GMKtec NucBox K17 review: A highly capable AI mini PC that balances performances for day-to-day office tasks

TechRadar Verdict

This compact packs in Intel's latest AI-enhanced CPU, GPU and NPU combination that all provide an impressive amount of power. The inclusion of a spare slot for an ultrafast PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD and 2.5Gbe networking shows that this has been spec’d to provide speed and power in a busy office environment where multiple applications and demands on the system will be made. At the price, it's exceptionally well priced, with a decent all-round specification and potential. In use, the performance impresses for all Windows essentials,. However, with the AI-enhanced CPY, there’s far more potential, especially when partnered with a fast SSD and networking. While a little more RAM would have been good, the performance for creative applications is good, and even light 4K video editing is handled well. There are a few small issues, but at the heart, this will make a solid office-based choice.

Pros

• +AI mini PC
• +Powerful CPU
• +Dual-channel RAM
• +PCIe 5.0 SSD upgrade slot

Cons

• -Fixed 16GB RAM
• -Single USB4 port
• -Wi-Fi antennas are easily disconnected.

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GMKtec NucBox K17 : 30-second review

The GMKtec NucBox K17 is one of those understated Mini PCs that can be summed up as your typical average mid-range machine designed for everyday use. While the grey outer, relatively compact sizing and design are all very run of the mill, GMKTec has actually done something quite special with this small machine; they pushed the technology inside and while this is an everyday machine, the components selected mean that it’s also well future proofed.

Inside is one of the latest Intel CPUs, and this is matched with an integrated GPU and NPU that provides plenty of processing power for both traditional applications and the latest AI models.

Out of the box, the build quality also feels good and solid, verging on premium considering the price. Checking over the body, there are plenty of ports on the front and back with venting slots helping to keep everything cool and running smoothly.

The processor combo is all new generation and sits in the midrange, but joining the latest releases are a few other interesting additions that you just don’t see on this level of mini PC. The first is that the second M.2 slot accepts PCIe 5.0 x4 SSD, and this sits alongside the existing 1TB PCIe 4.0 drive.

Installation for the second drive is straightforward; the drive screws into place, and once it's in place, the machine reboots, and it’s ready to format and use. The other major addition is the 2.5GbE Ethernet port, which was impressive in terms of speed when connected directly to a Ugreen DXP4800 GT NAS. My only reservation here is that the Wi-Fi antenna is easily displaced when removing the lid, and is almost impossible to reinsert.

Out of the box, Windows 11 Pro is installed and feels fast as I navigated around the settings and installed a variety of applications for the test. This performance was reflected with a Windows Experience Index of 8.7, one of the highest I’ve seen.

AI applications and functions are well handled with Copilot+ and local LLM inference via LM Studio, both performing well for a machine at this price. I ran a few questions through the models loaded on photography processes, and it managed to answer with reasonable speed.

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