Acemagician Mini PC with Ryzen 9
The Acemagician AM08PRO is a small mini PC capable of handling a wide range of current titles and can replace the need for a large desktop computer if you also require a PC for work.
One of the categories of computers that has caught my attention in recent years is mini PCs. On platforms like Amazon, these products have become incredibly popular due to their price and features. However, these small computers have evolved significantly, becoming increasingly powerful and capable, thanks to advancements in processors and mobile GPUs.
This time, I’m testing a product that has pleasantly surprised me: the Acemagician AM08PRO, a mini PC positioned as an alternative to gaming laptops and desktop computers—and that’s saying a lot.
It’s not the typical mini PC as it has a mini-tower design, with traditional gaming elements like RGB effects. Despite this, it retains the compact style of a mini PC and will undoubtedly take up much less space than a full-size ATX tower or even a micro ATX.
A Mini Tower with More Ports than You’ll Need
There’s no question that to be considered a mini PC, it must be, above all, mini. The Acemagician AM08PRO meets this requirement of a compact size, although it’s larger than the typical square mini PC, like the Mac mini.
The device is designed in a tower shape, nearly 30 centimeters tall. Additionally, it has a unique design at the top where we find a feature that every gaming rig needs: RGB lighting effects.
At the top, there’s also the power button, which doubles as a dial allowing you to switch between performance modes: silent, automatic, and performance.
The side design includes a vent to expel hot air from the components, which is essential because, in performance mode, this device heats up quite a bit, and the fans need all the help they can get.
The good news is that this mini PC is easily customizable. You can access the RAM and SSD slots to upgrade them. You can even add an extra SSD through a SATA III connection.
It offers ample connectivity. At the back, you’ll find 2 USB 3.1 ports, 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, a 1-gigabit Ethernet port, and the power connection. On the front, there are another 2 USB 3.1 ports, a USB-C port that supports video up to 4K, and a headphone or speaker jack.
It also features Wi-Fi 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6, as well as Bluetooth 5.2. This combination ensures solid connectivity whether or not you have an Ethernet cable nearby, and it works well given the compact size of the device and its small internal antennas.
A Mini PC for Mid-Level Gaming, but Noisy
This model, the Acemagician AM08PRO, comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, 16 GB of RAM at 4800 MHz, and an AMD Radeon RX 680M graphics card.
You may find other configurations with more or less RAM and storage. Additionally, this same product is available under other names, such as the NiPoGi AM08PRO, although it lacks a dedicated GPU and has a different processor.
On a technical level, both the processor and GPU are chips designed for laptops. This is common among mini PCs, as they use laptop components due to better size and heat management than traditional desktop processors.
As mentioned earlier, this mini PC has three operating modes: silent, automatic, and performance. Personally, I suggest keeping it in automatic mode, so that Windows 11 can use the processing power it needs based on the tasks you’re running. However, if you’re gaming with headphones, switching to performance mode will give a slight boost to graphics.
The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX powering this Acemagician AM08PRO features 8 cores and 16 threads. My performance tests indicate solid functionality across the board.
The AMD Radeon RX 680M GPU Performs as Expected with Its Efficiency
While the processor combination is more than acceptable for gaming, it’s essential to manage expectations regarding its capabilities.
Games like GTA V can easily reach around 50-60 FPS at mid-level graphics settings. However, with titles like Counter-Strike 2, I couldn’t find a video configuration that allowed me to exceed 30 FPS, which I found somewhat disappointing.
PUBG can run at high graphics settings with a stable 50-60 FPS, and in games like Fortnite, I’ve managed to reach up to 130 FPS on a customized mid-level graphics mode. DOTA 2 surpasses 100 FPS effortlessly. What can’t be said, however, is that it’s a quiet machine when set to performance mode with a game running. The noise level of the main fan on the Acemagician AM080PRO is quite high, to the extent that I had to put on headphones to play comfortably.
A Bare-Bones Windows 11 with a Trick
The great news about this Acemagician mini PC is that it comes with Windows 11 pre-installed and ready to be set up from scratch. Additionally, it has virtually nothing else installed. The only software you’ll find is a shortcut on the desktop to control the RGB lighting.
However, one must be cautious with these mini PCs as it’s not the first time factory-preinstalled malware has been found. With this in mind, the first thing I do with such devices is create a user account without linking it to my online Microsoft account and run Windows Defender to check for any unwanted software.
Fortunately, the system is completely clean and free of threats. Otherwise, it’s a completely bare Windows 11 installation, which you’ll need to update to download the latest AMD drivers.
Surprisingly, Acemagician even includes stickers on the computer advising you to set it up initially without Wi-Fi or Ethernet to prevent Windows from updating or prompting you to use an online account for access.
Conclusion: Is the Acemagician AM08PRO Worth It?
The Acemagician AM08PRO gaming mini PC has pleasantly surprised me, as I didn’t expect this level of performance in such a compact design. Without a doubt, it’s suitable for gaming; you won’t achieve Ultra graphics, but trust me, it’s more than enough for several hours of daily gaming.
This gaming mini PC has not only replaced my old desktop computer with a much more powerful graphics card, but it has also become my primary workstation for productivity tasks.
