Geekom AS 6: Full Review of a Mini Ryzen PC

Key Points

• The Geekom AS6 is a compact and powerful mini PC that offers impressive specs, including a Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.
• The AS6 features the latest specifications and is ideal for gaming and graphics-intensive workloads.
• The AS6 is also a great choice for those looking for a small and powerful PC for home theater setups, video editing, or entry-level gaming.

The Geekom AS 6 is one of the newest ultra-small form factor PCs on the market. These tiny PCs are getting more impressive every year, with each new release cramming more powerful hardware into a smaller space, all while staying relatively quiet and low-energy.

Tiny PCs like this are perfect for those who yearn for the processing power of a full-size desktop but don’t want to commit to the massive space requirements. If you don’t have a huge desk or want to cram a super-powerful computer into a confined space for a theater setup or home lab, this is the PC for you.

Announced just a few months ago, the Geekom AS 6 promises to be the “master of work and play.” 

Touting such specs as a Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1 Terabyte SSD, the AS 6 looks like it can deliver on these promises. But we’re putting it to the test in today’s review, and finding out if this system can live up to all the hype.

We managed to get our paws on one of these to do a few benchmarks and see how it stacks up against other mini PCs. Stick around to find out the features, specs, pros, and cons, and ultimately, if it is worth your hard-earned money.

Geekom AS 6: Best Deal Today

• 1TB/32GB/Ryzen 9 AS 6 (Amazon) – $899
• 1TB/32GB/Ryzen 9 AS 6 (Geekom) – $889

GEEKOM Mini PC AS6, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX

$899.99

• Ryzen 9 6900HX
• 32GB DDR5
• 1TB SSD
• Expandable

Buy Now On Amazon

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11/26/2023 01:01 am GMT

Please note: As of July 17, 2023, this product is listed as being out of stock on Amazon. If you’re unable to find it elsewhere, please check back with Amazon at a later date.

Geekom AS 6: Overview

Release date and price

Geekom released the AS 6 in mid-2023. But the company has been making a name for itself in the mini PC market for the past several years. 

With the release of the Geekom Mini IT8 in 2021, the company solidified its reputation as a solid contender to the Intel NUC line of computers.

The AS 6 is the latest generation of Geekom’s mini PC lineup, and it retails for between $650 and $1000, depending on the configuration and how decked-out you want it to be when you order it.

Different Models

The Geekom AS 6 comes in three different flavors, which are basically just variations in specs. You can pick from an AMD Ryzen 7-6800H, Ryzen 7-7735H, or Ryzen 9-6900HX. All of these are capable processors and make up some of the best of the best from AMD.

You can switch up RAM and SSD configurations, and your imagination is free to roam in this department. But the rest of the computer remains the same. You get the same thermal management, case design, port selection, and wireless connectivity–which we’ll talk about in a moment.

If you’re wondering what different models are competing with the Geekom AS 6, you’re in luck. There is an army of dozens of different models from different companies like MSI, Dell, BeeLink, and loads of others. In other words, the mini PC market is pretty saturated right now. 

The main standout competitor to the AS 6 is the Intel NUC, which we’ve already touched on briefly. 

Features

The Geekom AS 6 is lightweight and compact, weighing around 2 pounds. This wouldn’t be that impressive until you find out about the integrated AMD Radeon 680M Graphics, which parallels the performance of the discrete GTX1050TI and supports up to 8K resolution for gaming and video editing. 

This PC boasts an impressive 32GB dual-channel DDR5 memory, coupled with a new-gen PCIe 4.0 SSD for faster response speeds. Additional storage expansion is also possible through two M.2 NVMe SSD slots and a 2.5″ SATA hard drive bay.

The AS 6 also shines in terms of connectivity, offering 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2 for swift, lag-free networking, and data transfers. Its innovative cooling system, equipped with a special heat pipe and aluminum heatsink, allows for robust performance even under demanding workloads. 

You get tons of useful I/O options, including USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, and Thunderbolt 4 ports for display and device connections. But to really get a handle on what you’re getting, you’ll need to have a gander at the specs.

Specifications

Geekom AS 6: Review

PCs have come a long way from where we were even a decade or two ago. Monstrous behemoths of towering PCs used to adorn our desktops. But now? We can accomplish much the same thing in a PC, a fraction of the size.

Design

At first glance, the Geekom AS 6 might look like a small video game console, and it does seem to take some design cues from the first Xbox One, with its diagonal slats on each side and a flat front.

Besides those minor design elements, the Geekom AS 6 keeps it plain. You’ll fit this PC into any decor, as long as you have a few square inches of space. Given its tiny size, this desktop almost fits in the palm of your hand. 

The black plastic case does a good job of housing the internals, and a VESA mount on the bottom means you can suspend it alongside or behind your monitor for an even smoother setup.

Ports and Connectivity

Unlike what you would expect from compact desktops like the Mac Mini or even the Raspberry Pi, the AS 6 has a plethora of connections and ports.

On the front, you’ll notice two USB 3.2 ports and a Type-C connector. Plus, you have your audio port and power button here. Flipping it around to the other side, you’ll see even more connections.

You get all the basics, like three USB 3.2, Type-C (or Thunderbolt 4), and two HDMI 2.1 ports. Plus, you get an additional DisplayPort 1.4 slot for connecting your high-resolution monitors.

You’ll never be missing a spot to plug something in on this desktop, and that is quite impressive considering its small size.

If you want a wired ethernet connection, the AS 6 comes in clutch with a 2.5G LAN port. Pro gamers know that the best online gaming is even better when you have a solid wired connection, so this is a welcome addition for our enthusiasts out there.

When it comes to wireless connectivity, the Geekom AS 6 comes with the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connections. Connect headsets, VR devices, gaming controllers, mice and keyboards, monitors, USB hubs, and so much more.

Processor

The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor is really the star of this show. With eight cores and 16 threads, this CPU has the firepower to get things done, without lag. Particularly when it comes to gaming and graphics-intensive workloads, we’re impressed with what this chip can do.

The base clock speed starts at 3.30GHz, which is still fast. But the Ryzen 9 can boost up to 4.90GHz when called upon. This chip feels more at home in a gaming computer or workstation. So, we’re wondering how it stays cool and at a stable temperature with all that computing power on tap.

The answer is surprisingly simple. A heat pipe transfers excess energy away from the CPU and dissipates the heat through an oversized heatsink, all with the help of one tiny fan. This thermal design takes its design cues from ASUS, which pioneered the “Smart Fan” technology. 

What is particularly interesting about this fan is the claims of “self-cleaning” and “anti-dust” technology. We’ve never seen a fan stay completely devoid of dust throughout its life, so this should be interesting to see play out. All that being said, the fan does get a little noisy when under heavy load.

Graphics

Looking at the graphics system, you might be impressed, especially when you consider the size of the computer. Sure, it’s no match for a dedicated GPU. It is not a 3000-series card or even a 2000-series card from Nvidia. 

But, the AS 6 can hold its own in the graphics arena. Loading up some games will give you plenty of eye candy. In fact, the GPU in this system is about on par with the capabilities of an Nvidia GTX 1050-Ti or even 1060-6GB, depending on the games you’re tackling.

Most of the latest games will run on medium settings with no issues at all. Just don’t try to play anything at 4K. Despite the 4K compatibility of its display outputs, the onboard graphics will stutter at high resolutions in most games.

Still, 1080p gaming is more than enough to settle our expectations at this price point and form factor. We put the Geekom AS 6 to the test with Vulkan and OpenCL benchmarks to see its graphics capabilities:

RAM and Storage

Geekom has stocked the AS 6 with the latest DDR5 RAM, which is a welcome upgrade over the less energy-efficient DDR4. Despite using around 8% less energy, it is actually about 1.5 times faster than DDR4 too.

You get up to 32GB of RAM in any of the preconfigured options. While this is a monstrous amount of RAM, we’re starting to get desensitized to it, especially after seeing many desktops with much more. The Intel NUC is in direct competition, with up to 64GB of RAM.

Even still, this is more than enough memory to handle whatever level of multitasking you find yourself doing. Google Chrome might be RAM-hungry, but there is no way it is going to eat up all 32GB… yet.

Storage options are also very attractive on the AS 6. You get a 1TB NVMe solid-state drive, with the option to expand it as high as 2TB. If you want even more storage, a screwdriver and a couple of minutes are all you need to remove the case and add your own 2.5-inch SATA hard drive.

Software

When you open the box and fire it up, you’ll find the Geekom AS 6 comes with the latest Windows 11 Prop operating system. This is more than enough to get online, download your games, applications, and multimedia, and take care of everything you want to do.

If you like alternative operating systems, no one is stopping you from loading Linux or Ubuntu, and the ASUS-backed hardware and common components mean you will be able to find drivers for everything easily, no matter the distro.

Geekom AS 6: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Very small and lightweight
• Impressive processor
• Lots of connections

Cons:

• Can’t upgrade graphics
• Can get noisy under heavy use

Geekom AS 6: Is It a Buy?

There are a few reasons you should be eyeing the Geekom AS 6. But there are also a couple of reasons you might want to stay away from it entirely.

Buy it if…

…You’re building the ultimate home theater, and you want a powerful PC to run it all.

This makes the perfect home theater PC since it is so small, yet extremely capable. With a smaller footprint than your average DVR, you can squeeze this right behind or underneath your TV. Then you’ll be able to load up all your favorite streaming apps and software to enjoy your movies and shows.

…You want something small to edit videos on.

Thanks to its highly capable graphics, on par with a GTX 1050-Ti or even 1060 in some cases, this PC is great to edit videos on. It makes even more sense if you want a tiny workstation that you can take anywhere, or if you’re just working with a limited space for editing.

…You want an entry-level gaming PC with a tiny footprint.

The Geekom AS 6 makes a reasonable gaming computer, given its powerful graphics capabilities. You can’t upgrade the GPU, which is a bummer. But at least the integrated GPU is enough to play all of the latest games on low to medium settings.

Don’t buy it if…

…You want a budget desktop.

It is definitely not the most expensive PC out there, but at a price tag of $749 to $1000 for the Ryzen 9 model, it isn’t a budget system. 

If you’re pinching pennies and looking for the absolute cheapest desktop PC on the market, you will get more bang for your buck with an entry-level system or even a Chromebook.

…You want an upgradeable system.

While the RAM and SSD are easily upgradeable on the Geekom AS 6, you can’t upgrade other components like your graphics or motherboard. It is also safe to assume that you can’t upgrade the processor since the Ryzen 9 6900HX is currently the best possible processor for this board.

If you want a system that allows you much more freedom to upgrade your components, you will have better luck if you build your own PC. You’ll be able to replace your power supply and add a full-size graphics card for even better performance.