Can you use a mini PC to play AAA games?

Reya

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(This post is to explore the possibility of playing aaa games on a mini PC with data information included)

Can you use a Mini PC for gaming? The answer is yes, so can you use a Mini PC to play AAA games? Yes, you can too!

If you are a fan of video games, you probably know what AAA games are. These are games that have a large budget for production and marketing and are expected to be of high quality and sell millions of copies. Some examples of AAA games are The Witcher 3, Dark Souls 3, Skyrim, Monster Hunter: World, and Resident Evil 8 Village.

AAA games are usually very demanding in terms of hardware requirements because they have high-end graphics, audio design, and gameplay mechanics. They often need a powerful PC with a dedicated graphics card, a fast processor, and a lot of RAM and storage space.

But what if you don't have a big PC or you want to play your favorite AAA games on the go? Can you use a mini PC for gaming? A mini PC is a small computer that can fit in your palm or pocket and has all the basic components of a desktop PC, such as a CPU, GPU, RAM, SSD, and ports.

The answer is yes, you can use a mini PC for gaming, even for AAA games. Of course, you will need to make some compromises on the graphics settings and resolution, but you can still enjoy a smooth and immersive gaming experience with a mini PC.

The advantages of playing AAA games with a mini pc are:

- Portability: You can easily carry your mini PC with you anywhere you go, and connect it to any monitor or TV with an HDMI cable. You can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse or a gamepad for input. This way, you can play your favorite AAA games in your living room, bedroom, office, or even in a hotel room when you travel.

- Affordability: A mini PC is usually cheaper than a gaming laptop or desktop PC with similar specifications. You can save money on buying a mini PC and use it for gaming and other tasks, such as browsing the web, streaming videos, or working on documents.

- Upgradability: Some mini PCs allow you to upgrade their components, such as the RAM, SSD, or even the CPU and GPU. This means you can improve the performance of your mini PC over time and keep up with the latest AAA games.

- Energy efficiency: A mini PC consumes less power than a gaming laptop or desktop PC, which means it generates less heat and noise. You can also save on your electricity bills by using a mini PC for gaming.

So if you are looking for a way to play AAA games without spending too much money or space on a big PC, you might want to consider getting a mini PC for gaming. You will be surprised by how much fun you can have with such a small device.

But not all mini PCs are created equal. Some mini PCs are more powerful and capable than others, and they can run most of the AAA games that are available in the market. Others are less powerful and can only run a small number of AAA games, or none at all. So how do you know which mini PC is the best for playing AAA games? Here are some of the mini PCs that can play AAA games that you should consider:

- GEEKOM Mini IT8:
This mini PC is powered by an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8279U processor and an Intel® Iris Plus Graphics 655 card. It has 8GB or 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB or 512GB of SSD storage. It also has a 2.5" SATA HDD slot that can support up to 2TB of additional storage. This mini PC can play a small number of AAA games, such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Overwatch, and GTA V, at low to medium settings and resolution.

- GEEKOM Mini IT11:
This mini PC is powered by an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11390H or i5-1155G7 processor and an Intel® Iris® Xe graphics card. It has 16GB or 32GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. It also has a 2.5" SATA HDD slot that can support up to 2TB of additional storage. This mini PC can play a small number of AAA games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Red Dead Redemption 2, at low to medium settings and resolution.

- GEEKOM Mini IT12:
This mini PC is powered by a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1260P or i5-1240P processor and an Intel® Iris® Xe graphics card. It has 16GB or 32GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. It also has a 2.5" SATA HDD slot that can support up to 2TB of additional storage. This mini PC can play a small number of AAA games, such as Battlefield 2042, Far Cry 6, Halo Infinite, and Resident Evil Village, at low to medium settings and resolution.

- GEEKOM AS5:
This mini PC is powered by a Ryzen™ 9 5900HX processor and an AMD Radeon™ Vega 8 graphics card. It has 16GB or 32GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. It also has a second M.2 SSD slot and a 2.5" SATA HDD slot that can support up to 2TB of additional storage. This mini PC can play most of the AAA games that are available in the market, such as Doom Eternal, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, and Death Stranding, at medium to high settings and resolution.

- GEEKOM AS6:
This mini PC is powered by a Ryzen™ 9 6900HX or Ryzen™ 7 6800H processor and an AMD Radeon™ Graphics card. It has 16GB or 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. It also has a second M.2 SSD slot and a 2.5" SATA HDD slot that can support up to 2TB of additional storage. This mini PC can play most of the AAA games that are available in the market, such as Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, Resident Evil Village Enhanced Edition, Forza Horizon 5, and Dying Light Enhanced Edition, at medium to high settings and resolution.
 
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Reya

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Some of the games that you can play with the GEEKOM Mini IT8,IT11, TI12,AS5, and AS6 are:

- Minecraft:
A sandbox game that lets you build anything you can imagine with blocks. You can also explore different worlds, survive various threats, and play with others online.

Minecraft System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i3-3210 3.2 GHz / AMD A8-7600 APU 3.1 GHz or equivalent
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 2 GB
VIDEO CARD: Integrated: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge) or AMD Radeon R5 series (Kaveri line) with OpenGL 4.41Discrete: Nvidia GeForce 400 Series or AMD Radeon HD 7000 series with OpenGL 4.4
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows 7 and up
FREE DISK SPACE: At least 1 GB for Game Core and Other Files

- StarCraft 2: A classic strategy game that pits three factions against each other in a sci-fi war. You can command armies, research technologies, and compete with other players.

StarCraft 2 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 2 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT or ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or better
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 64 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 3.0
VERTEX SHADER: 3.0
OS: Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10
FREE DISK SPACE: 30 GB

- Hades: A roguelike game that lets you escape from the underworld as the son of Hades. You can use various weapons, abilities, and boons from the gods to fight your way through enemies.

Hades System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU SPEED: Dual Core 2.4 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
VIDEO CARD: 1GB VRAM / DirectX 10+ support
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 1 GB
OS: Windows 7 SP1
FREE DISK SPACE: 15 GB

- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: A legendary RPG that lets you create your own character and explore a vast world full of dragons, dungeons, and quests.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Info
CPU SPEED: Dual Core 2.0 GHz or equivalent processor
RAM: 2 GB
VIDEO CARD: DirectX 9.0c compliant video card with 512 MB of RAM - NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT & ATI Radeon X1800.
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 512 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 3.0
VERTEX SHADER: 3.0
OS: Windows 7/Vista/XP PC (32 or 64 bit)
FREE DISK SPACE: 6 GB
SOUND CARD: Yes

- Dishonored 2: A stealth game that lets you play as either Corvo or Emily, two assassins with supernatural powers. You can choose how to approach each mission using different skills, gadgets, and paths.

Dishonored 2 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB/AMD Radeon HD 7970 3GB or better
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 3 GB (2 GB NVIDIA)
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit versions)
FREE DISK SPACE: 60 GB

- RimWorld: A sci-fi colony simulation game that lets you manage a group of survivors who crash-landed on a random planet. The game is driven by an AI storyteller that generates events and challenges based on your actions and choices. The game also supports modding and customization.

RimWorld System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Core 2 Duo
CPU SPEED: Info
VIDEO CARD: Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of RAM
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 384 MB
OS: Windows XP
 

Reya

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Some of the games that you can play with the GEEKOM Mini IT11,TI12,AS5 and AS6 are:

- Crusader Kings 3:
A grand strategy game that lets you create your own medieval dynasty and shape the history of Europe and beyond.

Crusader Kings 3 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel® iCore™ i5-750 or Intel® iCore™ i3-2120, or AMD® Phenom™ II X6 1055T
RAM: 4 GB
VIDEO CARD: Nvidia® GeForce™ GTX 460, or AMD® Radeon™ R7 260X or AMD® Radeon™ HD 6970, or Intel® Iris Pro™ 580
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows® 8.1 64 bit or Windows® 10 Home 6

- Total War: ROME II: A historical strategy game that combines turn-based empire management and real-time epic battles in the ancient world.

Total War: ROME II System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: 2 GHz Intel Dual Core processor / 2.6 GHz Intel Single Core processor
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 2 GB
VIDEO CARD: 512 MB Direct 9.0c compatible card (shader model 3)
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 512 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 3.0
VERTEX SHADER: 3.0
OS: Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8
FREE DISK SPACE: 35 G
SOUND CARD: Yes

- Titanfall 2: A sci-fi shooter game that features fast-paced combat, parkour movement, and giant robots called Titans.

Titanfall 2 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i3-3600t or equivalent
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 660 2GB, AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2 GB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Win 7/8/8.1/10 64bit
FREE DISK SPACE: 45 GB

- Final Fantasy XIV: A massively multiplayer online role-playing game that immerses you in a rich and vibrant fantasy world with hundreds of quests, dungeons, raids, and more.

Final Fantasy XIV System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0 GHz) / AMD Athlon X2 (2.0 GHz)
CPU SPEED: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0 GHz) / AMD Athlon X2 (2.0 GHz)
RAM: Windows XP: 1.5 GB or Windows Vista/7: 2.0 GB
VIDEO CARD: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600 series / ATI Radeon HD 2900 series or equivalent
TOTAL VIDEO RAM: 512 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 3.0
VERTEX SHADER: 3.0
HARDWARE T&L: Yes
OS: Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista 32-bit/64-bit or Windows 7 32-bit/64-bit
FREE DISK SPACE: Install: 15 GB, Download: 6 GB
SOUND CARD: Yes
 
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Reya

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Some of the games that you can play with the GEEKOM Mini AS5 and AS6 are:

- The Last of Us Part 1:
A post-apocalyptic survival game that follows the journey of Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a fungal infection that has turned most of humanity into zombie-like creatures. The game is praised for its story, characters, and gameplay.

The Last of Us Part 1 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, Intel Core i7-4770K
RAM: 16 GB
VIDEO CARD: AMD Radeon RX 470 (4 GB), AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce 1050 Ti (4 GB)
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4096 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10 (Version 1909 or Newer)
FREE DISK SPACE: 100 GB

- Hogwarts Legacy: An open-world role-playing game set in the Harry Potter universe, where you can create your own witch or wizard and explore the magical world in the late 1800s. The game promises to let you shape your own legacy at Hogwarts and beyond.

Hogwarts Legacy System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (3.2Ghz)
RAM: 16 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4096 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: 64-bit Windows 10
FREE DISK SPACE: 85 GB

- Atomic Heart: A first-person shooter game set in an alternate version of the Soviet Union, where you play as a special agent who investigates a mysterious facility that has gone rogue. The game features a variety of weapons, enemies, and environments.

Atomic Heart System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600@ 3. GHz or Intel Core i5-4460 @ 3.1 GHz (AVX, AVX2 and SSE 4.2 support required)
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: AMD Radeon R9 380 (4 GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4 GB)
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4 GB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10 (20H1 version or newer, 64-bit versions)
FREE DISK SPACE: 90 GB

- God of War: A reboot of the iconic action-adventure series that follows the adventures of Kratos, a former Greek god of war, and his son Atreus, as they explore the realms of Norse mythology. The game is acclaimed for its combat, graphics, and narrative.

God of War System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel i5-2500k (4 core 3.3 GHz) or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (4 core 3.1 GHz)
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GTX 960 (4 GB) or AMD R9 290X (4 GB)
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4 GB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
FREE DISK SPACE: 70 GB

- Dying Light 2 Stay Human: A sequel to the zombie parkour game that lets you explore a vast urban open world infested with the undead and hostile factions. The game features a dynamic day-night cycle, branching choices, and co-op multiplayer.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i3-9100 / AMD Ryzen 3 2300X
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon™ RX 560 (4GB VRAM)
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4096 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows® 7
FREE DISK SPACE: 60 GB

- MONSTER HUNTER RISE: A monster hunting game that lets you hunt and slay various creatures using an array of weapons and tools. The game introduces new features such as the Wirebug, which allows you to grapple and traverse the environment, and the Palamute, a canine companion that can assist you in combat and exploration.

MONSTER HUNTER RISE System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i3-4130 or Core™ i5-3470 or AMD FX™-6100
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 1030 (DDR4) or AMD Radeon™ RX 550
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
FREE DISK SPACE: 23 GB

- Elden Ring: A fantasy action role-playing game from the creators of Dark Souls and Sekiro, in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire. The game promises to deliver a vast and seamless open world with dynamic weather and time of day, as well as challenging combat and customization.

Elden Ring System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
RAM: 12 GB
VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 3GB | AMD Radeon RX 580, 4G
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 3 GB (4GB AMD)
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10
FREE DISK SPACE: 60 GB
SOUND CARD: Yes

- Forza Horizon 5: A racing game that lets you drive hundreds of cars across a stunning recreation of Mexico, featuring diverse biomes such as jungles, deserts, volcanoes, and cities. The game also offers various modes and events, such as Horizon Arcade, Horizon Story, and Horizon Open.

Forza Horizon 5 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel i5-4460 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVidia GTX 970 OR AMD RX 470
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 4096 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
OS: Windows 10 version 15063.0 or higher
FREE DISK SPACE: 110 GB

- The Witcher 3: A critically acclaimed role-playing game based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, where you play as Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster hunter who gets involved in a war-torn continent and a prophecy about a child of destiny. The game features a rich and immersive world, complex characters, and engaging quests.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 6 GB
VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 / AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or 64-bit Windows 10
FREE DISK SPACE: 35 GB

- Red Dead Redemption 2: A western-themed action-adventure game that follows the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang who struggles to survive in a changing America at the dawn of the 20th century. The game boasts a vast and detailed open world, realistic physics and animations, and an immersive story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows 7 SP1
FREE DISK SPACE: 150 GB

- DOOM: A reboot of the classic first-person shooter series that pits you against hordes of demons from Hell. The game is known for its fast-paced and brutal gameplay, stunning graphics, and metal soundtrack.

DOOM System Requirements (Minimum)
CPU: Intel Core i5-2400 or better / AMD FX-8320 or better
CPU SPEED: Info
RAM: 8 GB
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (2GB) or better / AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB) or better
DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 2048 MB
PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
OS: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
FREE DISK SPACE: 45 GB
 

Hobo

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Hi,it's nice to see some data here. I love to play games. I know NUC can be connected externally to a graphics to play aaa games, can GEEKOM mini pc be connected externally to a graphics? How to connect an eGPU?
 

Reya

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Hey, thanks for the comment!

The following is about eGPU:

Mini PCs have become more and more popular in recent years, partly because they have small size, low power consumption and enough computing power to meet basic needs, and enough ports for connection. Therefore, they are very useful in business environments, such as digital billboards, and for consumers who need low-cost computers with small sizes or VESA mounting (embedded in the back of the monitor). However, one drawback is that their display performance is limited because most mini PCs use integrated graphics CPU, which limits the choices for gamers. However, traditional budget mini PCs often have the same problem, and one of the methods that some users use to solve the display needs is to use an external graphics card GPU (eGPU) which needs to be connected through Thunderbolt 3 port.

Our Geekom Mini PC models IT11, IT12, and AS6 have USB4 ports, and Fun9 has Thunderbolt 4 interface, they are all compatible with Thunderbolt 3.

However, most mini PCs do not have Thunderbolt 3 ports, but in recent years more and more mini PCs have started to use M.2 NVMe ports, which makes it possible for gamers to use "PCIe x16 to M.2 NVMe adapter" to add external graphics card GPU. One advantage of using an external graphics card is that multiple systems and users can share one graphics card.

The port of the mini PC usually determines which connection method you can use. Using Thunderbolt 3 port usually makes it cleaner than using a PCIe connection, but the price is losing about 10% of graphics card performance. But usually, external graphics card prices are relatively expensive, but some DIY external graphics card solutions can achieve almost the same performance at a lower price. If you want to use an adapter like R43SG in the M.2 NVMe slot to improve the graphics card performance, it is equivalent to the impact of "Thunderbolt 3 to M.2 NVMe adapter" on SSD speed compared to using a cheaper "USB to M.2 NVMe adapter". Since most mini PC CPUs have low power consumption, there is no need to use external graphics cards eGPU with too high configuration, because the full potential of the graphics card may be "CPU bound" and cannot be fully utilized.
 
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