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MagyarMinisforum Neptune Series HX77G review: The mini gaming PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, AMD Radeon RX 6600M and 2x USB4
The release of the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G has shown that the manufacturer continues to simply maintain this product without giving it any huge updates — in comparison to the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G, this model only features a different SoC. Its AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX has now been replaced by an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS. This SoC is unfortunately only one from AMD's Rembrandt series. Instead, we would have expected an upgrade to AMD's Zen 4 processors aka Pheonix. Its AMD Radeon RX 6600M is already well-known — the manufacturer should really have installed its successor model too, namely the AMD Radeon RX 7600M. Aside from its CPU upgrade, the PC has been given a modern range of connectivity options including Thunderbolt. With 32 GB RAM, the manufacturer hasn't skimped out, although it has to continue to make do with 512 GB of storage. You can find models which feature 1 TB at certain online retailers.
We have selected a range of similarly compact desktop PCs with dedicated graphics cards to act as comparison devices for this review. You can view a list of all these devices in the following table.
Possible competitors compared
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90.6 % | 11/2023 | Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G R7 7735HS, Radeon RX 6600M | 1.6 kg | 69.3 mm | |
| 89.9 % | 02/2023 | Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G R9 6900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | 1.6 kg | 69.3 mm | |
| 88.4 % | 03/2023 | Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon i7-12700H, A770M | 2 kg | 60 mm | |
| 87.1 % | 09/2023 | Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 i7-12650H, A730M | 1.7 kg | 66 mm | |
12/2021 | Intel Beast Canyon NUC i9-11900KB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | 189 mm | |||
06/2021 | Zotac Magnus One (ECM73070C) i7-10700, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | ||||
05/2022 | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | 1.8 kg | 62.2 mm | ||
04/2022 | Intel Dragon Canyon NUC - RTX 3060 i9-12900, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | 189 mm | |||
09/2022 | Minisforum NUCX i7 i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | 2.4 kg | 393 mm | ||
10/2022 | Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G R9 5900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | 1.4 kg | 69.3 mm |
Case - Still only plastic
Unfortunately, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G has the same case as the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G and the Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G. It consists mostly of plastic, which is at least built well and looks quite high-quality. However, we know from other devices that Minisforum is capable of offering better cases. For example, the Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 features an attractive metal case, which is on a whole other level when it comes to haptics.
In turn, this also means it has the same dimensions compared to the HX99G. Our test sample hasn't gained any weight, which means that its cooling unit hasn't been changed either. Weighing in at about 1.6 kg, the compact gaming PC is quite light, although the external power supply adds another 650 grams onto its total weight. All-in-all, this is nothing out of the ordinary.
Connectivity - Modern thanks to USB4 and Thunderbolt
When it comes to the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G's connectivity options, we don't have much to criticize. It features lots of USB ports including USB4 which are spread between the front and back of the device. Screens can be connected via HDMI or USB-C and in total, four displays can be powered at the same time.
Communication
The manufacturer has continued to use a Wi-Fi 6E module from Mediatek for the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G. We see this Wi-Fi module quite a lot in Minisforums' products. In our practical test using the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 as a test router, we measured similar values to the comparison devices from the same manufacturer. However, it couldn't achieve the same performance levels as an Intel Wi-Fi 6E module. You can alternatively use the LAN port for faster data connections. It supports a maximum of 2.5 Gbit/s.
Accessories
The PC comes delivered with a 262-watt power supply and a stand which can be used to sit the device upright.
Maintenance
Since Minisforum also offers the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G as a barebone version, we would assume that it can be opened up easily in order to install SSDs and RAM. Essentially, the device can be opened once you remove the four screws which are situated beneath the rubber covers. In our eyes, this isn't terribly user-friendly. A stable metal cage sits beneath the plastic case — this is also held on with screws. Underneath this are two slots for DDR5 RAM as well as two M.2 slots which accommodate storage devices. The WLAN module always comes pre-installed and can be swapped out if needed. You can only access the cooling unit if you completely remove the circuit board. However, it is explicitly advised against removing the cooling unit, as Minisforum has continued to make use of liquid metal within the Neptune Series HX77G, which guarantees the best heat dissipation.
Performance - Still only AMD's Rembrandt SoC
Minisforum has equipped the Neptune Series HX77G with an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS. This means that compared to the HX99G, it only features a new SoC — however, this doesn't automatically result in better performance. With eight native computing cores and 16 threads, this SoC is well-equipped for multi-thread tasks. The manufacturer has installed current DDR5 RAM into the PC. Its AMD Radeon RX 6600M is a powerful graphics card with 8 GB VRAM.
Testing conditions
We performed all performance tests using the energy profile "maximum performance". We did not change the CPU's performance and instead left it in auto mode (delivery state) according to the BIOS settings.
Processor
The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS is a modern 8-core processor belonging to the Rembrandt series. In total, it can process 16 threads at once, meaning good multi-core performance is expected. The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX within the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G has been replaced but its performance has only increased by a small amount because at its core, it is the same processor but with a slightly lower power consumption and lower clock rate. Even so, we did note slightly better performance levels on the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G on average compared to the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G.
You can find further processor benchmarks here.
* ... smaller is better
| Geekbench 6.0 | |
| Multi-Core | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
| Single-Core | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
| Geekbench 6.2 | |
| Multi-Core | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
| Single-Core | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G during the Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
During the Cinebench R15 continuous loop, we take a look at how SoCs behave over longer periods of load. The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G completed all 50 runs without any big performance losses. Even so, its CPU performance dropped a bit toward the second half of the test, but it then stabilized again. Compared to the competition, this was enough for our test sample to secure itself second place.
System performance
Technically, our test sample isn't all too different to the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G. However, we did note slightly better performance during the synthetic tests as well, even though it didn't perform quite as well as the Intel Dragon Canyon NUC based on the Intel Core i9-12900. During the RAM tests, our test sample managed to come out on top. Even the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G, which also features DDR5 RAM, was beaten.
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (78.2 - 109.7, n=12) | |
| Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon | |
| Average of class Mini PC (44.9 - 154.6, n=98, last 2 years) | |
| Intel Beast Canyon NUC | |
| Intel Dragon Canyon NUC - RTX 3060 | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC latency
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G has no issues opening multiple Edge browser tabs and the latencies remain within the green zone. Only playing our 4K YouTube video led to increased latencies — during the course of the test, these didn't increase any further. Compared to the competition, our test sample only achieved average results.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon | |
| Minisforum NUCX i7 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G | |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage devices
The pre-installed storage device has a capacity of 512 GB and is made by Kingston. Identically built models can often be seen in Minisforum devices. The installed SSD utilizes the PCI connection optimally, which makes itself known in the benchmark results. However, it couldn't quite live up to the Kingston Fury Renegade within the Intel NUC 12. In everyday use, this storage device delivers great performance — its 4K read rates are especially good. We measured about 90 MB/s, which massively benefits the PC when processing lots of small files. Minisforum advertizes the Neptune Series HX77G as a gaming PC, which makes sense due to its installed components such as its CPU and dedicated graphics card. However, we can't fully comprehend why the manufacturer would only install a 512-GB SSD. It's not uncommon for games to take up over 100 GB of storage these days. We would see at least 1 TB as being fitting. The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G can be fitted with two M.2 SSDs. For our gaming tests, we installed a further 2-TB SSD from Kingston. This SSD doesn't have an effect on the PC's final results. Still, we have additionally included a screenshot of these benchmarks to compare.
For further comparisons and benchmarks, take a look at our comparison table.
Kingston 512 GB SSD
Kingston 2 TB SSD KC3000
* ... smaller is better
Reading continuous performance: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics card
As a compact gaming PC, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G offers an AMD Radeon RX 6600M with 8 GB VRAM. The same model was already used in the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G and the Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G. In order to better differentiate itself from its in-house competitors, it would've made more sense to go for the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT instead. As a result, you cannot expect any better 3D performance on the newer Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G than before. Some serious competition also comes from the same manufacturer, in the shape of the Minisforum NUCXi7 — thanks to its Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop, it simply delivers better performance. Intel's NUC 12 with its Intel Arc A770M is also much more powerful, making it a serious competitor when it comes to mini PCs.
For further comparisons and benchmarks, take a look at our GPU comparison table.
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G, AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, AMD Radeon RX 6600M | Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G, AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, AMD Radeon RX 6600M | Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, AMD Radeon RX 6600M | Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon, Intel Core i7-12700H, Intel Arc A770M | Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673, Intel Core i7-12650H, Intel Arc A730M | Intel Beast Canyon NUC, Intel Core i9-11900KB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | Zotac Magnus One (ECM73070C), Intel Core i7-10700, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C, Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | Intel Dragon Canyon NUC - RTX 3060, Intel Core i9-12900, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | Minisforum NUCX i7, Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECviewperf 12 | -7% | -9% | -57% | -63% | -49% | -37% | -38% | -46% | -40% | |
| 1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03) | 214 | 191 -11% | 180 -16% | 61.1 -71% | 58.8 -73% | 71.6 -67% | 82.3 -62% | 79.4 -63% | 73.3 -66% | 68.6 -68% |
| 1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02) | 189 | 191 1% | 164 -13% | 1.33 -99% | 1.28 -99% | 8.75 -95% | 12 -94% | 11.7 -94% | 9.83 -95% | 11.1 -94% |
| 1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01) | 120 | 122 2% | 129 8% | 104 -13% | 81.4 -32% | 113 -6% | 165 38% | 136 13% | 117 -2% | 138 15% |
| 1900x1060 Medical (medical-01) | 97.6 | 96.9 -1% | 96.1 -2% | 40.4 -59% | 35.3 -64% | 40.9 -58% | 49 -50% | 57.2 -41% | 49.2 -50% | 55.7 -43% |
| 1900x1060 Maya (maya-04) | 198 | 190 -4% | 159 -20% | 136 -31% | 127 -36% | 191 -4% | 200 1% | 212 7% | 196 -1% | 199 1% |
| 1900x1060 Energy (energy-01) | 31.3 | 29.5 -6% | 31.4 0% | 2.13 -93% | 1.84 -94% | 10 -68% | 13.1 -58% | 12.8 -59% | 10.6 -66% | 12.1 -61% |
| 1900x1060 Creo (creo-01) | 109 | 102 -6% | 107 -2% | 37.7 -65% | 37 -66% | 49.4 -55% | 61.5 -44% | 59 -46% | 56.9 -48% | 55.4 -49% |
| 1900x1060 Catia (catia-04) | 248 | 240 -3% | 207 -17% | 144 -42% | 130 -48% | 77 -69% | 117 -53% | 115 -54% | 77.5 -69% | 108 -56% |
| 1900x1060 3ds Max (3dsmax-05) | 246 | 154 -37% | 204 -17% | 150 -39% | 121 -51% | 201 -18% | 213 -13% | 233 -5% | 214 -13% | 230 -7% |
| SPECviewperf 13 | -12% | -14% | -50% | -60% | -47% | -27% | -33% | -45% | -34% | |
| Solidworks (sw-04) | 201 | 186 -7% | 169 -16% | 66.2 -67% | 63.8 -68% | 104 -48% | 114 -43% | 111 -45% | 107 -47% | 104 -48% |
| Siemens NX (snx-03) | 343 | 344 0% | 299 -13% | 2.44 -99% | 2.3 -99% | 15.8 -95% | 21.9 -94% | 20.9 -94% | 17.7 -95% | 20 -94% |
| Showcase (showcase-02) | 121 | 122 1% | 129 7% | 105 -13% | 83 -31% | 113 -7% | 165 36% | 135 12% | 117 -3% | 138 14% |
| Medical (medical-02) | 130 | 68.1 -48% | 80.3 -38% | 70.4 -46% | 61.1 -53% | 54.4 -58% | 78.3 -40% | 69.5 -47% | 55.7 -57% | 67.2 -48% |
| Maya (maya-05) | 340 | 326 -4% | 280 -18% | 281 -17% | 230 -32% | 262 -23% | 367 8% | 337 -1% | 281 -17% | 333 -2% |
| Energy (energy-02) | 41.8 | 41.5 -1% | 43.5 4% | 19.2 -54% | 8.06 -81% | 13.7 -67% | 28.2 -33% | 25.5 -39% | 13.7 -67% | 24.5 -41% |
| Creo (creo-02) | 273 | 253 -7% | 221 -19% | 77.6 -72% | 72.9 -73% | 172 -37% | 241 -12% | 225 -18% | 191 -30% | 215 -21% |
| Catia (catia-05) | 381 | 365 -4% | 314 -18% | 211 -45% | 194 -49% | 104 -73% | 171 -55% | 163 -57% | 107 -72% | 155 -59% |
| 3ds Max (3dsmax-06) | 246 | 156 -37% | 202 -18% | 149 -39% | 122 -50% | 202 -18% | 213 -13% | 235 -4% | 207 -16% | 233 -5% |
| Photoshop PugetBench | -33% | -36% | -28% | |||||||
| Filter Score | 155.2 | 97.6 -37% | 116.2 -25% | 104.5 -33% | ||||||
| General Score | 106.7 | 77 -28% | 88.1 -17% | 75.7 -29% | ||||||
| GPU Score | 120.3 | 68 -43% | 10.8 -91% | 86.2 -28% | ||||||
| Overall Score | 1146 | 873 -24% | 1022 -11% | 901 -21% | ||||||
| Premiere Pro PugetBench | -2% | 16% | -1% | 25% | ||||||
| GPU 0.9 | 32.5 | 33.9 4% | 47.2 45% | 32.7 1% | 52.3 61% | |||||
| Live Playback 0.9 | 44.4 | 43.6 -2% | 52.6 18% | 45.1 2% | 59.2 33% | |||||
| Export 0.9 | 50.3 | 47.6 -5% | 47.6 -5% | 48.4 -4% | 46.8 -7% | |||||
| Overall Score 0.9 | 473 | 456 -4% | 501 6% | 468 -1% | 530 12% | |||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -10% /
-10% | -15% /
-13% | -32% /
-40% | -38% /
-47% | -48% /
-48% | -32% /
-32% | -36% /
-35% | -46% /
-45% | -16% /
-26% |
Gaming Performance
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G's pure gaming performance is good thanks to its AMD Radeon RX 6600M. However, compared to its identically built predecessors, its performance isn't better. Due to the graphics card's age (which is nearing three years), it will get much harder in future to achieve adequate frame rates with maximum details. We would have welcomed the use of a more current graphics card, making the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G much better equipped for the future.
| low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | |
| GTA V (2015) | 180.3 | 175 | 159.7 | 85.4 | 61.1 | 57.6 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 350 | 259 | 143.6 | 86.8 | 61.6 | 43.6 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 152.2 | 128.8 | 136.6 | 98.4 | 81.1 | |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 270 | 187.8 | 111.3 | 90.6 | 41.6 | |
| Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) | 109 | 107 | 107 | 85 | 68 | 37 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 208 | 110.4 | 81 | 56 | 30.2 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 84 | 62.2 | 49.6 | 28.7 | ||
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 133 | 121 | 115 | 108 | 90 | 44 |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 428 | 226 | 180.7 | 156.2 | 99.7 | 51.9 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) | 181.1 | 137.8 | 126.2 | 106.2 | 66 | 31 |
| Forza Horizon 4 (2018) | 234 | 217 | 213 | 177 | 133 | 75 |
| Assassin´s Creed Odyssey (2018) | 120 | 108 | 106 | 79 | 51 | 29 |
| Far Cry New Dawn (2019) | 117 | 104 | 101 | 91 | 85 | 48 |
| Metro Exodus (2019) | 210 | 103.9 | 75.8 | 62.2 | 46.9 | 28.3 |
| Control (2019) | 233 | 106.7 | 72 | 45.6 | 22.2 | |
| Borderlands 3 (2019) | 128 | 111.9 | 86.2 | 66.2 | 45 | 23.8 |
| F1 2020 (2020) | 346 | 249 | 201 | 135.8 | 98 | 53.4 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn (2020) | 171 | 124 | 106 | 89 | 66 | 34 |
| Watch Dogs Legion (2020) | 120.6 | 119.7 | 107.4 | 59 | 41.6 | 21.4 |
| Dirt 5 (2020) | 84.5 | 65.8 | 50.3 | 44.5 | 42.7 | 40.5 |
| Assassin´s Creed Valhalla (2020) | 179 | 108 | 88 | 76 | 52 | 27 |
| F1 2021 (2021) | 368 | 283 | 217 | 92.2 | 63 | 32.5 |
| Far Cry 6 (2021) | 135.9 | 117 | 108.9 | 87.2 | 63.8 | 9.03 |
| Forza Horizon 5 (2021) | 212 | 159 | 149 | 76 | 59 | 36 |
| God of War (2022) | 110.5 | 103.5 | 82.4 | 58 | 46.5 | 28 |
| GRID Legends (2022) | 171.1 | 150.4 | 132.5 | 119.2 | 97.6 | 56.4 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 (2022) | 75.1 | 66.4 | 58.3 | 55 | 41.5 | 23.2 |
| Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022) | 196 | 153.8 | 97.4 | 75.1 | 49.3 | 19.9 |
| F1 22 (2022) | 265 | 248 | 189.3 | 43.4 | 25.9 | 12.1 |
| The Quarry (2022) | 119.5 | 88.9 | 72.7 | 52.1 | 32.8 | 13.8 |
| A Plague Tale Requiem (2022) | 95.8 | 69.4 | 51.2 | 37.8 | 27.1 | 14.8 |
| Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection (2022) | 80.7 | 76.7 | 70.3 | 67.2 | 44.2 | 20.8 |
| The Callisto Protocol (2022) | 134.8 | 103.5 | 95.9 | 61.1 | 44.9 | 25.9 |
| Need for Speed Unbound (2022) | 142.7 | 117.4 | 91.1 | 91.6 | 62.7 | 31.4 |
| Dead Space Remake (2023) | 71.4 | 64.2 | 53.1 | 52.8 | 32.7 | 9.86 |
| Returnal (2023) | 90 | 85 | 76 | 62 | 44 | 23 |
| Atomic Heart (2023) | 163.5 | 114.4 | 67.1 | 50.8 | 37.9 | 22 |
| Company of Heroes 3 (2023) | 131.2 | 117.9 | 84.3 | 83.5 | 60.2 | 33.1 |
| Sons of the Forest (2023) | 84.5 | 78.8 | 76.1 | 73.4 | 51.5 | 26.3 |
| Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023) | 123.3 | 94 | 80.9 | 52.2 | 38.7 | 12.3 |
| The Last of Us (2023) | 87.5 | 71.2 | 56.6 | 43.9 | 26.1 | 11.1 |
| Dead Island 2 (2023) | 198.4 | 171.7 | 128.2 | 94 | 64.2 | 31.7 |
| Star Wars Jedi Survivor (2023) | 66.3 | 57 | 54.6 | 50.5 | 29.9 | 14.2 |
| Diablo 4 (2023) | 206 | 179.2 | 159.4 | 120.6 | 75 | 39 |
| F1 23 (2023) | 264 | 240 | 168.7 | 31.3 | 19.1 | 8.43 |
| Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart (2023) | 62.8 | 59 | 47 | 39.4 | 34.9 | 30 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) | 114.4 | 91.8 | 74.8 | 72.9 | 48.6 | 23.7 |
| Atlas Fallen (2023) | 104.4 | 102.5 | 93.2 | 69.1 | 48.6 | 23.1 |
| Immortals of Aveum (2023) | 61.1 | 49.8 | 36.6 | 23.8 | 11.5 | |
| Armored Core 6 (2023) | 74.9 | 72.6 | 69 | 68.9 | 52.3 | 31.2 |
| Starfield (2023) | 56.2 | 48.5 | 38.9 | 35.2 | 27.9 | 16.9 |
| Lies of P (2023) | 134.2 | 126 | 106.3 | 95.5 | 59.6 | 28.7 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Phantom Liberty (2023) | 105.6 | 80.7 | 66.1 | 60.8 | 36.2 | 16 |
| Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023) | 103 | 91 | 84 | 64 | 48 | 25 |
| Total War Pharaoh (2023) | 286.2 | 186.4 | 112.6 | 91.4 | 59.2 | 27.4 |
| Lords of the Fallen (2023) | 66.4 | 56 | 38.7 | 26.5 | 17 | 7.64 |
| Alan Wake 2 (2023) | 52.4 | 44.1 | 40.6 | 25.2 | 12.6 |
Emissions - The PC's proven cooling concept works reliably and quietly
Noise emissions
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G's cooling system consists of seven heat pipes and two big fans, which suck in air from the side (when the device is placed vertically) and blow it out the top and bottom of the case. In general, this concept is good — even when the device is placed horizontally, there is never any heat buildup. In terms of noise emissions, the Neptune Series HX77G can't quite compete with the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G's low values. In idle mode, the system does work very quietly but at the same time, we measured just over 40 dB(A) under load. Still, this makes our test device quite a bit quieter than a lot of other comparison devices, as you can see in the following table.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 27.5 / 27.5 / 27.5 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 38.5 / 40.7 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R (15 cm distance) environment noise: 25 dB(A) | ||
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G R7 7735HS, Radeon RX 6600M | Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G R9 6900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon i7-12700H, A770M | Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 i7-12650H, A730M | Zotac Magnus One (ECM73070C) i7-10700, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | Intel Dragon Canyon NUC - RTX 3060 i9-12900, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | Minisforum NUCX i7 i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G R9 5900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | -7% | -16% | -9% | -19% | -17% | -13% | -4% | -5% | |
| off / environment * | 25 | 30.5 -22% | 30.3 -21% | 25.2 -1% | 30 -20% | 30.7 -23% | 30.2 -21% | 29.5 -18% | 30.3 -21% |
| Idle Minimum * | 27.5 | 31.7 -15% | 31.8 -16% | 33 -20% | 33.58 -22% | 32.7 -19% | 30.2 -10% | 29.5 -7% | 30.4 -11% |
| Idle Average * | 27.5 | 31.7 -15% | 31.9 -16% | 33.1 -20% | 32.8 -19% | 30.4 -11% | 29.5 -7% | 30.7 -12% | |
| Idle Maximum * | 27.5 | 31.7 -15% | 32 -16% | 33.1 -20% | 32.8 -19% | 30.8 -12% | 29.5 -7% | 30.7 -12% | |
| Load Average * | 38.5 | 32 17% | 44.4 -15% | 39.8 -3% | 44.25 -15% | 41.7 -8% | 32.8 15% | 31 19% | |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 39.58 | 40.5 -2% | |||||||
| Load Maximum * | 40.7 | 36.2 11% | 44.5 -9% | 40.6 -0% | 48.72 -20% | 45.4 -12% | 45.1 -11% | 40.8 -0% | 36.6 10% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
The case temperatures we measured show no reason for concern. The processor never reaches any critical temperatures under load, either. We noted only 78.6 °C during the stress test with Prime95. The graphics card paints a similar picture: It reached 86 °C during the test. When the CPU and GPU are placed under load at the same time, the processor reaches a slightly higher temperature of 89 °C. We didn't note the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G to have the same high voltage converter temperatures as we measured in the AMD Radeon RX 6600M. During the stress test, we only measured 96 °C — a big improvement. The PC's maximum performance (100 watts) can be used to its full advantage over a longer period of time, which means you shouldn't have to expect any thermal throttling on the device.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 35.5 °C / 96 F, ranging from 26 to 69.5 °C for the class Mini PC.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.8 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.2 °C / 90 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.2 °C / 90 F.
Power consumption
When it comes to power consumption, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G boasts good results. Although it is a compact gaming PC fitted with a powerful graphics card, we only measured 193 watts under load. On average, we actually noted even less, namely 77 watts. In idle mode or under low load, the PC leaves some room for improvement. Even so, with results of 16-24 watts, they aren't terrible and can be compared with the Intel NUC 12 Serpent Canyon. Energy is taken in via the proprietary 262-watt power supply, which is sufficient in size. We never had any power supply issues during our test.
| Off / Standby | 0.7 / 0.65 Watt |
| Idle | 16.5 / 21.5 / 24.4 Watt |
| Load |
77.2 / 193.3 Watt |
   
| |
| Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G R7 7735HS, Radeon RX 6600M | Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G R9 6900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | Intel NUC 12, NUC12SNKi72_Serpent Canyon i7-12700H, A770M | Minisforum Neptune Series HN2673 i7-12650H, A730M | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN173070C i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | Minisforum NUCX i7 i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU | Minisforum Neptune Series HX90G R9 5900HX, Radeon RX 6600M | Average AMD Radeon RX 6600M | Average of class Mini PC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -3% | -88% | -96% | -84% | -36% | -1% | 2% | 43% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 16.5 | 16.8 -2% | 28.8 -75% | 45.7 -177% | 31.3 -90% | 28.2 -71% | 17.8 -8% | 13.7 ? 17% | 9.75 ? 41% |
| Idle Average * | 21.5 | 19.4 10% | 39.3 -83% | 47.5 -121% | 35.1 -63% | 29.9 -39% | 17.9 17% | 16.6 ? 23% | 11.7 ? 46% |
| Idle Maximum * | 24.4 | 23.1 5% | 57.1 -134% | 47.5 -95% | 41.6 -70% | 36.2 -48% | 18.1 26% | 19.1 ? 22% | 14.7 ? 40% |
| Load Average * | 77.2 | 81.5 -6% | 158.7 -106% | 129.6 -68% | 214 -177% | 83.2 -8% | 82.1 -6% | 114.4 ? -48% | 51.9 ? 33% |
| Load Maximum * | 193.3 | 237 -23% | 270.9 -40% | 226 -17% | 231 -20% | 215.7 -12% | 262 -36% | 197.8 ? -2% | 86 ? 56% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 193.5 | 167 |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption with external monitor
Pros
Cons
Verdict - A compact gaming PC for 1,080p gaming
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G shows that the manufacturer has continued to only provide simple maintenance to this series. A new SoC on its own isn't quite enough for the device to remain competitive. After all, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G is already the second iteration and nothing has changed about its 3D performance. An AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS now replaces the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX. This means Minisforum has decided against using the newer Pheonix models based on Zen 4 architecture. Furthermore, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M was already a good dedicated graphics card, which has now been replaced by the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT — a worthy successor. If the manufacturer had dared to pair AMD's Zen 4 architecture with the newer RDNA 3 GPU, it could've benefitted from a big boost in performance. Instead, the version we tested seems to have stagnated when it comes to performance. The mini PC market consisting of devices with dedicated graphics cards is currently quite small, so Minisforum doesn't have to worry about many competitors.
The Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G is a compact gaming PC with a familiar appearance. Due to it not making use of Zen 4 and RDNA 3, the manufacturer has wasted a lot of potential.
All-in-all, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G delivers adequate performance which impresses in everyday use as well as when running games. At least the combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS and an AMD Radeon RX 6600M still delivers enough power to run more current games. The PC's connectivity options are good, too — lots of USB ports including Thunderbolt make the device future-proof.
A positive to note is the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G's low emission values under load. Moreover, the device almost always remains quiet. In total, the PC offers decent performance levels and thanks to its refined cooling, it can make use of this power consistently and without any throttling.
Price and availability
You can currently find the Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G on Amazon for around US$970.
Minisforum Neptune Series HX77G
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10/31/2023 v7
Sebastian Bade
Transparency
The present review sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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