$169 GMKtek N5095 mini PC is a brave but desperate attempt to revive a PC market decimated by AI and RAM greed
GMKTec has launched an updated version of its ultra-small mini PC, one small enough to fit in the palm of an adult hand.
The G5S is a replacement for the G5, which we reviewed back in July 2024, almost two years ago. And rather than an improvement, it definitely looks like a massive step backwards (albeit with the same chassis).
The N97 in its predecessor has been replaced by the N50985 CPU, which is not only slower but also uses more power and dissipates more heat. If that wasn’t enough, there’s 33% less RAM (8GB vs 12GB) and it is DDR4 (rather than DDR5).
Two steps back
The obvious reason for that two-step-backward move has to do with the impact AI has on the RAM. AI accelerators use a lot of HBM chips and these chips are expensive, which in turn causes the few RAM manufacturers to focus their resources on producing these.
This has had a knock-off effect on everything else with prices of NAND (for SSD), DDR5 down to DDR2 surging.
It is therefore no surprise that the new model has 128GB storage rather than 256GB on the previous model. Expect to pay around $169 for it and $272 for the 256GB version. It is currently only available in China but should reach the rest of the world before Black Friday.
When the the previous, superior version was tested, our reviewer gave it a 4.5/5 rating, saying “If space is limited, the GMKtec NucBox G5 is small enough to fit almost anywhere yet, unlike many micro PCs, this small machine is powerful enough to run a full copy of Windows 11 Pro, with more than enough clout for office, admin, and some multimedia processing.”
Also consider
Other models worth considering as an alternative to the GMKTec G5S.
We’ve tested and reviewed the best mini PCs you can buy right now.
GMKTec has launched an updated version of its ultra-small mini PC, one small enough to fit in the palm of an adult hand. The G5S is a replacement for the G5, which we reviewed back in July 2024, almost two years ago. And rather than an improvement, it definitely looks…
