$169 GMKtek N5095 mini PC is a brave but desperate attempt to revive a PC market decimated by AI and RAM greed

Date:
Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:50:17 +0000

Description:
Popular mini PC vendor debuts a new GMKtec G5S model based on obsolete tech
in a bid to reduce price.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter GMKTec has launched an updated version of its ultra-small mini PC, one small enough to fit in the palm of an adult hand.

The G5S is a replacement for the G5 , which we reviewed back in July 2024, almost two years ago. And rather than an improvement, it definitely looks
like a massive step backwards (albeit with the same chassis). The N97 in its predecessor has been replaced by the N50985 CPU, which is not only slower but also uses more power and dissipates more heat. If that wasnt enough, theres 33% less RAM (8GB vs 12GB) and it is DDR4 (rather than DDR5). Two steps back The obvious reason for that two-step-backward move has to do with the impact AI has on the RAM. AI accelerators use a lot of HBM chips and these chips are expensive, which in turn causes the few RAM manufacturers to focus their resources on producing these.

This has had a knock-off effect on everything else with prices of NAND (for SSD), DDR5 down to DDR2 surging.

It is therefore no surprise that the new model has 128GB storage rather than 256GB on the previous model. Expect to pay around $169 for it and $272 for
the 256GB version. It is currently only available in China but should reach the rest of the world before Black Friday.

When the the previous, superior version was tested, our reviewer gave it a 4.5/5 rating, saying If space is limited, the GMKtec NucBox G5 is small
enough to fit almost anywhere yet, unlike many micro PCs, this small machine is powerful enough to run a full copy of Windows 11 Pro, with more than
enough clout for office, admin, and some multimedia processing. Also consider Other models worth considering as an alternative to the GMKTec G5S. Peladn mini PC: $199.99 at Amazon

Not as small as the G5S, it has twice the storage capacity while costing just $31 extra. View Deal Maxtang mini PC: $169 at Newegg

An even better deal is this Maxtang which is bulkier than the G5S but has twice the RAM and 4X the online storage. A superb deal if you can wait (ships from China) and can live with the sluggishness of the N5095A. View Deal wo-we P6 mini PC: $229 at Amazon

If your budget can extend to $229, then the P6 is a cracking alternative.
With a form factor similar to the rivals above, it has a much faster performance thanks to the Ryzen 5 3500U processor. View Deal We've tested and reviewed the best mini PCs you can buy right now.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/usd169-gmktek-n5095-mini-pc-is-a-brave-but-despe rate-attempt-to-revive-a-pc-market-decimated-by-ai-and-ram-greed


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