This RYZEN Mini PC Does EVERYTHING, AND Has AI (with ryzenai-sw) [GMKtec NucBox K8 REVIEW]

Рет қаралды 7,744

Күн бұрын

The GMKtec K8 is a powerful Mini PC that uses the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, and is the first Mini PC from GMKtec that has the AMD Ryzen AI IPU included from the get go. It can handle AAA games, run high-tier emulation, and is also very affordable!
In this review, we run benchmarks, test games, try some emulators, Ubuntu Linux, Batocera Linux, and also see how difficult it is to get AMD Ryzen AI up and running in Windows.
This Mini PC can be found both directly from GMKTek, AliExpress and from Amazon (links below).
Windows 11 Pro is installed, and in our review, we run benchmarks, test games, try emulated systems, and also use Batocera Linux.
► Specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS / 8 Core 16 Thread @ 3.8Ghz-5.1Ghz
RAM: 2x16GB Crucial DDR5 @ 5600MT/s Running in "Quad Channel"
GPU: AMD Radeon 780m @ 2800Mhz
Storage: 1TB NVMe PCIe4
OS: Windows 11 Pro 64bit
►Note:
This product was received solely for the purpose of video review. Nothing of monetary value has been received.
Affiliate links have been added which help the channel at no additional cost to yourself.
Thanks 🙏
► Purchase links
GMKtec Website: go.teampandory.com/gmkteck8
Amazon: amzn.to/49hHiue
►Alternative Mini PC (GMKtec K6)
GMKtec Website: go.teampandory.com/gmkteck6
Amazon (Space Blue): amzn.to/3O01XLR
Amazon (Steel Blue): amzn.to/3TZ612H
► Coupon Codes
Enter the code at checkout on the GMKtec website
For K8 Barebone: Pandory-Barebone
►8845HS Game Testing Video
• AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS Gam...
►Timestamps:
0:00 GMKtec NucBox K8 Review
0:39 Unboxing the GMKtec K8
1:42 GMKtec NucBox K8 Specifications
1:58 A Closer Look
3:08 Size Comparison
3:39 Tea time
3:46 First Boot, Activating Windows 11 Pro, Updates
4:32 Ninite, malware and virus check
4:45 Office, Krita, Online Shopping
5:21 Video Streaming, Amazon Prime, NetFlix, KZfaq 4K
5:51 Video Editing in Davinci Resolve
6:09 Installing AMD Ryzen AI Software
7:47 Installing Llama 2 Demo
8:54 Benchmarks, Geekbench, Timespy, Cinebench, Shizuku Diskmark
9:18 WiFi Signal Strength
9:26 Game Testing - Homestar Runner, Bots are Stupid
9:51 Game Testing - Fornite, Rocket League, Cyberpunk 2077
10:28 Game Testing - Cyberpunk 2077, Terminator Resistance
11:14 PlayStation 3
11:38 Inside the GMKtec NucBox K8
12:51 BIOS
13:23 Batocera Linux, WiFi and Bluetooth
13:40 Game Testing - Amiga, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
14:18 Steam Games on Ubuntu Linux
14:28 Running Windows Steam Games in Linux
15:20 Power draw and noise
15:55 Pros and Cons
16:29 GMKtec K6 or K8?
17:16 Patreon Thanks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
►Credits
'Cosmic Timescales', 'Sea Foam', 'Beautiful Universe', 'Miami Midnight Drive', 'Timewarp 1983' and 'Funky Chip' by Chris Huelsbeck, used under a royalty-free license, please visit www.patreon.com/chris_huelsbeck for more info!
Pandory Intro Music by Disfunktional
surroundsoundrecordings.bandc...
breakingsaints.bandcamp.com/
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#ryzen #ryzenai #ryzen7 #minipc #gmktec #gaming #review

Пікірлер: 54

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

UPDATE: GMKTEC has shared with me the latest version of their BIOS (1.07). You can TOGGLE the Ryzen AI / AMD IPU to be ON or OFF. Turning the IPU to the OFF setting makes this mini pc MUCH quieter at 45W TDP, and it gave us a benchmark score of 14701 in GRID Autosport (1080p / Ultra). 👍

@byteme6346 16 күн бұрын

Are they making the BIOS available to Canonical, Red Hat, etc.? I don't run windows, how can I get the BIOS?

@TeamPandory 16 күн бұрын

@@byteme6346 @byteme6346 If you're getting a new machine, it's probably running the latest. Maybe run windows on a small SSD just for bios updates? Tbh I think it runs a bat file, so it may be okay in dos too.

@JCJW101 Ай бұрын

This is the first review where somoene has actually tried to use the NPU for AI, you got yourself a sub!

@TeamPandory Ай бұрын

I don't want to do it again any time soon 😂 - Thanks for checking out the channel ☺️

@richardmcgowan1651 2 ай бұрын

Frist thing I would do with this is stick Linux on it. Then wipe the AI tag off it. Tbf as we move forward as AI gets pushed onto users. Linux will be my main OS. I really don't want AMD or Microsoft spying on me in real time.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

And you might be happy to hear that GMKtec just passed me a bios update... And you can TOGGLE AI on or off! :-)

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

We did install Linux to this computer later on in the video. I'm with you on the whole AI thing btw.

@harleyn3089 2 ай бұрын

I converted all 3 of my main computers to Debian 12 Linux this week. Partly because I don't want to participate in Microsoft's latest "Assistant", and partly because I actually like the experience of Gnome. Really great video BTW, a nice mix of thorough and entertaining. 🙂

@gamernix5329 2 ай бұрын

OMG! Full frontal review!

@mrpurpleman9698 2 ай бұрын

thanks great review appreciate the in-depth wall meter power checks with the different modes. How much roughly watts were being used during 4k video and surfing in general by chance?

@avidwriter2882 2 ай бұрын

Hey. Great editing. Good job. Thanks for doing all that BS for the AI just so we know it's a PITA to use so we can just ignore all that.

@Mclaneinc 2 ай бұрын

Epic review Tim, that AI setup is so scary and having to compile the code yourself is just a newbie nightmare, CMAKE, Python and stuff like that will just confuse and lead to issues. The update will help, but does it make all that scripting go away. For the retro gaming peeps, I'd suggest the Windows version of ReDream for Dreamcast emulating. The core that on the linux setup is the very old Android port, Redream PC is miles ahead. It does seem a chunk of cash more for only a little difference to the other GMK model. Very decent to point that out. You made my daughter laugh with the Hello Kitty part, she's studied Japanese around the time she was in Uni, love's everything Japan, even speaks a little. Currently, she's going full steam through all the Yakuza games on our PS5. And not the old poorly dubbed ones . Anyway, great review old man, keep 'em coming, really helpful and very entertaining, best still, totally honest as I've said before. Paul..

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Paul ☺️ You can tell her she has good taste - the Yakuza series is one of my favourites.

@ETlandxoxo 2 ай бұрын

I love the way you pronounce Shenzhen 😆 would also like to see some gameplay on Hogwarts Legacy

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Jenjen? 😂 I would test Hogwarts, but there's no way I'm paying that much to (not really) play an 'Arry Potter game! 75% Sale when?

@WickedGamerCollector 2 ай бұрын

Yeah, this thing looks awesome. That intro ... LOL 😆.. Skynet is real ! 8xxx serie is not a huge power boost 🤨9:01

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

It's an odd one 😅. Will be posting an update when I can, but this pc is better than we show in this video... When you turn off the AMD IPU. 😮

@raymonddai 2 ай бұрын

ooooo so thats what you look like! (dissapointed......) JK xD . Ok i need to know what type of audio processing ur using after the intro scene cause the voice sounds way different . i like it

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

It's called using a microphone 😂. Message me and I can show you the setup, but it's basically davinci resolve voice channel followed by the L1 leveller

@DJJuxtapose 2 ай бұрын

Top vid as always! Dr Spaitso was always a bit pervy when I would chat with him, always on about "sexy stuffs".

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

No way! He was extremely respectable when we went to see the good Doctor. ^-^

@anonytuser711 Ай бұрын

I would like to hack this to add an m.2 Oculink port to put an external graphics card in it. Hook it up GMKTec!

@ceeam 2 ай бұрын

The only difference 8845hs has compared with 7840hs is 16 AI unit vs 10 AI units in the latter. CPU/GPU/TDPs are all identical.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Also: The 780M GPU is clocked 100mhz HIGHER on the 8845HS. This would explain the higher temps. Edit: sorry, my bad. That was total bogus. It's late. Very late 😂

@ceeam 2 ай бұрын

@@TeamPandory That's weird because AMD states that they both are 2700 MHz.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

@@ceeam Let me go have another look ... Power UP!

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

@@ceeam Ahcckk - I was probably reading the Memory speeds :/ It's late 😅

@harleyn3089 2 ай бұрын

It also has a better memory controller.

@cmdredstrakerofshado1159 2 ай бұрын

This was compared to the A6 and other than the AI , the in game performance was almost identical to last years A6. The A6 in the US is almost $300.00 usd less making this a terrible deal unless you need AI for some strange reason.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

The gmktec in this video is currently at 649$ with 32gb and a 1tb (with coupon)... What product is around 349? The geekom as6?

@byteme6346 16 күн бұрын

GMKtek is having a sale for the next 4 days. I ordered a 32GB+1TB SSD with no win11.

@TeamPandory 16 күн бұрын

I think they only supply the 32GB w/ 1TB WITH Win11. TBH it's easy enough to wipe Windows for your flavour of OS, be it Linux, or AmigaOS :)

@jimaxdfreak Ай бұрын

Any problem on pc heat?! I claim warranty on my gmktec k4, it fails to start in just 4 months

@TeamPandory Ай бұрын

It's pretty much night and day difference compared to the k4. Every GMKtec mini pc after the K4 changed the place where the memory and NVME were located, and added a secondary fan which keeps these important components cool.

@andic6676 2 ай бұрын

Can you boot from either Nvme slot?

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Yes, that's no problem at all.

@Rayu25Demon 21 күн бұрын

the default windows 11 must has some kind of malweres how could u use windows 11 and the secure boot is OFF in BIOS ?

@TeamPandory 21 күн бұрын

Secure boot basically means "forced windows boot". With Windows itself is malware, it's more like an anti-anti malware. Haven't you seen the news regarding copilot ? 😲 Moreover, with secure boot on, it won't allow Linux to boot.

@Rayu25Demon 21 күн бұрын

@@TeamPandory thanks for info, when i installed windows 11 (the 1st windows 11 build) i couldn't boot the usb windows media drive until i enable it. same thing it happens after i installed windows 11 windows didnt boot when i disable secure boot i downgraded immediately to 10 because i need to use lunix mint sometimes. thats what happens to me, i didnt bother my self googling about it a fix of my case. i remeber secure boot was required with tpm 2.0 to install windows 11 right ?

@TeamPandory 21 күн бұрын

@@Rayu25Demon it's not a requirement to start it up, but might be needed to install it. I think the setup needs to at least detect tpm2 availability or it won't run. Haven't really checked Google either 😂

@Rayu25Demon 17 күн бұрын

@@TeamPandory it was the 1st build of windows 11 no way i'm going to find solutions on day one, thank for the info BTW.

@TrusteftTech 2 ай бұрын

WTF? You have a body and a face? How is that possible? Ryzen AI feels like me cleaning my room as a kid. Half as...ked attempt taking too long and with a terrible result. Does running in performance mode change the temps? I think it's a very good product. Thanks for the video.

@harleyn3089 2 ай бұрын

For running local AI like Llama, Linux is much easier and better than Windows. For Arch Linux there's a script that sets everything up. Windows might get better in the future, but the vast majority of local AI runs on Linux, so that's where the community is.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Does it set everything up for Ryzen AI, or is this for the Intel CPUs? Even AMD's own guides mention that needs Windows software so it's a bit confusing as to what will work or not.

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

Yeah. Some people have those things 😂 the whole thing regarding installing Ryzen AI is a total pain in the rhubarb

@harleyn3089 2 ай бұрын

@@TeamPandory I posted a detailed reply and the auto moderation nuked it....

@TeamPandory 2 ай бұрын

@@harleyn3089 there's protection against placing URLs... Did you link something?

@JohnDoe-ip3oq Ай бұрын

AMD apu drivers have been garbage for a decade, deliberately not installing features on purpose because you're not using a desktop card, not to mention not providing timely updates and being EOLed years after release. You have to install modded drivers or Linux to reasonably use the things.

@TeamPandory Ай бұрын

Are you meaning those drivers for the ancient ATI Radeon cards? Those bring me back 😂 AMD drivers for the past 5-10 years have been pretty solid. They're also whipping Intel quite badly at the moment when it comes to gaming performance on their mini PCs. ... Or are you comparing to the Geforce driver rollouts?

@JohnDoe-ip3oq Ай бұрын

@@TeamPandory No. Do you not know what an APU is? It's literally the all in one CPU in this mini PC. AMD does not offer proper driver support for these things, most features are disabled, requiring user modding. This includes all the APUs AMD has ever released, all of them have poor support, there is a HISTORY of poor support. The Steam deck will outlast the Asus handheld even using older hardware SPECIFICALLY because AMD offers poor support and limited optimization. Steam deck is using open source drivers supported by Valve, while AMD is not providing quality updates for their Windows chips. So any rdna2 apu not steam deck will fall off a cliff, and their rdna3 chips will also get bare minimum support. If something doesn't work, it will likely never work. You get bare minimum windows capabilities, that's it, and pray some bug doesn't appear, especially from windows updating, which has historically caused problems with AMD drivers, and whoops then you care that AMD isn't providing timely support because it bricks your mini PC, more like you're using it for something specific like video and video breaks, so you have to run a bunch of hacks or switch to Linux. AMD only supports the current Gen chip, they want you to buy a new mini PC every new chip. If you waste your money on one, you will find out, because this happens every time. Especially because the only people mentioning it are the support forum users. I'm not saying the drivers don't work, you are getting half functionality sometimes with disabled control panel features, but the real problem is support updates. AMD screws everyone with support, and there is no recourse other than mod hacks and Linux.

@TeamPandory Ай бұрын

@@JohnDoe-ip3oq You mean a CPU with GPU capabilities, right? Sorry, we don't really latch onto the new marketing phrases like others. Can you provide a specific example?

@JohnDoe-ip3oq Ай бұрын

@@TeamPandory I already did, the chip in the mini PC, any laptop, gaming handhelds like ROG Ally. The Ally only just now supposedly got an update for frame generation while this has been available for desktop users for a long time. All of AMDs mobile all in one chips are second class citizens when it comes to software support. AMD has no legitimate reason for doing this, because it's the same architecture as the desktop cards, but they segment mobile support from desktop. There are cases where you buy say a DELL, and AMD requires you to specifically use DELL drivers, which are nothing more than rebranded AMD drivers, which are months out of date, lack features, and the only difference might be a Dell loading picture. From what I heard on the ROG Ally, the driver is provided from Asus armory crate. These OEMs cannot be trusted to provide timely updates, and support their hardware worse than AMD. They usually only provide updates for a year, or until the next Gen product. They're treating APUs like cheap Android phones that never get updates unlike buying a Samsung or Apple. The biggest problem with this is absolutely nobody talks about it, so the consumer is unaware, while everyone knows what they're buying with phones. This is even more insidious because absolutely no one expects this from PC hardware. They expect support for the lifetime of the product, which you generally get with the operating system, but AMD doesn't deliver driver support. So Windows will get updates, but not your video drivers, which Microsoft has broken AMD drivers before by updating Windows, so if you don't get driver updates with the Windows update your system will break, and AMD doesn't care. They just keep it working for the initial sale, and you're out of luck after.