As technology in some spaces such as phones grow larger, other parts aim to shrink to a smaller size. Trying to push the boundaries of what’s possible for PCs in a tiny form factor is GEEKOM with their Mini IT8 Mini PC which offers extreme power all in the size of a thick sandwich. Though I wasn’t expecting much, this small firecracker knocked my socks off with just how much it has to offer.

What’s In The Box

This mini PC comes in very slick packaging and includes the Mini IT8 Mini PC itself, a power cable, HDMI cable, storage bag, VESA mounting kit, and user manual. I do have to say that I was glad to see an HDMI cable included just in case a user doesn’t have one just lying around. Of course, there’s more to list about this PC when it comes to its internals but that’ll be located down below.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

I absolutely love the overall design of this thing. Its stark black design goes really well with its blue LED power button and even the USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports seem to pop a bit. On the front, you have to most necessary ports available without making this thing look too gaudy. The back has the rest of what you need and hides it from plain view just as you would hope. I really admire the SD port being on the side of the PC as it separates itself from the rest of the ports altogether.

Going into build quality, I think this thing is pretty solid. It’s sturdy, heavy, and really does a great job at feeling premium. I will point out that this is the second unit I had to review as GEEKOM requested I send the first one back due to issues with a port on the originals they sent out. It’s also worth mentioning that I found the SD port on my current unit to be bent inside, thus making getting a card in there a bit of a hassle. Another issue I noticed was that my monitor that was being powered by USB Type-C had a habit of going out every once in a while. Though I cannot confirm whether it was the cable powering it or the port, it is worth watching out for.

Specs and Special Features

Processor - Intel Coffee Lake i5 8259U

GPU - Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655

RAM - Kingston 16GB

OS - Windows 11 Pro

Features - Supports 4 Displays/Built-in Quiet Fan

Ethernet - 1000Mbps LAN

Wireless Connectivity - Bluetooth, Dual-Band WiFi

Memory - Dual-channel DDR4 SODIMM 512GB SSD, expandable up to 32GB

Audio - HDA CODEC, supports two DMICS array

Storage - 1x SSD (M.2 SATA & PCIe), expandable up to 1 TB; 1x 2.5” SATA HDD (7mm) slot, expandable up to 2 TB.

For its size and price, I am blown away by some of the features that this little rascal gives its users. Firstly, the fact that it can run Windows 11 is pretty cool. My $1000 gaming PC can’t even do that! The whole user experience is so easy because of it and extremely enjoyable. The other feature that I was in love with is just how great the fan regulates the PC’s temperature. It never got as warm as my gaming rig does. I even kept it under a desk and it still never really got more than a bit warm to the touch. Now that’s amazing!

Two specific features that made my experience a lot easier overall were the inclusion of onboard WiFi and Bluetooth. I never had to worry about running ethernet to it and I never had to plug in an external dongle to hook up my controller or earbuds. This thing is ready to go out of the box and is a pretty friendly device for bot master and novice PC users.

Functionality

I was able to spend quite a bit of time with this PC and ran it through a bunch of different tests to see how it worked on my day-to-day usage. As someone who enjoys surfing the web, writing, and playing games, of course, I definitely got to know this thing pretty well. The above readings are of the read/write speeds for the DDR4 SODIMM which handle extremely quickly when in tandem with the built-in WiFi. Downloading programs and games was very timely, never really chugging or slowing down at all.

This is a very zippy PC as navigating around sites, programs, or even the app store is handled in a snap. I was pretty impressed by the WiFi onboard mostly because I wasn’t really too close to my router at all though it never felt as if I wasn’t too far. As I said, everything feels buttery smooth and it was refreshing to see the feature work really well with no hangups.

One area that I was anxious to test this thing out though was in gaming sessions. I installed Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games to run a few tests. In that respective order, I tested Tunic, Fall Guys, and Fortnite, all of which yielded pretty good results. Tunic did have a bit of a noticeable stutter every so often, but Fall Guys ran fantastically in all instances. Fortnite was a mixed bag as it did take some tuning. You could just run it at its auto-set settings located above and it’ll run just fine, but I did notice a bit of lag in frames often.

I also tested a couple of other titles as well. Spyro the Reignited Trilogy only ran at low settings and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy just demanded too much hardware for it to even start. Though I’m not entirely surprised about my findings, I did manage to learn a bit. Even with Windows 11, it really isn’t a gamer-focused PC. This type of PC will definitely allow you to play games, just don’t make it your sole gaming PC. Things like Fortnite, Fall Guys, Minecraft, and the like will run just fine and scratch that gaming itch in a pinch.

What It Could Have Done Better

As I stated, the SD port is a bit of a miss and the USB Type-C port on the backside is also a bit suspicious. It’s a shame that there are some issues with the internal hardware as this device is pretty stellar. But, besides those two minor issues, I don’t have any other qualms with this mini PC.

Verdict

GEEKOM’s first venture into the mini PC game is a success. Offering a fast user experience, a bunch of creature comforts, and the latest OS available for Windows users, the Mini IT8 Mini PC is sublime. Though it has had a fair bit of technical difficulties, nothing really impacted my experience too negatively to stop me from enjoying myself. This is a solid PC for family use or for work as its small size and quick speeds are fantastic for multitasking. A plus, you can even sneak a couple of quality games on it to pass the time here and there.

For folks interested in earning some cool prizes including discounts or even your own Mini IT8 Mini PC, follow this link to GEEKOM’s website where you can take part in their upcoming Easter Egg Hunt!