Specifications of Geekom AS6
Boot Drive Capacity (as tested): 2
Boot Drive Type: SSD
Desktop Category: Small Form Factor
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon 680M
Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Processor Speed: 3.3
RAM (as tested): 32
Introduction
We previously reviewed Geekom’s mini PCs and found them to offer efficient performance and good value, and the Geekom AS6 (starting at $899; $1009 as tested) maintains that level – but with a different touch. Previous Geekom computers were built on Intel Core processors. The AS6 differs as it uses the powerful 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX to drive it. Unlike some mini PCs that come as barebones kits requiring you to add storage, memory, and an operating system, the AS6 comes fully equipped out of the box, featuring plenty of ports and room for internal expansion. It’s a strong addition to the small form factor desktop category and offers good value, although you may have to settle for the limited Ryzen 7 configuration from Geekom due to the availability of our test model in the United States.
Configuration and Design
The dimensions of the AS6 are 2.3 × 4.7 × 5.1 inches and it weighs under 2 pounds, making it portable and space-saving. However, this mini PC packs a powerful punch. It utilizes an AMD processor instead of an Intel one, powered by a Ryzen 9 with 8 cores/16 threads running at 3.3 GHz.
Our test unit is properly equipped in another way; it’s the top variant of the AS6 series, although it is intermittently available from US retailers as of this writing, and often has the $1009 list price reduced when it is available. (A lower-spec Ryzen 7 version is more commonly available for sale, and we’ll talk about that shortly.) Inside the simple black box, Geekom has packed 32GB of DDR5 RAM (implemented via laptop-style SO-DIMM modules, not standard desktop modules) and a 2TB M.2 storage drive loaded with Windows 11 Pro. The AS6 is ready to use right out of the box and simply needs a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. (Photo: Joseph Maldonado)
All this translates to a small PC with the power of an advanced laptop for power users. Additionally, if you need to completely remove Geekom from your desktop, you can mount it on the back of your monitor if the panel supports a VESA mount. (One is included in the AS6 package.) After excelling in performance tests, the AS6 should be a serious contender for a productivity-focused desktop. Finally, if you’d like to do some light and casual gaming, the AS6’s Ryzen 9 6900HX processor belongs to the category often found in high-performance gaming laptops, and the integrated Radeon 680M graphics isn’t as weak as it is with other integrated graphics, even if it can’t compare to a discrete video card.
Of course, our test configuration does not include a keyboard, mouse, or monitor, so you’re likely looking at $1000 or more to achieve the same functionality of a laptop that comes with all those things integrated. So don’t let the AS6’s price alone tempt you unless you already own all those peripherals.
If you’re looking for a more economical option, Geekom sells an alternate AS6 model with an AMD Ryzen 7 7735H processor and a 1TB SSD, priced at $899, and a model priced at $889 with a Ryzen 7 6800H and a 1TB SSD. (Both often get discounted, into the $600 range.) For the Ryzen 7 7735H model, this is a good saving for what we expect to be slightly reduced performance given that its 7000 series chip is rated at slightly lower base and boost clock speeds. (It’s an 8-core chip like the Ryzen 9 6900HX.)
Even
With this luxurious configuration that we tested, you will still find room for some expansion. There is a second M.2 slot in the case cover, in addition to a bracket and cable for a 2.5-inch drive, which can be either a mechanical drive or a 2.5-inch SSD. If you want to have a lot of storage, you won’t be disappointed, but note that Geekom says that the empty M.2 slot and 2.5-inch SATA connection are limited to drives of 2 terabytes or less. This puts a cap on system-level upgrades compared to what is available on the market. (You can find SSDs with capacities of 4 terabytes and 8 terabytes, as well as 2.5-inch hard drives up to 5 terabytes.) (Image: Joseph Maldonado)
The 32 GB of RAM installed in our test model is the largest that Geekom says the AS6 will support, filling the two SO-DIMM slots on the motherboard. Accessing these components is easy. You will find four screws on the bottom of the case. Unscrewing these screws allows you to lift the top cover (which is tethered by a ribbon cable) and reveal the memory slots, the main M.2 boot drive, the second empty M.2 slot, and the 2.5-inch drive bracket. (Image: Joseph Maldonado)
Ports and Connectivity
A place where many mini PCs stumble is the number and type of ports. For a small desktop PC, the AS6 is fully loaded, especially in terms of video outputs. On the video side, the AS6 has two HDMI 2.1 connections and three additional DisplayPort outputs. There is one full-size DisplayPort, while the other two take the form of USB4 Type-C ports, one on the front and the other on the back. The AS6 allows you to run up to four stunning 4K displays through these five ports, at 60Hz. (Alternatively, the USB4 ports that support DisplayPort enable 8K output at 60Hz.) (Image: Joseph Maldonado)
In addition to the video ports, the AS6 also offers five USB Type-A 3.2 ports: two on the front panel and three more at the back of the case. Finally, the user gets a 2.5 gigabit per second Ethernet port on the rear panel. Even with all this content in the case, the AS6 runs slightly warm after several hours of use. This can be attributed to the quiet fan and efficient ventilation using both the side panels and the rear panel. (Image: Joseph Maldonado)
Finally, you will find a mount (what is referred to as a “lock slot”) on the rear panel for a security cable to prevent anyone from stealing the mini PC. It includes support for wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, which are currently widely available standards.
Testing
We subjected the AS6 to our standard benchmark tests for desktop computers. In our testing, we compared the AS6 with several recommended mini PCs: Acer Veriton Vero Mini, Asus ExpertCenter PN52, Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, and Intel NUC 12 Pro. While both the AS6 and Asus ExpertCenter PN52 contain AMD chips inside, the other two have Intel Core i7 processors. The Asus has an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H while the AS6 has a Ryzen 9 6900HX. Both of these AMD processors are typically recommended to accompany discrete graphics cards and power advanced user laptops. These units are much larger than these small desktop computers; on the contrary, all of these mini PCs in our test group run on integrated graphics that are part of their CPUs.
Tests
Productivity and Content Creation
We run the same general productivity tests on mobile systems and desktop computers. Our first test is PCMark 10 from UL, which simulates a variety of real-world productivity scenarios and office workflows to measure overall system performance. It also includes a sub-test for primary disk storage.
The other three tests focus on the CPU, using all available cores and threads, to evaluate how well the computer handles intensive processor workloads. Maxon’s Cinebench R23 uses the Cinema 4D engine to render a complex scene, while Primate Labs’ Geekbench 5.4 Pro simulates common applications ranging from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine learning. Finally, we use the open-source video converter HandBrake 1.4 to convert a 12-minute video from 4K resolution to 1080p (lower times are better).
Lastly, we run PugetBench’s Photoshop test from the workstation hardware maker Puget Systems, which uses Adobe’s famous Creative Cloud 22 photo editor to evaluate the computer’s performance in content creation and multimedia applications. It is an automated addition that executes a variety of general and GPU-based tasks in Photoshop, from opening, rotating, resizing, and saving an image to applying masks, filling gradients, and filters.
Graphics Tests
We test graphics within all laptops and desktops using two DirectX 12 game simulations from 3DMark: Night Raid (less demanding, suitable for testing IGPs) and Time Spy (more demanding, suitable for computers with discrete graphics cards).
To measure graphics processing units more accurately, we also run two tests from the cross-platform GPU performance benchmark GFXBench 5, which stresses routines at the low level such as texturing and rendering images at the high level such as gaming. The Aztec Ruins test at 1440p and the Car Chase test at 1080p, which are processed off-screen to accommodate different screen refresh rates, exercise both the CPU and GPU using OpenGL and hardware tessellation respectively. The higher the frames per second (fps), the better.
The integrated GPU AMD Radeon 680M inside the AS6 processor is something we rarely see in action (this processor is usually paired with a discrete graphics card in a laptop), but it is powerful as integrated graphics can be. The AS6 from Geekom outperformed its rivals equipped with the same integrated processors in these tests. Although it won’t be able to run the latest PC games at high resolutions satisfactorily, you might enjoy some casual or classic gaming from this compact desktop. In my 3DMark test, the AS6 ranked at the top of the comparison group by several hundred points. In the Night Raid test, the AS6 was in the lead by several thousand points.
We saw similar results in GFXBench, where the AS6 topped this group in both the Aztec Ruins and Car Chase tests, with the Intel NUC 12 Pro in second place, and the rest of the comparison group lagging significantly behind. This indicates superior IGP performance from AMD’s Ryzen 9 chip compared to the other options here.
Conclusion
While Geekom may not have the recognition enjoyed by many other mini-PC manufacturers, it makes a strong case in terms of price and performance. With numerous ports, the need for an external hub to accommodate your USB devices may be eliminated. Supporting multiple displays is another positive factor.
Feature
Another feature of the AS6 is its expandability. While our review unit was filled with memory and featured a generous 2TB M.2 storage drive, the empty M.2 slot and 2.5-inch drive bay allow for additional storage space, if you need it. (Just remember that the 2.5-inch SATA connection and the empty NVMe M.2 SSD slot are limited to a maximum capacity of 2TB.) And while it’s not marketed as a gaming device, the AS6 may have enough power to run some light and casual games. (Think older games and Plants vs. Zombies, not Starfield.)
However, the Geekom AS6 is not perfect, of course: upgrade documentation is lacking, the drive capacity limitations are frustrating, and there’s no SD card slot like some other mini PCs we’ve tested from Geekom. Nevertheless, after considering all factors, we were extremely pleased with the performance of this compact desktop and its price.
Source: https://me.pcmag.com/en/old-desktop-pcs/21248/geekom-as6
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