What was reviewed
ServeTheHome's sample has these specifications:
- CPU: 16 Zen 5 cores and 32 threads, boosting to 5.1GHz.
- Graphics: Radeon 8060S with 40 compute units.
- Memory: 128GB LPDDR5X-8000, soldered to the board.
- Storage: one 4TB Lexar NQ790 PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD installed, with a second M.2 2280 Gen4 x4 slot empty.
- Networking: Wi-Fi 7 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.4 on a MediaTek MT7925, plus a single 2.5GbE port on a Realtek RTL8125BG.
- Power: a 230W external supply.
- Size and weight: 353 × 186 × 41 mm and 2.3kg (5.07 lb).
- Finish: gray and neon green.
The 128GB of memory is not upgradeable. Whatever capacity you buy is the capacity you keep. Retail pages also list other configurations. GMKtec's storefront advertises 2TB and 4TB options, so the 4TB drive in the review unit is one choice among several.
A different chassis from the EVO-X2
According to the review, the EVO-X2 had a plastic chassis, while the X3 is fully metal. It is also more committed to standing upright. The supplied base is required, and the review notes that the base carries the printed system and regulatory information. Other coverage describes the enclosure as a vertical CNC metal slab about 14 inches tall.
The review points out a few practical quirks:
- Ventilation runs along both sides and the top, with visible heatsinks at the rear, so those surfaces need to stay clear.
- The top is the one significant non-metal area, used to route the wireless antennas.
- The base is held on by two screws. The rubber feet cover those screws, so the feet have to be removed to reach them.
- Because the feet are adhesive, the reviewer says the design isn't meant to be opened many times.
GMKtec's own marketing pitches the machine as a thermally capable design. A third-party retail summary lists power modes up to 140W peak and a triple-fan cooling design. The review excerpt has no thermal measurements, so those figures are vendor claims for now.
Ports: strong in the back, thin in the front
The front has a 5Gbps USB-A port, a 480Mbps USB 2.0 port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. There is no front USB-C.
The rear has a 40Gbps USB4 Type-C port, a 10Gbps USB-A port, the 2.5GbE jack, the OCuLink port and the DC input. That makes four USB ports in total. The reviewer calls this serviceable but behind most other Ryzen AI Max mini-PCs. A keyboard and mouse take two of the four, leaving little room for anything else.
The review notes the Ryzen SoC supports two 40Gbps USB-C ports, so the omission of a second one is a surprise.
Display outputs
The USB4 port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode. The review says it is the only way to get DisplayPort out of the machine, because there is no dedicated DisplayPort connector.
The HDMI count is inconsistent between sources. ServeTheHome's spec table lists two HDMI 2.1 ports, but its text describes a "sole dedicated display output". GMKtec's own pages list one HDMI 2.1 port, and the UK listing describes the USB4 port as PD 3.0 input up to 100W / DP output 4K@60Hz. The safer reading is one HDMI port plus the USB4 port. Confirm this before buying if you plan to run several monitors.
One other roundup says the X3 drops the X2's DisplayPort output, its SD card reader, and its second 2.5GbE jack to make room for OCuLink.
OCuLink: what it gives you and what it doesn't
GMKtec routes four of the SoC's PCIe lanes to the OCuLink port. The review says the port can technically connect any device, but the common use is an external GPU dock. The OCuLink spec tops out at PCIe Gen4 x4, or roughly 64Gbps. That is more bandwidth than USB4 or Thunderbolt 4, but less than a full x16 slot. The review says it exceeds even Thunderbolt 4 systems in available bandwidth. The Ryzen AI Max chips only provide 16 Gen4 lanes, so there are few spare to hand out.
The limitation to remember is that OCuLink does not hot-plug. The review reports a warning sticker on the machine. GMKtec's product page says the eGPU dock is sold separately and that hot swapping may damage the motherboard. A retail listing gives the same instruction: power off the device before connecting or disconnecting OCuLink devices.
The reviewer does credit the layout. The OCuLink port sits to the left of the DC power jack, which keeps it away from the hot-pluggable USB ports and lowers the chance of plugging the wrong cable into it.
If you want an eGPU that you attach and detach casually, this isn't that. It suits a dock that stays connected, with a shutdown before every change.
Gaming pitch versus local-AI reality
GMKtec markets the OCuLink port as a gaming feature, and the product page says it supports external RTX 40/50 series GPUs. The reviewer is skeptical. In his view the machine is hard to imagine as anything other than a productivity desktop, particularly since it ships with AI development software preloaded.
On the AI side:
- The Ryzen AI Max platform's large unified memory is what attracts developers who want to run inference locally.
- GMKtec claims 126 TOPS across the whole system, with 50 TOPS from the NPU.
- It says up to 96GB can be assigned to the integrated GPU.
- The store page also claims it can run 235B local AI models. That is a vendor claim. The review excerpt doesn't test it, and "supports" doesn't mean a model will run well or sit entirely in memory.
The preinstalled "GMKtec Claw" software for deploying local models is likewise described by the vendor. The excerpt doesn't test its setup or performance.
Ethernet: a missed chance
The reviewer calls the 2.5GbE port a missed opportunity. Realtek's newer 10GbE chips have become cheap and readily available this year. For a machine aimed at AI development, where model files are large, he calls the lack of 10GbE a missed opportunity that is only getting worse.
Price and availability
GMKtec's store listing showed a $3,799.99 price with a higher crossed-out figure when the listing was captured. The Starry Hope comparison page lists $3,799.99 for the 128GB/2TB version and $3,999.99 for the 128GB/4TB version, which may be a list price. Pricing and promotions change, so check the current price before buying. Reporting from earlier this year described a $3,600 launch price, which shows how much it has moved. The review doesn't state a price.
GMKtec has also said a Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 variant with up to 192GB of memory is planned for later in 2026. TweakTown reports that the 495 variant will follow later in 2026.
Who this suits
Based on what is established so far:
- A reasonable fit: developers who want a quiet, compact Windows 11 Pro box with large unified memory, and who will use OCuLink for a permanently docked GPU or accelerator.
- A weaker fit: anyone who wants plenty of everyday ports, 10GbE, or a RAM upgrade path.
- Still unproven: gaming over OCuLink, sustained thermals and noise, and the preloaded AI software. Wait for the rest of the review, or independent tests, before trusting the vendor figures.
The ports are the main trade-off. The OCuLink and USB4 connections are strong, but there are few ports for everything else. Anyone planning a multi-monitor desk should expect to need a USB4 dock.