After coming away very impressed by the IT8, I was eager to get my hands on the GEEKOM Mini IT11 for review. This is the bigger brother unit that comes equipped with more impressive specs, despite the still very small size. GEEKOM has stuffed a bunch of power into the IT11, which is thankfully handled very well. Here’s a rundown of my testing and overall thoughts.
More power
The GEEKOM Mini IT11 I have for review has the following specs:
- Intel Core i7-1165G7 (with Iris Xe Graphics)
- 16 GB DDR4
- 512 GB M.2 SSD
- Windows 11 Pro
- Wi-Fi 6 (Dual Band 2.4 & 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth 5.2
The internals, which are accessible by simply unscrewing four captive screws, are packed away neatly. There is a ribbon cable that users will want to watch out for, which is connected to a storage expansion slot for an additional drive.
Externally, the understated sleek case is broken up only by the generous I/O. The GEEKOM Mini IT11 boasts the following I/O:
- 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
- 1 x Mini DisplayPort
- 2 x USB 4.0 ports
- 3 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x SD card reader
- 1 x 1000 Mbs LAN port
- 1 x 3.5 mm Audio jack
That is a lot of I/O for users to take advantage of and I imagine many will be able to use the Mini IT11 without resorting to pulling out a dongle. This makes for a very clean look.
Unlike other mini PCs, the Mini IT11 comes with a VESA mount included in the box, so users can mount it out of the way for an even cleaner aesthetic. The box also includes a power adapter, a nifty storage bag, an HDMI cable, and a user manual.
It can game! (Sort of…)
In the product listing, GEEKOM says the Mini IT11 provides “the ultimate gaming performance.” That really isn’t accurate, but the Mini IT11 is at least a bit more capable than the IT8’s i5-8259U that I tested before.
In gaming benchmarks, I found the IT11 to provide 10-20% better performance. It should be perfectly fine for 720p/1080p gaming in Fortnite, Valorant, League of Legends, and other competitive titles, but it will no doubt struggle when it comes to AAA games.
The GEEKOM Mini IT11 is a production and streaming workhorse first and foremost, with gaming being a potential secondary function for when users get a bit of downtime between jobs.
Twitch box
As I just alluded to, the GEEKOM Mini IT11 works surprisingly well for video editing and livestreaming. I have been especially impressed at how well it can encode video for Twitch, with that i7-1165G7 never skipping a beat as I streamed 1080p 60 FPS 6,000 KB/s.
While the IT8 was also impressive at streaming, the IT11’s more efficient processor means heat is less of an issue and I trust it can go the distance for more marathon-length streaming sessions. What’s more, the IT11 is incredibly quiet. Mount it behind a monitor and it’s easy to forget that it’s there.
Mini IT11 review unit was provided by GEEKOM.
Final Verdict
The GEEKOM Mini IT11 delivers an impressive bit of power in a tiny package. For those looking to expand into more demanding projects that involve video or photo editing, or streaming console or gaming PC gameplay, the IT11 is powerful enough to handle the load. When it comes to gaming, it can dish out enough FPS in competitive and older games, but the IT11 will struggle when it comes to blockbuster AAA releases.
While this version of the Mini IT11 is usually $629, GEEKOM has regular sales that feature significant discounts. At the time of writing, Black Friday sales see the IT11 both slashed in price and with both a 5% off code “SLMUGHNK” and $50 voucher ready to be applied on Amazon.
With the discounts considered, there’s a lot to like with the IT11 and it’s well worth shortlisting as a potential Mini PC purchase.
Positives and Negatives
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Powerful internals inside a still-tiny case.
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A newer CPU that boasts increased efficiency.
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Fantastic range of I/O.
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Very easy to open and expand.
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Built-in mount for VESA.
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Quiet and cool operation.
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Brand is relatively unknown when compared to established competitors.
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Gaming performance is far from "ultimate."
