Ace Magician AM08 Pro gaming mini PC with Radeon 680M and Ryzen 9 6900HX in our extensive test!

As successor to the Ace Magician AMR5, the Chinese manufacturer sends the Ace Magician AM08 Pro to the starting blocks in the category of "compact gaming PCs." Not only was it visually redesigned, but the technology was also upgraded, and with the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, it is now up to the current technology. There is no alternative equipment, though. As the label on its side tells you, the Ace Magician AM08 Pro is supposed to serve as a compact gaming PC, just as the Ace Magician AMR5 before it. The newest model also forgoes a dedicated graphics card and depends on the performance of the iGPU. Based on our numerous prior tests, we can already say that the performance of the AMD Radeon 680M could be increased significantly compared to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 7. But whether this is enough to allow for gaming, we will find out later in this test. The option to modify the performance of the SoC turns out to be a useful feature. Using a turning knob, you can select among the power modes "Silent," "Auto," and "Performance." We will look in detail at the effects of the individual modes in the corresponding test sections. In terms of price, you have to expect an MSRP of ~870 USD (currently ~$650 presale in the US). This includes 32 GB of DDR5-RAM and an SSD with 512 GB of storage. A barebone version of the Ace Magician AM08 Pro is also available at an MSRP of ~700 USD (~$560 presale in the US).

Other very compact desktop PCs serve as comparison devices in this review. The table below provides an overview.

Opening the case of the Ace Magician AM08 Pro is extremely easy and can be done without having to use any tools, allowing you to install working memory and a storage solution without any trouble. On the other hand, you have to take apart the device if you want to clean the cooling unit.  Unfortunately, you can only open one side of the mini PC quickly. We wouldn't have minded, if the manufacturer would also fasten both sides of the case magnetically, which might then also allow inserting a second M.2 SSD. In the current model, the Ace Magician AM08 Pro includes a single M.2-2280 slot and a SATA SSD connection for a 2.5-inch drive.

With the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, the Ace Magician AM08 Pro offers a very current SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads. In our test, we see that the SoC follows the values of the table above to a large extent. At the same time, we notice a brief power consumption of up to 54 watts in the Performance mode. The TDP limit setting is not exceeded in the two other modes. In the direct performance comparison, where we concentrate on the Performance mode, we see values that are at eye level with the competitors. However, our test unit is unable to come close to the Minisforum Venus Series UM690, which is able to place about 6% ahead of the Ace Magician AM08 Pro in the performance rating. The competitors probably benefit from a more efficient cooling here, since we know that Minisforum uses liquid metal for better heat transfer in that model, allowing for a short period of higher power consumption of up to 65 watts. What is good is the performance increase of our test unit compared to the Ace Magicain AMR5, its direct predecessor. The advantage is almost 15% on average and in the individual comparisons even up to 70%. However, such numeric advantages in this comparison are not relevant in practical operation. 

There are also differences in the Auto and Silent operation, where the CPU performance is noticeable throttled. At the same time, smooth operation and quick work also always remains possible using those modes.

You can find additional benchmarks on the processors here.