Verdict
Head-to-head · Best AI Mini PCs for Local LLM

GMKtec EVO-X2 vs Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

GMKtec EVO-X2 and Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB score essentially the same (4.3 vs 4.3). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

GMKtec EVO-X2
Ranked #3 in Best AI Mini PCs for Local LLM
GMKtec EVO-X2
3 sources$2,199.99as of Oct 11

If the requirement is fitting a 120B-parameter model locally, the GMKtec EVO-X2 is the 128 GB-class mini PC to buy. PCWorld praised its 'excellent combination of CPU, GPU, and NPU performance at desktop workstation level' and scored it 4.5/5. The XDNA 2 NPU contributes 50 TOPS toward a 126 TOPS platform total once the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and the Radeon 8060S iGPU are counted. With 128 GB of LPDDR5X at 256 GB/s it loads GPT-OSS 120B Q4 with room to spare and runs 70B-class models at 6-8 tokens/sec for a single user. Memory is soldered, and a single 2.5G Ethernet port limits clustering.

Strengths
  • — AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with 50 TOPS XDNA 2 NPU (126 TOPS platform total CPU+GPU+NPU)
  • — Supports multiple open-source AI models and popular development frameworks (Ollama, llama.cpp, MLC)
  • — Roughly half the price of an Nvidia DGX Spark for similar 128 GB-class local-LLM work
Watch-outs
  • — Memory is soldered — no future RAM upgrades
  • — Single 2.5G Ethernet port limits AI clustering compared to the Beelink GTR9 Pro
Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB
Ranked #2 in Best AI Mini PCs for Local LLM
Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB
2 sources

The Mac mini M4 Pro is a five-inch-square box with a 12-core CPU, a 16-core GPU and 64 GB of unified memory, and it runs near-silently on very little power. PCMag rated it 4.5 out of 5 and Macworld 4 out of 5, landing on the same split verdict: the machine is excellent and the configuration pricing is not. For local-LLM work the 273 GB/s of memory bandwidth is the number that matters, and 64 GB is the hard ceiling that comes with it. Nothing inside is upgradable, so the configuration you buy is the one you keep.

Strengths
  • — Super fast and efficient M4 Pro SoC with 12 CPU cores and 16-core GPU
  • — Silent operation under average load with efficient cooling system
  • — Support for up to three external displays with Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 6E
Watch-outs
  • — 64 GB ceiling caps the largest local model — 70B Q4 fits, 120B does not

How they stack up

GMKtec EVO-X2

The GMKtec EVO-X2 has 128 GB of unified memory at 256 GB/s, which fits 120B Q4 models that the Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB cannot. The Apple Mac Studio M4 Max reaches the same 128 GB at 546 GB/s, more than double the bandwidth. The Framework Desktop (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) uses the same Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip with up to 128 GB at 256 GB/s.

Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB

The Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB has 273 GB/s of memory bandwidth and a 64 GB memory ceiling, where the Apple Mac Studio M4 Max reaches 546 GB/s and up to 128 GB. Its 64 GB fits a 70B Q4 model but not a 120B one, which the GMKtec EVO-X2 loads in 128 GB at 256 GB/s.

Specs side-by-side

SpecGMKtec EVO-X2Mac mini M4 Pro 64 GB
CPUAMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16 cores, 32 threads)Apple M4 Pro 12-Core
GPURadeon 8060S (RDNA 3.5, 40 cores)Apple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
RAM128 GB LPDDR5X 8,000 MHz64 GB Unified Memory
Storage2 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD2 TB SSD
NPUXDNA 2, 50 TOPS (126 TOPS platform total)16-core Neural Engine
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 6E
Neural Engine50 TOPS16-core
Dimensions7.6 x 7.31 x 3.03 in5 x 5 x 2 in
Memory Bandwidth—273 GB/s
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