Geekom X16 Pro review: The Mini PC king just shook up the laptop world too

You might not be familiar with the Geekom brand, especially when it comes to laptops, but it's been making significant waves in the Mini PC arena in recent times. I've even used a couple of them in projects to build my own retro games console and Steam Machine.

Now it's turning its hand to Windows 11 notebooks and the Geekom X16 Pro is as confident a debut as it gets.

Available in 14- and 16-inch sizes, it's a direct rival to the likes of the Dell XPS 14 (2026), which we raved about, and other Intel Core Ultra peers. However, like other Geekom products, it is also remarkably affordable for its specs.

So would I recommend the Geekom X16 Pro over more well-known alternatives? Well, guess you'd better read on to find out.

Price and availability

One of the caveats of the Geekom X16 Pro at present is that it's only available in the US. It could be rolled out wider and farther soon – after all, Geekom's Mini PCs are readily available in the UK too – but we don't have specific details on that right now.

There are two variants – one running on an Intel Core Ultra 5-125H CPU and with 1TB of storage, the other running the Intel Core Ultra 9-185H and with 2TB. The former will usually set you back $1,399, while the more powerful model is listed at $1,749.

However, not only are those prices currently discounted to $999 and $1,349 respectively, Geekom is giving T3 readers an extra 12% off right now. That means you can get the i9 version of the X16 Pro for just $1,187, and the i5 for just $879.

You just need to enter the code T3X16PRO at checkout whether you buy it from Amazon or Geekom itself.

Considering similarly spec'ed rivals can set you back over $2,000, that's an attractive offer.

Design

When you first unbox the Geekom X16 Pro you can't help but admire one major thing – its weight. Or lack, thereof.

The laptop is large enough to accommodate a 16:10 16-inch display with a 1080p video call camera built in, yet weighs around 1.27kg (2.8lb). That's almost the same as the 13-inch MacBook Neo, and 28g lighter than a 14-inch MacBook Pro M5.

It is also superthin, measuring just under 7mm at its thinnest point (0.27-inches) and a little over 11mm at its thickest.

The Geekom is therefore easy to chuck it in a backpack and comfortable enough to carry around all day – yet also gives you that extra screen real estate for productivity and gaming.

Of course, you don't get an aluminium casing here – it's all metal, but magnesium alloy to achieve the lighter weight. It's still extremely rugged though, and feels nice and premium in the hand.

Once open, the display is mighty. Those 16-inches are filled with a 2560 x 1600 pixel IPS screen, sporting a 120Hz refresh rate. It's bright (400 nits), crisp and a particular highlight. Its matte coating means it is relatively glare-free for outdoor use, although it's also worth noting that there are no touch capabilities.

As a MacBook Pro user normally, that doesn't bother me. And whenever I test or use a touchscreen laptop, I find myself constantly having to wipe the screen to get rid of fingerprints. That usually results in me ignoring the touch capabilities anyway.

There's a large multitouch pad anyway, plus backlit keys. If buying from outside the US right now, you should note that you'll be getting a US keyboard (and the "@" key is in a different place), but again, I'm mostly used to that.

You also get a fingerprint reader on the power button above the top right of the keyboard, to unlock Windows 11 Pro, which comes preinstalled. And audio is served from under the laptop, via a pair of 2W stereo speakers.

Specifications

Looking at the left-hand side of the Geekom X16 Pro, there are two USB-C ports – one being USB 4.0 and also able to serve as a power port (for a 65W USB-C charger). A HDMI 2.0 port is also available for video out.

On the other edge, you get two USB-A 2.0 ports for accessories, a 3.5mm headphone jack (that can also be used with a mic), and a microSD card slot for memory expansion.

The version I received for review came with an Intel Ultra 9-185H SoC, supported by Intel Arc graphics. This chipset also includes an integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) to make certain tasks run smoother by taking the load off the processor – such as AI-intensive functions and Photoshop rendering.

There was also 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM – gold dust in the current climate. This ensured that not day-to-day use cases were achieved fast and fluidly, AAA gaming was possible on the PC (albeit at lower resolutions and/or settings), even using the integrated Arc GPU.

Unfortunately, as some others have pointed out too, there's no possibility of increasing the RAM – it's fully soldered onto the board. But again, during the current RAM crisis, you probably won't want to anyway. And 32GB with possible speeds up to 7500MT/s, you should be fine without.

That's not the same for the M.2 2280 SSD, which can be replaced. The model I tested had 2TB of storage, but the laptop supports up to 4TB.

Also inside the case lies a 77Wh battery, which is charged using an included 65W adapter. However, as I'm based in the UK and the laptop is a US model, I had to provide my own power. Thankfully it charged and operated fine from an alternative 65W brick I have with a three-pin plug.

It's also worth noting that I found the X16 Pro would run for a full day on a single charge with usual everyday tasks, such as browsing the net, processing Photoshop images, replying to emails and writing in Word. Even using Nano Banana 2 to create a few AI pictures and light gaming seemed to be fine.

Of course, play Cyberpunk 2077 on the battery alone and you'll shorten the battery life significantly, but then I'd suggest you'd likely only ever play more intensive games when plugged in anyway. It has a maximum of 35W TDP to utilise.

The final specs to note are for wireless connectivity. You get Wi-Fi 6E on board, with Bluetooth 5.4 for good measure. There's no Ethernet port, so you'll have to add your own via an adapter or dock if you want to wire it up.

Performance

As a heavy Photoshop user and gamer, those were the tasks I set the Geekom X16 Pro primarily – and for its size and weight, I came away impressed.

Although the chipset used is a couple of generations old, it performed great with all the tasks I'd usually perform for my job. Quickly resizing and editing images were simple, while the Wi-Fi 6E modem worked well with my Nest Wifi Pro system to upload them quickly.

There were also no problems operating several windows at once, with no slow down even with Steam, the Xbox app, several Chrome browser pages, and Photoshop all running in the background. And popping them up and down again was speedy.

Gaming performance was perhaps more surprising. The X16 Pro is in no way a gaming laptop, that's just a side hustle. That's a general trait of Geekom products – its Mini PCs are more geared for desktop use when space is at a premium, yet I've managed to eke out some impressive performance from several of them.

The same is true with this laptop. I've managed to get Cyberpunk 2077 running in 1080p and with medium graphics settings (no ray tracing). That's with an average of around 30fps too without frame generation, which is very acceptable. It's up to around 50fps with frame gen on.

Older AAA games, such as Tomb Raider, run even better – 1080p 60fps with only a few settings sacrifices. And Indie hits like Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong play beautifully, making much more use of that 120Hz refresh rate.

Basically, you wouldn't buy the Geekom X16 Pro to solely play games on, but it's a great bonus to find it so capable.

There's just one major caveat – fan noise. When working at its hardest, such as during my 3DMark tests (around 3,700 on Time Spy) and playing the more intensive games, the internal cooling fan was aggressively loud. The benefit is that this is a laptop that can actually stay on the lap, but it's not something you'd want to do out and about.

You'll probably want to wear headphones while gaming anyway, as the stereo speakers are fine for watching YouTube and other online content, but they're not really designed for a rounded audio experience. Sure, they support DTS:X Ultra, but the soundstage is not particularly wide – simply pleasant.

Verdict

Fan and thin speakers aside, the Geekom X16 Pro is a highly impressive all-rounder that puts some better-known, pricier rivals to shame. It is big yet light enough to be both your desktop and portable work PC, while also happy to play a game or two.

The keyboard is comfortable to use and full-sized, with a number pad included on the side, and the super-sized touchpad is responsive and precise.

I've been impressed by Geekom's latest Mini PCs recently, and it seems to have pulled a similar trick with its first laptop. The display is great, performance impressive, and you get a whole lot of tech for your buck – especially with the discounts that are currently available.

This is, for sure, an impressive debut – not least during a global RAM and storage crisis.

Let's just hope the manufacturer brings it to the UK in the near future, too.

Also consider

We recently also tested the Dell XPS 14 (2026) which is a similar Intel-powered all-rounder designed with AI functionality in mind.

While the display on that model is smaller, there is a 16-inch version you might want to consider, although it's likely you'll need to at least double your budget in comparison with the Geekom.

And, of course, you can't discount a MacBook Pro (M5). Again, the 16-inch version will set you back considerably more than the laptop tested here, but its performance is simply head and shoulders above.

It all depends on what you're looking for in a laptop and how much you have to spend.