Buying Guide
The Best Portable Gaming Desktops
Four portable gaming desktops, from Radeon 780M to Radeon 890M, each with its CPU, graphics, memory and storage named.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
11 min read4 products evaluated
A portable desktop is one you can carry to a LAN party or a second desk. These are mini PCs small enough to carry, and each one games on Radeon integrated graphics rather than a separate card.
Our comparison uses what each seller states, not hands-on testing. Listings without a named CPU, a GPU with its VRAM, a RAM figure or an SSD size were dropped, as were renewed units and outlier prices.
Quick Picks
Which of the 4 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Lowest Price Here
ACEMAGICIAN S3A (Ryzen 7 H 255, Radeon 780M)The lowest price among these picks at the time of writing.
Best for: Keeping the budget tight.
Check price for ACEMAGICIAN S3A (Ryzen 7 H 255, Radeon 780M) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Worth Considering
GMKtec K8 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M)Inside the GMKtec K8 Plus are a Ryzen 7 8845HS and Radeon 780M integrated graphics, backed by 16GB of DDR5 and 1TB of SSD storage.
Best for: Buyers who want a radeon 780m (integrated) graphics card.
Check price for GMKtec K8 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Most Memory
MINISFORUM UM880 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M)32GB of RAM.
Best for: Gaming alongside streaming, browsers or editing.
Check price for MINISFORUM UM880 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Build
PELADN HO5 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Radeon 890M)A Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor.
Best for: Buyers who prefer this CPU platform.
Check price for PELADN HO5 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Radeon 890M) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 4
ACEMAGICIAN S3A (Ryzen 7 H 255, Radeon 780M)
ACEMAGICIAN S3A pairs a Ryzen 7 H 255 with Radeon 780M integrated graphics, plus 16GB of LPDDR5-6400 and a 512GB SSD.
Best for
- Keeping the budget tight.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing.
Why we like it
It also comes with a two-year warranty. There is no separate graphics card, so plan on lighter games and esports titles at modest settings. It matches the GMKtec K8 Plus on memory (16GB).
Its 512GB SSD capacity is the smallest in this group; the GMKtec K8 Plus leads at 1TB. Like the GMKtec K8 Plus and UM880 Plus, it has a radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card, while the PELADN HO5 uses a radeon 890M (integrated) graphics card. It is the only pick here with a ryzen 7 H 255 processor; the UM880 Plus has a ryzen 7 8845HS processor instead.
No other pick in this guide offers an LPDDR5-6400 memory type; compare the UM880 Plus, which has a DDR5 memory type. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the GMKtec K8 Plus was the next step up.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- Radeon 780M (integrated)
- Processor
- Ryzen 7 H 255
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- LPDDR5-6400
- SSD
- 512GB
- Warranty
- 2 years
Pros
- A Radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card
- Two-year warranty
- Ryzen 7 H 255 processor, the only one here
- LPDDR5-6400 memory type, the only one here
Cons
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- A 512GB SSD fills quickly with modern games
- SSD capacity trails the GMKtec K8 Plus (1TB)
The catch
If SSD capacity is your priority, the GMKtec K8 Plus (1TB) is the stronger choice.
Worth Considering2 of 4
GMKtec K8 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M)
Inside the GMKtec K8 Plus are a Ryzen 7 8845HS and Radeon 780M integrated graphics, backed by 16GB of DDR5 and 1TB of SSD storage.
Best for
- Buyers who want a radeon 780m (integrated) graphics card.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing.
Why we like it
It also comes with two SO-DIMM slots that take up to 128GB. There is no separate graphics card, so plan on lighter games and esports titles at modest settings. On memory it ties with the ACEMAGICIAN S3A at 16GB.
On SSD capacity it ties with the UM880 Plus and the PELADN HO5 at 1TB. It shares a radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card with the ACEMAGICIAN S3A and UM880 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with a radeon 890M (integrated) graphics card. It shares a ryzen 7 8845HS processor with the UM880 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with a ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor.
It shares a DDR5 memory type with the UM880 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with an LPDDR5X-6400 memory type. When we checked, only the ACEMAGICIAN S3A cost less, and the UM880 Plus cost more.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- Radeon 780M (integrated)
- Processor
- Ryzen 7 8845HS
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- DDR5
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A Radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card
- Two SO-DIMM slots that take up to 128GB
- Eight-core Ryzen 7 8845HS
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the ACEMAGICIAN S3A
Cons
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- Memory trails the UM880 Plus (32GB)
- Costs more than the ACEMAGICIAN S3A at the time of writing
The catch
Memory is its weakest area, and the UM880 Plus covers it better at 32GB.
Most Memory3 of 4
MINISFORUM UM880 Plus (Ryzen 7 8845HS, Radeon 780M)
UM880 Plus pairs a Ryzen 7 8845HS with Radeon 780M integrated graphics, plus 32GB of DDR5 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Gaming alongside streaming, browsers or editing.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the ACEMAGICIAN S3A, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It also comes with an OCuLink port for an external graphics card. There is no separate graphics card, so plan on lighter games and esports titles at modest settings. Nothing else here matches its 32GB memory; the PELADN HO5 comes closest at 24GB.
On SSD capacity it ties with the GMKtec K8 Plus and the PELADN HO5 at 1TB. It shares a radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card with the ACEMAGICIAN S3A and GMKtec K8 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with a radeon 890M (integrated) graphics card. It shares a ryzen 7 8845HS processor with the GMKtec K8 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with a ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor.
It shares a DDR5 memory type with the GMKtec K8 Plus; the PELADN HO5 goes with an LPDDR5X-6400 memory type. It was priced above the GMKtec K8 Plus and below the PELADN HO5 at the time of writing.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- Radeon 780M (integrated)
- Processor
- Ryzen 7 8845HS
- Memory
- 32GB
- Memory type
- DDR5
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A Radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card
- 32GB of RAM
- OCuLink port for an external graphics card
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the ACEMAGICIAN S3A
Cons
- Costs more than the ACEMAGICIAN S3A at the time of writing
Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Build4 of 4
PELADN HO5 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Radeon 890M)
The PELADN HO5 build pairs a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, Radeon 890M integrated graphics, 24GB of LPDDR5X-6400 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who prefer this CPU platform.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ACEMAGICIAN S3A was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It also comes with Radeon 890M graphics, OCuLink and a three-year warranty. There is no separate graphics card, so plan on lighter games and esports titles at modest settings. On memory it sits mid-pack at 24GB: the UM880 Plus offers 32GB, and the GMKtec K8 Plus comes in at 16GB.
On SSD capacity it ties with the GMKtec K8 Plus and the UM880 Plus at 1TB. You get a radeon 890M (integrated) graphics card here, which sets it apart from the GMKtec K8 Plus and its a radeon 780M (integrated) graphics card. You get a ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor here, which sets it apart from the ACEMAGICIAN S3A and its a ryzen 7 H 255 processor. Only the UM880 Plus came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 4 picks.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- Radeon 890M (integrated)
- Processor
- Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
- Memory
- 24GB
- Memory type
- LPDDR5X-6400
- SSD
- 1TB
- Warranty
- 3 years limited
Pros
- A Radeon 890M (integrated) graphics card
- Radeon 890M graphics, OCuLink and a three-year warranty
- Memory of 24GB, ahead of the ACEMAGICIAN S3A
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the ACEMAGICIAN S3A
Cons
- Costs more than the ACEMAGICIAN S3A at the time of writing
How We Chose These Portable Gaming Desktops
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- What we compared
- We compared four prebuilt PCs on graphics card, processor, memory and memory type as the makers state them. Nothing was tested in-house; 5 of the 6 fields compared are stated for every pick, while warranty has gaps.
- The shared baseline
- All 4, from the ACEMAGICIAN S3A to the PELADN HO5, state graphics card, processor and memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The GMKtec K8 Plus and the UM880 Plus give no warranty.
- Price range
- From the ACEMAGICIAN S3A to the PELADN HO5, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a Portable Gaming Desktop
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Memory
Here memory runs from 16GB on the GMKtec K8 Plus to 32GB on the UM880 Plus, a 100% spread. Start with the UM880 Plus if memory decides it.
How much SSD capacity you need
The GMKtec K8 Plus tops SSD capacity at 1TB and the ACEMAGICIAN S3A sits lowest at 512GB; 3 picks share the top figure. The GMKtec K8 Plus is the pick for SSD capacity.
A desktop PC and monitor on a desk lit with red and blue lighting Processor
The ACEMAGICIAN S3A lists Ryzen 7 H 255; the GMKtec K8 Plus and the UM880 Plus list Ryzen 7 8845HS; the PELADN HO5 lists Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Settling processor first narrows 4 picks to 2 or 1 or 1.
Memory type
The ACEMAGICIAN S3A lists LPDDR5-6400; the GMKtec K8 Plus and the UM880 Plus list DDR5; the PELADN HO5 lists LPDDR5X-6400.
A white desktop PC beside a monitor on a bright home-office desk Fit and compatibility
Check the ACEMAGICIAN S3A's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want.
How to Choose a Portable Gaming Desktop
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping the budget tight | ACEMAGICIAN S3A | The lowest price among these picks at the time of writing |
| Gaming alongside streaming, browsers or editing | UM880 Plus | 32GB of RAM |
| Buyers who prefer this CPU platform | PELADN HO5 | A Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The UM880 Plus leads on memory at 32GB, ahead of the PELADN HO5 at 24GB.
| Prebuilt PC | Graphics card | Processor | Memory | Memory type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACEMAGICIAN S3A | Radeon 780M (integrated) | Ryzen 7 H 255 | 16GB | LPDDR5-6400 |
| GMKtec K8 Plus | Radeon 780M (integrated) | Ryzen 7 8845HS | 16GB | DDR5 |
| UM880 Plus | Radeon 780M (integrated) | Ryzen 7 8845HS | 32GB | DDR5 |
| PELADN HO5 | Radeon 890M (integrated) | Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | 24GB | LPDDR5X-6400 |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the most memory: the UM880 Plus or the PELADN HO5?
Between the top two, it is 32GB on the UM880 Plus against 24GB on the PELADN HO5, a 33% difference. The spread runs down to the GMKtec K8 Plus at 16GB.
Is the PELADN HO5 worth paying more than the ACEMAGICIAN S3A?
The spec sheets show memory (24GB against 16GB) and SSD capacity (1TB against 512GB) in its favour. Both sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked, so the gains in memory and SSD capacity cost little extra by tier.
What makes the UM880 Plus the Most Memory?
It carries the badge for 32GB of RAM. It makes sense for gaming alongside streaming, browsers or editing.
Do the ACEMAGICIAN S3A and the PELADN HO5 differ on graphics card?
The ACEMAGICIAN S3A, the GMKtec K8 Plus and the UM880 Plus use Radeon 780M (integrated); the PELADN HO5 uses Radeon 890M (integrated).
What should I check before buying the PELADN HO5?
Check the PELADN HO5's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. The PELADN HO5's PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before planning a GPU upgrade. In this guide it ranks fourth of 4, as our Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Build pick, and second of 4 on memory (24GB).
Beyond the specs, what sets the ACEMAGICIAN S3A and the GMKtec K8 Plus apart?
The ACEMAGICIAN S3A: a two-year warranty. The GMKtec K8 Plus: two SO-DIMM slots that take up to 128GB. The UM880 Plus: an OCuLink port for an external graphics card.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ACEMAGICIAN S3A, chosen for the lowest price among these picks at the time of writing. Look at the UM880 Plus for 32GB of RAM and the PELADN HO5 for a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor if those matter more to you.
Pack the power adapter and a short DisplayPort or HDMI cable; the monitor is still the heavy part.
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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