I’m often on the look out for new computer solutions for the family. Whether it’s gaming, homework or socializing there’s always something to get tech ready for.
In particular my son has wanted to dip his toe into the world of PC gaming. More specifically, indie games. He likes the idea of getting access to the big new thing all his friends are talking about in the playground (most recently Loop Hero and Vampire Survivors). I like the idea of him playing a wider range of games, and also having a way to do his homework without tying up the main computer.
For the past couple of months we have been trying out the Geekom Mini IT8. It’s a small footprint device that promises to punch above its weight in terms of performance. Getting it out of the box and seeing how small it was, I was a little skeptical it would be up to the gaming spec he needed.
Boy plays Loop Hero on Geekom PC
There are a few configurations. We went for the 16GB/256GB that comes in around $519. The device itself is, as I mentioned, pretty small. But it has all the ports and connectors a larger computer would have. We plugged in a keyboard, mouse, HDMI monitor and power, and were all set.
By the time my son had started to download some games I had read a few other reviews decrying the performance for gaming. This is true if you are going to be running a high spec game that is graphically intensive. But the games my son wanted to play were actually pretty light on the visuals.
Working through a range of games from a list he had compiled, most of them ran fine. It’s worth saying that it did mean the fan revved up to maximum and emitted a dull hum. I asked him about this and he said it wasn’t a problem as he played with a headset.
Geekom PC
The most graphically intensive game we ran was Counter-Strike. We did need to fiddle with the settings a bit, but soon had it running smoothly. It was great to see him be able to give this a go. Not only on a machine that didn’t cost the earth, but also didn’t take up a huge amount of desk space.
CS:GO on Geekom PC
Since then the Geekom Mini IT8 has meant that we have explore loads of PC games. In fact it’s become a regular father-son thing. He’ll appear at the living room door clutching the little computer, ready to plug it into the TV for an hour of playing together.
If you don’t have a PC and are looking for a way to step into some light PC gaming, the Geekom Mini IT8 is a great way to do it. It’s also pretty good for homework too.
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