1440p gaming on Mini PC: GMKtec EVO-T2 with Intel Panther Lake plays AAA games like Red Dead Redemption 2 above 70 FPS

In addition to thin-and-light laptops, the Intel Panther Lake APUs are also a Godsend for Mini PCs. The X series Intel Panther Lake APUs with the impressive Arc B390 iGPU ensure that a Mini PC doesn’t need a discrete GPU to be able to play AAA games. This is exactly what the GMKtec EVO-T2 Mini PC has displayed in ETA Prime’s testing.

The GMKtec EVO-T2 SKU that ETA Prime tests packs an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H with the Arc B390 iGPU, 64 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and 1 TB of storage. You can increase the storage post-purchase, courtesy of two M.2 slots.

Starting with the gaming performance, the Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra X7 358H is impressively fast and power-efficient in the GMKtec EVO-T2. ETA Prime reports that the GMKtec EVO-T2 is capable of smooth 1400p gaming without XeSS/FSR in older/lighter AAA games. In demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077, the Arc B390 needs the help of XeSS to reach smooth frame rates at 1440p.

Per ETA Prime, the GMKtec EVO-T2 fares as follows:

• Red Dead Redemption 2: 75 FPS average at 1440p/medium settings
• The Witcher 3: 70+ FPS average at 1440p/ultra settings
• Spider-Man 2: 60+ FPS average at 1440p/medium settings with XeSS “Quality”
• Forza Horizon 5: 100+ FPS average at 1440p/high
• Cyberpunk 2077: 50+ FPS average at 1440p/high with XeSSS “Quality”

Since Intel has enabled XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation for the Intel Panther Lake iGPUs, you can reportedly take Cyberpunk 2077’s frame rate from 50 FPS to over 100 FPS using 4x MFG. So, in supported games, the Intel Panther Lake APUs can be used for high-refresh-rate gaming.

All in all, the GMKtec EVO-T2 seems like a pretty capable Mini PC. Sadly, at the time of writing, the only GMKtec EVO-T2 available for sale is the Core Ultra X7 358H-powered SKU under discussion for $1,899. For reference, the GMKtec EVO-X2 with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 64 GB RAM, and 2 TB of storage is currently $1,999 on Amazon.

So, if you want a fast iGPU in a Mini PC, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny, whether you go with Intel or AMD.