GEEKOM IT15, Core Ultra 9 285H, 32GB, 1TB SSD, Black

The GEEKOM IT15 is a compact mini PC with a seriously fast 16-core CPU and 32GB of RAM, great for Photoshop and office work. But the integrated graphics are weak, gaming scores a sad 8.8 out of 100, and the port selection is nearly nonexistent. Worth a look if you need a tiny Windows workhorse, but skip it if you want to game or plug in more than a couple of devices.

The Core Ultra 9 285H is the star here. Our database puts it at the 75th percentile for mini PCs, which means it's well above average for CPU-heavy tasks. The 32GB of DDR5 and 1TB Gen4 SSD are both solid, landing in the low 70s percentile-wise. That combo chews through Photoshop, code compiles, and heavy multitasking without breaking a sweat. The weak link is the integrated Intel Arc graphics. At the 14th percentile, it's a real letdown for anything beyond light photo editing or video playback. Don't expect to game on this thing. The port situation is even rougher, sitting at the 5th percentile. You'll want a USB hub or dock if you have more than a couple of peripherals.

Stacked against the Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, the IT15 looks outclassed in every way except price and Windows compatibility. The Mac Studio has vastly better graphics, more ports, and Apple's build quality. The Lenovo Legion Tower 5a and HP OMEN GT16 are gaming towers, so they're not really in the same category, but they highlight what the IT15 lacks: any real GPU muscle. The ASUS ROG GM700 is another gaming-focused option that makes the IT15's 8.8 gaming score look embarrassing. If you need a compact Windows box for CPU work, the IT15 is fine. If you need graphics or expandability, every competitor here beats it.

At CAD 1,799, the IT15 is not cheap for a mini PC. You're paying for that 16-core CPU and the compact form factor. For a home office or dev setup where desk space is tight, the price is defensible. But when you factor in the weak graphics, thin ports, and questionable reliability, the value proposition gets shaky. You can find mini PCs with similar CPU performance and better connectivity for less, or spend a bit more and get a Mac Mini that runs circles around it in graphics and build quality.

The GEEKOM IT15 is a tiny desktop that packs a serious CPU punch. You get a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, 32GB of DDR5, and a 1TB Gen4 NVMe drive in a box small enough to hide behind a monitor. For a home office or dev machine, that's a lot of muscle in a very small footprint.

But the IT15 is not a jack of all trades. The integrated Intel Arc graphics are fine for Photoshop and everyday work, but they fall flat for gaming. And the port selection is surprisingly thin. If you need a compact workhorse and don't care about gaming, this is interesting. If you want to play games or plug in a pile of peripherals, keep scrolling.

Skip the IT15 if you want to play games, period. The integrated graphics are a dead end for modern titles. Also skip it if you need lots of ports or rock-solid reliability, since both are weak points here. And if you do serious GPU-accelerated creative work like 3D rendering or video editing, the lack of a dedicated GPU will frustrate you. Look at a Mac Mini or a small tower with a real graphics card instead.

The GEEKOM IT15 is for a specific person: someone who needs a tiny Windows PC for CPU-heavy work like photo editing, coding, or office multitasking, and who doesn't care about gaming or plugging in a ton of devices. The 16-core processor and 32GB of RAM are genuinely impressive for the size. But the weak graphics, sparse ports, and low reliability score mean it's not a safe bet for everyone. If you fit the narrow use case, it's a solid little machine. If you don't, there are better options out there.