Geekom A9 Max 2026 Mini PC Review (Ryzen AI 9 HX 470)

What was meant to be a straightforward review of Geekom's A9 Max (2026) turned into something quite different. On paper it is very similar to the 2025 model we reviewed last September, the main difference being that CPU has been upgraded from the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, to the HX 470. It's a small spec bump, so we were expecting perhaps a 5% boost to performance. Instead, we found things were dramatically worse with the new model, so we had to dig a little deeper and find out what was going on…

While we do a greater analysis in the video, to cut to the chase, it all boils down to the memory configuration. It is not at all made clear on the product page, but despite both the 2025 and 2026 models shipping with 32GB DDR5 5600 SODIMM memory, the 2025 unit has a 2x16GB dual-channel configuration, whereas the 2026 model uses just a single 32GB stick. Be sure to check out the video as we assess what this means for the new A9 Max.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:51 2025 vs 2026 A9 Max models
01:12 The root cause…
02:18 Testing setup
02:59 Benchmarks!
05:12 Gaming performance is hit hard
06:14 CPU clock behaviour
06:50 Discussion around the memory situation
07:54 Geekom responded to us
08:21 One other change (SSD)
09:03 No other design changes
09:25 Closing thoughts

Specification:

• Form factor: 135 x 132 x 46.9 mm
• CPU: AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 470
• CPU TDP: 54W
• Graphics: AMD Radeon™ 890M
• Memory: High-speed DDR5, expandable up to 128GB
• Audio: HDA codec
• Storage: 1x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD slot, 1x M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD slot
• I/O ports:
  • 1x rear USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
  • 1x rear USB 2.0 Type-A
  • 3x front USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
  • 1x front USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (Always On)
  • 1x rear USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode and Power Delivery input
  • 1x rear USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode
  • 1x front 3.5mm stereo headset jack
  • 2x rear RJ45
  • 2x rear HDMI 2.1 FRL
  • 1x rear DC input
  • 1x power button
  • 1x Kensington lock
  • 1x SD 4.0 card reader
• Ethernet: 2x 10/100/1000/2500Mbps RJ45
• Ethernet LED indicators: 10/100Mbps off, 1000Mbps orange, 2500Mbps green
• Wireless: M.2 Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
• Kensington lock: Yes
• Security: Supports dTPM 2.0
• Battery: RTC coin-cell battery
• Power adapter: 120W, 19V power adapter with region-specific IEC C5 AC cord
• PCBA dimensions: 127.6 x 127.2 x 1.6 mm
• Certifications: CE, FCC, CB, CCC, SRRC, RoHS
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 11 24H2 64-bit
• Modern Standby: Supported
• Accessory: VESA mount, 121.8 x 116.5 x 1.0 mm

The A9 Max is listed for £1545 on Geekom's website, while it is also on Amazon HERE.

Pros

• Broadly unchanged since the 2025 model.
• Still a tiny and sleek chassis.
• Runs cool and quiet in Normal mode.

Cons

• Geekom has switched to single-channel memory, significantly hurting performance out of the box.
• We also noted a QLC-based SSD, rather than the SLC drive in our 2025 unit.
• Although out of Geekom's control, pricing has risen tremendously since we reviewed the 2025 model.
• Still lacks front USB-C or OcuLink.

KitGuru says: Geekom's unfortunate decision to opt for single-channel memory out of the box is a significant backwards step. The underlying hardware is still highly competent, but a lot of users would be better off with the dual-channel 2025 A9 Max.

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