Testing the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra made me realize just how flexible an entry-level mini PC can be

TechRadar Verdict

The M5 Ultra is a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. Based on a 2023 AMD Ryzen 7 with Zen 4 architecture, this is a significant upgrade from the M5 and M5 Plus, but probably not ideal for the power user. But it’s a quiet, highly flexible option for a general-use PC.

Pros

• +Affordable
• +Easy internal access
• +Second M.2 slot
• +Dual 2.5GbE LAN ports

Cons

• -The plastic case isn’t especially durable
• -Only Gen 3 M.2 slots

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GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra: 30-second review

GMKtec is an established brand that makes a wide selection of mini PCs, and the M5 Ultra is a follow-up to the previous M5 and M5 Plus models (see my M5 review and the M5 Plus review).

The original M5 used a Ryzen 7 5700U, a Zen 2 architecture chip, the M5 Plus used the Zen 3 era Ryzen 7 5825U. And, the new M5 Ultra goes Zen 4 with a Ryzen 7 7730U.

From the outside, these all look remarkably similar, but internally, the M5 Ultra is 2023 technology and not the 2022 and 2021 tech used in the previous generations.

While the number of cores remains the same, the Ryzen 7 7730U offers better CPU and GPU clock speeds and better power efficiency.

However, it still uses DDR4 memory, and the best USB it has to offer is USB 3.2 Gen 2. Those wanting USB4 need to consider the M7 Ultra that I’ll be reviewing on Tech Radar Pro shortly.

But what made the original M5, and then the M5 Plus, so popular was their competitive pricing, and the M5 Ultra is also remarkably cheap, especially if you buy it ‘barebones’ and provide your own memory and storage.

With a starting price of under $260 for a barebones machine, this is a well-specified NUC system that has enough power for general office tasks once you’ve added memory, storage and an OS.

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