GMKtec NucBox K8 Plus

It suits you if you want a small Windows 11 Pro desktop that does more than browse. Two 2.5GbE ports and two M.2 slots make it a capable home server, and two SODIMM slots that take up to 128 GB leave room to grow. Developers should start from a 32 GB build, which is well suited to coding.

Skip it if you want to play demanding games or run workstation software, since it is a poor fit for both. It also has no internal PCIe card slot, so expansion beyond memory and drives goes through its external ports.

Everyday work is well suited on the three retail builds, which pair the Ryzen 7 8845HS with 16 GB or 32 GB of DDR5 and an NVMe drive. The barebones kit is not assessed until built, since it ships with no memory or drive.

Coding is workable on the 16 GB build and well suited on the two 32 GB builds. The 16 GB model can be lifted later, because its 2 slots take up to 128 GB and the memory is not soldered.

Gaming is a poor fit, because every configuration relies on the integrated Radeon 780M rather than a separate graphics card.

Homelab use is well suited on the retail builds, thanks to 2 network ports at 2.5GbE and 2 M.2 slots for separate system and data drives.

Local AI is a poor fit on the 16 GB build and workable on the 32 GB builds, which carry 32 GB installed over 2 slots.

Workstation work is a poor fit: there is no discrete graphics, no x8 or x16 card slot, and only 2 memory slots.

Every configuration uses the Ryzen 7 8845HS and Radeon 780M; the three retail builds differ in memory and storage, and the fourth is a barebones kit. The 16 GB model with 1024 GB of NVMe storage suits everyday work and homelab use. The 32 GB model with 512 GB trades storage for memory, and the 32 GB model with 1024 GB gives you both, so either is the pick for coding and local AI. The barebones kit comes with no memory or drive, so choose it only if you already own SODIMM memory and an M.2 2280 drive.

The memory is not soldered: two SODIMM slots take up to 128 GB of DDR5 at 5600 MT/s, which gives the 16 GB and 32 GB builds plenty of headroom.

Storage runs across 2 M.2 slots of the 2280 length, and the first slot is PCIe 4.0. Adding an M.2 drive is the simple way to grow beyond 512 GB or 1024 GB. GMKtec does not state the second slot's PCIe generation, so check it before paying for a fast drive there.

For screens you get one HDMI 2.1 output, one DisplayPort 2.1 output and two USB-C ports that carry DisplayPort, for up to 4 displays in total. There are also 2 USB4 ports and no Thunderbolt.

Networking covers two 2.5GbE wired ports, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and the wireless module comes included. For an external graphics card, the ports it offers are USB4 and OCuLink. A VESA mount lets it hang behind a monitor.

GMKtec leaves several things unstated: the graphics memory amount and type, memory bandwidth, ECC support, the second M.2 slot's PCIe generation, M.2 SATA support, SATA bays, USB-A ports, an SD card reader, the power supply and the TDP. There is no internal PCIe card slot and no Thunderbolt port. The integrated Radeon 780M makes it a poor fit for gaming and workstation work.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre neo 50q Gen 6 uses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V but stops at 16 GB of memory, against 128 GB here, so it only makes sense if 16 GB will always be enough. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 5 runs an Intel Core i5-13400T and tops out at 64 GB, a fit if you prefer Intel and need no more. The Apple Mac mini (M6) has an Apple M6 with a 32 GB ceiling, so the deciding question is whether that limit suits your work.