GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition 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 GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition at 6.8/10.

The GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition leads on efficiency and noise and build and support.

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.

The biggest difference is efficiency and noise, where the GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition scores 7/10 to the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC's 4/10.

GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition

6.8/10verdict: buy

The GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition suits homelabbers and office users who want a quiet, low-power small desktop with an eight-core CPU. It fits container hosting, light virtual machines and multi-monitor desk setups. It is a weaker choice for anyone who needs fast external devices or strong integrated graphics.

Typically about £469 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	GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU performance	25%	7/10	8/10
Upgradeability	20%	8/10	9/10
Networking	20%	6/10	8/10
Efficiency and noise	15%	7/10	4/10
Ports and expansion	10%	5/10	5/10
Build and support	10%	7/10	5/10
Overall		6.8/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition	GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra AMD Ryzen™ 7 7730U Mini PC
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 8 cores / 16 threads, 2–4.5 GHz, integrated Radeon Vega 8	AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 8 cores / 16 threads, base 2.0GHz, boost up to 4.5GHz, 4MB L2 / 16MB L3 cache
Memory	16GB DDR4-3200, dual channel, two SO-DIMM slots	2 x SO-DIMM slots, DDR4 3200 MT/s, dual-channel, 16GB or 32GB pre-installed depending on configuration
Storage	512GB NVMe M.2 2280 (listing conflict: 256GB stated in one source)	PCIe 3.0 M.2 2280 SSD, 512GB pre-installed in the 16GB configuration; 1TB in the 32GB configuration
Networking	Realtek RTL8125 2.5GbE; Realtek RTL8852BE Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4	Dual 2.5G Ethernet (2 x RJ45, Realtek RTL8125); Wi-Fi 6E (RZ616, up to 2.4Gbps); Bluetooth 5.2
Maximum memory	64GB	64GB (2 x 32GB)
Storage slots	Up to three storage drives in total (M.2 slot count not confirmed)	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 (DisplayPort Alt Mode), 2× HDMI, 2× DisplayPort, 3× USB 3.x Gen 1 Type-A, 2× USB 3.x Gen 2 Type-A, 1× USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio, SD 4.0 card reader (UHS-II), Kensington lock	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 6–9W; maximum load just under 45W; 120W adapter per Notebookcheck (65W listed elsewhere)	Manufacturer TDP modes: Silent 10W, Balanced 15W, Performance 35W (peak 35W); DC 19V / 3.42A adapter

Strengths and weaknesses

GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition

+ Two SO-DIMM slots, up to 64GB RAM
+ Idle draw of 6–9W and quiet running
+ 36-month warranty
− No USB4 or Thunderbolt ports
− Weak Vega 8 integrated graphics
− Single 2.5GbE port

Skip it if:

Buyers who need USB4, Thunderbolt or fast external storage
Anyone wanting strong integrated graphics for gaming or GPU work
Builders who need two wired Ethernet ports for routing

Read the full GEEKOM A5 2027 Edition 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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