Better than Geekom & Minisforum? How does the Ninkear M8 mini PC with AMD Ryzen 7 perform in the review

The Ninkear M8 proves to be a solid and compact mini PC in the test. The cleanly crafted case is based on a combination of aluminum and plastic and impresses visually with its simple, unobtrusive design. The built-in AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS delivers good computing power but falls moderately short of expectations due to its low-power consumption. However, the positive aspect is the excellent efficiency that results from this. The integrated Radeon 780M can also only develop its full potential to a limited extent.

The low energy consumption compared to classic desktop systems is a positive aspect. With solid features, convincing performance, and a fair price, the mini PC is ideal for office, media playback, and light gaming. The Ninkear M8 does not offer modern interfaces such as USB4 or OCuLink, so some compromises have to be made in terms of connectivity. Nevertheless, there are currently only a few serious alternatives in the 400 euro price range. First and foremost, the Chuwi Aubox should be mentioned.

The Ninkear M8 can be purchased at Banggood for $564 USD. Shipping is free and there are no additional taxes. Alternatively, the manufacturer also offers the device itself. Here, however, at least $680 USD is due. Ninkear grants additional discounts when larger quantities are purchased.

The Ninkear M8 is a compact mini PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS. This is based on the latest Zen4 architecture and offers 8 cores and 16 threads - ideal for multitasking, computing-intensive applications and light gaming. Our test device is also equipped with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, allowing the SoC to work with optimum performance thanks to the RAM configuration.

The Ninkear M8 is equipped with the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS, an 8-core processor based on the Zen4 architecture. However, unlike the larger Ryzen 7 8845HS or the Ryzen 9 8945HS, the 8745HS does not have a dedicated NPU for accelerating AI applications. Anyone working specifically with AI workloads should therefore opt for a model with an integrated AI unit. In our performance tests, the Ninkear M8 is positioned just behind the Chuwi Aubox is also equipped with the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS.

In the Ninkear M8, the integrated AMD Radeon 780M of the Ryzen 7 8745HS takes over the graphics output. Unlike the Chuwi Aubox, the iGPU can develop more power due to the better RAM configuration. In the average performance comparison, this is enough for a 12 percent lead. However, the Ninkear M8 has no chance against the other comparison devices. Both the Intel Arc Graphics 140T and the AMD Radeon 890M deliver noticeably more 3D performance. If you want to play current games with the Ninkear M8, you have to make noticeable compromises in terms of resolution and graphics details. The Ninkear M8 is much better suited for older games or simple casual games.

Thanks to its sophisticated design, the casing of the Ninkear M8 remains predominantly cool even under load. Only in the area of the rear ventilation openings can a noticeable warming be detected. In the stress test, the AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS briefly reaches temperatures of around 94 °C, which is still not critical. The average power consumption of the APU is around 35 watts. The Ninkear M8 is very energy-efficient in idle mode, while under load the average power consumption is around 60 watts, with peak values of up to 78 watts. In terms of energy efficiency, the Mini-PC performs excellently due to the low power limits of the processor. The 120-watt power supply unit supplied is well balanced in terms of performance.