Best Mini PC for Local LLMs in 2026: GMKtec EVO-X2, Framework, Beelink and Mac Studio

Best Mini PC for Local LLMs in 2026: GMKtec EVO-X2, Framework, Beelink and Mac Studio

Disclosure: this page has no affiliate links today. Dupple may join affiliate programs with the brands named here, and if it does, a link may earn Dupple a commission at no extra cost to you. The verdicts follow the criteria in the methodology.

Updated November 3, 2026: prices and specs checked on each maker's US store. Compared from vendor specs and pricing pages, not tested hands-on.

Short answer: as of November 3, 2026, the GMKtec EVO-X2 with 128 GB and 1 TB is the best in-stock buy for running local models, at $3,499.99 on GMKtec's US store. The Framework Desktop Mainboard costs less per gigabyte, at $3,149 for 128 GB, but it includes no storage and its page shows pre-order and sold-out wording. Apple's Mac Studio has the most memory bandwidth, but costs more than twice the GMKtec 128 GB price per gigabyte. NVIDIA's DGX Spark prints no US price, so it is compared on specs only.

The short version

  • Best value that ships: the GMKtec EVO-X2 with 128 GB and 1 TB, $3,499.99 (list $3,999.99), in stock on GMKtec's US store.
  • Cheapest per gigabyte: the Framework Desktop Mainboard with 128 GB, $3,149, or $24.60 per GB. Check its stock before you order.
  • Most bandwidth: the Mac Studio M5 Ultra, 1.2 TB/s with 96 GB for $5,499. It runs macOS only.

US prices and memory, in ranking order

Local-LLM mini PCs and desktops with a US price on the maker's own page, read November 3, 2026, in ranking order
Product and build US price Unified memory Memory bandwidth Cost per GB US stock (Nov 3, 2026)
1. GMKtec EVO-X2, 128 GB + 1 TB $3,499.99 (list $3,999.99) 128 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $27.34 In stock
1. GMKtec EVO-X2, 128 GB + 2 TB $3,649.99 (list $3,999.99) 128 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $28.52 In stock
1. GMKtec EVO-X2, 64 GB + 1 TB $2,199.99 (list $2,599.99) 64 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $34.37 In stock
2. Framework Desktop Mainboard 128 GB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) $3,149.00 128 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $24.60 Pre-order and sold-out wording on the page
2. Framework Desktop Mainboard 64 GB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) $1,659.00 64 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $25.92 Pre-order and sold-out wording on the page
2. Framework Desktop Mainboard 32 GB (Ryzen AI Max 385) $969.00 32 GB Not in this comparison $30.28 Pre-order and sold-out wording on the page
3. Beelink GTR9 Pro, 128 GB + 2 TB $4,349.00 (list $4,699.00) 128 GB 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) $33.98 Pre-order, about 35 days
4. Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, 36 GB + 512 GB $2,499.00 36 GB 460 GB/s (Apple) $69.42 No stock flag printed
4. Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, 64 GB + 1 TB $3,799.00 64 GB 614 GB/s (Apple) $59.36 No stock flag printed
4. Apple Mac Studio M5 Ultra, 96 GB + 1 TB $5,499.00 96 GB 1.2 TB/s (Apple) $57.28 No stock flag printed

Prices from each maker's US store, read November 3, 2026. Cost per GB is the price divided by the memory size. Bandwidth is the maker's own figure where it prints one. For the AMD chips no maker prints GB/s on these pages, so the figure is our arithmetic from AMD's 256-bit bus and LPDDR5x-8000 speed. Multiplying 8,000 MT/s by 256 bits and dividing by 8 gives 256 GB/s.

NVIDIA's DGX Spark is not in this table. Its product page prints specs but no US price, and it sends buyers to the NVIDIA Marketplace. The page leaves it out of the price table and the ranking, and compares its specs in the head-to-head below.

How big a model fits in 64 GB vs 128 GB?

Weights take about the parameter count in billions, times bits per weight, divided by 8, in gigabytes. A 70B model at 4-bit has 70 times 4, divided by 8, which is 35 GB of weights, and at 8-bit it is 70 GB. This counts the weights only. The context cache and the operating system need room too, so a row marked tight leaves under 10 GB free.

Which model sizes fit each memory size, weights only (arithmetic, not a benchmark)
Model and quantization Weights (GB) 64 GB 96 GB 128 GB
32B at 4-bit 16 Fits Fits Fits
32B at 8-bit 32 Fits Fits Fits
70B at 4-bit 35 Fits Fits Fits
70B at 8-bit 70 Does not fit Fits Fits
120B at 4-bit 60 Tight Fits Fits
120B at 8-bit 120 Does not fit Does not fit Tight

The 96 GB column is the Mac Studio M5 Ultra build. The 64 GB column covers the 64 GB AMD and Apple builds, and the 128 GB column covers the four 128 GB AMD builds. A 70B model at 4-bit fits every build with 64 GB or more.

GMKtec EVO-X2 vs NVIDIA DGX Spark

The DGX Spark is NVIDIA's own machine with 128 GB of unified memory, a 256-bit interface and 273 GB/s of bandwidth, according to NVIDIA's page. The EVO-X2 has 128 GB at 256 GB/s by our arithmetic. NVIDIA's page prints no US price, so the EVO-X2 is the one you can buy against a price read today. The Spark is ahead on the network: a 10 GbE port and a ConnectX-7 NIC at 200 Gbps, against the EVO-X2's 2.5G port.

GMKtec EVO-X2 against NVIDIA DGX Spark on the specs each maker prints (read November 3, 2026)
Spec GMKtec EVO-X2 NVIDIA DGX Spark
Memory 128 GB LPDDR5X, onboard 128 GB LPDDR5x, unified (64 GB only through OEM partners)
Bandwidth 256 GB/s (our arithmetic) 273 GB/s (NVIDIA)
Wired network 2.5G RJ-45 10 GbE RJ-45, ConnectX-7 NIC at 200 Gbps
US price $3,499.99 (128 GB, 1 TB) Not printed on NVIDIA's page

Pick the Spark for NVIDIA's own stack and the faster network. Pick the EVO-X2 if you need a price you can check today and the 2.5G port is enough.

EVO-X2 vs Framework Desktop Mainboard

Both use the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip at 128 GB, so the same models fit. The choice is price, stock and build. The Framework Desktop Mainboard's 128 GB build is $3,149 with no storage, case or power supply, so it is not a like-for-like price against the GMKtec 128 GB with 1 TB at $3,499.99. The Framework Desktop DIY Edition (frame.work/desktop, Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495) is a different product: its configurator defaults to 192 GB at $6,799, it is on pre-order, and it ships in December (read 2026-11-03).

GMKtec names its storage (1 TB or 2 TB) and lists two USB4 ports. Framework wins on price per gigabyte if its 128 GB build is in stock when you order. The EVO-X2 wins if you want a stock flag you can read on the page.

Strix Halo mini PCs vs Mac Studio

Strix Halo is the name many people use for the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 family. Its 256 GB/s is about 42% of the M5 Max 40-core build's 614 GB/s and about a fifth of the M5 Ultra's 1.2 TB/s. Bandwidth sets how fast a model can read its weights for each token.

For a 70B model at 4-bit, the weights are 35 GB. The ceiling is 7.3 tokens per second on the AMD boxes (256 divided by 35), and 17.5 on the M5 Max 40-core build (614 divided by 35). That assumes one full read of the weights per token, so real speed is lower. It is arithmetic, not a measured speed.

Do you need 128 GB?

For a 70B model at 4-bit, 64 GB is enough. For a 70B model at 8-bit, you need more than 64 GB, so 96 GB or 128 GB. A 120B model at 8-bit needs 120 GB, which the 128 GB builds hold with about 8 GB to spare. The 128 GB builds cost $3,149 to $4,349 here, against $2,199.99 for GMKtec's 64 GB build.

Which costs least per gigabyte of memory?

Dupple data: computed from vendor prices on November 3, 2026.

The Framework Desktop Mainboard's 128 GB build is the lowest at $24.60 per GB, then its 64 GB build at $25.92, then the GMKtec 128 GB at $27.34 with 1 TB or $28.52 with 2 TB. Then comes the Framework 32 GB build at $30.28; the Beelink at $33.98 and the 64 GB GMKtec at $34.37 follow. The Mac Studio builds cost $57.28 to $69.42 per GB. On this page, the Mac pays for bandwidth and macOS, not for memory.

Recurring costs: none on these pages

These pages list no required subscription for the machines. The setup cost is the price of the build. GMKtec's store also sells a 128 GB and 2 TB build bundled with a three-month Z.AI coding plan at $3,699.99. This page leaves that bundle out, because it is a different build with a plan attached.

Who should buy which

  • Best 128 GB build you can buy today: GMKtec EVO-X2 with 128 GB and 1 TB.
  • Cheapest 128 GB mainboard, if you can wait for stock: Framework Desktop Mainboard 128 GB, with no storage included.
  • Two 10 GbE ports and a three-year warranty: Beelink GTR9 Pro, with a pre-order of about 35 days.
  • Fastest memory on macOS, with 64 GB: Mac Studio M5 Max, 64 GB with 1 TB.
  • 96 GB or more on macOS, and the most bandwidth: Mac Studio M5 Ultra, 96 GB with 1 TB.
  • CUDA: NVIDIA DGX Spark, which this page does not rank because its page prints no US price.

The four makers, one card each

1. GMKtec EVO-X2: the best in-stock 128 GB pick

Dupple spec card for GMKtec EVO-X2: $3,499.99, list $3,999.99, 128 GB onboard LPDDR5X, not upgradable, Two USB4 ports, HDMI 2.1, Windows 11 Pro or Ubuntu.
Dupple spec card

Price: $3,499.99 for 128 GB and 1 TB, list $3,999.99, on GMKtec's US store (read November 3, 2026). The 2 TB build is $3,649.99. The 64 GB build with 1 TB is $2,199.99, list $2,599.99. All three US builds show as available in the store's product data.

Memory and chip: 128 GB of onboard LPDDR5X at 8000 MHz, not upgradable. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16 cores and a 120 W steady TDP, 140 W peak, according to GMKtec's specification block.

Vendor figures: GMKtec's own page lists DeepSeek-R1 70B as supported on the 128 GB and 2 TB build. Its benchmark table for the 128 GB version shows 19.25 tokens per second for OpenAI GPT-OSS 120B and 9.26 tokens per second for DeepSeek-R1 32B. These are GMKtec's figures, not ours.

Best for: a buyer who wants the most memory per dollar that ships now from the maker's own US store.

Pros

  • $27.34 per GB at 128 GB and 1 TB, and in stock on the US store.
  • Two USB4 ports, HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 for video.
  • Lists Windows 11 Pro and Ubuntu as operating systems.

Cons

  • 256 GB/s by our arithmetic, so a 70B model at 4-bit has a ceiling of about 7 tokens per second, against 17.5 on the M5 Max.
  • The product page says 1+2 Years Warranty, while the cart says 1 Year Warranty. Confirm the term at checkout.
  • A 2.5G wired port only. The 2 TB build costs $150 more than the 1 TB build.

GMKtec EVO-X2 on GMKtec's US store

2. Framework Desktop Mainboard: the lowest price per GB, once stock is confirmed

Dupple spec card for Framework Desktop Mainboard: $3,149.00 (128 GB), read Nov 3, 2026, Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB, No storage, case or power supply, Limited warranty, 30-day returns.
Dupple spec card

Price: $3,149.00 for the 128 GB build, $1,659.00 for 64 GB, and $969.00 for 32 GB (Ryzen AI Max 385), on Framework's US store with the US market set (read November 3, 2026).

Stock: the page shows both a pre-order option and "All batches sold out" wording. Check the build's stock before you order.

Memory: the 128 GB and 64 GB builds use the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, the same chip as the EVO-X2, so the same models fit. AMD's page gives the chip a 256-bit LPDDR5x interface with 128 GB maximum.

Best for: a buyer who can wait for stock and wants the cheapest 128 GB build on a maker's own US page.

Pros

  • $24.60 per GB at 128 GB, the lowest in this table.
  • The same chip as the EVO-X2, so the 70B and 120B fit arithmetic is the same.
  • Framework's page names a limited warranty and a 30-day return guarantee.

Cons

  • The page mixes pre-order and sold-out wording, so stock is the first thing to check.
  • The mainboard includes no storage, case or power supply, so check what the price covers before you compare it with a complete mini PC.
  • The 32 GB build uses a different chip, the Ryzen AI Max 385, and its bandwidth is not in this table.

Framework Desktop Mainboard on Framework's US store

3. Beelink GTR9 Pro: two 10 GbE ports and a three-year warranty, on pre-order

Dupple spec card for Beelink GTR9 Pro: $4,349.00, list $4,699.00, 128 GB LPDDR5x-8000, 2 TB SSD, Dual 10 GbE LAN, dual USB4, Pre-order, about 35 days; 3-year warranty.
Dupple spec card

Price: $4,349.00 (list $4,699.00) for 128 GB of LPDDR5x-8000 and a 2 TB SSD, US plug, on bee-link.com in the US market (read November 3, 2026). Beelink's separate US store, us.bee-link.com, listed the same build at $4,319.00 (list $4,699.00) that day. The page lists one build. It shows pre-order shipping of about 35 days.

Ports and power: dual 10 GbE LAN, two USB4 ports at 40 Gbps, HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1. Beelink gives a 140 W TDP at 32 dB, its own figures.

Best for: a buyer who needs two 10 GbE ports and can wait for the pre-order.

Pros

  • Dual 10 GbE ports, where the GMKtec EVO-X2 has one 2.5G port.
  • A three-year warranty, as the US page states.
  • Includes a 2 TB SSD in the one build offered.

Cons

  • $33.98 per GB, and $1,200 more than the Framework Desktop Mainboard 128 GB build, which includes no storage.
  • About 35 days of pre-order shipping on the US page.
  • One build only, so no 64 GB option for a lower price.

Beelink GTR9 Pro on Beelink's US page

4. Apple Mac Studio: the most bandwidth, and the highest cost per GB

Dupple spec card for Apple Mac Studio M5 Max: $2,499.00 (36 GB, 512 GB), read Nov 3, 2026, Bandwidth 460 to 614 GB/s, macOS only, no CUDA, 64 GB build: $3,799.00.
Dupple spec card

Price: the M5 Max with 36 GB and 512 GB storage is $2,499.00. The M5 Max with 64 GB and 1 TB is $3,799.00. The M5 Ultra with 96 GB and 1 TB is $5,499.00. All three are on Apple's US store (read November 3, 2026).

Bandwidth: Apple's specification page lists 460 GB/s for the M5 Max build with a 32-core GPU, 614 GB/s for the 40-core GPU build, and 1.2 TB/s for the M5 Ultra. Apple says the M5 Max's 40-core build can be configured to 48, 64 or 128 GB.

Best for: a macOS user who wants the most bandwidth in this comparison.

Pros

  • 1.2 TB/s on the M5 Ultra, about twice the 614 GB/s of the M5 Max 40-core build.
  • Its 64 GB M5 Max build holds a 70B model at 4-bit, with about 29 GB free.
  • Apple's page lists 96 GB as the M5 Ultra build's base memory.

Cons

  • $57.28 to $69.42 per GB across the three builds, more than twice the $27.34 per GB of the GMKtec 128 GB build.
  • Apple lists macOS only; no CUDA.
  • The 64 GB build cannot hold a 70B model at 8-bit, which needs 70 GB.

Mac Studio on Apple's US store

FAQ

How big a model fits in 64 GB vs 128 GB?

At 4-bit, a 70B model needs about 35 GB of weights, so it fits in 64 GB with about 29 GB to spare. At 8-bit it needs 70 GB, which only the 96 GB or 128 GB builds hold. A 120B model at 4-bit needs about 60 GB, which is tight in 64 GB and fits 128 GB with room. The figures are weights only.

Which of these runs CUDA?

Only the NVIDIA DGX Spark runs CUDA, because CUDA is NVIDIA's own software stack. The EVO-X2, Framework Desktop Mainboard and Beelink GTR9 Pro use AMD chips, and the Mac Studio runs macOS. This page leaves the DGX Spark out of the ranking because its page prints no US price.

Does the EVO-X2 run Linux and ROCm?

GMKtec's product page lists Windows 11 Pro and Ubuntu as operating systems. It does not name ROCm. If ROCm is your stack, check AMD's support for the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 before you buy.

What about noise and power draw?

GMKtec lists a steady 120 W TDP, a 140 W peak and a 230 W charger. Beelink gives 140 W TDP at 32 dB, which is its own figure. This page does not measure noise or power at the wall. The figures above are the makers' own.

What about the warranty and US support?

GMKtec's product page says 1+2 Years Warranty, while its cart says 1 Year Warranty, so confirm the term at checkout. Beelink's US page lists a three-year warranty. Framework's page names a limited warranty and a 30-day return guarantee.

Is there a discount code?

Dupple holds no discount code for these makers, so this page quotes none. The prices here are the prices each store showed on November 3, 2026, including GMKtec's and Beelink's sale prices.

Can a Mac Studio run a 70B model?

On paper, yes. The M5 Max 64 GB build holds a 70B model at 4-bit, which is 35 GB of weights. The M5 Ultra 96 GB build holds the same model at 8-bit, which is 70 GB. The bandwidth ceiling for a 70B model at 4-bit is 17.5 tokens per second on the 614 GB/s build, by the arithmetic above.

Which build is best for a 120B model?

A 120B model at 4-bit needs about 60 GB, which is tight in 64 GB and fits the 96 GB and 128 GB builds with room. At 8-bit it needs 120 GB, which the 128 GB builds hold with about 8 GB to spare. That is too tight for comfort once the system and the context cache take their share.

Methodology

We compared four makers' builds: GMKtec's EVO-X2, Framework Desktop Mainboard, Beelink's GTR9 Pro and Apple's Mac Studio. Prices and specs come from each maker's own US store and specification pages, read on November 3, 2026, with the US market set where the store offers one. Bandwidth is the maker's figure where the page prints one, and otherwise our arithmetic, marked as such. Benchmark figures are the maker's own, quoted with their source. None of the machines was tested hands-on for this page. The ranking puts first the build with a US price and a stock status we can read today. No affiliate payout influenced the order. Prices are re-checked monthly and after each sale.

Sources

If you want one box for 70B-class models with a price you can check today, start with the GMKtec EVO-X2 128 GB build with 1 TB on its US store. GMKtec EVO-X2 on GMKtec's US store

Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.

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