DreamQuest Mini Plus 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 DreamQuest Mini Plus at 4.7/10.

The DreamQuest Mini Plus leads on efficiency and noise.

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

They score the same on ports and expansion and build and support.

The biggest difference is CPU performance, where the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC scores 8/10 to the DreamQuest Mini Plus's 4/10.

DreamQuest Mini Plus

4.7/10verdict: skip

The DreamQuest Mini Plus suits buyers who want a small, quiet machine for light everyday computing. It pairs an Intel N95 with 12GB of DDR5, a 512GB SSD and two HDMI outputs for a simple desktop or media setup. It is a poor fit for gaming or for anyone who needs steady performance under sustained load.

Typically about £269.99 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

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	DreamQuest Mini Plus	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU performance	25%	4/10	8/10
Upgradeability	20%	5/10	9/10
Networking	20%	4/10	8/10
Efficiency and noise	15%	6/10	4/10
Ports and expansion	10%	5/10	5/10
Build and support	10%	5/10	5/10
Overall		4.7/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	DreamQuest Mini Plus	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU	Intel N95	AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 8 cores / 16 threads, base 2.0GHz, boost up to 4.5GHz, 4MB L2 / 16MB L3 cache
Memory	12GB DDR5	2 x SO-DIMM slots, DDR4 3200 MT/s, dual-channel, 16GB or 32GB pre-installed depending on configuration
Storage	512GB M.2 2280 SSD	PCIe 3.0 M.2 2280 SSD, 512GB pre-installed in the 16GB configuration; 1TB in the 32GB configuration
Networking	WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, LAN	Dual 2.5G Ethernet (2 x RJ45, Realtek RTL8125); Wi-Fi 6E (RZ616, up to 2.4Gbps); Bluetooth 5.2
Maximum memory	not listed	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	2 USB C, 2 HDMI, 4 USB 3.2, LAN	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	not listed	Manufacturer TDP modes: Silent 10W, Balanced 15W, Performance 35W (peak 35W); DC 19V / 3.42A adapter

Strengths and weaknesses

DreamQuest Mini Plus

+ Quiet cooling and low idle power draw reported
+ 12GB DDR5 and 512GB M.2 SSD included
+ Two HDMI outputs and plenty of USB ports
− Reports of heat and sudden shutdowns under sustained load
− Modest 15W processor, unsuited to modern gaming
− LAN speed not listed beside WiFi 6

Skip it if:

Buyers who want to game on a mini PC
Anyone running sustained heavy workloads such as long transcodes or builds
Homelabbers who need multi-gig networking, USB4 or OCuLink

Read the full DreamQuest Mini Plus 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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