GMKtec M5 PLUS
Score: 80/100
Geekom AX8 Max
Score: 85/100Rankings
The GEEKOM AX8 Max is a compact, all-metal mini PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS APU with integrated Radeon 780M graphics, offering strong CPU and iGPU performance, quad-display support, dual 2.5 GbE LAN, and extensive connectivity in a VESA-mountable chassis.
The GMKtec Nucbox M5 Plus packs an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U into a compact metal chassis with dual 2.5 GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E and triple-4K display support, offering solid productivity performance but suffers from Wi-Fi overheating and fan noise.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
8best | 8best | |
16 GB | 32 GBbest | |
16best | 16best | |
4.5 GHzbest | — | |
512 GB | 1,024 GBbest | |
2.5 Gbpsbest | 2.5 Gbpsbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 15 Wbest | — |
60 Wbest | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Memory(2) | ||
RAM Capacity (GB) | 16 GB | 32 GB |
RAM Type | DDR4 | DDR5 |
Storage(2) | ||
Storage Capacity (GB) | 512 GB | 1024 GB |
Storage Type | SSD | NVMe |
Connectivity(1) | ||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.4 |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the M5 Plus for its desktop-class CPU, dual 2.5 GbE ports and triple-4K display capability, calling it a solid choice for productivity, media streaming and light virtualization.
Everyday users appreciate the fast boot times, quiet operation in typical use, and reliable networking, while recurring complaints focus on Wi-Fi module overheating, a noisy top fan, and occasional SSD detection or display flicker issues.
Professional reviewers praise the AX8 Max as a compact powerhouse with excellent CPU and iGPU performance, premium metal chassis, and a rich port selection that includes dual 2.5 GbE and USB4. They commend its quiet IceBlast cooling and upgrade flexibility, but criticize misleading specifications, Bluetooth version confusion, lack of front USB-C, and early firmware bugs.
Everyday users appreciate the fast performance, solid build quality, quiet operation, and the ability to easily add more RAM or storage. Common frustrations revolve around missing advertised features such as the M.2 SATA slot and SD card reader, Bluetooth version mismatches, lack of front USB-C, and the need to apply a BIOS update to resolve early firmware protection issues.
“solid performance for productivity, media streaming, and light virtualization”
“Fast boot times (<15 seconds with PCIe SSD)”
“Excellent CPU performance with 8-core/16-thread Ryzen 7 8745HS”
