Unannounced x86 SBC with AMD RDNA 3 iGPU shines in gaming tests

Mini PC manufacturers have already brought out a good number of compact options that feature the Zen 4 AMD APUs. The Minisforum EM780 is a prime example in this case. It features the Ryzen 7 7840U and has a super compact 1/4-liter chassis. While not a mini PC, the upcoming Next SBC is also a strong contender in this aspect.

ETA Prime has managed to get an early unit of the SBC, and as the YouTuber shows, the single-board computer features the Ryzen 7 7840HS, one of the top-end APUs from the Phoenix Point lineup. It was originally planned to pack the 8840U, but it's likely that the company went for a little older chip to keep the price low.

Regardless, the Ryzen 7 7840HS is a better choice, given that it can be configured at a higher TDP and retains the same Radeon 780M found in the Hawk Point lineup. This RDNA 3 iGPU also makes the Next SBC very capable of gaming, and ETA Prime has demonstrated what it can offer in that regard.

All the games were tested on the SBC with performance mode and at 54W TDP. At the 1080p resolution, the board ran Red Dead Redemption on Medium preset at anywhere between 80 FPS and 100 FPS. Doom Eternal also ran reasonably well at the same settings. The board could run it with an average of 79 FPS.

However, the AMD single-board computer struggled with Starfield. It's a game that's known for pushing iGPUs, and the Radeon 780M isn't an exception. During the benchmark, the board ran the title in 900p with Low preset, AMD FSR, and frame generation. It could manage to offer around 70 FPS.

ETA Prime has also tested other games, including Overwatch 2, Fallout 4, and Spider-Man Remastered. The AMD Zen 4 board could run these games with playable FPS (Z1 Extreme Asus ROG Ally curr. $499.99 on Best Buy). You can learn more about the Next SBC and how it performs in other benchmarks from the video attached below.