The Geekom A5 has become one of the increasingly crowded mini PC markets as a strong and highly compelling choice, appealing to a wide variety of buyers ranging from home users looking for an unobtrusive and convenient workstation to professionals requiring space but not yet willing to compromise on performance. This small computer, which is pre-installed with the Windows 11 Pro operating system, is immediately introduced as an out-of-the-box solution, free of annoying pre-installed programs that typically halt the out-of-the-box experience.
Its versatility is immediately apparent in its extremely compact dimensions, which not only render it effortless to place on any workspace but also provide the added advantage, thoroughly functional and most useful in cases where space is at a premium, of being able to mount it on the rear of a monitor. This is done with the VESA bracket included, which, in effect, turns the screen into an all-in-one PC, eliminating cable mess and keeping the working area tidy.
A look at the design
Taking a close look at its build, the Geekom A5 features a build that is a perfect blend of form and function. The case, though plastic, appears tidily finished and solid thanks to the addition of a metal internal frame. Its own measurements, a mere 117 x 112 x 49.2 millimetres, make it just marginally larger than the palm of your hand, and its roughly 652-gram weight makes it more compact and handier. Thermal management: in this case, the system relies on ventilation grilles considerately placed at the sides and rear to aid in air recirculation, being an important factor for the proper functioning of this tiny device. Aside from the device and VESA bracket itself, the sale package includes all the accessories required to get you up and running straight away: an HDMI cable for connecting to the monitor and the external power supply.
Little but powerful
Perhaps the most dramatic aspect of the Geekom A5 is the sheer variety and quantity of ports available, a veritable arsenal of connectivity housed within such a small package. On the front panel, readily accessible, are two USB-A 3.2 connectors handy for connection of frequently used peripherals such as USB flash drives or external disks, along with a combined audio port (jack in/out) for headset and microphone, and of course, the power button.
The rear is also more abundant: there’s a USB 3.2 Type-A port and a USB 2.0 Type-A port for additional connectivity options for legacy peripherals or peripherals that don’t need the blistering speed of 3.2 ports. The video output is also adequately furnished with two HDMI 2.0b outputs supporting video signals of up to 4K resolution at 60Hz, and at least two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports offering not only fast data transfer but also video output support up to the humongous 8K resolution at 30Hz. This setup makes it possible for the Geekom A5, at the same time, to handle the connection of as many as four monitors, a capability that can seriously redefine productivity for individuals working on multiple monitors.
Iper-connected
There is also an RJ45 wired network connector with 2.5 Gigabit speed, providing very fast internet and local network connections. To complete the image of bodily connectivity, there is a readily accessible SD card reader on the left-hand side, ideal for transferring photos and video, and on the right-hand side is the Kensington mount, a small but important gesture towards the bodily protection of the device in public or shared environments. Wireless connectivity is also up-to-date and full-featured, with native support for WiFi 6, which provides blazing-fast and reliable wireless links on compatible networks, and Bluetooth 5.2, which is necessary to link a vast array of wireless peripherals like mice, keyboards, headphones and speakers. Getting on to the beating heart of the system, the Geekom A5 features decent hardware by category.
For everyday operations
The processor is an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, one of the premium mobile processors based on the Zen 3 architecture. With an 8-core, 16-thread configuration, a huge 16 MB cache, and a boost clock speed of up to 4.4 GHz, this processor can take care of even demanding tasks, never bound by routine day-to-day operations. Graphics are handled by the built-in Radeon Vega 8 GPU, a graphics solution built into AMD APUs that, although not a dedicated graphics card for serious gaming, is enough to handle high-definition video playback, graphics acceleration in most programs, and even to run some older games or games with low-to-medium graphics settings.
RAM is yet another advantage: 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory operating in dual-channel makes for smooth opening and simultaneous use of numerous programs. Another feature that is critical to the long-term viability of the product is the possibility to expand this RAM up to 64 GB, so the mini-PC can handle future workloads becoming increasingly memory intensive as well.
Powerful but little
The primary storage is also fast and roomy, at 512 GB M.2 2280 SSD on the PCIe Gen 3×4 NVMe interface, capable of high data transfer rates (we are looking at 3,500 MB/s read, which equates to fast system boot-up and reduced app loading times). This SSD is expandable to 2 TB, but the real gem for users who need a great deal of added storage space is that there is also a free 2.5-inch SATA interface (maximum 7 mm thick), to which an additional SSD or an ordinary hard disk drive up to 2 TB can be added.
This flexibility of storage expansion makes the Geekom A5 particularly suitable for users handling a lot of data, such as photographers, video makers or just film and TV series enthusiasts. The experience with the Geekom A5 is generally very good, thanks to having Windows 11 Pro free of unwanted software. Performance during day-to-day use, e.g., surfing the web, use of an office suite and watching multimedia content, is silky smooth and quick, thanks in large part to the genius processor and SSD performance.
A good choice for retro-gaming
Its performance also extends past more stressful situations: photo editing with applications such as Photoshop or non-professional-level video editing is no hill to climb, exemplifying the hardware’s versatility. Although it is not a gaming machine, the ability to play less demanding or older games by reducing the resolution to Full HD and details to medium or low makes it even more valuable. OS and program boot times are virtually instant, an undisputed demonstration of the NVMe SSD’s performance.
The liberal complement of ports, particularly the multiple video outputs and 2.5G LAN port, significantly enhances productivity and user satisfaction across a variety of scenarios. The ability to drive as many as four displays simultaneously is a powerful competitive advantage for professionals involved in tasks requiring a large virtual desktop. Expandability, whether of storage or RAM, is another plus point that gives the Geekom A5 a certain ‘withstand with time’, allowing it to be upgraded some time in the future to meet changing requirements.
Is it worth buying?
A feature that has been raised and which will be noted here is the volume of the internal fan. While the cooling system on board is good at maintaining temperatures, the fan will become apparent under load, something which could be frustrating for extremely noise-sensitive users or for use in extremely quiet environments. Despite this, efficiency in cooling is essential to maintain high processor performance in the long term.
In short, the Geekom A5 stands as a complete and powerful mini-PC, capable of meeting a wide range of needs because of its good hardware, extremely high-density connectivity and excellent expansion opportunities. Its compact size and VESA mounting capability make it ideal for space optimization. Performance is more than adequate for most daily activities and mildly demanding tasks and loads, including light photo editing and non-intensive gaming. The sole serious drawback is the fan noise, perhaps an unwanted compromise given the slim-line dimensions and the hardware crammed within. Overall, it is an excellent choice for high-performance and general-purpose desktop PC hunters in slim-line guise.
Using this code 4IMAGMA5, you can get 5% off, both on Amazon US and UK stores.
