GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro
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The GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro is the 2026 follow-up to the EVO-X1, and it suits buyers who want a 12-core CPU and 64GB of memory in a box about 4 inches square. It keeps the compact metal shell and the OCuLink port for an external graphics card, and moves to AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 and Wi-Fi 7. GMKtec sells it only with 64GB of soldered memory, so the choice comes down to a 1TB or 2TB SSD. Reviewers found strong processor results, but the fan gets loud under full load and the integrated graphics trail the fastest HX 470 machines.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU results close to the top of its class in reviews | Fan noise reached 45 dBA under full load (Robtech) |
| 64GB of LPDDR5X as standard; 7B to 20B language models ran decently (Wccftech) | Memory is soldered and locked at 6400 MT/s, with no smaller or larger option |
| Front OCuLink port (PCIe 4.0 x4) for an external GPU | Radeon 890M scores trailed the fastest HX 470 mini PC by 11 to 16 percent (Robtech) |
| Two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slots, up to 8TB each | Only one USB4 port |
| Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and dual Intel 2.5GbE | No VESA mount, and the 120W power brick is bulky |
| Smallest case among the HX 470 mini PCs Robtech tested, with a 7W idle draw | CPU reached 99C in performance mode |
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GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro Comparison Chart
 GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro | GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro | |
| Price | List Price: $1,599.99 Amazon Prices: | List Price: $1,769.99 Amazon Prices: Loading prices... |
| Version | 64GB/1TB | 64GB/2TB |
| Performance Rating | 6.6 | 6.6 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro |
| Processor | Twelve-core 2.00 Ghz (max 5.20 Ghz) AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 | Twelve-core 2.00 Ghz (max 5.20 Ghz) AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 |
| GPU | Integrated AMD Radeon 890M | Integrated AMD Radeon 890M |
| RAM | 64 GB LPDDR5X, 2-channel (64GB LPDDR5X-6400, soldered) | 64 GB LPDDR5X, 2-channel (64GB LPDDR5X-6400, soldered) |
| Internal Storage | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Dimensions width x length x thickness | 4.21 x 4.37 x 2.48 inches (106.93 x 111 x 62.99 mm) | 4.21 x 4.37 x 2.48 inches (106.93 x 111 x 62.99 mm) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (0.59 kg) | 1.3 lbs (0.59 kg) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Ethernet | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps | 2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps |
| HDMI | 1 Full-Size HDMI Port | 1 Full-Size HDMI Port |
| DisplayPort | 1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.1 (8K@60Hz)) | 1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.1 (8K@60Hz)) |
| VGA | No VGA Ports | No VGA Ports |
| USB Ports | 4 USB 3, 1 USB-C (1 USB4) 1x USB4 (40Gbps, PD, video), 4x USB-A 10Gbps | 4 USB 3, 1 USB-C (1 USB4) 1x USB4 (40Gbps, PD, video), 4x USB-A 10Gbps |
| Thunderbolt Ports | No | No |
| OCuLink | PCIe 4.0 x4, no hot-plug | PCIe 4.0 x4, no hot-plug |
| Internal SATA Ports | No SATA ports | No SATA ports |
| Card Reader | No Card Reader | No Card Reader |
| Headphone Jack | combo | combo |
| Fanless | No | No |
| VESA Mount | No | No |
| In the Box | Mini PC, 120W power adapter, HDMI cable, vertical stand, manual, warranty card | Mini PC, 120W power adapter, HDMI cable, vertical stand, manual, warranty card |
| Expandability | RAM soldered (64GB). 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 (up to 16TB). OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4 for eGPU. | RAM soldered (64GB). 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 (up to 16TB). OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4 for eGPU. |
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Chassis, ports, and the HX 470
The EVO-X1 Pro measures about 4.2 by 4.4 inches and 2.5 inches tall, and it weighs about 1.3 pounds. A metal top and base wrap a two-tone plastic middle section, and a vertical stand comes in the box. The front panel holds the USB4 port (40Gbps, with power delivery and display output), the OCuLink port, two USB-A 10Gbps ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and the power button. The rear adds two more USB-A 10Gbps ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, two Intel I226-V 2.5GbE ports, and the barrel power input. HDMI and DisplayPort each drive up to 8K at 60Hz, and the USB4 port adds a third display at up to 4K at 60Hz.
The Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 is a 12-core, 24-thread chip (four Zen 5 and eight Zen 5c cores) that boosts to 5.2GHz and scores about 37,000 in PassMark’s CPU test. It pairs with Radeon 890M graphics (16 compute units, up to 3.1GHz) and a 55 TOPS NPU, which GMKtec counts toward an 86 TOPS total-platform figure. The HX 470 is a refresh of the HX 370 in the original EVO-X1, on the same Zen 5 architecture. GMKtec rates three power modes: 35W silent, 54W balanced, and up to 65W in performance mode, which is set in the BIOS. The MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro-470 uses the same chip in a larger chassis with a built-in power supply and user-replaceable SO-DIMM memory.
The 64GB of LPDDR5X is soldered and runs at 6400 MT/s, lower than the 7500 MT/s memory in the original EVO-X1. Integrated graphics are the part most sensitive to memory speed, and Robtech measured 3DMark scores 11 to 16 percent below the fastest HX 470 machine. Storage is the only internal upgrade: two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots take up to 8TB each, one already filled with the boot SSD, and SATA drives are not supported. The OCuLink port gives an external GPU dock a PCIe 4.0 x4 link, but it does not support hot-plugging, so connect or disconnect the dock only with the PC powered off. Our eGPU connector guide covers how OCuLink compares with USB4 for external graphics. Wireless comes from a MediaTek MT7925 Wi-Fi 7 card with Bluetooth 5.4.
Reviewer Insights
Robtech: strong CPU, louder fan than its rivals
Robtech compared the EVO-X1 Pro with other HX 470 mini PCs and found it a few percent behind the best CPU scores: about 2 percent in Cinebench single-core and about 3 percent in Geekbench 6 multi-core. The gap was larger on the integrated graphics, with 3DMark results 16 percent lower in Fire Strike, 14 percent in Time Spy, and 11 to 12 percent in Steel Nomad Light than the fastest HX 470 machine in his charts. He put the GPU gap down to memory speed, since faster RAM usually decides which iGPU wins. The machine did well in Photoshop and came second among the HX 470 systems in Premiere Pro, helped by a fast SSD. It was slightly slower at compiling code than rival HX 470 boxes, and AMD’s hardware video encoder trailed Intel Quick Sync.
He rated performance and cooling acceptable, especially out of the box, but found the fan loud. Idle draw was 7W, and the CPU stayed under 90C in the default balanced mode but reached 99C in performance mode, so he recommended the out-of-box setting. “However, I do think fan noise under load is on the high side,” he said, after measuring 45 dBA under a full-core load in either mode. On the build, he called the power button placement awkward and found the inner cover needs a screwdriver to reach the M.2 slots and Wi-Fi card. “The vertical stand is a nice touch, though it doesn’t claw back much desk footprint compared to competitors, which are often much longer.” Ubuntu ran without compatibility issues, and the case cannot be VESA mounted. His verdict: “Overall, GMK Evo X1 Pro isn’t the absolute fastest mini PC with AMD’s Ryzen HX470,” though with OCuLink, 64GB of RAM, and the compact case he called it an option worth considering.
Wccftech: a CPU upgrade with an aging GPU
Wccftech reviewed the 64GB/1TB model and measured a 22 percent higher CPU-Z multi-core score than HX 370 systems. Hassan Mujtaba wrote that “The result is better CPU performance, in fact, more than what I expected from this tiny little Mini PC.” The review confirmed that the memory is locked at 6400 MT/s in the BIOS and found that most 7B to 20B language models ran decently on the machine. On graphics, the conclusion was less positive: “While the CPU performance was impressive, it looks like the GPU is showing signs of aging.” Wccftech listed very high pricing driven by memory shortages, a single USB4 port, and preloaded AI apps as cons, and it praised the cooling: “Furthermore, its compact size is very impressive given how well it performed under prolonged load, without any worries of overheating.”
Both reviews agree that the CPU is the strength and the Radeon 890M is the weak point. They differ on the cooling: Wccftech saw no overheating concerns, while Robtech measured high temperatures in performance mode and above-average fan noise.
Conclusion
Buy the EVO-X1 Pro for office work, Photoshop and Premiere Pro, or 7B to 20B language models run locally (Wccftech found they ran decently), with room to add a desktop graphics card over OCuLink later. Ubuntu ran without problems in Robtech’s testing.
Skip it if you need a quiet desk under load, want memory you can upgrade, or care mostly about integrated graphics. The memory is fixed at 64GB and 6400 MT/s, so the Radeon 890M trails HX 470 machines with faster RAM. For upgradeable SO-DIMM memory and a built-in power supply, look at the MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro-470. The original EVO-X1 keeps the same chassis with the HX 370 and faster 7500 MT/s memory. To compare more options, use the Mini PC Comparison Chart.
Upgrades
Accessories that fit the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro's OCuLink and USB4 or Thunderbolt ports.
DEG1 eGPU Dock
A plain OCuLink dock with a PCIe 4.0 x4 link for a desktop graphics card; it takes an ATX or SFX power supply that you supply.
EG02 eGPU Dock
Connects over OCuLink for the full PCIe 4.0 x4 link and has Thunderbolt 5 as a second input; the graphics card and power supply are sold separately.
Core X V2
A Thunderbolt 5 enclosure that Razer lists as working with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 hosts; it fits a four-slot card and needs an ATX power supply.
DEG2 eGPU Dock
Connects over USB4 or Thunderbolt 5, with an OCuLink input behind a switch, and adds an M.2 slot; it needs an ATX or SFX power supply.
Breakaway Box 850 T5
Has an 850W power supply built in, so only the graphics card is extra, and works with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Windows PCs.
TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
An 18-port dock that CalDigit lists for Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 hosts, with 2.5GbE and a DisplayPort 1.4 output.
TBT4-UD5 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Two HDMI ports drive two 4K60 monitors from one Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 port on a Windows PC.
Revodok Max 208 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Adds three Thunderbolt 4 ports for dual 4K60 displays plus gigabit Ethernet; it has no HDMI port, so monitors connect over USB-C or an adapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What processor does the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro use?
The EVO-X1 Pro uses the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, with 12 cores and 24 threads, a 2.0GHz base clock, and up to 5.2GHz boost. It pairs Radeon 890M graphics with a 55 TOPS NPU and scores about 37,000 in PassMark’s CPU benchmark.
How is the EVO-X1 Pro different from the EVO-X1?
The EVO-X1 Pro replaces the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with the HX 470, upgrades Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.2 to 5.4, and ships only with 64GB of memory. That memory runs at 6400 MT/s instead of the EVO-X1’s 7500 MT/s, which costs some integrated graphics performance. The chassis design and the OCuLink port carry over.
Can I upgrade the RAM in the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro?
No. The 64GB of LPDDR5X-6400 is soldered to the board and cannot be replaced. Storage is the only upgrade, through two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots that take up to 8TB each.
What ports does the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro have?
The front has one USB4 port (40Gbps with power delivery and display output), an OCuLink port, two USB-A 10Gbps ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The rear has two more USB-A 10Gbps ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports, and the power input. There is no SD card reader.
Can I connect an external GPU to the EVO-X1 Pro?
Yes. The front OCuLink port provides a PCIe 4.0 x4 link to an external GPU dock, and the USB4 port also works for an eGPU with less bandwidth. OCuLink does not support hot-plugging, so connect or disconnect the dock only while the PC is off. The dock and graphics card are sold separately.
Is the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro loud?
Under full load, yes. Robtech measured 45 dBA with all cores loaded, in both the balanced and performance modes, and called the fan noise on the high side. Idle power draw was 7W.
What’s included in the box with the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro?
The box contains the mini PC, a 120W power adapter, an HDMI cable, a vertical stand, a user manual, and a warranty card. Windows 11 Pro comes preinstalled.