I tested a compact gaming PC the size of two Xbox Series X consoles — and it delivers desktop RTX 5070 power without the noise

The GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro is a desktop gaming PC with a twist. Unlike other large, bulky desktops, it’s remarkably compact with a volume of 14.6 liters, making it even smaller than the HP Victus 15L.Known for making some of the best mini PCs, the Neo-X1 Pro is GMKtec’s first-ever small form factor (SFF) gaming tower. To get its design this small without overheating, the company used a custom all-in-one liquid cooler paired with a high-end mobile AMD CPU. However, the Neo-X1 Pro still packs in a desktop-grade Nvidia RTX 5070 dedicated GPU.I’ve been using the Neo-X1 Pro as my daily driver for both work and gaming for the past two months, and it has continued to impress me. From its compact design — complete with carrying handles — to its near-silent performance even under load, this gaming desktop certainly delivers. Just as if you built your own SFF PC, you are paying a premium for its more compact size.My GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro review will help you decide if this is the best gaming PC for you or if it’s worth going with something with a slightly larger case for less.GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro: Cheat SheetWhat is it? A compact gaming desktop with flagship performance.Who is it for? Those who want a powerful yet portable gaming rig and are willing to pay more for the latter.What does it cost? The GMKtec Neo-X1 starts at $2,699 (though discounted to $2,199 at the time of writing ), while the Neo-X1 Pro starts at $2,899 and runs up to $3,699 fully equipped (currently discounted to $3,199).What do we like? Its compact size, the top-mounted handles, how quiet it runs thanks to the custom AIO liquid cooler, easy memory and storage upgradeability, and top-tier performance from its AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and discrete Nvidia RTX 50-series GPU.What don’t we like? The hefty price premium for its 14.6-liter chassis, and the fact that you can’t upgrade the soldered CPU down the line.GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro: SpecsNeo-X1Neo-X1 Pro (as tested)Price$2,699$2,899 - $3,699CPUAMD Ryzen 9 9955HXAMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3DGPUNvidia RTX 5060 Ti (8GB)Nvidia RTX 5070 (12GB)RAM32GB or 64GB DDR5 (up to 96GB)32GB or 64GB DDR5 (up to 96GB)Storage1TB / 2TB1TB / 2TBPorts2 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio combo jack (front), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 4 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack (rear), 1 x HDMI 2.b, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1b (Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti)2 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio combo jack (front), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 4 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C, 1 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack (rear), 1 x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1b (Nvidia RTX 5070)ConnectivityWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5 GbEWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5 GbEOSWindows 11 ProWindows 11 ProSize13.78 × 6.50 × 10.43 inches 13.78 × 6.50 × 10.43 inches Weight15.43 pounds (7kg)15.43 pounds (7kg)GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro: The UpsThe GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro delivers a stellar PC gaming experience without taking up your entire desk. Games look and run great thanks to its Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, while the custom all-in-one liquid cooler keeps acoustics so quiet that I often forgot there was a high-powered gaming rig humming right next to my monitor.Desktop power, mini footprint(Image credit: Tom's Guide)At 13.78 × 6.50 × 10.43 inches, the Neo-X1 Pro is an impressively compact gaming PC. In fact, it’s roughly the same size as having two Xbox Series X consoles side by side on your desk with a pair of carrying handles bolted on top.Inside its well-packed box, you’ll find the PC itself alongside a standard power cord, an HDMI 2.1 cable, and a pair of antennas. Once you unbox the Neo-X1 Pro, all you have to do is screw on those antennas and plug it in to get started.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)On the front of the Neo-X1 Pro, next to its signature green power button, there’s a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. I really liked having two full-sized ports up front for the 2.4 GHz USB dongles for my controller and other peripherals.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Around the back, the power receptacle for its 850W SFX power supply sits at the very top alongside the motherboard connections. Here, you get four USB-A ports, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, a single USB-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, another set of audio jacks, and the gold connectors for the Wi-Fi antennas. Right underneath them, the Neo-X1 Pro’s RTX 5070 provides a single HDMI 2.1b port along with three DisplayPort 2.1b connections.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)You’ll probably want to position the Neo-X1 Pro on the right side of your desk. The left side panel is perforated, giving you a glimpse at its internal components, including the RTX 5070 from Zotac. On the right side of the case, circular cutouts bring cool air in alongside another strip of ventilation holes at the bottom. While you won’t see it when you’re sitting down, I really like how the top of the case features GMKtec’s iconic neon green all the way across.Powerful yet nearly silent(Image credit: Tom's Guide)From the instant I had it set up and powered on, the Neo-X1 Pro surprised me: all I could hear was a faint hum in the background. Even under load while running demanding games, it remained whisper-quiet compared to gaming desktops I’ve built and other pre-builts I’ve tested in the past.With an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor and 64GB of DDR5 memory, my review unit handled my everyday workload — which consists of multiple Chrome windows with dozens of open tabs and light photo editing in GIMP — with ease. Considering the generous system RAM alongside the 12GB of VRAM on the included RTX 5070, the Neo-X1 Pro could easily pull double duty running large local AI models just as comfortably as it plays games.GMKtec Neo-X1 (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D)HP Omen Max 45L (AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D)Quoted Tech Frontier (AMD Ryzen 7 9700X)Geekbench 6 (single/multi-core)3224 / 199763423 / 205183355 / 16234SSD speed test (MBps)3376.52,601.441,916.7HandBrake (mins: secs)2:091:483:25Despite relying on mobile silicon, the Neo-X1 Pro held its own in our benchmark tests against the HP Omen Max 45L we reviewed recently. While its single-core and multi-core Geekbench scores fell slightly behind the desktop-class 9950X3D inside the Omen Max 45L, it pulled ahead in our SSD speed test (which measures transfer speeds moving a 25GB file). At just over two minutes, the Neo-X1 Pro’s HandBrake encoding time (converting a 4K video file down to 1080p) was also impressive, trailing the massive Omen tower by only 21 seconds.If you’re looking for a rig that is compact yet potent and don't want the headache of hunting down SFF components or managing tight clearances yourself, the Neo-X1 Pro presents a capable prebuilt alternative to building your own mini-ITX battle station.A grab-and-go gaming rig(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Speaking of gaming, the Neo-X1 Pro delivers and then some thanks to its full-size RTX 5070 from Zotac. All of the games I tried looked great and played smoothly, though you’ll likely need to lower the resolution or enable Nvidia’s DLSS if you want to push native 4K or beyond.To put the Neo-X1 Pro to the test, I downloaded and installed Resident Evil Requiem. Exploring the Wrenwood Hotel as Grace Ashcroft was downright creepy, but navigating the Wrenwood City Streets as Leon showed me what this rig is capable of. From the rain beading off Leon’s leather jacket to the blinding vehicle headlights cutting through the foggy street while fighting off the newly infected, the entire opening sequence looked stunning on my 4K monitor.GMKtec Neo-X1 (AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D)HP Omen Max 45L (AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D)Quoted Tech Frontier (AMD Ryzen 7 9700X)Assassin’s Creed Shadows33 fps44 fps33 fpsDoom: The Dark Ages40 fps57 fps40 fpsBlack Myth: Wukong25 fps36 fps25 fpsIn benchmark tests at our lab, the Neo-X1 Pro frequently surpassed triple-digit frame rates at 1080p without DLSS enabled, and even at 4K, Forza Horizon 6 reached 96 fps on High settings. For heavier titles like Black Myth: Wukong, dropping down to Medium settings brought it within striking distance of 60 fps in 4K (51 fps). While you'll need to make occasional graphic tweaks on demanding games, the Neo-X1 Pro handles recent titles at stable frame rates without breaking a sweat.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)After running through tests on a standard 4K display, I brought the desktop into my office to see how it handled gaming on the Innocn E49M1R. Even at a massive 5120 × 1440 resolution, performance stayed rock solid in Red Dead Redemption 2 without any visible tearing or stuttering. That said, finding space for the Neo-X1 Pro on a desk alongside a flat, 49-inch super ultrawide monitor is definitely a challenge.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)With those two handles on top, moving the Neo-X1 Pro from room to room was an absolute breeze. Whether you want to hook it up to the living room TV for big-screen couch gaming or haul it over to a friend’s place for a weekend session, this SFF PC is well-suited for quick transport. However, I’d be hesitant about carrying it onto a flight given the effort it takes to safely break down and secure its internal components.GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro: The DownsThe Neo-X1 Pro is a quiet, cool, and capable gaming PC. However, like most small form factor machines, it comes with classic trade-offs: cramped internals that make upgrades tricky, and a noticeable price premium for shrinking everything down.Upgrades aren't for the timid(Image credit: Tom's Guide)In order to see what keeps the Neo-X1 Pro running so quietly, I decided to open it up. To do so, I just had to remove two screws on the side panel, and the whole thing slid off as you’d expect with a traditional desktop PC.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Under the hood, you can see the Zotac RTX 5070 running along the bottom, complete with a built-in support bracket to prevent GPU sag over time. Above it sits GMKtec’s custom AIO liquid cooler, which commands the lion's share of the case’s 14.6-liter interior.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Much like the Minisforum G1 Pro I reviewed, you have to work around and partially dismantle the cooling assembly if you want to upgrade the Neo-X1 Pro’s RAM or storage. If you choose to brave the process, you could swap out the pre-installed dual-channel 32GB sticks for two 48GB sticks to reach a whopping 96GB of memory. There is also an unused secondary M.2 NVMe slot, meaning you can configure up to 16TB of high-speed SSD storage overall.While its CPU is soldered permanently to the motherboard, the Neo-X1 Pro holds one massive advantage over the G1 Pro. Since it relies on a standard rear expansion bracket and ships with an 850W SFX power supply, you can actually upgrade GMKtec’s rig down the line with a standard off-the-shelf GPU — provided the replacement card is under 310 mm (12.2 inches) in length and sticks to a strict dual-slot design.Given the potent hardware GMKtec packed into the Neo-X1 Pro, you likely won’t need to upgrade anytime soon. Even so, while working inside this dense chassis will be second nature to seasoned SFF builders, beginners will find servicing and upgrading components noticeably daunting.Paying the small form factor tax (Image credit: Tom's Guide)In the world of desktop PCs, opting for a compact case over a standard mid-tower almost always commands a higher price tag. From specialized SFX power supplies and custom low-profile coolers to the dense chassis engineering itself, small form factor PCs occupy an expensive niche.Although the base Neo-X1 and its more potent sibling, the Neo-X1 Pro, originally started at $2,099 and $2,899 respectively at launch, their prices have crept up like most electronics as a result of RAMaggedon. The standard Neo-X1 now costs roughly what the Pro originally did, and the Neo-X1 Pro can reach as high as $3,699 at full price (though it is frequently discounted to $3,199).Even accounting for parts being more expensive across the board, that isn’t pocket change. You could likely assemble a comparable full-sized DIY gaming desktop for less cash, but you would be trading convenience for the cable-routing headaches, tight thermal clearances, and endless compatibility checks that come with building an SFF machine yourself.The best way to frame the Neo-X1 Pro is to compare it to Valve’s Steam Machine. While Valve’s compact cube targets couch play with modest, fixed internals, the Neo-X1 Pro brings far more graphical muscle and actual hardware modularity to the living room. You are undoubtedly paying a steep premium for its compact 14.6-liter footprint, but in return, you get couch-friendly portability with enough breathing room to upgrade your RAM, storage and even graphics card down the road.GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro: VerdictThe GMKtec Neo-X1 Pro is a capable, quiet, and compact gaming PC that delivers desktop-class performance in a much smaller footprint than traditional towers. The top-mounted handles make it easy to haul between rooms or take to a friend’s place, while the full-sized desktop RTX 5070 GPU handles modern AAA titles with ease.While the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is permanently soldered to the motherboard, it holds its own remarkably well, delivering near-desktop speeds despite its mobile roots. The interior layout can look intimidating for beginners, but the chassis is straightforward to open, leaving room for future storage and graphics upgrades.Make no mistake: this compact rig demands a steep price premium, and patient, experienced builders could assemble a comparable DIY machine for less. Even so, if you have the budget and want heavy-hitting gaming performance without surrendering half your desk, the Neo-X1 Pro delivers on its promises. It stands as an impressive, well-engineered debut for GMKtec's push beyond the mini PC space.