TechRadar Pro hasn't yet tested this mini PC from Minisforum - it only launched in April 2023 - but others - like Notebookcheck - have and they're ecstatic about its sheer value for money. The Neptune HX99G is perfect for video editors on a budget; for just over $1,000 ($1,019 to be precise), this compact workstation offers the sort of firepower you'd expect from rivals costing three more.
Let's run through the details, which on paper, make it such a formidable competitor for anyone looking for an affordable PC to power through Adobe Premiere or Davinci Resolve.
✅ AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU: That's one of the fastest mobile CPUs on the market, ideal for a PC with a small footprint. 16 threads and 3.3GHz base clock speed are about as good as it gets.
✅ 64GB DDR5 RAM: The HX99G uses two fast 4800MHz memory modules in dual channel to provide ample bandwidth to any data-hungry video editing applications.
✅ 1TB SSD: A fast PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD from Kingston will help to reduce any lags. There's one extra M.2 2280 SSD slot should you want to add another SSD card.
✅ AMD Radeon RX 6600M GPU: Equipped with 8GB dedicated GDDR6 memory, it is faster than any integrated GPU you may find at this price point. It will be a precious resource for any video editing task that require GPU grunt for faster execution. The HX99G can run two 8K and two 4K monitors simultaneously.
✅ Windows 11 Pro, 2.5GbE Ethernet, carbon fiber chassis, two year warranty
Put it simply, you can't get a more powerful video editing computer for the money and, icing on the cake, it comes with Thunderbolt 3/USB 4. I liked the fact that it is quiet even under load thanks to its two fans (and seven heat pipes). My only concern at this point is after sales warranty because Minisforum doesn't offer onsite support like some of its bigger rivals.
We're getting a sample sent to us and will put it through its pace soon.
Can a gaming PC be used for video editing?
Yes, gaming computers can be used for video editing in general. They usually have the sort of components that needed for demanding video editing applications. A fast CPU, a powerful GPU, plenty of RAM and a speedy SSD. However there's a few of things to bear in mind:
1. It will depend on your software. You can't use a gaming PC for Final Cut Pro or iMovie as these run exclusively on Mac.
2. After sales conundrum. Gaming PCs do not usually come with any business-class level of aftersales that a video editing professional may expect which is, at a minimum, next-business day, onsite warranty.
3. ISV Certification. No gaming PCs have so called ISV certification. This ensures that your hardware solution is 100% compatible with the video editing software it will run on. Such certification, while not essential, is a sign that the application has been optimized.
4. Business features. Gaming PCs do not - as a rule of thumb - come with workstation/business features such as RAID (for data protection), ECC, vPro (for management), security features etc.
