The year 2022 was also a bit the year of the mini-PCs, whose popularity has increased noticeably, especially in view of the increased electricity costs. However, most of these compact computers are at best equipped for everyday tasks. The Minisforum Neptune HX99G, however, takes a completely different approach and combines an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX with an RX 6600M graphics card and up to 32 GB of RAM to appeal to gamers as well.
Miniforum Neptune HX99G in detail
With the Neptune series, manufacturer Minisforum has created a new range of mini PCs with which they also want to appeal to demanding users. The top model is called Minisforum Neptune HX99G and has a lot to offer technically.
The manufacturer combines an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H or even the Ryzen 9 6900HX with 8 cores, 16 threads and 3.9 GHz clock speed at the top with a dedicated AMD Radeon RX 6600M graphics card with 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM and 100 watts of power, and up to 32 GB of fast DDR5-4800 RAM in dual-channel mode.
Bild: Minisforum
Bild: Minisforum
Thus, even the most demanding modern games should be able to be played with a somewhat reduced detail level. Furthermore, two 4K displays with 60 Hz each via HDMI and even two 8K monitors with 60 Hz via USB4 are supported.
Effective cooling
That such a performance on a tight space also wants to be cooled effectively, also knows the manufacturer. That’s why they came up with a sophisticated system for the Minisforum Neptune HX99G, which relies on a whole seven heat pipes (3 for the CPU, 4 for the GPU) and a built-in dual fan system.
The CPU and GPU are also cooled by a high-quality liquid metal compound. In addition, the case has large-area vents on all sides to allow hot air to escape from the carbon fiber and resin chassis. “The noise level is low even at full load,” the manufacturer also promises.
Upgrade-friendly and lots of ports
The manufacturer also offers the option of ordering the Minisforum Neptune HX99G as a barebone and equipping the mini PC itself with the desired, already existing, components.
A maximum of 64 GB of fast DDR5 working memory can be installed. An M.2 SSD is connected via PCIe 4.0, and a second M.2 2280 SSD can even be connected if desired.
Despite compact dimensions of only 205 mm x 203 mm x 69 mm, the mini PC that comes with Windows 11 Pro offers numerous modern connections. Besides HDMI and USB 4, there is RJ45 LAN with 2.5 GBit/s, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports with Type A, two 3.5 mm jacks for microphone and headphones, and two HDMI and DisplayPort ports each. Fast Wi-Fi 6 is also supported, as is modern Bluetooth 5.2.
Price and Availability
The Minisforum Neptune HX99G can be ordered directly from the manufacturer now and is scheduled to begin shipping in late February 2023. The delivery will be made from Hong Kong and should take some time. Furthermore, additional import duties may still have to be paid here. It is currently unclear when the HX99G will be available here or in a European warehouse. Prices start at 819.00 Euros for the barebone with Ryzen 7 and 959.00 Euros for the model with Ryzen 9.
The top configuration with Ryzen 9, 32 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD is currently available at a reduced price of 1,239.00 Euros (compared to the RRP of 1,599 Euros).