GMKTec Debuts the EVO-X2: A Pioneer in AI Mini PCs
GMKTec has announced the EVO-X2, a mini PC they claim is the “world’s first AI mini PC equipped with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor.” The unveiling took place at the AMD Greater China Channel Summit, an event that saw the attendance of prominent figures such as AMD CEO Lisa Su and SVP & GM Jack Huynh.
Unfortunately, full details about the EVO-X2’s specifications are currently limited. A product page has not yet been published by GMKTec, so the precise internal components remain somewhat vague. However, early reports suggest that this compact desktop will indeed feature the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor. GMKTec hardware demonstrations have purportedly shown the EVO-X2 outperforming an RTX 5080 desktop GPU, by a factor of more than three times, in DeepSeek R1 tests.
To recap, the AMD Strix Halo APU, the expected processor for the EVO-X2, features a Zen 5 architecture CPU with 16 cores and 32 threads. This is configured with two CCDs, operating at a maximum frequency of 5.1 GHz. The APU also integrates a RDNA 3.5 architecture Radeon 8060S iGPU with 40 compute units. The processing package is rounded out by an XDNA2 NPU capable of 50 TOPS. Further, the system includes 80MB of onboard cache and offers buyers the option to select up to 128GB of 256-bit LPDDR5X-8533 RAM.
Initial observations indicate the EVO-X2 is a relatively large mini PC. In an image featuring Jack Huynh, the AMD executive is holding a Geekom machine, which resembles a traditional ‘4 x 4’ NUC. The EVO-X2, placed nearby, appears to be larger, estimated to be a ‘5 x 4.5’ form factor and larger in at least one dimension.
Images shared on social media provide further insights into the EVO-X2’s form factor. The front panel houses a power button, an SD card reader, a Thunderbolt (Type C) port, twin USB (Type A) ports, and a headset jack. The rear panel features three additional USB (Type-A) ports, another Thunderbolt port, HDMI and DP ports, an RJ45 network port, a second headset jack, and a barrel power jack.
The technological community is anticipating the new generation of Strix Halo APUs from AMD. If GMKTec can release its product ahead of competitors like the HP Z2 Mini G1a and the Framework Desktop, and at an attractive price point, they could secure a significant advantage. The source blog notes that a batch of units may be signed by Lisa Su.
Asus had initially planned to release its ROG Flow Z13 in February, but it remains in a pre-order stage. The Framework Desktop machines, equipped with Ryzen AI Max chips, are not expected until Q3 of this year. The HP Z2 Mini G1a is slated for release in the spring.
