Minisforum HX99G Mini-PC with Ryzen 9 6900HX and Radeon RX 6600M tested

An AMD-based mini-PC for gamers

A small form factor PC with a dedicated GPU. 

Minisforum were kind to borrow a computer based on AMD CPU and GPU architecture. What makes this product special is the fact that it does not rely on a low-power integrated GPU, but it is equipped with a discrete GPU powerful enough to enable some high-quality gaming, but more on that later.

The HX99G is the highest model in the Minisforum lineup featuring discrete GPU. This is a small form factor system, but it is significantly larger than most 4-inch MiniPC, in fact, it could be just about four times as large. However, this system is not designed to be a work computer, but a proper gaming machine considering the form factor.

This system is 20 cm wide and high, and also 7 cm thick. It weighs 1.2kg and comes with a large, gaming laptop-sized power supply rated for up to 262W. The specifications may very well be mistaken for a gaming laptop, but make no mistake, this system has no screen or battery. What it does have is a capable cooling solution and less thermal limitations.

The HX99G features an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX Rembrandt APU. This processor is based on the AMD Zen3+ architecture, and it was the best APU AMD had when this product first came out a few months ago. Furthermore, it is paired with Radeon RX 6600M discrete GPU which has more than twice as many GPU cores as the integrated RDNA2 GPU into the APU.

Our test PC is equipped with 8GBx2 DDR5-4800 memory by Kingston. There is also a 512GB Kingston PCIe4x4 NVMe M.2 drive preinstalled, which is the lowest option for this system.

What’s included (accessories)

The PC arrives without a carrying case (like we had on other Minisforum products). The bundle includes the necessary power cable, one HDMI 2.1 cable, optional base support and a frame in case you want to use this system vertically. There is however no way to mount this system with through VESA mount, so it is either standing or laying on the desk.

• HX99G × 1
• Power Adapter × 1
• Power Cable × 1
• HDMI Cable × 1
• Base Support Frame × 1
• Base Bottom Plate × 1
• Technical Documents × 1
• Mounting Screw Set × 1

Testing methodology

This is a short evaluation of the system focusing on CPU capabilities, thermals and power consumption. Since this is a gaming Mini-PC our primary goal was to test some popular and heavy titles on this device.

Software used for this review

• 3DMark Professional Edition
• TechPowerUP GPU-Z
• CPU-Z 2.06.0
• HWiNFO 7.46-5110
• CapFrameX 1.7.1
• Games
• Custom software developed by VideoCardz.com

Clocks and thermals

By default, the system works with 45W TDP, but this can be modified through the BIOS. We ran CPU tests with default TDP and then changed the power to the maximum 54W. This ensures that we are running the CPU without the bottleneck and unlock even more performance for our gaming tests.

The computer is equipped with Ryzen 9 6900HX 8-core processor based on Rembrandt (Zen3+) architecture. This APU offers 8 cores and 16 threads and boost clock up to 4.9 GHz.

When idle, the CPU temperature stays at 38-39°C (with ambient temperature 24°C). The software reports an average clock speed of 2554 MHz with CPU package power averaging at 5.6W. As soon as we start multi-threaded benchmark, the temperature raises. Our noise measurement equipment is not precise enough to measure the increase in fan noise. To put that into perspective, a desktop system running closely was louder than this Mini-PC during the 10-minute Cinebench test, it is no doubt a surprisingly quiet Mini-PC.

What may appear surprising is that in gaming the CPU temperature has increased to 76.6 °C. This is because the CPU and GPU share the same cooling plate, so any heat is distributed across the cooler.

CPU Stress Test with Cinebench R23

The GPU does not operate when the system is idle, this is fully handled by the integrated graphics, while the GPU only serves as a display controller. The idle temperature of 37 °C is similar to the CPU temperature for the same reason as mentioned above. A 3D intensive benchmark will increase it to 73 °C and TGP up to 99W. In gaming we are looking at slightly lower TGP of 84W and temperatures around 69 °C. The GPU clock averages at 2.22-2.23 GHz.

3DMark (left) and Cyberpunk (right)

Geekbench 6

The AMD APU scores 2076 points in single-core Geekbench test and 9695 points in multicore workload. Those are better results than 6900HS or 6900H variants, and 14% to 32% increase over last-gen 5900HX APU.

Please note that we are using V6.0 results here, not of the updated V6.1 version.

Cinebench R23

In easily the most popular CPU benchmark these days, the APU scores 1578/13143 points in single and multi-core tests1 respectively. With such a score, we are looking at much lower upgrade compared to 5900HX APU running with a similar TDP of 54W.

3DMark

We are starting the GPU testing with 3DMark stack. We can immediately see that the results are at least 15% better than last gen Radeon RX 5600M, but it is worth noting that the RDNA2 GPU was not a very popular choice by laptop makers, not to mention any Mini-PC. This discrete GPU should give similar results to the GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU which is now 3 months old.

Cyberpunk 2077

It was necessary to include the most popular gaming tech demo into our testing. Rather than testing preset graphics profiles, we adjusted them to either enable or disable FidelityFX Super Resolution 2. Once enabled, the same profile was chosen to keep the consistency between each benchmark.

At 1920×1080 resolution, the console delivers smooth 60+ FPS at High preset without FSR and with RT Low (with raytracing) once FSR is engaged. The minimum FPS values will suffer, which is why it is probably better to use profiles without RT when playing Cyberpunk on this device.

Hitman 3

For Hitman 3, which is well optimized for AMD hardware, we are testing higher resolutions. The game runs smoothly even without the use of upscaling technologies, but the 1440p resolution with Ultra settings is probably the best choice. Gamers can opt to enable V-Sync to keep the framerate stable and to lower the power requirements even lower.

Metro Exodus Enhanced

The game should be playable at 1080p with high preset. There is no option to enable FSR2 without custom mods, so no upscaling method was included into our testing.

Company of Heroes 3

This is another AMD-sponsored title, but unlike most games already on the market, this real-time strategy set in WWII does not actually offer any AMD upscaling technologies either, but the game should be playable at 1440p resolution with Maximum settings.

Conclusion

The system is an upgrade to the existing HX80G and HX90M models which were based on older APUs. This Mini-PC has DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen4 SSD support, comes with USB4 connectors and has a dedicated Radeon RX 6600M GPU. If not for the fact that this product was shipped to us after AMD announced Ryzen 7000 Phoenix series, this could just have been the best small form factor PC on the market.

In conclusion, the mini-PC offers a range of features that make it a solid choice for users seeking flexibility and customization. The unlocked BIOS provides the freedom to tinker with settings and optimize performance to suit individual needs. The accessibility to upgrade the SSD and memory ensures that the device can adapt to future demands.

However, it is worth noting that disassembling the mini-PC can be a bit cumbersome due to the glued rubber pads, which may hinder the ease of maintenance or upgrades. On the positive side, the device operates quietly during CPU testing, offering a pleasant working environment. However, it becomes audible during intense gaming sessions, which could potentially be a drawback for some users.

In terms of gaming performance, the mini-PC delivers a praiseworthy experience, comparable to that of a laptop GPU like the RTX 4050. This makes it suitable for gaming enthusiasts who want a compact yet powerful gaming setup.

One downside to consider is the size of the power supply, which is larger than expected and may compromise portability. This could be a limiting factor for users who prioritize mobility or require a more compact form factor.

Overall, the mini-PC strikes a balance between upgradability, performance, and noise levels, making it an appealing option for users who value customization and gaming capabilities.

At the time of writing, the HX99G was priced at $759 for the barebone system. The unit that we tested retails at $859. However, there are options with increased memory and storage ranging from $919 to 1019.

You can learn more about EliteMini HX90G series here.