Between $500 and $1,000 you choose between two kinds of gaming mini PC. One has the strongest integrated GPU, the Radeon 890M, for playing without extra parts. The other has a Radeon 780M plus an OCuLink port, so you can add a desktop graphics card later and turn it into a real 1440p gaming PC. This list has both, and tells you which is which.
Every price below was checked on the Amazon product page on October 7, 2026, the last day of Prime Big Deal Days. Some are Prime-only prices. The links show the live price.
What to expect: the Radeon 890M holds 1080p at medium settings in most games and clears 100 fps in esports titles; the 780M runs AAA games at about 35 to 50 fps at 1080p medium-low (MiniPCLab).
Find your pick: ⚡ Strongest graphics with nothing to add → #1, #2 · 🎮 Best to add a desktop GPU later → #3, #4, #5 · 💸 Best value → #6, #10 · 🏢 Brands with the longest track record → #8, #9
Quick comparison
| # | Mini PC | CPU | Graphics | RAM / SSD | Price (Oct 7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PELADN HO5 | Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Radeon 890M | 24GB LPDDR5X / 1TB | $899.99 |
| 2 | AOOSTAR MACO 470 | Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 | Radeon 890M + OCuLink | 32GB LPDDR5 / no SSD | $949.00 |
| 3 | GMKtec K12 | Ryzen 7 H 255 | Radeon 780M + OCuLink | 32GB DDR5 / 512GB | $879.99 |
| 4 | Reatan X7 | Ryzen 7 255 | Radeon 780M + OCuLink | 48GB DDR5 / 1TB | $799.99 |
| 5 | GMKtec K11 | Ryzen 9 8945HS | Radeon 780M + OCuLink | 32GB DDR5 / 512GB | $939.99 |
| 6 | GMKtec K8 Plus | Ryzen 7 8845HS | Radeon 780M + OCuLink | 16GB DDR5 / 1TB | $679.99 |
| 7 | AOOSTAR MACO (H 255) | Ryzen 7 H 255 | Radeon 780M + OCuLink | 24GB LPDDR5 / 1TB | $679.00 |
| 8 | Beelink SER9 Pro | Ryzen 7 H 255 | Radeon 780M + USB4 | 24GB LPDDR5X / 1TB | $689.00 |
| 9 | GEEKOM A8 | Ryzen 7 8745HS | Radeon 780M + USB4 | 16GB DDR5 / 1TB | $699.00 |
| 10 | KAMRUI AM21 | Ryzen 7 8745HS | Radeon 780M | 16GB DDR5 / 1TB | $577.99 |
1. PELADN HO5: the strongest integrated graphics under $1,000
Why it’s good: The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12 cores) with the Radeon 890M, the fastest integrated GPU you can buy in a complete mini PC under $1,000. It comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for $899.99, and has a second M.2 slot for more storage.
👤 Ideal for: the gamer who wants the best 1080p performance in a box with nothing to add, no dock and no graphics card.
Keep in mind: PELADN is a small brand and the listing has only 5 reviews. The 24GB is soldered LPDDR5X, so it cannot be upgraded.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
2. AOOSTAR MACO 470: Radeon 890M and OCuLink in one box
Why it’s good: The newer Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 with the Radeon 890M, 32GB of LPDDR5-8000, OCuLink, two USB4 ports and three M.2 slots for $949.00. It is the only machine here with both the top integrated GPU and a path to a desktop graphics card.
👤 Ideal for: the enthusiast who wants to play well today and connect an RTX card through OCuLink later.
Keep in mind: it ships without an SSD, so add one and the total goes over $1,000. The listing has a single review so far.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
3. GMKtec K12: the proven OCuLink machine
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 H 255 / Radeon 780M with 32GB of DDR5, a 512GB SSD, OCuLink and three M.2 slots for $879.99. It has 1,017 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, the strongest track record of any OCuLink box on this list.
👤 Ideal for: building a compact 1440p gaming PC in two steps: the mini PC now, an eGPU dock and graphics card later.
Keep in mind: 512GB is small for a gaming PC; the spare M.2 slots make adding storage easy.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
4. Reatan X7: 48GB of RAM and OCuLink, $200 off
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 255 / Radeon 780M with 48GB of Crucial DDR5, a 1TB SSD and OCuLink for $799.99, down from $1,000.99 for Prime Big Deal Days. More RAM lets the integrated GPU borrow more memory and leaves room for streaming and mods.
👤 Ideal for: the gamer who also runs local AI models or heavy creative apps.
Keep in mind: Reatan is a small brand we have not reviewed yet.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
5. GMKtec K11: the fastest CPU with OCuLink
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 9 8945HS (up to 5.2 GHz) with the Radeon 780M, 32GB of DDR5 that goes up to 128GB, a 512GB SSD and OCuLink for $939.99 (list $1,199). Read our full GMKtec K11 review.
👤 Ideal for: CPU-heavy games (strategy, simulators) and anyone who will pair it with a powerful eGPU.
Keep in mind: in games, the 780M performs the same as in #3 and #4; you pay for the CPU.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
6. GMKtec K8 Plus: OCuLink and 1TB for $680
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 8845HS / Radeon 780M with 16GB of DDR5, a 1TB SSD and OCuLink for $679.99, down from $899.99. See our GMKtec K8 Plus review.
👤 Ideal for: the best-value route to an OCuLink gaming setup.
Keep in mind: 16GB is the minimum we would game on; the DDR5 slots let you upgrade later. Amazon showed only 15 left on October 7.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
7. AOOSTAR MACO (Ryzen 7 H 255): OCuLink plus two USB4 ports
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 H 255 / Radeon 780M with 24GB of LPDDR5, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, OCuLink, two USB4 40Gbps ports, three M.2 slots and dual 2.5GbE for $679.00.
👤 Ideal for: the tinkerer who wants every port: an eGPU on OCuLink and fast external SSDs on USB4 at the same time.
Keep in mind: the 24GB of LPDDR5 is soldered, and the listing has 20 reviews.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
8. Beelink SER9 Pro: the polished all-rounder
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 H 255 / Radeon 780M with 24GB of LPDDR5X 6400, a 1TB SSD, USB4, and a built-in microphone and speaker, for $689.00. Beelink is one of the most established brands in mini PCs.
👤 Ideal for: a quiet desk PC that games after work, from a brand with a long support history.
Keep in mind: no OCuLink; an eGPU would go through USB4, which loses more performance.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
9. GEEKOM A8: the premium build
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 8745HS / Radeon 780M with 16GB of upgradeable DDR5, a 1TB SSD and USB4 for $699.00. GEEKOM is one of the mini PC brands we trust most for build quality and support.
👤 Ideal for: the buyer who values build quality and support over the last frame per second.
Keep in mind: you pay about $120 more than #10 for the same CPU and GPU.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
10. KAMRUI AM21: the cheapest 780M machine with 1TB in this range
Why it’s good: A Ryzen 7 8745HS / Radeon 780M with 16GB of DDR5 and a 1TB SSD for $577.99, a Prime Big Deal Days price (list $679.99). It has 2,382 reviews averaging 4.4 stars.
👤 Ideal for: the gamer who wants 780M performance and a big SSD without paying for OCuLink.
Keep in mind: no OCuLink. If you are sure you will never add a graphics card, this is the smartest buy here.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
How we chose
We searched Amazon on October 7, 2026 for gaming mini PCs between $500 and $1,000 and opened every product page to confirm price, stock and specs. We ranked by graphics first (890M above 780M), then expansion (OCuLink above USB4), then RAM and storage per dollar. We excluded Minisforum products (why) and anything over $1,000 on the product page.
Shopping on a tighter budget? See the 10 best gaming mini PCs under $500. Planning an eGPU? Read our guide to eGPU adapters for mini PCs. Related: the 10 best gaming mini PCs under $2,000 and the 10 best mini PCs under $1,000.
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