Mini PCs are perfect options for those with limited desk space, but refuse to purchase a laptop for... well, whatever reason you need to tell yourself. And, when it comes to quality, Geekom's line up of mini PCs are some of the best on the market, delivering great power in small packages.
However, while the Geekom Mini IT13 is a neat mini PC, that offers an Intel chipset that delivers a decent amount of performance, the Mini IT13 line isn't the best mini PC on the market right now. However, it's certainly an excellent option, regardless of the disappointingly high price and the lack of DDR5 RAM.
The Geekom Mini IT13 comes in three different options, ranging from an Intel i5-13500H to the i9-13900H, the latter of which we received for our review. Both of the higher options, the i7-13620H and the premium i9 offer 32GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, while the cheapest option delivers 16GB. In all honesty, 16GB is still a great amount of RAM.
When it comes to pricing, the Mini IT13 starts at $499, with the higher two setting you back $649 and $849 respectively. This can be a bit pricey, with laptops with the same chipset, the i9-13900H, can cost around the £1000 mark.
The overall design of the Geekom Mini IT13 certainly feels premium, thanks to the metal chassis (alongside some plastic parts). The case is solid, and feels like it could survive some accidental drops (not that I want to test this), and the grates on either side keep things cool, while the small grate on the rear extracts heat. There's plenty of ports surrounding the Mini IT13, offering plenty of connectivity for all of your needs, but we'll get into those soon.
CPU | Intel Core i9-13900H (14 cores, 20 threads) |
|---|---|
GPU | Intel Iris Xe graphics |
Storage | Lexar 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD |
RAM | 32GB DDR4-3200 (supports up to 64GB) |
OS | Windows 11 Pro (pre-installed) |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, |
Size | 117mm x 112mm x 49.2mm |
In all honesty, I usually prefer AMD CPUs. I've always preferred the AMD's sockets and upgradability, but I'm seriously impressed by the Intel i9 Mini IT13. The i9-13900H runs performs well, and the Mini IT13's well-built case keeps it surprisingly cool. However, this is likely due to the fact that the mobile chipset was produced with 45W in mind for laptops.
While the 13th Gen Intel CPUs are great and very powerful options, it's worth mentioning again that the i9-13900H that's inside the Mini IT13 isn't the same as the desktop version of the processor. So, as long you're not expecting the equivalent performance, you should be delighted by the Geekom Mini IT13.
The design of the IT13 is ridiculously similar to the IT12 and the IT11, however, Geekom will likely need to change the design if they hope to put more powerful chipsets or have higher-performing CPUs within a small-factor form.
When it comes to ports, the Geekom Mini IT13 offers a power button, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. On one side, there's a Kensington Lock, with an SD card reader housed on the other. Finally, on the back of the mini PC, there's plenty of ports, such as the DC power connection, two USB4 ports, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, USB 2.0 port, and finally, a 2.5GbE LAN port for Ethernet access.
While the performance of the CPU is exciting, it's not as powerful as one would hope. Thanks to the Intel Iris Xe graphics within the chipset, the Mini IT13 doesn't perform as well as we'd hoped when it comes to gaming. It outperforms that of the earlier IT models thanks to the stronger chipset, but compared to Geekom's AMD offerings, it doesn't offer the same performance.
If you want to play really light indie games or older triple-A games at low settings, with 1080p60, you may be okay. We played titles like Hades with relative ease, but I wouldn't dare think about winning matches with high killstreaks on something like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. However, Geekom primarily markets this as an office-focused machine, which I'd suggest is the best use for it.
Overall, the Geekom Mini IT13 is a fairly impressive mini PC, offering a high-power i9-13900H that keeps surprisingly cool thanks to the chassis' design. However, gaming on the IT13 isn't great, and the high price alongside DDR4 RAM may turn away some users looking for the best bang for their buck.
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