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| The GMKtec EVO-X3 being showcased next to the EVO-X2 at the AMD AI Developer Day 2026 event |
Shanghai, China – The mini PC wars are heating up, and GMKtec just fired a major shot across the bow. At the recently concluded AMD AI Developer Day 2026 in Shanghai, the company quietly unveiled its next-generation powerhouse: the GMKtec EVO-X3. While details remain scarce, the brief appearance—coupled with a flurry of information in an official blog post—has the enthusiast community buzzing.
For those who follow the compact computing space, the EVO-X3 is a big deal. It arrives as the direct successor to the GMKtec EVO-X2, which currently holds the crown as one of the first mini PCs to harness AMD’s top-tier Strix Point APU, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395. That little beast packs the Radeon 8060S integrated GPU, and as we've seen in recent benchmarks, this iGPU isn't messing around. It delivers gaming performance that goes toe-to-toe with the Nvidia RTX 4070 Laptop GPU – a feat that would have been unthinkable in an integrated chip just two years ago.
So, how do you follow up an act like that? According to the official GMKtec blog, the EVO-X3 is shaping up to be a refined, expandable, and even more powerful desktop AI supercomputing center.
A Star-Studded Debut with Dr. Lisa Su
The EVO-X3 didn't just show up quietly. It shared the stage at the AMD AI Developer Day alongside its predecessor, the EVO-X2. In a moment that underscores GMKtec’s deepening partnership with AMD, both units received personal recognition and signatures from Dr. Lisa Su, AMD's Chair and CEO.
This isn't just ceremonial. The blog post highlights that GMKtec will deepen its integration with AMD’s ROCm open-source ecosystem, positioning these mini PCs as go-to hardware for Chinese AI developers working on edge-side local large language models (LLMs). The EVO-X2, with its 126 TOPS of heterogeneous computing power, is already capable of running 235-billion-parameter models locally. The EVO-X3 aims to push that even further with improved support for multi-model parallel inference and distributed training.
What’s New? The EVO-X3 Feature Breakdown
GMKtec has confirmed several key upgrades that distinguish the X3 from the current-gen X2:
- The Game-Changer: OCuLink Port – The headline feature here is the addition of an OCuLink port. This is a massive deal for enthusiasts. The EVO-X2, for all its power, lacked this port, limiting external GPU expansion to slower USB4 connections. The OCuLink on the EVO-X3 will allow users to connect a full-fat desktop graphics card with significantly lower latency and higher bandwidth. If you want to see how the current-gen EVO-X2 performs without this feature, you can check pricing and availability for the BOSGAME eGPU here, but the X3 is clearly designed to eliminate that bottleneck.
- Connectivity Suite – Alongside OCuLink, you’ll get “high-speed” USB4 ports, and the latest WiFi 7 standard. This future-proofs the machine for the fastest home networking and peripheral connectivity available.
- Storage Expansion – The X3 will feature dual PCIe 4.0 slots for expanded storage, offering massive flexibility for RAID configurations or simply adding terabytes of NVMe speed.
- Redesigned Chassis – As seen in the single released photo, the EVO-X3 sports a larger chassis than the EVO-X2. This suggests GMKtec is prioritizing thermal headroom to handle the higher TDPs of next-gen components or to keep the system quiet under sustained AI or gaming loads.
The Big Question: What APU is Inside?
Here is where things get speculative. GMKtec has not officially confirmed the processor powering the EVO-X3. However, the rumor mill—and logical product cycle timing—points to the unannounced Ryzen AI Max+ 495.
Given that the EVO-X2 used the flagship "395," it stands to reason the X3 will debut the next step up. The "495" is expected to bring a modest but notable clock speed bump and potentially improved efficiency on the same Zen 5 architecture. Even a 5-10% performance uplift on top of the existing RTX 4070-level gaming performance would be impressive.
Pricing and Availability
GMKtec has remained silent on pricing. However, there’s a concerning (but understandable) trend. The current-gen EVO-X2 mini PCs are not cheap, reflecting the premium cost of AMD's "Halo" APUs. Furthermore, GMKtec has already announced a price increase for the EVO-X2 following its global launch due to demand and component costs.
Don’t expect the EVO-X3 to be a budget-friendly option. This is a flagship product for developers, AI tinkerers, and gamers who want ultra-high performance in a sub-2-liter chassis. Given the added OCuLink port and new chassis tooling, a launch price north of the EVO-X2's current retail is almost certain.
The Bottom Line
The GMKtec EVO-X3 is shaping up to be the most exciting mini PC of late 2026. By addressing the main criticism of the EVO-X2 (the lack of OCuLink) and updating the connectivity to WiFi 7, GMKtec is listening to its power-user base.
We expect more details—including the final APU confirmation and a launch date—to emerge in the coming weeks. For now, the AMD AI Developer Day has given us a tantalizing glimpse of the future of desktop supercomputing that fits in the palm of your hand.
Source: GMKtec Official Blog