GMKtec K11 Mini PC Review: Performance, Potential, and a Couple of Pesky Problems

Ah, the GMKtec K11 Mini PC. It’s the kind of compact powerhouse that promises to handle everything from work to gaming—though, like all good things, it comes with a few bumps along the way. Don’t worry, we’ll get into all of it: the good, the bad, and the slightly underwhelming Wi-Fi performance. Grab your screwdrivers, we’re going in.

Unboxing: A Slightly Bigger Box Than Expected

If you’ve seen any of GMKtec’s previous models, the K11 will look familiar. It shares the same compact case design as the K8 Plus and much cheaper M7 models—just with a touch more flair, thanks to RGB lighting. Sure, RGB lighting doesn’t technically make it faster, but it does make it look cooler. So, we’ll take it.

Inside the box, you get the usual paraphernalia: cables, manuals (which, let’s face it, you’ll probably toss in the bin), a mount for attaching the K11 to the back of your monitor, and a power brick with the terribly unsexy name “GVE.” But don’t let that fool you; this power brick can handle up to 120W.

Build Quality: It’s Larger Than a Teabag, Smaller Than Your Dog

The GMKtec K11 isn’t quite as “mini” as you might expect. While it’s still small by desktop standards, it’s about four times the size of a British teabag (yes, this comparison will be used repeatedly). Compared to the G5, it’s a bit larger, but still small enough to fit on most desks without turning your workspace into a cluttered mess.

Ports? It’s got plenty. You’ve got a pair of USB 4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and even an external Oculink GPU port for those who like to go that extra mile with their gaming. Plus, there’s an assortment of ventilation holes to keep everything nice and cool. As for the aesthetics? Well, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The RGB fan at the top looks slick—though we’ve seen that before—but the slightly wonky AMD stickers at the top right might leave you scratching your head. Still, aesthetics are subjective, and at least the stickers can be fixed.

First Boot: Windows 11, Because Why Not?

Firing it up for the first time, you’ll be greeted with the usual Windows 11 setup—language selection, region preferences, and the inevitable “opt out of this, that, and the other” screens as Microsoft pushes every last “feature” they can think of your way. Once that’s out of the way, you’re in business.

The GMKtec K11 ships with a clean install of Windows 11 Pro updated to 23H2, so you’re getting a more stable, less bloated version (before Co-Pilot comes along and ruins everything).

Once you’re through the setup, you’ll probably notice a few things: it’s clean, runs smoothly, and there’s not much bloatware to speak of. You can run a quick antivirus scan (just to be sure) and connect to Wi-Fi without any hiccups—unless, of course, you’re dealing with the K11’s notorious Wi-Fi performance. If this is the case, smash in that tried-and-true CAT 7 Ethernet cable.

Performance: Work Hard, Play Harder (But Maybe Not Cyberpunk Hard)

Let’s talk performance, because this is where the K11 shines. With its Ryzen 9 8945HS (8 cores, 16 threads), it handles everything from productivity tasks to gaming with ease. The storage is fast—thanks to the PCI Gen 4 NVMe drive—and the whole system feels snappy, whether you’re multitasking in Office apps or dabbling in some professional-level video editing.

DaVinci Resolve flies on this thing, and the AV1 encoding support is a lovely bonus for those dealing with high-efficiency video compression.

But what about gaming? Oh, don’t worry, the K11 can game too. It runs Minecraft in Java, which you can push to 24 render chunks before noticing any hiccups. DOTA 2 runs smoothly, Rocket League gives you buttery-smooth gameplay, and even Counter-Strike 2 at low settings hits a respectable 140 FPS. Not bad for a mini PC.

Still, if you’re hoping to run Cyberpunk 2077 at ultra settings, you’re in for a rude awakening. With Cyberpunk running at low settings, the K11 can deliver a playable experience—but don’t expect to be impressed by the frame rate, especially if you’re coming from a Desktop loaded with a Geforce 4070. Turn on frame-gen, and things look a bit better, but, let’s be real: Cyberpunk was never meant to run on a machine this size.

Wi-Fi: The Weak Link in the Chain

Now, let’s talk about Wi-Fi. Or, as we like to call it, “The Issue That Won’t Go Away.” The K11 uses an Intel AX200 Wi-Fi module, and, well, if you’ve seen our other reviews, you may know that “solid” Wi-Fi is not something the AX200 is known for. In our tests, we got a mere 67% Wi-Fi strength, which, frankly, feels like the PC is trying its best to connect from a distant galaxy back.

If you’re in a pinch, though, swapping out the Wi-Fi module for something like a MediaTek RZ616 can improve your connection. It’s a simple swap, but something to keep in mind if you plan to do more than just occasional web browsing.

BIOS: Function Over Form

The K11’s BIOS is functional, but calling it “elegant” would be a stretch. It’s not the prettiest interface out there, but it does give you the options you need to tweak power settings, fan profiles, and GPU memory allocation.

You can choose between quiet, balance, and performance modes, which alter the TDP from 35w, 54w, and 65w. You might find that the fan noise increases when pushing the system into performance mode, but this is obvious as it goes higher than the AMD spec of this processor (states up to 54w max).

One thing to note: the fan profile tweaking can make a real difference in noise levels and thermals. If you’re willing to experiment a little, you can find the sweet spot between keeping things quiet and getting the best possible performance.

Emulation: A Tinkerer’s Dream

If you’re into emulation, the K11 delivers. It runs everything from King of the Monsters to God of War on the PSP at 8x native resolution without breaking a sweat.

Higher-end systems like the PlayStation 3 and Wii U also perform admirably, with Soul Calibur 5 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 running smoothly. It’s a solid choice for retro gaming enthusiasts who want to emulate on the go, and the extra storage options (including a PCI Gen 4 M.2 slot) mean you won’t run out of space anytime soon.

Maintenance: Easy Enough for You to Tinker

Inside the K11, it’s a clean, organised setup. Swapping out components like storage, RAM, or even the Wi-Fi card is straightforward.

If you fancy upgrading the thermal paste, you’ll find the process relatively painless—though be careful not to over-tighten the screws when reassembling.

While changing thermal paste didn’t improve performance, it’s an option if you want to play around. We’re actually glad that things didn’t change much, as this means GMKtec have chosen something that rivals mayonnaise for thermal conductivity and users won’t need to switch it out ASAP.

The Verdict: A Compact Powerhouse, with Some Caveats

The GMKtec K11 is a compact mini PC that delivers solid performance, great upgradability, and an impressive ability to run a range of workloads, from productivity tasks to retro gaming. The addition of RGB lighting is a nice touch for the enthusiasts (seriously though – it’s a chick magnet, the girls love it!), but it’s the hardware underneath that truly impresses.

However, there are a few niggling issues. The Wi-Fi performance could definitely be better, and the fan noise can be loud when under loud – especially in performance mode. Thankfully, using the balanced setting helps, and you can remove the idle fan whine in the BIOS settings. If you’re a tinkerer who loves to dial in the perfect setup, these are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things.

If you’re torn between the K8 Plus and K11, the decision largely comes down to what you value. The K8 Plus offers better out-of-the-box performance and a more reliable price-to-performance ratio, while the K11 gives you the RGB aesthetic and slightly higher clock speeds.

Both are great options, but if you’re after something that can handle gaming and productivity with flair (and don’t mind a bit of tinkering), the K11 is worth your consideration.

So, should you buy the GMKtec K11? If you’re not afraid of a bit of hands-on tweaking and want a machine that can do it all, yes. If you’d rather have something that just works, well… maybe look at the K8 Plus.

Purchase links

►Amazon: GMKtec K11 ►GMKtec: GMKtec K11 ►AliExpress: GMKtec K11

►Amazon: GMKtec K8 Plus ►GMKtec: GMKtec K8 Plus ►AliExpress: GMKtec K8 Plus

Related Videos

Our GMKtec K11 Video Review: https://youtu.be/L9n2cWY3nZI

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