Are you looking for a compact PC with a lot going for it? The Geekom AE7 may be just what you're looking for. I've tested it for you and here's what I think. Spoiler: it's awesome!
The Geekom AE7 is a powerful and versatile mini PC. If, like me, you've had enough of bulky towers and overheating laptops, the AE7 could well be the perfect solution. With its diminutive size and big-box performance, this little jewel of technology promises to revolutionize the way you work and play. Imagine a device that fits in your hand and is capable of running heavy applications without flinching. Tempting, isn't it? Let's take a look at its features and performance to see if it lives up to its promise.
Unpacking the Geekom AE7 mini computer
The experience begins as soon as you open the box. Geekom has taken great care in packaging its AE7, and it shows.
The Geekom AE7 comes with everything you need to get up and running quickly: AC adapter, necessary cables and even a VESA mount for those who want to attach it to the back of a screen. As a nice touch, Geekom stickers are included to personalize your PC.
From the moment you unpack it, you can tell you're dealing with a quality product. The device is compact (112x112x37mm for 450g), with a sober, elegant design (it will find its place on any desk without looking out of place).
The case is made of metallic plastic, imitating brushed aluminum, with a metal structure, giving it a reassuring robustness. It's a far cry from the cheap plastics sometimes found on some mini PCs.
In terms of connectivity, the Geekom AE7 is well equipped. There are several USB ports on the front and rear (including USB-C for fast data transfers up to 40Gbps!), two HDMI ports for connecting multiple displays, and even a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port for a fast, stable Internet connection – perfect when you've got fiber optic :)
There's even an SD card reader on the side:
And the Kensington anti-theft device to secure the mini PC:
No need to look for adapters, it's all there! With all this connectivity, you can connect up to 4 4K screens!
The underside is easily removed by simply unscrewing the 4 screws:
You then have easy access to storage and memory. Here we have a 1GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x 4 SSD, expandable up to 2TB, accompanied by 32GB of dual-channel DDR5 5600MT/s Ram, expandable up to 64GB! So much to look forward to!
Elements that will be very easy to replace if you wish to upgrade your configuration.
The cover has a slot for a 2.5″ disk, such as an SSD. The manufacturer makes no mention of this, but with a little tinkering it's quite possible.
As for the configuration, the Geekom AE7 relies here on an AMD Ryzen™ 9 7945HS processor (8-core, 16 MB level 3 cache, 16 threads and a maximum clock speed of 5.2 GHz), and an AMD Radeon™ 780M graphics card. A rather muscular configuration for such a small PC!
Finally, let's not forget the integrated Wifi 6E, as well as Bluetooth 5.2. With all this, we've got a state-of-the-art mini PC!
Geekom AE7: in use
Let's get down to business: performance. With an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and integrated Radeon 780M graphics card, the Geekom AE7 packs a punch. Whether you're editing video, retouching photos, creating 3D, or playing your favorite games, this mini PC keeps up with the pace without batting an eyelid.
Delivered with a version of Windows 11 Professional, even including the AI Copilot assistant, it's perfect for working.
Its system leaves over 900GB of storage available on its hard disk, which leaves plenty of room.
I've tested some of the more demanding applications, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and frankly, I'm impressed. Loading times are short, multitasking is fluid and the device doesn't overheat. What's more, the “IceBlast 1.5” cooling system developed by Geekom brings a whole new experience with low noise and high airflow to dissipate heat faster, maintain high performance and say goodbye to hot panels. And in use, the system proves its worth!
I subjected the Geekom AE7 mini PC to a detailed performance test using PCMark10, a well-known benchmarking tool for evaluating system capabilities in various usage scenarios. The results provide a clear picture of the Geekom AE7's performance in everyday and professional tasks.
The Geekom AE7 mini PC achieved an overall score of 7,533, testifying to its high performance for a device in its class. Looking at the three main test categories, we found that in essential tasks, the Geekom AE7 achieved a score of 10,896. This result includes outstanding performance for application startup, rated at 14,378, as well as for web browsing and videoconferencing, where it scored 10,314 and 8,725 respectively. These scores demonstrate remarkable fluidity and responsiveness, making this mini PC ideal for intensive daily use.
For productivity, the Geekom AE7 posted an impressive score of 10,697, standing out particularly in spreadsheet management with a score of 13,800. Writing performance is also notable, with a score of 8,293, showing that this mini PC is perfectly suited to office and administrative tasks.
In terms of digital content creation, the Geekom AE7 scored 9,953. Tests revealed powerful photo editing capabilities, with a score of 14,297, as well as solid rendering and visualization performance, rated at 10,083. Video editing performance, rated at 6,841, although lower than the other categories, remains competitive and confirms that the Geekom AE7 can effectively handle demanding creative tasks.
In summary, the results of the PCMark10 benchmark indicate that the Geekom AE7 mini PC is a powerful and versatile device. Its high performance in essential tasks, productivity and content creation make it an excellent choice for users looking for a mini PC capable of handling a variety of activities with efficiency and fluidity. The scores achieved underline not only the Geekom AE7's ability to meet everyday needs, but also to excel in more demanding work and creative environments.
For gamers, the AE7 also has some nice surprises in store. Admittedly, it's not a war machine dedicated to ultra AAA games, but for e-sport games and less demanding titles, it does the job very well. You can easily exceed 60 fps on games like Forza Horizon 5 or Genshin Impact, for example. I also tested Cyberpunk 2077 with average graphics settings, and it ran without a hitch. For Dark Souls 3, it impressed with a solid 45 fps with all settings at maximum. For older games, such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Sekiro, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, etc., no problem at all! As for Fortnite fans, I can confirm that it runs flawlessly in performance mode. At 1080p resolution, I obtained a fps varying between 150 and 250, depending on the complexity of the scenery, which isn't bad at all!
I subjected the Geekom AE7 mini PC to a rigorous performance test using the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark. This test evaluates the system's graphics and processing capabilities by simulating video game scenarios and measuring the corresponding performance. It achieved an overall Time Spy score of 3,389, described as excellent, placing it well above average for this type of device. In terms of graphics performance, the Geekom AE7, equipped with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, achieved a graphics score of 3,026. In specific tests, it achieved 19.98 FPS for the first graphics test and 17.15 FPS for the second, demonstrating a good ability to handle complex graphics.
The system's processor, an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS featuring Radeon 780M Graphics, impressed with a CPU score of 10,613. This result reflects considerable processing power, confirmed by a performance of 35.66 FPS in the CPU test. In terms of in-game performance, the benchmark estimates that the Geekom AE7 can handle Battlefield V in 1440p resolution with ultra settings at over 35 FPS, which is a promising indicator for gamers.
Performance monitoring reveals minor fluctuations in frame rate during testing, with a few notable spikes probably due to transitions between different test scenes. These observations indicate satisfactory overall stability of system performance under load.
The system tested was configured with a 3840 x 2160 display, with DPI scaling at 125%, making full use of the capabilities of the AMD Radeon 780M GPU. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor proved to be a masterpiece, delivering balanced and robust performance.
In conclusion, the results of the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark for the Geekom AE7 show that this is an extremely high-performance mini PC, capable of handling graphics-intensive tasks and demanding video games. The high CPU score and solid graphics performance make this mini PC an excellent choice for users looking for a compact device without compromising on power.
In real-life use (gaming), gaming sessions are enjoyable, with no noticeable lag, and graphics are up to scratch. If you're looking for a PC for occasional gaming, it's more than up to the task. Personally, I use it to stream games like Half Life Alyx on my Quest 3 virtual reality headset. It does the job perfectly, so you can enjoy top-quality games on this Meta headset, without having to bother with a bulky gamer PC.
In terms of storage, the NVMe SSD offers fast read and write speeds, contributing greatly to the system's overall responsiveness. Say goodbye to long waits at startup or when opening applications!
Connectivity is another strong point of the Geekom AE7. Wi-Fi 6E guarantees a fast, stable Internet connection, even when several devices are connected to the same network. Its 2.5Gbps ethernet port means you can take full advantage of a fiber connection (which I finally got a few days ago). Even my Mac Mini doesn't benefit from this connection speed (2020 model).
Bluetooth 5.2 makes it easy to connect all your wireless peripherals, whether a mouse, keyboard or headphones.
In short, this is a mini PC that really does meet a wide range of needs. And as we've seen on previous models, it lends itself effortlessly to use as a multimedia box, a home automation server (with or without Proxmox), a Docker server for hosting numerous services, or as a video surveillance solution with Frigate, for example. Its power will easily support all these uses, and its 32GB + 1TB of storage will already give you a certain latitude. And in the worst case, it will be very easy to upgrade to 64GB of Ram for those with big needs, in contrast to models seen previously that capped at 16GB.
Conclusion
The Geekom AE7 is a pleasant surprise. It's a mini PC that has nothing to envy of the biggest. Whether for work, entertainment, a bit of gaming, or even as a server, it's sure to meet your expectations. Its compact, elegant design will fit perfectly into your workspace or living space, and its performance will surprise you every day. And all at a price that's reasonable for what it offers.
It's available on the manufacturer's official website, at just €703 thanks to the code MEDAE7:
Geekom AE7
It can also be found at 740€, thanks to a 5% discount with code ZBMOSEW3 on Amazon.
So, if you're looking for a versatile, powerful and compact PC, the Geekom AE7 deserves your full attention. Don't wait any longer to try it out, you won't be disappointed!
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