Feed aggregator

A critical-level flaw in a popular CMS, patched months ago, is now being abused.

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus wants to add some comfort to your most vital office kit.

I've shot hours and hours of footage with my pre-production sample. Here are my thoughts about this new action camera.

Steve Carrell might not be returning, but that's not true for the rest of this Netflix show's cast. But when does The Four Seasons season 2 arrive on Netflix?

Google Pixel 10 prices are down across the board, with the 10A at $449 and higher-end models up to $300 off.

Payday Super will reshape payroll timing, cash flow, and audit risk in Australia. Why finance teams are unprepared for the operational impact.

The post Payday Super: The Cash Flow and Audit Shock Finance Teams Aren’t Ready For appeared first on TechRepublic.

007 First Light is undeniably cinematic, perfectly immersing you in Ian Flemming’s Bond with a high-stakes linear narrative, sleek gadget mechanics and globe-trotting levels.

It was somewhere between sprinting to capture a flag, evading instructors and shooting moving targets in a Maltese training course during my playthrough of 007 First Light that I realized IO Interactive has managed to make a third person shooter game that truly feels like you’re playing a James Bond in a movie.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5 Pro
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: May 27, 2026, (Nintendo Switch 2 TBC)

The sequence plays out like a classic training montage straight out of a Rocky film, quickly switching you from one exercise to the next. One minute you’re learning hand-to-hand combat mechanics like parrying and throwing your opponent into walls, the next you’re driving around a historical fort looking to set a new record for your fastest lap.

That blockbuster energy runs throughout this reboot, which introduces players to a younger version of the spy before he became 007. Meeting Bond as a fresh-faced, 26-year-old Royal Navy air crewman means there’s no Daniel Craig or Pierce Brosnan shadow hanging over him, making this an original take that shows him still learning when to follow orders and when to improvise.

The heart of the matter

While it's been done before, this training montage sequence is the most creatively put together I've ever seen. (Image credit: IO Interactive)

After washing up on an Icelandic shore as the lone survivor of a helicopter crash, Bond quickly finds himself on an M16 mission without any security clearance or training.

Relying solely on quick reflexes and some Montenegrin he picked up during past travels, it doesn’t take long before he’s recruited into M16 and thrown into a conspiracy involving rogue agents, buried secrets and, as is now a permanent plot device of various action movies of the 21st century (think Minority Report crossed with Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning), dangerous experimental technology.

Patrick Gibson’s version of Bond is cocky, impulsive and occasionally "a bit of a b***end", as Moneypenny, voiced by Kiera Lester, puts it at one poin. I can't say I don't agree with her, either, after hearing all those repetitive smart ass quips about how enemies take their tea while you lob cups and saucers at them during tense combat sequences — it's more eye-roll inducing than funny.

Often the immaturity works in the game’s favour, though, as this is Bond before the polished charm and cold professionalism fully set in. After all, Bond is more than just a generic run-and-gun action hero — and this is where IO Interactive’s expertise in stealth action games comes in.

Much of the game revolves around learning new ways to stealthily approach situations, from disguising yourself as valet to infiltrate a world chess championship competition to pickpocketing an invitation to get into an exclusive gala in Kensington.

These more open world sections of the game allow for the most experimentation outside of the cutscenes and platforming that features throughout the game, creating an undeniable rhythm.

Missions often begin back at M16 with a briefing from Moneypenny before sending Bond downstairs to the brilliant Q (who’s voiced by Alastair Mackenzie) to field test some new gadgets. From there, you’re deployed into luxury hotels, hostile compounds, crowded marketplaces and snowy mountains, where you almost always manage to devise a cunning escape worthy of an IMAX screen.

A matter of considerable delicacy

Every Bond needs a villain, or two... or three... (Image credit: IO Interactive)

Let’s get one thing out of the way, the stealth sandbox gameplay isn’t quite as open-ended or realistic as IO Interactive's Hitman series. Instead, it’s more of a stripped back version of the studio's gaming DNA.

The core suite of mechanics are here, though, letting you quietly infiltrate guarded areas in several different ways by either bluffing out of conversations or creating distractions to reach your objective unnoticed.

Just don’t expect the same unforgiving realism, where if you look or do something suspicious you’ll immediately trigger the NPCs to be cautious of you, stopping you from progressing and making you restart the level. 007 First Light is much more forgiving — even letting you take down enemies in the same room without others reacting (more on this later).

That’s not say that you don’t have the same varied gameplay, though. The standout mission for me was in Mauritania, where Bond infiltrates a dusty shipping graveyard settlement built around the wreckage of a giant cargo ship in the Sahara Desert. In order to enter a criminal auction, you first need to raise enough money through underground brawls, shooting contests and other side activities scattered around a dense marketplace.

It’s one of the missions where the game fully embraces player freedom, and it feels closest to IO Interactive’s work with Hitman as you don't have to complete every side mission available to progress to the next section, making the level varied enough for multiple playthroughs on different difficulties.

Best bit

My favorite part of 007 First Light was an unassuming moment during an action sequence where I was battling mercenaries while trying to escape a building. After flanking two hostile henchmen, I swiftly shot a red fuel canister clearing the path ahead of me to escape with a confidence that only a truly lethal secret agent could have.

In true Bond fashion, gadgets also play a big role. From hacking electronics to disabling lights with your Omega watch, there's a variety of spy tools that you can access through a gadget wheel reminiscent of Batman: Arkham. These mechanics are crucial to the stealth sections of the game, allowing you to create distractions and progress through locked down buildings.

Punctuating every stealth mission are enormous set pieces very clearly inspired by Naughty Dog's Uncharted series of adventure games that see you evading a sniper's fire while running across rooftops, jumping onto airplanes and car chases that feel ripped straight from a Bond finale. There's even that signature platforming and few puzzles thrown in for good measure.

Against the odds

Please let me drive the Aston Martin Valhalla more next time, IO Interactive. (Image credit: IO Interactive)

At times, though, the game's cinematic action pieces can break that sense of immersion with bugs pre-emptively triggering a cutscene that suddenly repositions Bond to a place he was otherwise nowhere near a moment ago. During one sequence, the game forced Bond onto a mobile staircase because a cutscene had been triggered, despite me being in the middle of a shootout on the other side of the tarmac.

The stealth areas occasionally interrupted the realism, too. For instance, when I was given a 'license to kill', which is the game's shoot-em-up mode, I would abandon stealth entirely to fight my way through, bashing enemies into nearby walls and tables, only for nearby NPCs to seemingly ignore the chaos unfolding in the room they're closely guarding.

While I can fully appreciate the certain restrictions IO Interactive has made to make you play the game in a certain way, I can't help but feel slightly cheated by the driving mechanic. It felt tacked on because of the spy franchise's iconic vehicles and not nearly as dynamic as it could've been — this might very well all be stemming from my frustrations around not being able to drive the Aston Martin Valhalla more than two-feet though, so take it with a pinch of salt as I had been excited to get behind the wheel ever since catching a glimpse of it in M16 headquarters.

Thankfully, these frustrations rarely outweigh the sheer expansiveness of what IO Interactive has created here. 007First Light brings to life what makes Bond so thrilling beyond the explosions, weaving together a multi-layered espionage plot, sophisticated spy toys and stunning locations that you don't want to leave.

While it's stealth gameplay isn't quite as polished as Hitman and its cinematic pacing occasionally cuts through the spell, it's easy to see past. IO Interactive has delivered the most immersive Bond game in years.

Should I play 007 First Light?

I can still hear Sampha's '(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano' since finishing 007 First Light. (Image credit: IO Interactive)Play it if...

You love big campaigns
Expect cinematic action sequences similar to Uncharted threading together a linear narrative that's as multilayered as a Bond movie. View Deal

You want to feel like Bond
Forget drinking martinis, 007 First Light lets you experience nearly every facet of what being Bond entails with a hyper-competence you can dream of. View Deal

You love 007's spycraft
Similar to Batman: Arkham's gadget mechanics, 007 First Light brings to life a variety of classic 007 spy tools from the movies.

Don't play it if...

You're expecting the exact same gameplay as Hitman
IO Interactive has stripped back some of the stealth sandbox mastery from Hitman to create a more streamlined tactical experience.

You can't stand a lot of cutscenes
007 First Light blurs the line of playing a game and watching a movie, with lengthy set pieces that you won't want to skip.

Accessibility

Well, this is a bit different — a baby Bond that doesn't have a signature drink. (Image credit: IO Interactive )

007 First Light has most of the usual controls and accessibility features you'd find on a AAA game, including subtitles, adjustable difficulty settings, which you can change anytime throughout, tutorials, as well as motion and sensitivity controls.

Because the game is so linear, you don't have a map to help guide you through the more sandbox-style levels but that doesn't matter too much as it allows for experimentation to occur.

How I reviewed 007 First Light

Alright then, let's see if there's another way I can raise $100,000. (Image credit: IO Interactive)

I played 007 First Light for just under 20 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro hooked up to a Sky Glass TV and Sonos sound system made up of two speakers, a soundbar and subwoofer.

I completed the story during that time, and even replayed a couple of sections to test out the variations that could occur depending on the way I played the game. However, I did not unlock everything, so I'm sure there's plenty more worth exploring.

This compact premium mini PC has been built with AI and creative workloads in mind.

GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: 30-second review

The Geekom A9 Max is one of a growing number of premium AI-enhanced mini PCs, perfectly at home as a powerful office machine for content creation or development, especially for low to mid-level AI applications. Inside is a powerful Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, and this is coupled with a more standard 890M integrated GPU and NPU to handle all graphics and AI processing.

Removing the small machine from the box, the quality is instantly apparent, with a mainly metal case aside from the black plastic back panel. It’s also good to see a decent amount of venting to keep it cool, even under substantial load.

What I instantly liked about the box was that while it arrives with just 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, it’s perfectly possible to upgrade the machine to 128GB RAM and 8TB storage, and you can even give it a graphics boost by attaching an eGPU. Essentially, this brings the machine close to rivalling many desktops, but at a much smaller size; although the size of the eGPU does have to be taken into account.

The machine also features plenty of connection options, including USB4, for that eGPU or ultra-fast storage, there’s also HDMI 2.1, decent dual 2.5GbE, and Wi-Fi 7. As a photographer and videographer, it's nice to see an SD 4.0 card reader on the side. I'm increasingly using CFexpress Type B and Type A, but since those cards are still quite rare in the mainstream, an SD card reader is still the best option here.

In day-to-day tasks running Windows 11 Pro, this machine is extremely quick, with the full Microsoft Office suite opening and running without issue with the standard configuration. As I moved on, I started using CapCut and installed the Adobe Creative Suite just to see if it could run Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and a few other advanced applications. Again, it handled 4K video edits without issue with footage from the Canon EOS R5C and quickly enhanced a batch of images shot on the Sony A7 IV in Lightroom. This small machine handled the load with ease.

Through the test I was impressed with the potential power and put this to the test with a video edit. That edit for a 4K production grew in length, and while the machine was able to handle the processing, I could hear the machine being pushed to its limits, and an extra 32GB of RAM would have just helped it over the line for video editing. Still, this performance was impressive. While I did start to see a slowdown in the timeline render times, ultimately, for such a small machine and at this price, this performance is impressive.

One of the big features of this machine is the AI potential. Sure enough, Copilot runs exceptionally well, integrated with Microsoft and Adobe applications, but with a machine like this and with that Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, which offers up to 86 TOPS of AI performance, with an extra 55 TOPS in the NPU, I was really interested to see how well it would run a local LLM.

Considering the size and the position, I was able to install Qwen 7B, which seemed to run relatively well, I did consider 14B but hit some issues on getting that running. You can tell that Qwen is running on a local machine, and with 32GB of RAM and that limited power from the GPU, there is a slight slowdown.

But it's still impressive, with the chatbot features working well and enabling you to integrate relatively basic tasks, although, at present, that limitation is more down to my knowledge of programming with a local LLM rather than probable potential of what's available here.

I couldn't help feeling that a little more RAM and possibly connecting to an eGPU would have just sped things up a bit, but having this run completely offline does start to show the potential.

Finishing off the test, I wanted just to see how well it would run some of the larger games, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy, and in both cases, the Radeon 890M GPU proved why it's such a popular choice, offering smooth gameplay at HD resolution with mid effects and graphics quality. Again, with the potential to connect an eGPU and boost the RAM, if you do want to use this as a gaming machine, the potential is absolutely here.

While powerful mini PCs have been around for a while, the GEEKOM A9 Max 2026 Edition really shows just how far they've come. This machine really does rival a desktop, and whilst it does get warm under load, it manages to see it through without any notable thermal throttling.

If you are editing video or using any other application or process that really puts a load on the CPU and GPU, those fans are going to kick in. If you like a quiet working environment, this might not be the machine for you.

However, there's no doubting its power and potential, and with a little bit more RAM and connected to an eGPU, this small machine is definitely able to rival many machines far larger, although with those additions, the price is pretty much on a par, and the benefit all comes down to the space you save from the small-form-factor machine. With that in mind, it's likely to feature in our guide to the best mini PCs.

GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? £1599 / $1799
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Directly from GEEKOM

The Geekom A9 Max 2026 Edition is widely available, with the base HX370 configuration starting at $1399 from Geekom's US site and £1299 from Geekom UK.

The mini PC is also available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

TechRadar Pro readers can save an extra 8% via Geekom or Amazon when using the code TRA9MAX26.

Note: In the US, to get the discount on the HX470 model, use code TRA9AMZUS.

• Value: 4/5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Specs

CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470
Graphics: AMD Radeon 890M
RAM: 32GB DDR5, expandable up to 128GB.
Storage: 2TB SSD; supports 1 × M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe and 1 × M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 NVMe, up to 8TB total.
Front Ports: Power button, 3.5mm headset jack, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, including one always-on port.
Rear Ports: DC input, 2 × HDMI 2.1, 2 × USB4 Type-C, 2 × 2.5GbE RJ45, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 2.0 Type-A, Kensington lock.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual 2.5GbE LAN.
Audio: HDA codec, 3.5mm front headset jack.
Camera: None.
Size: 135 × 132 × 46.9mm.
OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro

GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Design

The Geekom A9 Max 2026 Edition is right at the top of the mini PC market, with a premium build and price tag to match. The top and sides are made with a full reinforced metal chassis, which has been made to stand up to 200kg of pressure, essentially meaning that in the studio or office, it will just look like a premium PC, but if, for some reason, you use it in the field, it should be robust enough to withstand a good knock or two.

When it comes to size it measures 135 × 132 × 46.9mm. While the build is premium and the machine is on the larger side of the mini PC form factor, it still features the usual VESA mount options at the back, making it easy to mount behind your monitor.

Around the body of the machine there’s a good amount of ports and with the premium focus, high-speed networking is a priority, featuring dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth version 5.4.

Alongside all the usual ports, which I come to in a minute, there are two additional slots. The first is an SD card reader, which will appeal to many creators but is increasingly appealing to office workers who also need to shoot video and take images in their day-to-day tasks. There's also a Kensington lock slot if you do need to make sure the mini PC is secure.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

When it comes to port layout, there's a good number of ports, though it is a bit of a shame there's no USB-C on the front. Instead, you have three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A that is marked as always on. There's also a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and the power button. Switching round the back, you've obviously got the DC power in.

This is an 18V standard plug and HDMI 2.1, a USB Type-C that supports DP Alt Mode and PD-in, which is handy if you're using this out in the field. Then there are 2 × 2.5 GbE RJ45 LAN ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, a USB Type-C DP Alt Mode port, and another HDMI 2.1 port, so a really good selection of ports. It's great to see you've got two USB4 ports at the back, enabling both ultra-fast storage and an eGPU if you need to boost graphics performance.

With those two HDMI and two USB4 ports, if you do want to run a 4x4K display setup or a single 8K monitor, this is perfectly possible with that port selection.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Features

Inside are the mechanics of the machine, with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, 12 cores, 24 threads, up to 5.2GHz boost, and up to 86 TOPS overall AI performance at the heart, along with an integrated Radeon 890M GPU with 16 graphics cores and RDNA 3.5 architecture, and an NPU. This is supported by 32GB DDR5 RAM, upgradable to 128GB, and 8TB NVMe SSD modules.

Like most mini PCs, it comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Pro. When the machine arrives, all you need to do is run the final installation steps to register accounts and customise a few settings to your needs.

A first look at the specifications shows is a quite meagre allocation of RAM and storage: just 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 2TB of M.2 NVMe SSD storage, both of which can be upgraded, but in a machine of this price I would have hoped for a little more.

The RAM, can be upgraded to 128GB with two 64GB modules, providing dual-channel memory and making it ideal for AI models and other applications that require ample RAM. Then, for storage, you have one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 ×4 NVMe SSD slot and an additional M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 NVMe, each supporting up to 4TB, so you can boost the internal capacity to a relatively decent 8TB.

It is worth noting that while this machine comes pre-loaded with Windows 11 Pro, you can install Linux or another operating system of your choice; it is perfectly compatible. If you just want to run it as an AI box on Windows 11 Pro, it makes a perfect platform for development.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4.5 / 5 (Will change once features are available)

GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Performance

When it comes to day-to-day use, I really felt this machine is at the top of the premium mini PC market, and being powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 ensures that, when running Windows 11 Pro, everything runs well.

As I started out with Microsoft Office, firstly to write this review but also for a few other tasks, both in Excel and PowerPoint, the machine ran beautifully, smoothly switching between apps as I needed, and handling images with ease with no slowdown or issue. Essentially, this machine is more than powerful enough for any office application and for some pretty heavy-duty lifting in each of the individual apps, which, to be honest, these days is expected.

Whilst checking through the benchmark test results, I was a little bit surprised to see that it only scored a Windows Experience score of 8.1, but what was more reflective was the PCMark score of 8090, showing that, for day-to-day tasks, this machine is absolutely ideally suited.

As I started increasing the pressure on the system, I switched to Lightroom Classic and CapCut, both relatively lightweight applications. Starting with Lightroom Classic and creating a large catalogue containing over 800 images shot on the Sony A7 IV, both JPEG and raw, the machine had absolutely no issue handling the task, and whilst the internal hard drive is only 2TB, the CrystalDiskMark read and write scores of 6190MB per second for read and 5524MB per second for write were more than adequate to quickly render thumbnails and enable speedy adjustments.

Later on, through the test, as I was transferring video files from the Canon EOS R5C, that speed of transfer was really apparent, although that 2TB internal SSD was a bit of an issue, so I installed another 1TB drive just to boost that internal storage for the video editing test.

Aside from the internal SSD being exceptionally quick, what was noticeable was just how fast applications loaded; both Photoshop and Premiere Pro were relatively quick, taking under 10 seconds from double-clicking the application icon to being ready to start work. Likewise, when importing files into Premiere Pro, the media thumbnails rendered nicely and quickly as the timeline progressed or was scrubbed through.

For the most part, the video editing was handled well, and in Premiere Pro, I was able to cut several hours of footage into a five-minute video. However, since the total video file size exceeded 2TB of internal storage, I attached an external SSD via the USB4 port to handle the additional capacity. Here, the USB4 speed was absolutely spot-on for video production, enabling me to work with files on external drives as if they were on the fast internal drive.

During editing, it was apparent there's only 32GB of RAM in the system, and I would definitely think of upgrading to at least 64GB, if not the full 128GB, if I were going to use this for video editing. However, for images processed in Photoshop and Lightroom, that 32GB is actually perfectly adequate, and I'd only really upgrade to 64GB just to give myself a little extra headroom.

If you're just using Lightroom Classic and CapCut, for instance, then that 32GB and 2TB SSD will more than likely suffice. If you're pushing things a little further and using something like a Sony A7 or another high-end mirrorless camera, I’d definitely look at either an external storage solution or upgrading the internal capacity and RAM. However, it's reassuring to know that the CPU and GPU can handle most people's creative needs.

But what's good to know is that because it has USB4, if you do need to push the graphics potential further and you're working on longer productions, say over 15 minutes, then you can attach an external eGPU through that USB4 port, which will give you far more potential.

One of the key features here is the built-in NPU and AI potential of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, which is supported by the lesser 890M GPU. In both Photoshop and Premiere Pro, utilising the AI features such as timeline expands and generative fill, and utilising local resources rather than cloud, the machine was actually able to cope with that AI processing exceptionally well, taking a few seconds to expand timelines and about 10 seconds to generatively fill when cropped on a rotation.

Of course, a popular choice for the built-in AI hardware is so that you can run a local LLM. If you're just looking to start experimentation with localised models such as Qwen 2.5 7B, which I found was a good fit for this 32GB version, then this is a great place to start. You can essentially set up your own localised chatbot that doesn't need to rely on a cloud connection to work, but more interestingly, you can start to use it to develop your own AI applications.

At a base level, you can get the LLM to help you create a website, write code for you, and I was interested to see if it could create a static HTML site. It could be updated by connecting to GitHub and Cloud Pages. What's interesting here is that there was some tweaking, even though I hadn't fully automated the process. The LLM, which was running locally, was able to use a local web server to develop and run the application, and as I worked on the project, I realised it was more my own personal knowledge of the system rather than the abilities of the machine that was the limitation of what I was developing.

However, the upshot is that the AI potential runs locally; it takes a bit of fiddling to set up, as ever. Once running, it gives you a real good insight into this machine’s potential. Once again, as with creative applications, I would definitely upgrade the RAM to handle that AI process and probably attach a GPU just to give it a boost. At present, whilst that 890M GPU is a good standard, it is starting to look a little dated, given the full potential of how we're using our machines.

Checking out the scores in 3DMark and Geekbench, it was interesting to see the GPU score in Geekbench. The GPU came out at 34,145, not a bad result for an integrated GPU and more than enough for playing many games at HD resolution.

Sure enough, when loading Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I was able to enjoy some pretty smooth gameplay. In some of the games I played, both Indiana Jones and Cyberpunk 2077, the official GPU specifications are actually higher than what is on offer here. However, the gameplay is still exceptionally well handled thanks to that CPU's power.

Benchmark results

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6190.03
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5524.9
Geekbench CPU Multi: 12069
Geekbench CPU Single: 2922
Geekbench GPU: 34145
PCMark Overall: 8090
Cinebench CPU Multi: 4668
Cinebench CPU Single: 495
Fire Strike Overall: 5141
Fire Strike Graphics: 5544
Fire Strike Physics: 30903
Fire Strike Combined: 1839
Time Spy Overall: 2424
Time Spy Graphics: 2149
Time Spy CPU: 8906
Wild Life Overall: 12516
Steel Nomad Overall: 2165
Windows Experience Overall: 8.1

Getting back to work, this time loading DaVinci Resolve to do some colour grading, it was interesting to see how well the machine handled quite intensive grading on video footage before exporting. You can once again see a bit of lag due to the 32GB of RAM, but ultimately, it's impressive for a machine of this size, and if a GPU were connected, this would definitely rival far larger workstation PCs.

Again, when running Blender, I had to create some 3D models for an upcoming 3D print to test the machine. It was more than capable of handling quite sophisticated modelling requirements, and I was impressed with just how easy it was to work within the application compared with what I'm used to on my MacBook Pro M1 Max, which has for years been my chosen option for utilising Blender. Again, there's no doubt that a bit of an eGPU boost would have been appreciated, but this machine is more than useful right out of the box.

At the end of the test, it's obvious why this is a premium mini PC and not just because of the cost. The design is exceptionally well thought out, simple and functional, rather than going for some sleek, stylish design. What impressed me was that, even under load, when the fans kick in, the noise stays at a reasonable level and the machine stays cool. There's no thermal throttling, or at least no notable thermal throttling through the test, especially when using the video editors, which is usually where you can start to see a real slowdown in the timeline as it builds in length.

Whilst I'm relatively new to using these small machines for LLM models, I am slowly getting to grips with running similar systems on network-attached storage. It's great to see the speed boost I'm getting from these mini PCs. At present, the processing speed of that LLM model is far faster on this A9 Max 2026 Edition than I've seen on most other options.

So, overall, from productivity to creativity to running your own localised LLM, at present, the Geekom A9 Max seems like an exceptionally good option.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)GEEKOM A9 Max 2026: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

By the end of this test, there's no doubt that the price reflects the specifications and performance of this mini PC, and it's a great choice if you're a heavy-process Windows user and you just want a small box that sits on your desk behind your monitor rather than a full-blown desktop workstation.

It’s worth pointing out that if you want to see this machine's full potential, connect it to an eGPU, boost the RAM and internal storage, but still, the 32GB, 2TB version that I'm looking at in this review is exceptionally powerful and, for creative use, was able to plough through video editing and image enhancement without issue.

What impressed me most was the localised potential of AI. Being able to download and install a local language model and use it both for chat and for a few more advanced creative options was good to see, as it showed just how well these local language models work and how stable they can be in your own offline environment.

Running a local LLM isn't quite as straightforward as most of the applications, and the download and install process does take a little bit of working out, especially when you want to start connecting it to external resources. But this machine and its processing speed do make that a little easier, and the potential, if you are looking for a local AI development machine, is exceptionally good.

Of course, the reason you go for a mini PC over a full desktop is that it saves a lot of space and is often a lot cheaper. However, here, whilst the size of the mini PC is compact, once you connect an eGPU and external SSD, and upgrade the RAM and internal storage, the pricing really does sit directly alongside a standard workstation, so it's really only if you are strapped for space that you probably want to go for the fully specced-out option.

But then it’s ultra-portable, so if you're working in the field for video or image production and you need a really powerful machine to take with you, not just a laptop, then this is a superb solution, and plenty of connectivity options on both the front and back make it extremely flexible. I do wish, however, that it had at least one USB-C port on the front, not just tucked away at the back.

The network connection was also pretty good at 2.5 GbE, and with your options, it's easy to connect directly to a NAS box as well as the network, which gives you plenty of user options.

If you're looking for workstation performance in a compact box, then the GEEKOM A9 Max 2026 Edition is a superb option. It's small, fast and has loads of potential, not just for Windows productivity but also for creative and local LLM use.

Whilst there's no doubting the performance of this machine, the price does make me think you are paying a premium for its small size, and for most people who have enough space for a workstation, that's probably going to be a cheaper option. However, if you're strapped for space in your office or workshop, or you need a machine that's fully portable and extremely powerful, then this is a great solution.

If you really want to push this model to the max, max out the capacity and RAM, and attach a decent eGPU, there's no doubt the GEEKOM A9 Max 2026 Edition will match most mid-level workstations without issue.

Should I buy the GEEKOM A9 Max 2026?

Value

Premium build with a good selection of ports, but it is exceptionally expensive for a mini PC

4/5

Design

I love the understated design. It fits easily on your desktop, and with the VESA mount, can be discreetly positioned

4.5/5

Features

A huge range of features for a mini PC and, best of all, plenty of upgrade potential 

4.5/5

Performance

Incredibly fast and perfect for most user workloads, especially if you're looking for AI development or creative use

4.5/5

Overall

Powerful mini PC that rivals the performance of many workstations, but does come with a price premium

4.5/5

Buy it if...

Need compact power

If you need the power of a workstation in a compact, potentially portable form, this is an ideal option.

Use many displays

If you need a mini PC connected to multiple displays, the dual HDMI and USB4 ports let you connect up to 4 4K displays directly from the back of this small machine.

Don't buy it if...

Need a gaming GPU

While you can play games at those lower resolutions and enjoy perfectly smooth performance, if you want the full immersive gaming experience, you'll also need to consider an eGPU, as the Radeon 890M is good but does have its limits.

Only browse casually

For many users, the power and speed of this machine will probably be overkill, and whilst it is nice to know that you've got all that power in the background, there are plenty of cheaper options out there.

For more productivity machines, we've tested the best business computers.

Adorama's massive Memorial Day sale is drawing to a close this Sunday - don't miss your chance to get a deal on Sony, Canon, Nikon, and many other leading brands.

According to two former Arkane Studios developers, the studio almost made a Blade Runner game and Thief 4 before it made Dishonored.

The Ferrari Luce is here, and has attracted a wave of criticism online — though Ferrari may not mind too much.

Crooks are using AI to create entire fake personas and bypass KYC, experts warn.

Read all about the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers available today in this one-stop buying guide.

Microsoft is seemingly undecided on what to do with Copilot and AI on Windows 11, as the AI assistant has just been reverted to its original design.

The U.S. military has launched new attacks on Iran while talks to end the conflict are ongoing. And, the Department of Justice is using a new tactic in immigration courts to accelerate deportations.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

Apple is introducing useful accessibility features in tvOS 27, but some streaming apps don't use Apple's app tech

Your Motorola phone might be hijacking the Amazon app to add affiliate codes, but the weird circumstances surrounding this situation suggest it might not have been intended.

Dodge installation fees and take security into your own hands with these super smart security kits.