Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC & EX Docking Station Review: Compact & dGPU Ready Design

Beelink was established in 2011 & is regarded as one of the top sellers in the Mini PC category at Amazon. The company has a diverse portfolio of Mini PCs, Players, and gadgets but the core focus is on the Mini PC segment which includes both Intel and AMD options.

The company's high-end Intel options cover the 12th Gen Alder Lake, 13/14th Gen Raptor Lake & even the latest Meteor Lake "Core Ultra Series 1" CPUs. These designs come in the form of the GTi series which are designed to offer the best performance capabilities in the most compact package. The company has also introduced a very compact and powerful docking station known as the "EX" which is compatible with its Alder Lake GTi12 and Meteor Lake GTi14 Mini PCs. This allows the PC to extend its GPU and IO capabilities, offering far better performance using a discrete graphics card and we are lucky enough to have got our hands on both for testing.

So today, I will be evaluating the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC along with the EX Docking station & see if they are worth the $738 US price point.

Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC - Specifications At A Glance

Beelink's GTi12 Ultra Mini PC comes in Intel 12th Gen "Alder Lake" CPU flavors which feature a P & E-Core hybrid architecture. For this review, the sample that we got was equipped with the Intel Core i9-12900H CPU. Our unit was the fully decked out variant with two DDR5-4800 32 GB (16 GB x2) SO-DIMM memory modules and a 1 TB PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 M.2 drive.

Coming to the specifications, the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC rocks the Intel Core i9-12900H "Alder Lake" CPU which features 14 cores in a 6 P-Core and 8 E-Core configuration, 20 threads, 24 MB of cache, and a boost clock of up to 5.00 GHz. The CPU has a TDP of 45W and a maximum turbo power rating of up to 115W. It also has a minimum assured power rating of 35W.

For the GPU, the Intel Core i9-12900H CPU packs a UHD iGPU which features 96 Execution units that are clocked at 1.45 GHz. This integrated graphics chip supports DX12.1, OpenGL 4.6, and OpenCL 3.0 & can run 4 displays at once with a maximum eDP resolution of 8K @ 60Hz or 4K @ 120Hz. The iGPU is a bit old for today's standards as Intel and AMD offer much faster iGPUs as a part of their latest CPU lineups but it should get the job done for the vast majority of users who won't be gaming on it and just need it for video playback.

Other specs for the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC include 32 GB DDR5-(Dual-Channel) memory operating at 4800 MT/s. This isn't soldered and instead features a SO-DIMM design so users can completely upgrade it as they wish (supports up to 64 GB). Storage comes in the form of dual M.2 2280 SSD slots running at Gen 4.0 speeds that can support up to 8 TB capacities.

I/O on the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC, includes five USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps) ports, an SD card slot, dual 2.5 GbE LAN ports, two 3.5mm Audio Jacks, a single USB Type-C (10 Gbps) port, a DP1.4a and HDMI display output, a single Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps/TBT4/PD/DP1.4) port & an AC power port. The following are the main features of the Mini PC:

• 【Powerful Intel Core i9-12900H CPU and Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU】---Seamless multitasking with a hybrid CPU architecture of performance and efficiency cores, intelligently scheduling between apps for smooth transitions.
• 【Support External Discrete Graphics Card】---The PCIe x8 slot allows for a lossless connection with a discrete graphics card by using Beelink’s very own EX docking station, perfectly unleashing the GPU’s full potential.
• 【Voice Interaction & 360° Omnidirectional Pickup】---The Built-in microphone is powered by an Al chip that supports smart audio pickup, which enables it to effectively separate voice commands from background noise. The microphone also supports 360°Barrier-free Voice Recognition within 5 meters, allowing you to effortlessly conduct a video conference without leaving your seat. The speakers are enhanced by DSP and a professional amplifier, delivering full-bodied sound with bright treble, realistic vocals, and rich details.
• 【32dB Near-Silent Operation】---Air intake from the bottom is so efficient at dissipating the heat that GTi12 Ultra needs a very low fan speed to stay cool and stable at 65W TDP, ensuring near-silent operation. Since there are no vents on the top and side panels, the GTi12 Ultra can now have a more refreshing design.
• 【Built-in Speakers】--- Dual speakers deliver rich & full sound, bringing you an immersive audio experience.
• 【Built-in 145W Power Supply Unit】---A high-power built-in PSU requires only one cord to provide power for the GTi12 Ultra and supports the mini PC’s stable operation at 65W TDP.
• 【Fingerprint Sensor】---Support fast and high-security log-in and file encryption, please refer to the official Windows documentation for more details.
• 【Expandable RAM and Storage】---GTi12 Ultra supports dual-channel DDR5 4800MHz RAM of up to 64GB. There are also Dual M.2 2880 PCle4.0 SSD slots, supporting up to 8TB of fast internal storage. 
• 【Ultra-Practical Dustproof Design】---The new mesh filter at the bottom keeps dust out of the GTi12 Ultra, avoiding dust

Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC - Unboxing & A Closer Look

The Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC comes in a white colored cardboard package which has a simplistic look.

The back of the box has some basic specifications which list the specific configuration for this model. We got the Core i9-12900H  variant with 32 GB of memory and 1 TB storage capacities.

Within the box, you are first greeted with a nice "Thank You" card. Little things like these make for a fun unboxing experience.

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Lifting the top box cover, you are welcomed by a soft plastic internal in which the PC and its various accessories are kept safe and away from harm. Before talking about the case itself, we have to mention the accessories that come with the Mini PC. It comes with a Power cord, a mounting bracket with screws, and a manual.

With the GTi12 Ultra Mini PC out of the package itself, you are met with another "Thank You" message on the plastic film around the PC.

So looking at the PC, you are met with a gorgeous and perfect square-shaped chassis that comes with a beautiful grey color scheme with a metallic Silver "Beelink" logo in the center. The curved edges and the aluminum + shiny exterior have a very premium feel. You can get the PC in two color schemes, the Space Gray version that we got or a Frost Silver color which has a more whiter hue.

The top and sides are fully enclosed except for the rear and bottom of the chassis which have vents to push hot air out of the unit that is dissipated by the cooling solution.

The front I/O on the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC comes with two USB3 ports (Type-A + Type-C), an SD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, a power button that also integrates a fingerprint sensor, a white light indicator, and four small microphone arrays on the top of the ports.

The back I/O of the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC comes with dual 2.5GbE Ethernet LAN ports, HDMI and DP outputs, 1 Thunderbolt4 Type-C port & four USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and the AC in power port.

The back side has large vents which push air out of the chassis.

That's about it as far as the outside goes but overall, the looks and feel are very premium of the GTi12 Ultra Mini PC.

Our test unit came with 32 GB of DDR5-4800 memory and 1 TB of Gen4 NVMeSSD. This is the maximum config you can get from Beelink but still leaves room for expansion with up to 64 GB memory support & up to 8 TB M.2 capacities.

The interiors of the Mini PC can be accessed by removing four screws at the bottom which are hidden underneath four rubber pads. The backside also features a large rubber cove to protect the PCIe link connector when its not being used.

Once inside, you will notice a large metal dust filter over the two major components, the speakers and the power supply. The power supply is integrated inside the Mini PC which means you don't have to carry around a power adapter and only need the AC in cable to boot the device up. This is a great design choice which further makes the Mini PC a more compact option for users.

The speakers within the GTi12 Ultra are big and offer really good sound quality. The Mini PC also features a build-in microphone which is powered by the B1 AI chip for effective noise recognition and noise reduction. This is why there are four microphone ports on the front. You can use the PC as an assistant just like Siri.

The Mini PC comes with a full-length yet proprietary PCIe x16 slot which has extra gold fingers on the back. This is a PCIe 4.0 x16 link between the PC and the EX Docking Station to support high-end discrete graphics cards.

The Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC measures 158x158x55.8mm (W/L/H). The built-in power supply can offer up to 125W of power and has a rated DC output of 19V (7.63A). The CPU has a maximum TDP rated at 65W which is supported by the PC so it should be enough to sustain the load. The PC also comes with a strong cooling solution which includes a vapor chamber on the 12900H SoC and a large blade fan that keeps the internals cool.

Beelink EX Docking Station - Unboxing & A Closer Look

The Beelink EX Docking station comes in a large box colored in white with the EX logo on the front and a nice PCIe slot picture to showcase what this solution has to offer.

The docking solution is held firmly in the plastic container.

Outside of the package, you can see that the EX Docking station is quite big but retains a compact design when it's loaded with the Mini PC and a discrete GPU.

The dock offers more than just a PCIe expansion slot. It has dedicated ports such as a separate PCIe 4.0 x1 expansion slot which can be used to mount a WIFI module or an SSD and there are also 2 antenna ports for WIFI functionality. There's also a single USB port.

One side of the dock features a large EX logo and the whole thing is colored in gray.

The other side of the docking station has large vents which are used to dissipate heat out of the internal chassis which includes the 600W power supply. The company states that the docking station can support up to RTX 4080 GPUs and we were told that even RTX 4090s are supported.

There are two 8-pin power connectors on the docking station, providing enough juice for high-end graphics cards.

The secondary PCIe slot is used to connect the Mini PC such as the GTi12 and the GTi14 Ultra with the docking station.

The Mini PC is connected vertically to the docking station and can be powered using the Power On/Off switch.

One thing to note is that the current EX Docking station mold only supports 2-slot graphics cards. You can technically connect a 3-slot card by removing the IO bracket but we tested it using the current design.

The 3-slot mold will be available in the future so make sure to contact Beelink about this before purchasing the docking station.

Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC - CPU Performance

For performance testing, we used the 65W power profile for the Intel Core i9-12900H when testing the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC.

Geekom GT13 Pro Mini PC - Integrated GPU Performance

For gaming, we tested a couple of the latest and most played esports titles along with a mix of AAA titles at 1080p resolution. The performance was measured between the AMD Radeon 780, Radeon 680M, AMD Vega 8, Vega 7, Vega 6, Intel Iris Xe, and Intel Iris Xe-LP integrated graphics.

Beelink EX Docking Station- 1080P dGPU Gaming Performance

For the discrete graphics testing, we used the fastest dual-slot GPUs that we had at our disposal which were the Radeon RX 7800 XT Phantom Gaming from ASRock & the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Gaming Pro OC from Palit.

Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC - Thermals & Power Consumption

Following are the power and thermal numbers of the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC using its 65W power profile. The PC offers one more cTDP mode configured at 54W.

As for thermals, the Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC peaked at around 90C with the 65W. The fan noise wasn't noticeable even at full load which is a good thing.

Conclusion - A Powerful & Compact Gaming Solution

The Beelink GTi12 Ultra Mini PC is the latest from the manufacturer and one that showcases the ongoing advancements in the segment. With the GTi12 Ultra, you are getting decent horsepower from the CPU which is a Core i9-12900H with 14 cores and 20 threads and while the iGPU is a bit lackluster, you can opt EX docking station to fully unleash the gaming and productivity output of this machine.

The Mini PC has an integrated power supply which means you don't have to worry about carrying the power adapter and the addition of two speakers which sound amazing is a great addition. It also comes with a microphone that can turn the device into an AI assistant with good voice feedback. Other than that, the I/O on the GTi12 Ultra Mini PC is superb with dual LAN, lots of USB ports, and even a TB4 port which can be used for power delivery too. Cooling is decent but given the tiny chassis, the single-fan can only do so much in keeping the 12900H under 90C which is within the max thermal limit.

Once loaded with the EX docking station, the GTi12 Ultra becomes a gaming powerhouse, delivering strong performance despite using a mobile CPU. The chip bested the Ryzen 9 7845HX from the Minisforum MoTD "BD770i". There are also two M.2 slots and dual DDR5 slots which can be configured by the user.

The $639 US asking price for the GTi12 Ultra is very good given the features it has on offer and with the EX docking station, you are paying $100 US more for extended capabilities which allow you to dock a high-end discrete graphics card and enjoy super-fast gaming performance. We are amazed by this kind of performance in a compact solution and can't wait to see more innovations in the Mini PC segment by Beelink in the future.