Apple Mac mini (M6) vs GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC

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

both 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 (M6) at 6.2/10.

The Apple Mac mini (M6) 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.

They score the same on CPU performance and networking.

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 (M6)'s 2/10.

Apple Mac mini (M6)

6.2/10verdict: wait for deal

The Mac mini (M6) is for buyers who want a fast desktop with strong networking options and are happy with fixed memory. It suits people who can pick the right memory size at purchase and want 2.5Gb or 10Gb Ethernet plus Thunderbolt 4. It is a poor match for anyone who expects to upgrade RAM later.

Typically about £824 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: wait for deal

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

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Apple Mac mini (M6)	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU performance	25%	8/10	8/10
Upgradeability	20%	2/10	9/10
Networking	20%	8/10	8/10
Efficiency and noise	15%	6/10	4/10
Ports and expansion	10%	7/10	5/10
Build and support	10%	6/10	5/10
Overall		6.2/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	Apple Mac mini (M6)	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU	Apple M6, 12 cores (2 super, 4 performance, 6 efficiency), 12-core GPU, dual 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	Apple N1 chip, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 6, Thread, 2.5Gb Ethernet configurable to 10Gb Ethernet	Dual 2.5G Ethernet (2 x RJ45, Realtek RTL8125); Wi-Fi 6E (RZ616, up to 2.4Gbps); Bluetooth 5.2
Maximum memory	32GB	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), 3.5 mm headphone jack. Rear: 2.5Gb Ethernet, HDMI, three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	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	Maximum continuous power 155W	Manufacturer TDP modes: Silent 10W, Balanced 15W, Performance 35W (peak 35W); DC 19V / 3.42A adapter

Strengths and weaknesses

Apple Mac mini (M6)

+ 12-core M6 with 12-core GPU
+ 2.5Gb Ethernet, configurable to 10Gb, plus Wi-Fi 7
+ Three Thunderbolt 4 ports and HDMI
− Memory is onboard and not user-upgradeable
− Maximum memory is 32GB
− Warranty is 12 months, per Notebookcheck

Skip it if:

Buyers who want to add or swap RAM after purchase
Anyone needing several network ports for router or firewall use
Home lab users who need published idle power figures before buying

Read the full Apple Mac mini (M6) 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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