GMK NucBox K2 Ryzen 7 7735HS mini PC review: Optimized for high performance-per-dollar
The NucBox K2 is the latest mini PC from GMKtec for home and office environments. While its name may suggest that it directly replaces the NucBox K1, the NucBox K2 is in its own category since the K1 targets a different subset of mini PC users.
Our review unit comes configured with the Zen 3+ AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU, integrated Radeon 680M GPU, 1 TB PCIe3 SSD and 32 GB RAM for approximately $580 USD or just $480 when on sale. SKUs with half the ram and storage are also available and there is even one with the faster Zen 4 Ryzen 9 7940HS for just under $800. There are currently no barebone options.
Alternatives to the NucBox 2 include other mini PCs running on integrated graphics like the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, Geekom Mini iT13, Trigkey Speed S, or Intel NUC 13 Pro.
More GMK reviews:
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
83 % | 09/2023 | GMK NucBox K2 R7 7735HS, Radeon 680M | 440 g | 43.2 mm | x | ||
86.6 % | 09/2023 | Beelink SER7 R7 7840HS, Radeon 780M | 640 g | 49 mm | x | ||
73.5 % | 09/2023 | Blackview MP80 N95, UHD Graphics 24EUs (Alder Lake-N) | 214 g | 37 mm | x | ||
82.5 % | 08/2023 | Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit i7-1360P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 558 g | 37 mm | x | ||
80.6 % | 07/2023 | Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H i7-11390H, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 536 g | 48 mm | x | ||
03/2023 | Trigkey Speed S i5-11320H, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 415 g | 40.7 mm | x |
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1,000 USD/Euros, for University Students, Best Displays
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤6-inch, Camera Smartphones
Case — Keeping It Simple
The NucBox K2 is noticeably lighter than many other mini PCs of similar size including the Intel NUC 13 Pro and Geekom Mini IT11. The drawback, however, is that the K2 utilizes more plastic on its top and bottom surfaces while only the sides and edges are metal. Its all-matte design is definitely more subtle than mini PCs like the Beelink SER7 where its shiny chrome-cut looks are meant to draw eyes. Chassis rigidity is still very good nonetheless and with no build quality issues on our specific unit.
Connectivity
The most notable port on the NucBox 2 is without a doubt the USB 4 port. This versatile port can be used for external GPUs, external displays, docking stations, and even third-party AC adapters should you ever lose the proprietary power brick that ships with the box. Unfortunately, there is only one USB-C port unlike on the Beelink SER7 which integrates three USB-C ports.
Communication
A MediaTek RZ608 comes standard for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E support. Though connection is reliable, performance is slower than expected when paired to our 6 GHz network as shown below. This suggests that the wireless antennae may be on the weak side.
Bluetooth is also problematic. Our Bluetooth mouse would fail to reconnect each time even though it would work perfectly on other devices.
Networking | |
iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
GMK NucBox 2 | |
iperf3 receive AX12 | |
GMK NucBox 2 | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox K2 |
Maintenance
The NucBox K2 is one of the easiest mini PCs to service especially after having just reviewed the Beelink SER7. The plastic top panel pops off within seconds with no tools required for direct access to the 2x SODIMM slots, 1x M.2 SSD, and WLAN module. Even the system fan is easily accessible by flipping the unit upside-down, removing the four rubber feet, and unscrewing the four screws.
Accessories And Warranty
The retail box includes the manual, AC adapter, HDMI cable, and removable VESA mounting bracket. The standard one-year limited manufacturer warranty applies if purchased in the US.
Performance — Zen 3+ Is Still Powerful
Testing Conditions
We set Windows to Performance mode prior to running the benchmarks below. GMK includes no pre-installed control center applications or bloatware.
Processor
The Ryzen 7 7735HS is essentially a rebranded last generation Ryzen 7 6800H especially since they are both based on the Zen 3+ architecture. This isn't to say that the CPU is slow, but users wanting to own the latest Zen 4 technology will have to look at the higher-end configuration instead with the Ryzen 9 7940HS which can offer up to 45 to 50 percent faster multi-thread performance over our Ryzen 7 unit.
Overall performance is about 30 percent slower than the 12th gen Core i7-12700H commonly found on high-performance gaming laptops and mini PCs like the Intel NUC 12 Serpent Canyon.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
Performance Rating | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (13148 - 17161, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (83889 - 105483, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (2885 - 3494, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (91524 - 108729, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (11441 - 13097, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (45982 - 58232, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (49927 - 137629, n=9) | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (651 - 906, n=9) | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (1459 - 9094, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (27099 - 30542, n=9) | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Blackview MP80 |
System Performance
PCMark scores are excellent with results that are faster than most other mini PCs powered by 12th gen or older Intel CPUs. Its Digital Content Creation score is particularly notable since the Radeon 680M can run laps around the Iris Xe series.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
PCMark 10 / Score | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (6437 - 7916, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (9943 - 11124, n=9) | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (8077 - 9862, n=9) | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (8306 - 12699, n=9) | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
CrossMark / Overall | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (1361 - 1736, n=7) | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S |
CrossMark / Productivity | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (1308 - 1730, n=7) | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S |
CrossMark / Creativity | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (1516 - 1785, n=7) | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S |
CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (1108 - 1704, n=7) | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Beelink SER7 |
PCMark 10 Score | 7000 points | |
Help |
AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (47903 - 52012, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox 2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S |
AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (44837 - 51856, n=9) | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (51089 - 55284, n=9) | |
GMK NucBox 2 | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit |
AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (82.1 - 109.7, n=9) | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
LatencyMon reveals minor DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs of our homepage. 4K video playback at 60 FPS exhibits issues as we're able to record 30 dropped frames within a one-minute time frame. The stuttering suggests a potential AMD driver issue that should be addressed.
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
GMK NucBox 2 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
The model ships with a midrange PCIe3 x4 Lexar NM610 Pro which offers faster maximum transfer rates than the regular NM610 non-Pro version (3300 MB/s vs. 2100 MB/s). Pricier PCIe4 models like the Samsung PM9A1 are supported for up to 2x the performance, but throttling could be an issue since there is no additional cooling for the drive.
Drive Performance Rating - Percent | |
Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Trigkey Speed S | |
Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H | |
GMK NucBox 2 |
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU Performance
The Radeon 680M is still one of the fastest integrated GPUs in the market even though it's nearing a couple of years old. The GPU is powerful enough to play modern 3D titles at native 1080p so long as the settings are tuned lower. We recommend connecting to a FreeSync-compatible display if you'll be gaming on the NucBox K2 on a frequent basis since the Radeon 680M tends to hover between the 45 to 60 FPS range.
Upgrading to the Ryzen 9 7940HS configuration with the Radeon 780M is expected to boost graphics performance by about 10 to 20 percent based on our time with the Beelink SER7.
3DMark 11 Performance | 10515 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 6863 points | |
3DMark Time Spy Score | 2738 points | |
Help |
* ... smaller is better
Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 | |
1280x720 Low Preset | |
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro | |
Beelink SER6 Pro | |
Beelink GTR6 | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Average AMD Radeon 680M (46.1 - 77.6, n=14) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
1920x1080 Low Preset | |
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Beelink SER6 Pro | |
Beelink GTR6 | |
Average AMD Radeon 680M (26 - 50.6, n=15) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Beelink SER Pro Ryzen 5 5600H | |
1920x1080 Medium Preset | |
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Beelink SER6 Pro | |
Beelink GTR6 | |
Average AMD Radeon 680M (20.1 - 41.8, n=15) | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Beelink SER Pro Ryzen 5 5600H | |
1920x1080 High Preset | |
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro | |
Beelink SER7 | |
Beelink GTR6 | |
Average AMD Radeon 680M (16.3 - 33.6, n=15) | |
Beelink SER6 Pro | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Beelink SER Pro Ryzen 5 5600H | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset | |
Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro | |
Beelink SER7 | |
GMK NucBox K2 | |
Beelink GTR6 | |
Average AMD Radeon 680M (14 - 23.8, n=15) | |
Beelink SER6 Pro |
Frame rates when idling on Witcher 3 are generally consistent but not without some highs and lows as shown by our graph below. The fluctuations are thankfully not extreme enough to be on any concern while gaming.
Witcher 3 FPS Chart
low | med. | high | ultra | |
GTA V (2015) | 152.3 | 139.1 | 51.9 | 24 |
The Witcher 3 (2015) | 121.6 | 75.9 | 37.9 | 22.7 |
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 141.2 | 113.5 | 84.2 | 73.7 |
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 63.4 | 33 | 24.8 | |
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 66.7 | 52.8 | 42.4 | |
Far Cry 5 (2018) | 69 | 41 | 38 | 36 |
Strange Brigade (2018) | 147.3 | 56 | 45.9 | 42.5 |
Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 (2022) | 35.8 | 27.4 | 21 | 19.2 |
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022) | 61 | 45.1 | 31.2 | 24.4 |
F1 22 (2022) | 82.6 | 74.1 | 54.7 | 13.9 |
Emissions
System Noise
Fan noise is a weak spot for the NucBox K2. The internal fan pulses rather frequently from silent to 36 dB(A) even during low loads like browsing or video streaming. We're able to reach a maximum noise of almost 42 dB(A) rather quickly halfway through the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 24.4 / 24.4 / 36.8 dB(A) |
Load |
| 41.6 / 41.6 dB(A) |
| ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: , med: , max: Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 24.1 dB(A) |
GMK NucBox K2 Radeon 680M, R7 7735HS, Lexar NM610 Pro NM610P001T-HNNNG | GMK NucBox 2 Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8259U, Netac S930E8/256GPN | Beelink SER7 Radeon 780M, R7 7840HS, Crucial P3 Plus CT1000P3PSSD8 | Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1360P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ | Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-11390H, Lexar 1024GB LNM6A1X001T-HNNNG | Trigkey Speed S Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i5-11320H, Intel SSD 670p SSDPEKNU512GZ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | 8% | 6% | -3% | 2% | 13% | |
off / environment * | 24.1 | 25.6 -6% | 24.5 -2% | 25.2 -5% | 29.7 -23% | 23.5 2% |
Idle Minimum * | 24.4 | 25.7 -5% | 25.1 -3% | 28.1 -15% | 30.2 -24% | 24.1 1% |
Idle Average * | 24.4 | 25.7 -5% | 25.1 -3% | 28.2 -16% | 30.2 -24% | 24.1 1% |
Idle Maximum * | 36.8 | 25.7 30% | 25.1 32% | 28.3 23% | 30.2 18% | 26.6 28% |
Load Average * | 41.6 | 35.3 15% | 35.9 14% | 42 -1% | 30.6 26% | 30.4 27% |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 41.7 | 35.6 15% | 30.5 27% | 30.4 27% | ||
Load Maximum * | 41.6 | 35.1 16% | 45.4 -9% | 42.1 -1% | 36.4 12% | 38.1 8% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
Surface temperatures on the top of the unit can reach over 36 C when running demanding loads like games. Waste heat escapes from the rear as shown by the temperature maps below.
It's safe to position the unit vertically instead of horizontally since the NucBox 2 design includes additional ventilation grilles on the bottom plate.
Stress Test
When running Prime95 to stress the CPU, clock rates and board power draw would spike to 3.5 GHz and 45 W, respectively. After a few seconds, however, this would drop to 3.1 GHz and 38 W to suggest that high turbo boost potential is limited.
Core temperature when running Witcher 3 would stabilize at 67 C compared to 64 C on the pricier Beelink SER7. Core temperature only reaches 70 C or warmer when running demanding loads for extended periods.
CPU Clock (GHz) | GPU Clock (MHz) | Average CPU Temperature (°C) | |
System Idle | -- | -- | 41 |
Prime95 Stress | 3.0 | -- | 79 |
Prime95 + FurMark Stress | 3.1 | ~1323 | 71 |
Witcher 3 Stress | 0.4 | 2000 - 2200 | 67 |
Energy Management — Just A Bit Thirstier
Power Consumption
The system is more demanding than other mini PCs powered by older CPUs like the NucBox 2 or Trigkey Speed S. However, the performance advantages more than offset the higher power consumption. For example, our NucBox K2 would draw almost 30 percent more power than the Trigkey Speed S when running games, but performance would be 60 to 70 percent faster to be well worth the uptick in consumption.
Off / Standby | 0.62 / 0.83 Watt |
Idle | 7.3 / 9.8 / 10.5 Watt |
Load |
61.3 / 72.8 Watt |
GMK NucBox K2 R7 7735HS, Radeon 680M, Lexar NM610 Pro NM610P001T-HNNNG, , x, | GMK NucBox 2 i5-8259U, Iris Plus Graphics 655, Netac S930E8/256GPN, , x, | Beelink SER7 R7 7840HS, Radeon 780M, Crucial P3 Plus CT1000P3PSSD8, , x, | Intel NUC 13 Pro Desk Edition Kit i7-1360P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ, , x, | Geekom Mini IT11, i7-11390H i7-11390H, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Lexar 1024GB LNM6A1X001T-HNNNG, , x, | Trigkey Speed S i5-11320H, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Intel SSD 670p SSDPEKNU512GZ, , x, | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | 26% | -6% | -2% | 22% | 20% | |
Idle Minimum * | 7.3 | 6.1 16% | 6.7 8% | 7 4% | 7.3 -0% | 6.7 8% |
Idle Average * | 9.8 | 6.8 31% | 7.3 26% | 9.2 6% | 7.8 20% | 8 18% |
Idle Maximum * | 10.5 | 7.3 30% | 11.6 -10% | 11.8 -12% | 8.4 20% | 8.1 23% |
Load Average * | 61.3 | 46.3 24% | 64.1 -5% | 45 27% | 28.7 53% | 47.6 22% |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 62.2 | 75.8 -22% | 47.5 24% | |||
Load Maximum * | 72.8 | 50.7 30% | 94.8 -30% | 97.2 -34% | 61.1 16% | 56.3 23% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption Witcher 3 / Stresstest
Power Consumption external Monitor
Pros
Cons
Verdict — Lots Of Performance For Not A Lot Of Money
The GMKtec NucBox K2 has all the core features that home or office users can appreciate without many of the flashy extras. The super-easy accessibility and serviceability, speedy Zen 3+ CPU and integrated GPU, and USB4 port in particular are all highlights of the model. The fact that our configuration can be found for as low as $480 USD makes it extremely attractive as you're compromising only very little on performance and features.
Nonetheless, there are a few cut corners and a couple of issues worth mentioning. Firstly, the system supports just one internal SSD unlike most other mini PCs which can support two. Secondly, the single USB-C port can feel limiting if you intend to connect multiple USB-C devices. And lastly, we recommend double-checking Bluetooth functionality and any frame skipping issues as we experienced both on our review unit.
The NucBox K2 punches above its weight and price category. You might have to deal with some distinct drawbacks, however.
We would also like to see improvements made to the strength of the WLAN signal and to the behavior of the system fan. Our Wi-Fi 6E connection is slower than expected while the pulsing fan is very noticeable. If you can find the model for under $500, however, then these drawbacks might be worth accepting.
Price and Availability
Amazon is now shipping the GMKtec NucBox K2 as reviewed for $580 USD or $480 after applying the current coupon code.
There is currently a sale at the time of writing with the 32GB/1TB version selling for $469 USD and the 16/512 GB version selling for just $399.
GMK NucBox K2
-
09/12/2023 v7
Allen Ngo
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.