I got this mini PC running Cyberpunk at 85fps (technically), but it wants to do a whole lot more than that

Mini PCs are slowly taking up residence on the desks of more and more gamers, as the best gaming PC prices continue to soar. Geekom is one of the first brands you'll find in a casual Amazon hunt, and the brand's A9 Max model is its go-to for gamers.

This silver cube packs the power of an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 processor and Radeon 890M integrated graphics. That's not going to trifle RTX 50-series machines, and the Steam Machine's dedicated VRAM and higher GPU wattage isn't going to be too concerned in the short term. This is, after all, a productivity machine geared around professional applications with an AI lean. Geekom suggests it's up to the task of gaming at 1080p, though, so let's find out exactly what that looks like.

Configurations

At the time of writing there's only one Geekom A9 Max spec to chase. That AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 processor (including the 890M integrated graphics) is partnered up with 32GB DDR5 RAM and a 2TB SSD. That's a compelling set of specs for anyone running more demanding productivity workflows, it's one of the more robust mini PCs on the market right now.

AMD will tell you the AI 9 470 packs an XDNA 2 NPU for up to 55 TOPS, with a total of 86 TOPS of power for AI acceleration. That's going to be running all your models but also taking care of more complex rendering and media creation tasks as well. A healthy dose of RAM to support it and enough storage to see you through larger file systems, and the A9 Max is selling itself well for professionals.

There is an older AI 9 HX 370 model still available at some stores, it being a previous release rather than a separate skew of this particular launch.

Performance

Straight out of the box, with no FSR fiddling, the Geekom A9 Max somewhat holds its own. We're not quite at 60fps territory at either high or medium settings in FHD, and only Cyberpunk 2077 will even attempt QHD gameplay, but with 48fps in Total War: Three Kingdoms at medium settings and 51fps in Cyberpunk 2077 under the same conditions there's definitely something to work with here.

There is evidence that the system isn't exactly happy about it, though. Textures snag, graphical glitches are far more prevalent, and jagged edges, flittering images, and hazy moments can creep in during more complex runs like this. However, for a productivity-oriented PC putting most of its eggs in the professional market there's certainly potential.

Nobody who laid a hand on this mini PC is expecting you to play in raw settings, though. This is a system designed for FSR upscaling, and with it we can get far closer to the 60fps standard players are paying thousands of dollars for at the moment. Cyberpunk 2077 gives us the clearest look at how we can achieve these kinds of numbers with various settings tweaks. It's the only game in my benchmark pool that managed to start its QHD test run and provides a sturdy example of the more demanding Triple-A games your Steam library might be up against.

Adding AMD's FSR tech into the picture, we're comfortably hitting a 60fps average in high settings on FHD resolution. We can even bump up the spec to QHD, drop graphics to medium, and still get closer to that threshold as well. Geekom's right to celebrate its A9 Max's gaming chops, it certainly can hit playable framerates on demanding Triple-A releases - as long as you're happy with FSR in your setup.

If you don't want synthetic frames in your sessions, you'll be sticking to more casual titles. The lighter games in my Steam library; Islanders, Restory, Oxenfree 2, and Samorost 3 all ran absolutely fine. As it stands, without AMD's helping hand, I was generally benching at Low settings across my testing pool to try and get close to 60fps.

The system's 3D Mark benchmarks are to be expected. This isn't a machine designed to top the Steel Nomad, Time Spy, or Fire Strike leaderboards - but that Steel Nomad Lite score allows us to meet it where it's at a little more.

For all intents and purposes, your GPU here is functioning like a GTX 1650 or 45W RTX 2050 in its Steel Nomad Lite run - just one without the fancy upscaling and frame generation tech.

The A9 Max's Ryzen processor still falls well behind the Apple M5 Pro in the productivity arena. The top-shelf Mac Mini will net you a single core score of over 3,600 and a multi-core score at over 30,000. Interestingly, we're beating the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 in the single-core arena (vs. 2,445), but still falling down in raw multi-core performance (vs. 20,906). While AMD's Max line typically performs better for gaming, those skewing more towards complex productivity tasks in their purchase decision should take note.

We're being slightly unfair on the Geekom A9 Max in these comparisons, though. None of the machines it's up against in these raw data benchmarks have been designed to fulfill the same AI goals as this particular rig. While others find their strengths in raw performance, then, there's going to be far more on offer for the AI power-user here.

Features

The Geekom A9 Max comes stocked with plenty of front ports to keep all your more portable accessories easily accessible, as well as a healthy selection of more permanent rear connections. In reaching distance, we've got three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports with a fourth always-on connection. That's easy space for a wireless keyboard, mouse, and headset, with one to spare for charging or lighting.

Behind all that, though, the A9 Max also benefits from dual RJ45 LAN ports, two HDMI 2.1 connections, and two USB 4 Type-Cs with Display Port. That means support for four 4K displays, though speeds aren't going to be shared equally between them. Still, if you're building a more complex work station that's going to come in particularly handy. All those connections are also joined by an SD card reader as well.

Under the hood, Geekom has included upgradable RAM and storage bays with support for up to 128GB memory and 8TB worth of SSD. That's a relief for those with longer term ambitions for their mini PC. While RAM shortages are upping the prices of both component sets, there's scope to boost your performance later down the line (or if you already have a stick or two laying around.

Geekom has also paid attention to the additional cooling needs of this compact form factor with its IceBlast 3.0 thermal system in place. The main thing to note here is a main copper heatsink as well as two copper heat pipes. From there, larger fan blades move air far more efficiently. Indeed, the A9 Max managed to keep its cool during testing, with minimal fan noise to speak of.

Design

Geekom is copying Apple's homework with this design, but the square shape with rounded corners and a smooth silver finish are difficult to argue with. The A9 Max is slightly shorter than the Mac, with with a wider footprint overall. Of course, it's never going to take over your desk, but there's still about a centimetre of difference. The cube itself also comes with a VESA mounting plate to keep it hidden behind your monitor as well.

The brand's logo sits on top, embossed with a glossy finish in the center of the main plate. Meanwhile the sides are dedicated to airflow with a subtle dotted texture.

Value

This is the tricky part. The Geekom A9 Max 2026 Edition is a highly capable productivity machine that can plough through more complex workflows for years to come. If that's how you see yourself using your mini PC 80% of the time, those Radeon 890M graphics still hold their value proposition. If you're coming to the A9 Max from a PC gaming perspective, though, that price isn't going to make much sense.

Geekom never designed this model to replace a full desktop PC, but with so many players seeking out alternative routes to their game libraries, following the Steam Machine and rising PC costs, it's worth considering the integrated GPU experience against the wider market.

These days, $1,599 will likely net you an RTX 5060 or, on a particularly good sale day, RTX 5070 gaming laptop. On average, these rigs will perform better at 1080p than the Geekom A9 Max. There are, of course, other value considerations to take into account. You're unlikely to find upgradeable RAM and storage at that price and, should you keep your machine on your desk, a mini PC offers a better overall experience from its ports and ease of use. If you're going for pure gaming performance, though, there are better numbers elsewhere.

Should you buy the Geekom A9 Max?

The 2026 Geekom A9 Max has two main competitors in the productivity arena, and one of them comes from the brand's own camp. Last year's AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 model is available for $1,299 (Amazon) and often less than that. It also has the benefit of a dual-channel memory system. To keep upgrades simple, Geekom stuck with a single-channel for its newer release. In real world terms, that means the previous generation is going get your games running better straight out the box.

So what does the $300 price difference get you? The ability to upgrade. Stick a dual channel memory setup into the equation and the boost in processing and AI performance from that newer CPU gives the Geekom A9 Max 2026 plenty more to work with. Of course, that's easier said than done this year, but as a longer term investment it's well worth considering.

How I tested the Geekom A9 Max

I used the Geekom A9 Max as my day-to-day work machine for two weeks in total, split around gaming laptop use. The A9 Max was put to the test across in-game benchmarks for Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Cyberpunk 2077 in 1080p, medium, high, and highest settings with FSR frame generation both on and off. Further tests were also completed in Cyberpunk 2077 with the machine running at 1440p resolution.

The system was also tested in 3D Mark's synthetic benchmarks, running Time Spy, Steel Nomad Lite, Steel Nomad, and Fire Strike three times each and taking a final average. Geekbench 7 was also used as a productivity benchmark.

For more information on how we make our recommendations, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

Check out the best gaming handhelds for more form factor options, or take a look at the best gaming monitors and best gaming keyboards to compliment your setup.