Setup Notes and Platform Analysis
Our review sample of the GEEKOM Mini IT13 came with all necessary components pre-installed - including the OS. Prior to setting up the OS on first boot, we took some time to look into the BIOS interface. Unlike the GUI-based UEFI interface offered by tier-one vendors, the BIOS here is a vanilla one with keyboard-only navigation. There are plenty of configurable options, and the video below presents an overview of the features.
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Most of the options available are standard in the Aptio BIOS interface. In addition to the processor and memory speeds information, the main screen has a 'FAN Mode' option that can be set to one of 'Normal', 'Performance', or 'Quiet'. A quick check was made for each setting after booting into the OS and the following power limits were recorded.
While the normal and performance modes were configured similarly with PL1 / PL2 settings of 35W / 80W, the quiet mode involved setting these parameters to 28W / 40W and the PL1 duration to less than half of the normal mode's.
Intel's platform diagram for Raptor Lake P/H/U processor lines shows a large number of connectivity options. However, the RPL-H configuration in the Mini IT13 doesn't make use of the x8 discrete graphics lanes. Two Thunderbolt 4 lanes are used for the Type-C ports, but the use of the Hayden Bridge retimer precludes the possibility of USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) support.
The overall high-speed I/O distribution in the GEEKOM Mini IT13 board design is brought out in the bus layout diagram below.
Despite the large number of connectivity options, the system's form-factor prevent them from getting utilized. The USB4 ports do provide some flexibility. It is highly probable that a few more of those to utilize the wasted graphics PCIe lanes would have made the product even more attractive.
In today's review, we compare the GEEKOM Mini IT13 and a host of other systems based on processors with TDPs ranging from 28W to 65W. The systems do not target the same market segments, but a few key aspects lie in common, making the comparisons relevant.
| Comparative PC Configurations | ||
| Aspect | GEEKOM Mini IT13 | |
| CPU | Intel Core i9-13900H Raptor Lake (6P + 8E)/20T, up to 5.4 GHz Intel 7, 24MB L2, 45W (PL1 = 35W, PL2 = 80W) | Intel Core i9-13900H Raptor Lake (6P + 8E)/20T, up to 5.4 GHz Intel 7, 24MB L2, 45W (PL1 = 35W, PL2 = 80W) |
| GPU | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80 EUs @ 300 - 1500 MHz) | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80 EUs @ 300 - 1500 MHz) |
| RAM | Lexar LD4AS016G-3200ST DDR4-3200 SODIMM 22-22-22-52 @ 3200 MHz 2x16 GB | Lexar LD4AS016G-3200ST DDR4-3200 SODIMM 22-22-22-52 @ 3200 MHz 2x16 GB |
| Storage | Lexar SSD NM7A1 (2000 GB; M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe;) (176L Micron 3D TLC?; Maxio MAP1602 Controller) | Lexar SSD NM7A1 (2000 GB; M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe;) (176L Micron 3D TLC?; Maxio MAP1602 Controller) |
| Wi-Fi | 1x 2.5 GbE RJ-45 (Intel I225-V) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2x2 802.11ax ~ 2.4 Gbps) | 1x 2.5 GbE RJ-45 (Intel I225-V) Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2x2 802.11ax ~ 2.4 Gbps) |
| Price (in USD, when built) | (Street Pricing on Sep 29th, 2023) US $899 (as configured, w/OS) (USD 859 with $40 off coupon code D9ZAYQNX) US $789 (as configured, w/OS, GEEKOM web store) (USD 749 with $40 off coupon code anandtech40) | (Street Pricing on Sep 29th, 2023) US $899 (as configured, w/OS) (USD 859 with $40 off coupon code D9ZAYQNX) US $789 (as configured, w/OS, GEEKOM web store) (USD 749 with $40 off coupon code anandtech40) |
The next few sections will deal with comparative benchmarks for the above systems.
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