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If you would like a brand new desktop laptop however don’t love the thought of a hulking-great conventional laptop tower dominating your desk, then a mini PC may very well be splendid. These primarily condense the tech from a desktop PC right into a field round 5 inches sq. and below 2 inches tall. However not like the mini PCs of yesteryear which had been based mostly round anaemic processors that meant they had been solely appropriate for mild internet searching, as we speak’s mini PCs pack an enormous efficiency punch, making them appropriate for severe picture or video enhancing.
Geekom’s newest IT13 is simply such a tool, with a high-end 14-core processor and 32GB RAM that give it the potential to outperform even a number of the finest desktop computer systems for picture enhancing.
The IT13 has been upgraded for 2025, now that includes Intel’s Core i9-13900HK, the place the previous model used an i9-13900H. Refined distinction, however Geekom claims the HK variant is round 10% quicker. The PC comes with 32GB of quick RAM pre-installed, although there may be additionally the choice so as to add an extra 32GB down the road, do you have to want it. That is a helpful benefit over the overwhelming majority of present laptops, which now lack any possibility so as to add additional reminiscence. The IT13 can pull the identical trick with its storage, too. You’ll be able to spec the PC to return with both a 1TB or a 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD, however there’s additionally an extra M.2 2242 SATA SSD slot, so you may set up a second SSD as much as 1TB in capability. And if that is nonetheless not sufficient, there’s even area inside for a 2.5″ SATA SSD or HDD of as much as 2TB.
One other benefit to selecting the IT13 over a laptop computer is bodily connectivity. The place you will be fortunate to seek out greater than three USB ports and a headphone socket on a typical laptop computer, the IT13 sports activities six USB ports (2 entrance, 4 rear), together with twin HDMI sockets, plus ethernet, a headphone socket and a full-size SD card reader. Wi-fi connectivity contains WiFi-6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
Downsides? Being so compact means there is not area inside for a separate graphics card, so you will must made do with the processor’s Intel Iris Xe graphics engine. However in case you’re not an avid gamer, this should not be a deal-breaker.
The IT13 ships with Home windows 11 Professional already put in: simply add a monitor, keyboard and mouse and also you’re good to go.
Geekom IT13: Specs
|
CPU |
Intel Core i9-13900HK (as much as 5.4GHz, 14 cores, 20 Threads) |
|
Graphics |
Intel Iris Xe (built-in) |
|
RAM |
32GB DDR4 (64GB max) |
|
Storage |
1TB M.2 NVMe 4.0 SSD |
|
Ports |
4x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 2x HDMI, 1x RJ45 ethernet, 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack, SD card slot |
|
Wi-fi |
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
|
Dimensions |
117 x 112 x 49.2mm |
Geekom IT13: Design & Dealing with
I’ve beforehand examined the Geekom A6 mini PC – a barely smaller gadget that sits under the IT13 in Geekom’s mini PC vary. Nevertheless, the place the A6 impressed me with its seamless Apple-esque unibody metallic casing, the IT13 is a bit more utilitarian in its design and building. Whereas there are not any apparent weak factors or areas that really feel low-cost or flimsy, the IT13’s exterior is extra generic and rather less svelte than the A6 – it lacks the identical wow issue.
Up entrance is the ability button, a 3.5mm headphone socket, and a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind A ports working at 10Gbps. On the rear is a 3rd 10Gbps Kind A port, a USB 2.0 port (splendid for connecting a keyboard), plus two USB4 40Gbps Kind C ports. These are nice in case you personal a quick transportable SSD or use CFexpress playing cards, as USB4 permits each to run at their full pace (offering you’ve a USB4 CFexpress card reader).
Additionally on the rear panel is a 2.5Gbps RJ45 Ethernet port for wired networking, plus two HDMI 2.0 ports. These help you join two 4K displays, however if you need much more display area, each USB4 Kind C connections are additionally DisplayPort sockets, supplying you with the power to attach two further shows for a complete of 4 displays.
There’s additionally a DC enter on the rear, because the IT13 has a separate mains energy brick. That is concerning the dimension of a pack of taking part in playing cards, however the wire that hyperlinks it to the PC is lengthy sufficient that you need to be capable to tuck the ability adaptor out of sight. And you need to be capable to do the identical with the IT13 itself if you need, due to its small 117 mm x 112 mm x 49.2 mm dimensions.
Geekom additionally provides a VESA mounting plate within the field, which lets you screw the pc to the VESA bracket holes on the again of a monitor, so you may create an all-in-one laptop+monitor. Nevertheless, it will solely be doable in case your monitor’s stand is not already connected to the identical mounting holes. Alternatively, the bracket may very well be used to mount the A6 to the underside of your desk, hiding it out of view.
Geekom IT13: Efficiency
For those who’re considerably acquainted with Intel’s CPU nomenclature, it’s possible you’ll know that the Core i9 vary sits on the high of the Intel processor hierarchy, above the entry-level i3, mid-range i5 and performance-orientated i7 tiers. Nevertheless, it isn’t fairly so simple as that, as there are literally a whopping 10 totally different variations of the Core i9-13900 – all with totally different suffixes. The ‘HK’ suffix denotes that the i9-13900HK processor within the Geekom IT13 is designed to be used in laptops, as it has been engineered to run utilizing much less energy and thereby generates much less warmth. That is excellent news in a compact gadget just like the IT13 the place area for cooling is proscribed, but it surely additionally means the i9-13900HK is considerably much less highly effective than the ‘full-fat’ i9-13900KS processor designed for ‘correct’ desktop computer systems. Here is a specs comparability:
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Core i9-13900HK |
Core i9-13900KS |
|
Pace |
2.6 GHz |
3.2 GHz |
|
Turbo pace |
5.4 GHz |
6.0 GHz |
|
Cores |
14 (Threads: 20) |
24 (Threads: 32) |
|
Cache |
L1: 1,248KB, L2: 11.5MB, L3: 24MB |
L1: 1,408KB, L2: 24.0MB, L3: 36MB |
|
Energy consumption |
45W |
150W |
Fortunately, whereas the IT13 could also be considerably compromised in pace by its small dimension, it’s miles from gradual. To offer it a real-world picture enhancing efficiency take a look at, I put in the most recent model of Photoshop and opened an enormous 1.4GB, 852-megapixel stitched panorama TIFF file. After a short pause whereas the picture loaded, I used to be in a position to easily zoom in, pan round, and make easy edits to the picture with no slowdowns or glitches. For a more durable take a look at, I tried to enlarge the peak of this picture by round 500 pixels utilizing Generative Broaden. I timed this process at 1 minute 6 seconds – a good time, however solely 9 seconds faster than the Geekom A6 managed with its 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor. It is also considerably slower than the 45 seconds achieved by an 8-core Intel Core Extremely 7 258V – a more recent but nonetheless energy-efficient processor that is constructed for AI workflows.
And here-in lies one of many extra refined points with the IT13. The i9-13900HK processor, although highly effective in its day, was launched at first of 2023 and is now two Intel CPU generations previous, having since been succeeded by the Core Extremely Sequence 1 and Sequence 2 ranges. So regardless of the IT13 being ‘upgraded for 2025’, it is coronary heart is not fairly as trendy as you may think.
I additionally examined the IT13 utilizing a number of benchmarking apps:
Cinebench 2024 (CPU efficiency)
The Cinebench multi-core rating of 648 is considerably disappointing, contemplating the supposedly weaker (and considerably cheaper) Geekom A6 mini PC scored 695 in the very same take a look at.
Geekbench 6 (CPU efficiency)
The Geekbench rating is nice, significantly for single-core pace, however the 10400 multi-core rating is simply barely higher than the determine I recorded with the Geekom A6.
Geekbench 6 (graphics efficiency, Geekom IT13 vs. Geekom A6)
Much more regarding is the Geekbench graphics benchmark consequence. The IT13 managed barely greater than half the rating achieved by the A6, indicating that the A6’s AMD graphics processor is much superior to Intel’s Iris Xe chip.
Crystal Disk Mark (SSD efficiency)
The SSD within the IT13 is probably going the identical or at the very least similar to that within the A6. It is able to a blistering 4076MB/s peak learn pace, and an equally spectacular 3189MB/s max write fee.
Throughout this processor-intensive benchmark testing the cooling fan within the IT13 did spin as much as an simply audible degree, although the sound is usually of whooshing air relatively than any annoying motor whine. And the fan clearly must spin quick, because the air being exhausted out the again of the case can get highly regarded.
SD card slot pace
The built-in SD card reader appears to be working at UHS-I pace, not UHS-II. I wasn’t in a position to get close to the rated pace of any of my UHS-II SD playing cards, whereas plugging them into one of many IT13’s USB4 ports through a Prograde Digital UHS-II USB card reader did yield a lot quicker outcomes.
Geekom IT13: Verdict
The Geekom IT13 is a really succesful mini PC, with wonderful connectivity, a premium processor and beneficiant quantities of RAM and storage. Nevertheless, I used to be anticipating extra from the 14-core Intel Core i9 CPU. In actuality, the efficiency outcomes I recorded had been solely marginally higher than these from Geekom’s A6 mini PC, which is bodily smaller and ‘solely’ has an 8-core processor. And within the case of graphics processing, the IT13 turned out to be considerably slower than the A6.
What’s extra, the A6 prices virtually 50% lower than the IT13, and it is extra trendy. So whereas there’s nothing inherently fallacious with IT13 when examined in isolation, it is robust to suggest when in comparison with the value-packed Geekom A6.
Whichever possibility you select, do not forget to take a look at our information to the finest displays for picture enhancing to seek out out which monitor could be finest to make use of alongside your new mini PC.
|
Options |
There is not any devoted GPU, and a entrance USB-C port could be good, however you may’t have all of it at this value. |
★★★★☆ |
|
Design |
It isn’t as premium-feeling as Geekom’s A6 mini PC, but it surely’s removed from flimsy. |
★★★★☆ |
|
Efficiency |
It is quick, however not as fast as you would possibly anticipate from a 14-core CPU. Graphics efficiency is disappointing. |
★★★☆☆ |
|
Worth |
The IT13 instructions a near-50% value premium over the Geekom A6, but it is barely any quicker |
★★★☆☆ |
✅ Purchase it…
- You need loads of processing energy
- You want vary of ports
- RAM and storage upgradability is essential to you
🚫 Do not buy it…
- Until you are loyal to Intel (the AMD-based Geekom A6 is means beter worth)
- You are a gamer
- You need the most recent AI-processing efficiency