GEEKOM A5 Mini PC Review

GEEKOM is a company known for its mini PCs. We have previously reviewed the company’s mini IT13 and Mini IT11 mini PC and found them very impressive. Here we have another GEEKOM mini PC that is running on the AMD architecture: A5. Let’s see how it performs.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by GEEKOM. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.

The GEEKOM A5 mini PC is running the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor and Radeon Vega 8 Graphics. It is currently on presale, selling at only $399.

What’s in the Box

• 1 x A5 Mini PC
• 1 x VESA mount plate and screws
• 1 x Power adapter
• 1 x HDMI cable
• 1 x User manual
• 1 x Thank you card

Design

Most, if not all, of GEEKOM’s mini PCs have the same size. The size of the A5 is about 117mm x 112mm x 49.2mm and 652g, which is similar to the mini IT13. You can easily hold it with one hand, or drop it in your bag without it weighing you down.

The case is made with a high-strength metal and plastic frame with anti-slip stands. It comes with a rose gold paint, which makes it sleek and geeky.

For those monitors with a vesa mount point (the 4 holes behind the monitor that allow it to be mounted on the wall), this device comes with a vesa mount plate that you can fit to install it onto the back of the monitor.

Specifications

The A5 specifications are as follows:

Size	117mm x 112mm x 49.2mm
Weight	652g
CPU	AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H (8 Cores, 16 Threads, 16MB Cache, 3.2 GHz~ 4.4 GHz) TDP 35W
Graphics Processor (GPU)	AMD Radeon™ Vega 8 Graphics
Random Access Memory	Dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM, supports up to 64GB
Storage	1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3×4 NVMe/SATA SSD, supports up to 2TB 1 x 2.5” 7mm SATA HDD, supports up to 2TB
I/O Ports	3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A 2 x HDMI 2.0b ports 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack 1 x 2.5G RJ45 LAN port 1 x SD card reader 1 x DC jack 1 x Power button
Operating System	Windows 11 Pro
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology	Bluetooth® v5.2
Wireless LAN	WiFi 6
Adapter	120W, 19V/6.32A
Kensington Lock	Yes

While the device supports up to 2TB of SSD storage space, the default storage that comes with the device is only 512GB. You can increase its storage space by adding an additional hard drive to it. More on this later.

Performance

Once you have connected all the cables, you can press the power button at the front of its box to turn it on.

On the first run, it will guide you through the Windows 11 Pro setup, which will take about 15 to 30 mins. Once that has finished, subsequent boot-up requires less than five seconds to get you to the desktop. The boot-up is almost instantaneous, like you have never powered it off.

The AMD Ryzen 7 CPU is one of the higher range AMD processors, so I did have higher expectations when using it. After using the A5 (together with the Mini IT13) for a week, I am glad to say the performance is buttery smooth and quick. I had no issue running several applications at the same time and can switch between them without any delay.

Watching videos, listening to music, editing documents, surfing the Web, and many other tasks are carried out without any issue. In short, I really enjoy using it. For your information, I run Linux as my daily driver and seldom use Windows because it is slow. Because of this device, I have to say that I am enjoying using Windows again (except for the updates and the problems they bring).

Heat

During my review of the Mini IT13, I noted that I couldn’t feel much heat on the device. That is not the case with the A5 mini PC. After using it a while, the box can get warm. Not burning hot, just warm. And it will last for hours.

Also, the noise of the spinning fan can be heard distinctly. It is not loud, but you can always feel and hear it.

However, this is probably me nitpicking on the device. In most cases, you won’t be bothered by the heat and the noise at all.

Playing Games

The Radeon Vega 8 graphic chipset has been around since 2018, and it pales in comparison with the newer Intel Iris Xe graphics. It is still capable of running games, but as an entry-level GPU, it is mostly suited for low-demanding games.

I am able to run Tomb Raider and several other games on my 4K gaming monitor at 30fps, but some of the more graphics-intensive games can only be played in windowed mode.

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Ports and Wi-Fi

There are plenty of ports on this device to extend its functionality. You have a total of 6 USB ports: 4 USB Type A and 2 USB Type C. It also has two HDMI ports so that you can connect two monitors simultaneously.

The built-in Wi-Fi 6 card (not Wi-Fi6E) means you can surf at a much higher speed, too.

Upgradability

The box may seem to be fully sealed up, but you can actually remove the bottom cover to access the internal parts. The SSD and RAM slots are not fixed in place, so you can easily swap them out for better parts.

Wrapping Up

At a price point of $399, I have to say that the A5 over-delivers in value. For now, you can get $40 off using the code JRPAAPST when checking out on Amazon. You can also get the same $40 off with the code maketecheasiera540 when you purchase from the official GEEKOM site.