The landscape of compact computing takes an impressive leap forward with the exploration of the first Mini PC powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU. This unit, showcasing the potent Radeon 890M integrated GPU, has demonstrated remarkable gaming benchmarks that set a new standard for mini PC performance.
The latest range of AMD Ryzen AI 300 APUs, known as Strix-Point, was originally designed for gaming laptops and mobile applications. While these APUs have started appearing in gaming laptops from various manufacturers, their integration into a Mini PC platform is a development worth noting. Ahead of the expected Mini PC arrivals in October with these powerful APUs, a glimpse into their capabilities has been provided through early benchmarks of a test unit.
Unveiling the AMD Ryzen AI HX 370, we find a powerful combination of 4 Zen 5 and 8 Zen 5c cores, paired with a Radeon 890M “RDNA 3” iGPU that takes advantage of the RDNA 3.5 architecture. This iGPU can be overclocked to a staggering 2900MHz, with the architecture incorporating 16 Compute Units, making the Radeon 890M the fastest iGPU currently available. Accompanying configurations may also feature the standard Ryzen AI 9 365 setup.
When it comes to memory and storage, there are no compromises despite the Mini PC’s compact size. The non-upgradeable LPDDR5X memory is offered in 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB configurations, with speeds of either 6400 MT/s or 7500 MT/s. On the storage front, the SOUYO S9 Mini PC boasts three PCI-E 4.0 NVMe SSD slots, an unexpected but welcome feature for a device of this scale. Although the early sample encountered issues with one M.2 slot and a USB4 port, these are typical teething problems for pre-release hardware.
Performance tests conducted across a variety of software and games presented the Mini PC in a strong light, with stable performance and power consumption between 50-70W during gaming sessions. The new Radeon 890M iGPU significantly outperforms its predecessor, the Radeon 780M, making this Mini PC an appealing prospect for gamers who prefer a compact setup without compromising on quality. The benchmarks revealed the device’s capability to handle modern games at 1080p resolutions, achieving frame rates exceeding 60 fps on low to medium settings, akin to what one might expect from discrete GPUs like the GTX 1650.
While the availability and pricing of the SOUYO S9 remain under wraps, the anticipation for Mini PCs armed with Ryzen AI 300 Strix Point CPUs is undeniable. The prospects of similar devices and potentially even handheld gaming platforms built around these CPUs seem to be on the horizon.
These developments indicate a promising future for gamers and compact computing enthusiasts alike, as we await with bated breath the official roll-out of these powerful mini-PCs and the exhilarating gaming experiences they promise to deliver.
