GEEKOM Mini IT13 Review: Core i9-13900H in a 4x4 Package

Setup Notes and Platform Analysis

Our review sample of the GEEKOM Mini IT13 came with all necessary components pre-installed - including the OS. Prior to setting up the OS on first boot, we took some time to look into the BIOS interface. Unlike the GUI-based UEFI interface offered by tier-one vendors, the BIOS here is a vanilla one with keyboard-only navigation. There are plenty of configurable options, and the video below presents an overview of the features.

Most of the options available are standard in the Aptio BIOS interface. In addition to the processor and memory speeds information, the main screen has a 'FAN Mode' option that can be set to one of 'Normal', 'Performance', or 'Quiet'. A quick check was made for each setting after booting into the OS and the following power limits were recorded.

While the normal and performance modes were configured similarly with PL1 / PL2 settings of 35W / 80W, the quiet mode involved setting these parameters to 28W / 40W and the PL1 duration to less than half of the normal mode's.

Intel's platform diagram for Raptor Lake P/H/U processor lines shows a large number of connectivity options. However, the RPL-H configuration in the Mini IT13 doesn't make use of the x8 discrete graphics lanes. Two Thunderbolt 4 lanes are used for the Type-C ports, but the use of the Hayden Bridge retimer precludes the possibility of USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) support.

The overall high-speed I/O distribution in the GEEKOM Mini IT13 board design is brought out in the bus layout diagram below.

Despite the large number of connectivity options, the system's form-factor prevent them from getting utilized. The USB4 ports do provide some flexibility. It is highly probable that a few more of those to utilize the wasted graphics PCIe lanes would have made the product even more attractive.

In today's review, we compare the GEEKOM Mini IT13 and a host of other systems based on processors with TDPs ranging from 28W to 65W. The systems do not target the same market segments, but a few key aspects lie in common, making the comparisons relevant.

The next few sections will deal with comparative benchmarks for the above systems.