The rise of artificial intelligence and demanding creative workloads has spurred innovations in compact, high-performance computing. Among the latest standout devices, the Beelink GTR9 Pro emerges as a formidable contender featuring what is currently considered the most powerful x86 APU chip on earth—the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. This mini PC blends impressive raw power, advanced AI capabilities, and a sleek design reminiscent of the Mac Studio, while offering unique benefits that target AI developers, content creators, and enthusiasts.
The Heart of the Beast: Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU
At the core of the Beelink GTR9 is the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU. Built on TSMC’s advanced 4nm process, this chip integrates 16 Zen 5 CPU cores with 32 threads and turbo boost speeds up to 5.1 GHz, accompanied by 64 MB of L3 cache to sustain high-throughput computing. The integrated AMD Radeon 8060S GPU with 40 compute units harnesses RDNA 3.5 architecture and delivers performance on par with Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Mobile, facilitating smooth AAA gaming and demanding creative workflows.
This APU’s highlight is its next-generation XDNA2 Neural Processing Unit (NPU), delivering an AI processing power of 50 TOPS (tera operations per second), with total system AI throughput reaching around 126 TOPS. Such capability surpasses even the NVIDIA RTX 4090 in AI efficiency for specific workloads, solidifying the GTR9’s position as an AI powerhouse.
Exceptional Memory and Connectivity
One of the GTR9’s standout features is its massive 128GB of LPDDR5X RAM operating at an impressive 8000 MT/s speed. This sizable and fast memory pool is shared between the CPU and GPU, optimizing resource allocation for AI applications, large language models (LLMs), and heavy multitasking with low latency.
Connectivity is equally robust with dual Intel E610-XT2 10 GbE LAN ports for lightning-fast wired network performance and WiFi 7 for superior wireless speeds and stability. The device also provides USB-A, DisplayPort, HDMI, and SD card reader interfaces, giving users versatile options unmatched by many competitors. Notably, it comes with an internal power supply (eliminating bulky power bricks) and a fingerprint reader for enhanced security and convenience.
Design, Cooling, and Usability
The Beelink GTR9 sports a metal chassis reminiscent of the Mac Studio’s design aesthetic, offering both style and durability. Its cooling architecture features dual silent fans, a vapor chamber cooling plate, and wide heatsink fins that effectively maintain thermal stability and prevent throttling even during prolonged intensive workloads.
The internal components and firmware tuning prioritize maximum performance, though this comes with some noise trade-offs, as the machine is noted to be louder than some competitors when pushed hard. However, the cooling ensures consistent high performance, making it a favored choice for AI developers needing robust local processing.
AI Workloads and Performance Benchmarks
Performance tests demonstrate the GTR9’s capabilities running various LLM inference and AI model deployments. It supports local AI model utilization efficiently, with real-world benchmarks around 70 tokens per second on medium-sized AI prompts when allocated 96GB of GPU memory. This performance outstrips similar machines featuring the same chip, including the Framework desktop and GMK Tech Evo X2 models, making it the fastest available solution for local AI tasks in a small form factor.
The system operates smoothly on both Windows 11 and Fedora Linux, with a slight edge in performance observed on the Linux setup. While some firmware and software refinements are pending, the overall operational experience is excellent, supporting workloads up to large 70 billion parameter models.
Conclusion
The Beelink GTR9 Pro represents a new standard in compact AI desktops by combining an extraordinarily powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, generous memory, premium connectivity, and thoughtful design. While somewhat loud under high loads, its unmatched AI throughput and versatile feature set make it ideally suited for professionals seeking cutting-edge AI processing and creative workstations without the bulk of traditional desktop towers.
For those exploring local AI inference, content creation, or demanding computational tasks, the GTR9 offers a compelling blend of performance, value, and form factor. As firmware and software optimizations evolve, it will likely become an even more refined powerhouse in the AI workstation market.
