Mini PCs are new to the industry. In the past, they have been known as underpowered PCs used as kiosks, for example, unsuitable for day-to-day tasks. The PC form factor has gotten much smaller in the last couple of years. GEEKOM has changed that with the powerful, small, and efficient GEEKOM A5 mini PC. They sent us a review unit a couple of months ago, and instead of doing the typical quick review, we wanted to take the opportunity to use the machine long-term. The A5 has been my primary workstation for daily tasks for the past few months. Let’s go through the basic specifications of the A5, and I’ll tell you my thoughts after a day-to-day experience.
Specifications
| Form Factor | 117 mm x 112 mm x 49.2 mm | |
| Net Weight | about 652 g | |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H (8 Cores, 16 Threads, 16MB Cache, 3.2 GHz~ 4.4 GHz) | |
| TDP 35W | ||
| Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Vega 8 Graphics | |
| Memory | Dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM, up to 64GB | |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3×4 NVMe/SATA SSD, supports up to 2TB 1 x 2.5” 7mm SATA HDD, supports up to 2TB | |
| I/O Ports | 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A | |
| 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C | ||
| 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A | ||
| 2 x HDMI 2.0b ports | ||
| 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack | ||
| 1 x 2.5G RJ45 LAN port | ||
| 1 x SD card reader | ||
| 1 x DC jack | ||
| 1 x Power button | ||
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro | |
| Bluetooth® Wireless Technology | Bluetooth® v5.2 | |
| Wireless LAN | WiFi 6 | |
| Kensington Lock | Yes | |
| Adapter | 120W,19V/6.32A | |
| What’s Included | 1 x A 5 Mini PC 1 x VESA Mount 1 x Power Adapter 1 x HDMI Cable 1 x User Guide 1 x Thank You Card | |
For a form factor of this size, the specifications are impressive. Packed in a small rectangular box that fits in the palm of your hand is the AMD Zen 3 Ryzen 7 5800H, with Vega 8 graphics and an SD card reader for the creatives out there surrounded by an excellent array of front and back ports. Using the USB C ports with the two HDMI ports in the back four monitors is possible, and that setup worked well for me when working on system administration tasks. Our unit came equipped with 32GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB Gen 3 SSD. Topped off with Bluetooth 5.2 and Wifi 6, it’s a great package at just $399. GEEKOM even remembered to put an HDMI cable in the box. It’s a well-balanced package for the money, but is it perfect? Does it perform well? Let’s talk about it.
The Experience
I enjoy the longer-term reviews; they allow a device ample opportunity to be put through traditional workflows, and any concerns or shortcomings will come to light over time. This represents the authentic customer experience, as most customers aren’t looking to move from a device in days to a few weeks. In my extended use of the A5, the unit is impressive for its size, and that 5800H AMD CPU does not disappoint; the power is there for most day-to-day tasks. For me, that’s website editing, system administration tasks, and a few lightweight video edits. Squeezing four monitor connections in such a small box is a pleasure; it’s a tight fit for the connectors, but it works. When running multiple monitors, I often have multiple browsers open, stacked with numerous windows and open tabs each. Microsoft Teams, Skype, Slack, command prompt windows, and note-taking apps round out the typical workflow. I’m also connected to multiple networks simultaneously with at least one VPN. So I’m more than your Microsoft Office user when sitting at the desk.
Watching and hearing (more on that in a minute) this little box that keeps up with my daily workflow was terrific. I call it the “little box” because it represents how far we’ve come from computers and workstations that needed an executive-style desk. You could put this in a backpack and travel with it if desired. If you use a backpack, though, you’ll need to remember for the A5 to be this small, the power supply is external, so you’re looking at a laptop-style power supply with a barrel connector. That’s not a huge issue for me, as the cords run behind the desk, and the power brick is against the wall. You have enough cord length to go from the desk to the floor to your outlet. Remember I mentioned we would get back to hearing the A5? If you’ve got a small and robust package, you’ve got to keep it cool. The fan sits in the top of the casing with side venting. The fan does ramp up and down often to maintain temps; for some who prefer a silent office space, that will be your deal breaker. That’s to be expected from all mini PCs of this size and not a specific of the A5.
So, what are my gripes? Well, not much; everything you need to get started is in the box, including your Windows license. GEEKOM didn’t cut that corner as some others do; it’s a no-bloatware registered Windows install. Well done. It’d be nice if the USB-C port were USB 4 to open the option for external GPU support, but that would add to the cost. The small form factor PC market is very competitive. You will notice some thermal throttling under a heavy load, such as video editing, where the CPU reaches max boost for a short period before settling around 3.5 GHz.
Wrapping it Together
GEEKOM offers an impressive package at the $399 price point. For most users, the A5 is more than enough. With game streaming becoming more available from the likes of Xbox and GeForce Now, you’ve got a package that can offer a little of everything. Office productivity, media PC, something for the kid’s room where space might be limited, or slide it in a kitchen nook for those quick-to-have recipes or kitchen entertainment. It’s an all-around package that you can’t go wrong with.
