Minisforum HX99G?

[CJM]

My YouTube algorithm feed has recently brought to my attention the existence of the Minisforum HX99G mini PC.

Minisforum PCs have had a high demand for more powerful graphics APUs, and so the faster Ryzen chips have led the pack. Subsequently, the latest model has a Ryzen 9 6900HX. You get two USB 4 jacks, and a PCI Express 4 M.2 slot. The HX99G does have a dedicated Radeon 6600M GPU.

I'm wondering what the long term potential of this mini PC is.

I've seen where there are dedicated GPUs running from the M.2 slot, and the PCI Express 4 makes it a potential viable upgrade option in the future. Lack of proper cooling for the NVMe not withstanding. This does leave the question of storage, though perhaps a Linux distribution such as SteamOS booting off a 1TB USB key may not be out of the question.

Of another note is the Radeon 680M, 12 core, 2400MHz iGPU in the Radeon 6900HX. While it is Vega, not RNDA 2, I am wondering if a BIOS update in the future might not enable the iGPU for AI upscaling or other tasks to free up performance on a dedicated GPU.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Well just like a Laptop in a way as far as longevity is concerned. If you can't upgrade it then it's only going to useful as long as the cpu + gpu holds its own with what you use it for.

[CJM]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

If you can't upgrade it

I'm trying to figure out if it can be upgraded in any worthwhile measure. It has a 4 lane PCI Express 4.0 slot, which can run an RTX 4090.

I currently have a decade old GTX 970 paired with a 4 core i7-3770, which is still going strong. The 4GB VRAM is its biggest limitation for what I want to run.

I fully expect the 8 core Ryzen 9 to survive the 2020s, what I am wondering is what are the odds there will be a quality GPU upgrade option by the end of that decade?

I can't run any "modern" GPU in my PCI Express 2.0 motherboard, which then necessitates an entirely new rig for what is currently a relatively minor performance increase.

[Cathulhu]

The main problem is, the Minisforum HX99G is smaller than an entire 4090. Unless that thing is a TARDIS, you will have severe issues getting one inside it.

Not to mention finding the non-existant PCIe slot to install it into, or the woefully underequipped PSU for powering such a monster.

In short, there are no meaningful upgrades you can do.
If you're lucky you can add RAM.
Usually you can change the HDD/SSD but even that is less certain these days.

CPU and GPU are dead set. There is nothing you can change about that as those are soldered to the mainboard itself.

That thing combines all the disadvantates of desktop and laptop PCs. Not really portable and not upgradeable either.
Also not well performing due to using mobile hardware instead of desktop components and due to the cramped space lacking in cooling as well.

[Supafly]

Originally posted by CJM:

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

If you can't upgrade it

I'm trying to figure out if it can be upgraded in any worthwhile measure. It has a 4 lane PCI Express 4.0 slot, which can run an RTX 4090.

Can't find that on the specs. Closest is the m.2 having PCIe x4 lanes not that it has a PCIe x16 gen 4 slot

It's also so small your GTX 970 won't fit. 20.5 x 20.3 x 6.93cm thats the exterior dimensions. Deduct
exterior panel thickness
cooling which looks to take 50% or more of internal space
motherboard and soldered on components, including GPU

there is no space for a dedicated GPU to be installed
https://store.minisforum.com/products/elitemini-hx90g?variant=43587611033845

It's essentially a laptop setup. All soldered to motherboard beside M.2 and Ram

[CJM]

The kids these days are using an M.2 adapter/stand thing-a-ma-bob.

https://www.amazon.com/ADT-Link-External-Graphics-Bracket-GTX1080ti/dp/B07XYZ89J7?pd_rd_i=B07XYZ89J7&linkCode=sl1&tag=e074d-20&linkId=8e90c3b1ce955a3f11a4522452f3000e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1

[Cathulhu]

That information is exclusively about the M.2 slot. Nothing about an actual PCIe slot, which that minipc doesn't even have.

Not that there is a dedicated videocard on the market that would fit in there.

[CJM]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

That information is exclusively about the M.2 slot. Nothing about an actual PCIe slot, which that minipc doesn't even have.

The M.2 IS a PCIe slot. Only it is a laptop form factor PCIe x4.

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Not that there is a dedicated videocard on the market that would fit in there.

It is not about fitting it in there, just getting better speed than a Thunderbolt 3 eGPU.

[Cathulhu]

That would be such a janky setup and so cost intensive, it would essentially be cheaper and more efficient to get an actual desktop PC using bog standard desktop components.

[CJM]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

That would be such a janky setup and so cost intensive, it would essentially be cheaper and more efficient to get an actual desktop PC using bog standard desktop components.

$800 for an integrated GPU, to upgrade to a higher end GPU later.

That same $800 gets a halfway decent HX99G with a 6600M.

So I would argue that cost assessment.

Furthermore, that janky setup only happens around 2029 or so, until then it is a super slim and trip mini PC.

[Supafly]

Originally posted by CJM:

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

That information is exclusively about the M.2 slot. Nothing about an actual PCIe slot, which that minipc doesn't even have.

The M.2 IS a PCIe slot. Only it is a laptop form factor PCIe x4.

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Not that there is a dedicated videocard on the market that would fit in there.

It is not about fitting it in there, just getting better speed than a Thunderbolt 3 eGPU.

Even if that worked how are you to fit a dedicated GPU inside that thing?

1. Nowhere to secure a GPU inside
2. No airflow
3. What GPU would even fit

Only has 1 M.2 slot from what I can see. So even if you manage to get a dedicated GPU to work where does the boot drive go? USB?


Just build a desktop, no messing around with limited

[CJM]

Originally posted by Supafly:

Even if that worked how are you to fit a dedicated GPU inside that thing?

1. Nowhere to secure a GPU inside
2. No airflow
3. What GPU would even fit

You fit it outside of the case.

Originally posted by Supafly:

Only has 1 M.2 slot from what I can see. So even if you manage to get a dedicated GPU to work where does the boot drive go? USB?

Yep, USB. Though, I did finally find the second M.2. It is at a right angle to the first one. The 2230 and 2280 are horizontal, and the second 2280 M.2 slot is vertical.

Originally posted by Supafly:

Just build a desktop,

Eh, large metal monsters are so 2010s. This new fangled HX99G is a 2020s type of thing.

[Supafly]

Originally posted by Supafly:

Just build a desktop,

Eh, large metal monsters are so 2010s. This new fangled HX99G is a 2020s type of thing. [/quote]

Doesn't need a full tower

That thing won't power a normal dedicated GPU. It'll have a small PSU that can only run that hardware meaning you'll also need an external PSU.

What looks worse

Smaller case with
1 x Hole to get the m.2 to GPU cable out
1 x GPU externally
1 x USB Drive + Cable
1 x PSU and all the cables

I'd rather go for a proper case that can fit the GPU, PSU and Storage inside any day.

[Cathulhu]

Indeed, there are some nifty compact cases and have it all in one case and not have a janky mess.

[CJM]

Originally posted by Supafly:

What looks worse

Anything and everything.

I'm actually honing in on the HX80G. Main shortcoming of it is the lack of USB 4 ports. Otherwise it is a comparable Ryzen 7 5800H 8-core processor paired with the same 6600M GPU.

I'd just run the HX80G stock, with everything inside and upgrade when it no longer serves its purpose.

I just want to make sure that there was no real advantage to the HX99G which would lead to buyers remorse.

[Cathulhu]

https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-9-6900HX-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-5800X/m1792755vs4085
Comparable? Not really. The 5800X is celarly ahead in every metric despite being two years older and from an older generation. Not to mention the extra PCIe lanes that weren't sacrified for the integrated videochip you don't plan on even using.