Most of us are familiar with computers being either desktops or laptops. Desktops being any one of several tower configurations.
The advancement in laptop components has helped pave the way for smaller form factors, using laptop components in tiny computers that have no built-in screen.
Today I’m reviewing one of those tiny PCs, the Geekom Mini IT 11. The 11 in the name stands for the CPU, which is an 11th generation Intel i7 processor.
Any review of a mini PC is going to be about tradeoffs of size versus performance. Let’s take a look.
Specs
This PC is really small. I’ve owned several Apple Macintosh Mini computers, and the IT 11 is much smaller. It measures 4.6 inches by 4.4 inches by 1.79 inches.
I’m really surprised at how much technology Geekom has packed into such a small case.
Let’s start with the processor. I reviewed a version with the Intel 11th Generation Core i7 — 1195G7, which has four processing cores. It comes with 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage, and it retails for $769, but it is currently on sale at geekompc.com.
You can also buy configurations of the IT 11 with i5 processors starting at $619, and with different RAM and storage amounts. Look for sales on all configurations on Geekom’s website.
The IT 11 utilizes all four sides of the case. There is no wasted space.
On the front you’ll find the power button, along with the headphone/microphone jack, a USB 3.2 port and a USB 4 Thunderbolt port.
Around back, you’ll find one more USB 4 Thunderbolt port, an HDMI 2.0 port, two more USB 3.2 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, one Mini DisplayPort and the power input.
The Thunderbolt ports are a very nice inclusion. Those ports look like USB-C ports, and they can be used to connect USB peripherals, but they can also be used with adapters as network ports or to connect another monitor. Many Thunderbolt-equipped computers can use that port to power the system, but the IT 11 doesn’t have that ability.
The power supply for the IT 11 is an external one, so there is a small black brick on the power cable.
The right side of the case has an SD card reader, and the right side has a Kensington lock slot.
The IT 11 ships with Windows 11 Pro.
My review PC includes Intel Iris Xe graphics, capable of running up to four displays, including multiple 8K UHD displays.
It has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connections to your home network or peripherals like Bluetooth keyboards or mice.
The inner frame is metal. There are vents on all sides but the front, and the fan is quiet.
The case is small enough to be mounted to the back of many monitors with an included VESA mounting plate and screws.
Expandable
One of the best things about the IT 11 is the ability for users to upgrade the RAM or storage.
There are four screws on the bottom that cover two RAM slots and the M.2 SSD. The RAM can be upgraded to 64GB and the M.2 SSD can be swapped out (up to a maximum of two teraybytes).
There is also a 2.5” drive slot built into the bottom of the case, which can hold another two terabytes of storage.
All of these upgrades are easy to do, only require a screwdriver and can be completed in less than five minutes.
As a Mac user, who can do none of these upgrades, I forget that most of the Windows PC world can still upgrade their memory and storage.
In use
The IT 11 was easy to set up and configure. Windows 11 Pro is pre-installed, but you can opt to load Linux, if you like.
I plugged in a wireless keyboard and mouse and used HDMI to connect it to my monitor.
The Wi-Fi connection was solid and fast. I tested with two monitors, and it worked flawlessly. I don’t have any 8K displays to test, but 4K YouTube videos looked beautiful and played back smoothly.
Note, there is no speaker on the IT 11, so you’ll have to add your own to hear any sound.
I’m not much of a gamer, but nobody buys a mini form-factor PC to play games. Geekom says most games should run smoothly in 1080p, but I’m not recommending this PC for game play.
I loaded up Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat and Photoshop and had no problems with any of my daily work activities.
Surfing the internet, sending email and opening and editing Office apps were quick and easy.
Editing photos in Photoshop was no problem. I’m not a video editor, but you’ll want to bump up the RAM and storage to get the best results.
The small form factor really disappears on the desk, especially if you can mount it behind your monitor.
The fan never made enough noise to be noticeable.
The Geekom IT 11, with its 11th generation Intel CPU, and upgradeable RAM and storage should keep this machine viable for a long time.
