and routers and servers.
  - fransje26 3y ago
    Thank you for the update. > I have been posting since 2018 how untenable is running Linux as a daily driver which is when I stopped. User experiences vary, so to see. I've been running Linux as a daily driver at home and at work since 2012, and I haven't looked back. I've cursed the battery life on my laptop recently, but two weeks back the self-diagnostic pre-boot software on my Dell informed me that the battery was dead. So the culprit might not have been Linux after all. Oh, and count on an Nvidia update to randomly and regularly break your system. But that blame lays squarely on Nvidia.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

beoberha 3y ago

I was just looking into a “server” PC to start a homelab of sorts and these beefy Chinese mini PCs kept popping up. I assumed they were mostly junk, but the reviews were surprisingly pretty positive but ultimately I went cheaper and got a refurbished Optiplex micro off of eBay.