Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB vs GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against mini PCs at a similar price

The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB at 5.8/10.

The Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB leads on efficiency and noise, ports and expansion and build and support.

The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC leads on upgradeability and networking.

They score the same on CPU performance.

The biggest difference is upgradeability, where the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC scores 9/10 to the Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB's 1/10.

Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The Mac mini M4 suits anyone who wants a small, always-on machine with very low idle power draw. It fits users who are happy with 16GB of memory and a modest internal drive, or who will pay for a larger configuration up front. It is a better match for fixed, well-planned setups than for tinkerers who like to swap parts.

Typically about £799 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC

7.0/10verdict: buy

The NucBox M5 Ultra suits homelabbers who want an 8-core Ryzen 7 in a small box with two 2.5GbE ports. It also suits buyers who plan to add RAM and storage over time. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs quiet running, fast external ports or high-settings gaming.

Typically about £289.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU performance	25%	8/10	8/10
Upgradeability	20%	1/10	9/10
Networking	20%	4/10	8/10
Efficiency and noise	15%	9/10	4/10
Ports and expansion	10%	8/10	5/10
Build and support	10%	6/10	5/10
Overall		5.8/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU	Apple M4: 10-core CPU (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine	AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 8 cores / 16 threads, base 2.0GHz, boost up to 4.5GHz, 4MB L2 / 16MB L3 cache
Memory	16GB unified memory	2 x SO-DIMM slots, DDR4 3200 MT/s, dual-channel, 16GB or 32GB pre-installed depending on configuration
Storage	256GB SSD	PCIe 3.0 M.2 2280 SSD, 512GB pre-installed in the 16GB configuration; 1TB in the 32GB configuration
Networking	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-T, RJ-45)	Dual 2.5G Ethernet (2 x RJ45, Realtek RTL8125); Wi-Fi 6E (RZ616, up to 2.4Gbps); Bluetooth 5.2
Maximum memory	32GB (configurable at purchase on the M4 chip)	64GB (2 x 32GB)
Storage slots	not listed	2 x M.2 slots; slot 1 supports SATA and PCIe, slot 2 supports PCIe only; max 8TB per slot, 16TB total
Ports	Front: two USB-C ports (USB 3, up to 10Gb/s) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Back: Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, and three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports supporting USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s) and DisplayPort	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (front), 2 x USB 2.0 (rear), 1 x USB-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DP/PD (front), 1 x HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz), 1 x DisplayPort (up to 8K@60Hz), 3.5mm audio jack, DC power input, 2 x 2.5G Ethernet
Power draw	Idle 4W, maximum 65W, measured at the wall for this configuration	Manufacturer TDP modes: Silent 10W, Balanced 15W, Performance 35W (peak 35W); DC 19V / 3.42A adapter

Strengths and weaknesses

Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB

+ Idle draw of just 4W at the wall
+ 10-core M4 with 10-core GPU
+ Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus HDMI
− RAM is soldered with no upgrade slot
− Internal SSD is not user-upgradable
− Base model has only Gigabit Ethernet

Skip it if:

Buyers who want to upgrade RAM or storage later
Anyone needing faster than Gigabit Ethernet from the base unit
Users with many USB-A devices who don't want adapters

Read the full Apple Mac mini (2024), Apple M4, 16GB, 256GB review ›

GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC

+ Dual 2.5GbE suits Proxmox and NAS use
+ Two SO-DIMM slots, 64GB maximum
+ Two M.2 slots, 16TB total
− Owners report fan noise in Performance mode
− 85–90°C reported under sustained load
− No USB4, Thunderbolt or OCuLink

Skip it if:

Buyers who need a quiet machine running at full load
Anyone wanting USB4, Thunderbolt or OCuLink for fast external devices
Gamers who want high-settings AAA titles

Read the full GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC review ›

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