My Honest Review: GMKTEC G10 Mini PC vs Beelink S12/S13 and Blackview N100/N150 — The Mini PC That Really Surprised Me

I’ve tested and sold plenty of mini PCs over the years at BuySave.co.za — from humble Intel Celerons to powerful AMD Ryzen boxes. Every so often one really stands out. The GMKTEC G10 did exactly that.

When I set it up on my desk, I expected decent mid-range performance. What I didn’t expect was just how smooth and versatile it felt day to day. After two weeks of real-world use — and even a few late-night gaming sessions — I can say with confidence that this little box more than holds its own against the Beelink Mini S12/S13 and Blackview N100/N150 Intel versions. Keep in mind my own Mini PC that I use is the Beelink SER5 Max AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with 32GB Ram and plenty of storage space added.

GMKTec G10 Black Friday Special

GMKtec G10 Design & Build Quality

The G10 feels solid and understated. The matte chassis looks premium and stays cool even under stress. The ventilation system works brilliantly; after hours of multitasking and streaming, surface temperatures remain comfortable.

Beelink’s newer models like the S13 have improved design, but the G10’s finish still feels cleaner, with better-placed ports and slightly quieter cooling. The Blackview MP60 N150, while stylish, runs warmer under load.

Performance: Ryzen 5 3500U vs Intel N-Series

The secret weapon inside the GMKtec G10 is AMD’s Ryzen 5 3500U processor (4 cores, 8 threads). Compared with Intel’s N100 or N150 chips in the Beelink and Blackview ranges, the difference is night and day.

Open ten browser tabs, stream YouTube in 1080p, and keep Excel running — the Intel boxes begin to hesitate. The G10 stays smooth and silent.

Benchmarks confirm what daily use shows: the 3500U offers almost double the multi-core performance of Intel’s N150. It’s strong enough for light video editing, music production, and definitely for emulation or gaming — which we’ll get to shortly.

GMKtec G10 Memory & Storage

Out of the box you get 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD or you can choose the 1TB version. That’s already double the memory found in most Beelink S12 or Blackview N100 models, which still ship with 8 or 16GB and cant be upgraded further. In the G10, Both RAM and storage are upgradeable, and there’s a secondary M.2 slot for expansion.

Windows 11 Pro runs buttery smooth with this configuration — no paging, no lag. For small-office or home-use scenarios, that’s a big win.

GMKtec G10 Everyday Use

Office tasks, remote work, streaming — the G10 handles it all. It boots quickly, runs Zoom and Teams perfectly, and supports dual displays via HDMI and DisplayPort.

As a home media PC, it shines. This is much better than any Android box out there, of course except the Nvidia Shiled Pro, but thats only for multimedia and streaming.

I tested 4K Netflix and YouTube playback — smooth as silk. The Beelink S13 drops frames at 4K 60 fps, but the G10 just works due to its Radeon Graphics. Sound via the 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth is crisp and stable.

GMKtec G10 Gaming & Retro Emulation

Here’s where the fun really starts. While none of these mini PCs are “gaming rigs,” the G10 opens a door that the Beelink and Blackview models simply can’t.

Powered by AMD’s Radeon Vega 8 GPU, the G10 can comfortably handle popular titles such as Rocket League, Fortnite, and GTA V on low-to-medium settings, typically reaching 50-60 fps. But what impressed me most was its emulation performance.

I loaded up RetroArch and PCSX2 for some nostalgia — PlayStation 2 classics like Gran Turismo 4 and Tekken 5 ran flawlessly. Moving to Nintendo 64, Mario Kart 64 and GoldenEye 007 were butter-smooth at 1080p.

Curious, I pushed further. With RPCS3, the PlayStation 3 emulator, I tested lighter titles such as Persona 5 and Ni no Kuni — both playable with minor tweaks. And yes, I even fired up Yuzu for some Nintendo Switch emulation; Super Mario Odyssey ran surprisingly well at 720p with reduced effects.

For anyone who grew up with retro consoles or wants a compact all-in-one emulation machine for some old gaming (I beleive there is still nothing like older games, todays games are just too complicated and time consuming), the G10 is a gem. Its Vega graphics simply outperform Intel’s UHD integrated GPUs found in the Beelink S12/S13 and Blackview N150.

Add a wireless controller and it becomes a silent little gaming box that can live behind your TV — perfect for weekends or family gaming nights.

Noise & Temperature

Even when gaming, the G10 remains whisper-quiet. The fan sound is a gentle hum, never intrusive. Average temps stay around 65 °C during standard use and peak around 80 °C under sustained load — still safe and stable. By comparison, the Beelink S13 runs hotter and throttles sooner.

Value for Money

Considering its specs and performance, the GMKTEC G10 is a steal. It competes directly with Intel N-series mini PCs yet offers roughly double the power.

At nearly the same price as the Beelink S13 or slightly above the Blackview MP60 N150, you’re getting a system that’s capable of work, media, and gaming — something those competitors can’t claim.

Two Weeks Later: My Verdict

After using the G10 daily — from office tasks to retro gaming — I can confidently say it’s replaced my bulky laptop entirely. It’s fast, quiet, and powerful enough to do almost everything I need. Plus point is that its so small and light to carry around and take to work. No more screen fatigue from my small laptop screen. 2 Affordable monitors connected at the same timer is a real treat. Watching TV from it is another bonus when connecting it to my TV.

The Beelink S13 and Blackview N150 are fine entry-level options, but once you experience the Ryzen 3500U’s responsiveness, there’s no going back. It’s like comparing a compact sedan to a turbo hatchback — both get you there, but one makes it fun.

Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

• AMD Ryzen 5 3500U — massive performance jump vs Intel N-series

• Radeon Vega 8 graphics = retro & emulation friendly

• 16 GB RAM + 512 GB NVMe SSD included

• Expandable storage and RAM

• Silent cooling system

• Windows 11 Pro pre-installed

• Excellent 4K and dual-monitor support

⚠️ Cons

• Not built for modern AAA gaming

• USB-C port lacks Thunderbolt

• Slightly higher upfront cost than basic N100 models

My Final Thoughts

If you’re deciding between Beelink, Blackview, or GMKTEC, here’s my honest take:The G10 simply offers the best blend of power, flexibility, and future-proofing.

The Ryzen 5 3500U CPU and Vega graphics lift it far above Intel’s N100/N150 units, making it ideal not only for work and streaming but also for retro and console emulation.

For anyone who wants a compact PC that can double as a retro-gaming hub — the GMKTEC G10 is the one.

You can order yours now from BuySave.co.za with local support, warranty, and fast South African delivery.

FAQs

Q1. Can the GMKTEC G10 run Nintendo Switch or PS3 games?Yes — light to mid-range titles run well through Yuzu (Switch) and RPCS3 (PS3) emulators thanks to the Ryzen 5 3500U and Vega graphics.

Q2. How does it compare to the Beelink S13?The G10 is roughly 2× faster in multi-core performance and handles multitasking and 4K playback far better.

Q3. Is it good for retro emulation?Absolutely — PlayStation 1 through 3, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii and Switch emulation are all possible with proper settings.

Q4. Does it get noisy under load?Barely — the fan stays quiet even when gaming or emulating.

Q5. Where can I buy it locally?From BuySave.co.za, with local support and fast shipping anywhere in South Africa.