Best Mini PC for Local LLMs (Oct 2026): Strix Halo 128GB vs Gorgon Halo 192GB

The useful question in October 2026 is not “which mini PC has the biggest RAM sticker.” It is whether the model you actually run fits in the slice of that RAM the GPU can address, at a bandwidth you can live with, at a price per usable gigabyte you checked this month.

A 128GB Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (“Strix Halo”) box still answers that for models that fit in AMD’s documented graphics allocation. A 192GB Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 (“Gorgon Halo”) box is the next capacity step, and it costs roughly twice the cheaper 128GB listings in the table below. It does not deliver twice the bandwidth. LocalRig has not measured tokens per second on either platform. Cells without a dated source stay empty.

This is the homelab companion to the GPU guide and hardware for a 70B model. Brand support history stays on Minisforum vs. Beelink vs. GMKtec. The July 2026 version of this page priced a 128GB Beelink near $1,899. That figure is retired. The GTR9 Pro page and the Strix Halo vs. Mac Studio comparison still contain the old range, marked as superseded.

What the GPU can actually use

Installed RAM and GPU-addressable memory are different numbers.

128GB Strix Halo, Windows. AMD’s Variable Graphics Memory FAQ (2025-07-29) says a 128GB Ryzen AI Max+ system can set 96GB of dedicated graphics memory. AMD’s highest-performance guidance is to keep the workload inside that 96GB. The same note says the iGPU can technically address 112GB total (dedicated plus shared) on that 96GB setting. ServeTheHome’s GTR9 Pro review (2025-10-11) found the review unit already split 96GB video / 32GB CPU out of the box, and noted other Max+ 395 systems shipping with a much smaller video carve-out.

128GB Strix Halo, Linux. AMD’s ROCm Strix Halo guide (document date 2026-02-20) says this memory is mapped, not a discrete VRAM pool. The default GTT limit is about 50% of system RAM. AMD’s example sets 100GB with amd-ttm --set 100 on a machine that reported 125.65GB total, and tells you to keep the BIOS carve-out small (their example is 0.5GB) and raise the shared limit instead. That page does not state a maximum above the 100GB example, and it warns that the copy is not the latest ROCm documentation. This guide does not fill in a higher Linux ceiling from third-party blogs.

192GB Gorgon Halo. GMKtec’s EVO-X5 Pro page (fetched 2026-10-06) and its 2026-09-28 launch post say the 192GB configuration can dynamically allocate up to 160GB as graphics memory. Tom’s Hardware reported the same 160GB figure the same day. AMD’s own Ryzen AI Halo page, fetched 2026-10-06, lists a Max+ PRO 495 developer platform with 192GB and “up to 300B parameter models,” marked Available Soon. That AMD page does not restate the 160GB allocation number. Until an AMD note does, 160GB stays a vendor claim.

Bandwidth is the other half of the fit. AMD’s FAQ attributes 256 GB/s to the Strix Halo platform (LPDDR5X-8000). GMKtec, Tom’s Hardware, and Framework’s 2026-09-30 pre-order post all put Gorgon Halo LPDDR5X-8533 at up to 273 GB/s on a 256-bit bus. The step from 256 to 273 is 17/256 = 6.6%. A 192GB box is not a faster Strix Halo. It is a larger one.

What fits above about 120GB

Use file size, not a parameter-count slogan.

Models already documented on LocalRig that sit inside a 128GB box’s allocatable pool include Qwen 3.8 Flash (Unsloth’s 75GB GGUF class) and DeepSeek-V4-Flash-0731 at the ~103GB 3-bit class, which is tight against a 96GB dedicated Windows pool and inside the 112GB total AMD describes. Framework’s own Desktop page (fetched 2026-10-06, “as of Sept 2026”) lists DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731, UD-IQ2_XXS, 90.9GB memory used on the 128GB Max+ 395. That is a vendor measurement, not a LocalRig run.

The same Framework table is the concrete file that crosses ~120GB: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash Q2, 163GB memory used, on the 192GB Max+ PRO 495. 163GB does not fit in 128GB installed, and it is also above GMKtec’s 160GB graphics-allocation claim. Framework is reporting memory used on a 192GB machine, not a promise that the file fits inside a 160GB carve-out. The fetched table did not include a tokens-per-second figure. That cell stays empty.

Vendor parameter ceilings are not file sizes. AMD’s Halo page says the 128GB Max+ 395 platform runs models up to 200B parameters, and the 192GB Max+ PRO 495 up to 300B, with the 495 still marked Available Soon. GMKtec says the EVO-X5 Pro supports fully offline LLMs up to 320B parameters, and the launch post says the original design target was 300B and that actual compatibility depends on model, software, quantization, and configuration. None of those sentences name a GGUF size.

Models that miss both boxes stay misses. Kimi K2.6 is a ≥350GB floor. A 160GB graphics allocation does not change that.

Dated prices, 2026-10-06

Prices below were read from the linked page on the date in the table. Empty cells were not filled from roundups. ComputingForGeeks and similar compilations were used only as leads to these primary pages.

Machine	Installed memory	GPU-allocatable, as cited	Bandwidth	Power, as cited	Noise	Price	Observed
Framework Desktop DIY, Ryzen AI Max+ 395	128GB LPDDR5X-8000, soldered	Platform rule: 96GB dedicated / 112GB addressable on Windows (AMD, 2025-07-29). This SKU’s BIOS default was not re-read.	256 GB/s (AMD, Strix Halo)			Starting at $3,449. Pre-order, ships within 5 business days. DIY, so the starting price is not a 2TB SSD config.	2026-10-06, Framework comparison
Minisforum MS-S1 MAX	128GB LPDDR5X-8000. Page label includes 2TB SSD.	Same platform rule. Not re-measured on this chassis.	256 GB/s (AMD, Strix Halo)	Vendor modes 60W quiet / 95W balanced / 130W performance; 160W peak; 320W internal PSU		$3,799 sale, $4,749 regular. The same page also shows $4,119 / $5,149, not assigned to a storage tier here.	2026-10-06, Minisforum US store
Beelink GTR9 Pro	128GB LPDDR5X-8000 + 2TB	ServeTheHome saw 96GB/32GB out of the box (2025-10-11).	256 GB/s (AMD, Strix Halo)	Vendor: 120W default, 140W peak, 230W internal PSU	Vendor claim: 32 dB at 140W. A review comment on that ServeTheHome page reported 52 dBA and a return. Not a lab measurement.	$4,349 sale, $4,699 regular. Pre-order, about 35 days.	2026-10-06, Beelink store
AMD Ryzen AI Halo, Max+ 395	128GB LPDDR5X-8000, 2TB (TweakTown)	Same platform rule.	256 GB/s (AMD, Strix Halo)	120W default TDP (AMD Halo spec table, fetched 2026-10-06)		$3,999 at Micro Center, in TweakTown’s report. Not re-read on the retailer page this date.	2026-06-14, TweakTown
GMKtec EVO-X5 Pro, Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495	192GB LPDDR5X-8533, soldered (8×24GB)	Up to 160GB dynamically allocated (GMKtec; Tom’s Hardware 2026-09-28)	Up to 273 GB/s (GMKtec, Tom’s Hardware, Framework)	Vendor modes: 54W silent, 85W balanced, 120W sustained, 160W peak. 19.5V/16.9A (330W) adapter.		Store page displayed $6,799. Launch table: regular $6,799 for 192GB+2TB and $7,099 for 192GB+4TB. Early-bird tiers from Sept 28 are not treated as the current price.	2026-10-06 store page; 2026-09-28 price table
Framework Desktop, Ryzen AI Max PRO 495+	192GB LPDDR5X-8533		273 GB/s (Framework, 2026-09-30)		Noctua NF-A12x25 pre-installed. No dB figure in the post.		Pre-order opened 2026-09-30, shipments starting November. Dollar price was not in the blog post, so the cell stays empty.
NVIDIA RTX Spark (Windows PCs)	Up to 128GB unified (NVIDIA, 2026-09-03)					Coming, unpriced. The 2026-09-03 post does not list a dollar figure. An analyst estimate is not used.	2026-09-03, NVIDIA blog

GMKtec’s EVO-X2 product page, fetched the same day, displayed $2,199.99 (regular $2,599.99) and offers both 64GB and 128GB. The fetch did not bind that price to one memory tier, so this table does not.

Price per gigabyte, from those rows only

Per installed gigabyte, using the single price this page is willing to pin:

• Framework 128GB DIY: $3,449 / 128 = $26.95. No SSD in that starting price.
• Minisforum 128GB edition: $3,799 / 128 = $29.68.
• Beelink GTR9 Pro: $4,349 / 128 = $33.98, 2TB included, pre-order.
• GMKtec EVO-X5 Pro at the displayed $6,799: $6,799 / 192 = $35.41.

Per cited GPU allocation, which is a different denominator:

• $3,799 / 96GB AMD dedicated = $39.57.
• $4,349 / 96GB = $45.30.
• $6,799 / 160GB vendor allocation = $42.49.

Using AMD’s 96GB Windows figure as the Strix denominator, $6,799 / 160GB ($42.49) is higher than $3,799 / 96GB ($39.57) and lower than $4,349 / 96GB ($45.30). Per installed gigabyte, $6,799 / 192 ($35.41) is higher than the GTR9 Pro’s $33.98. The multiple the buyer actually feels is $6,799 / $3,799 = 1.79× and $6,799 / $3,449 = 1.97×. Against the GTR9 Pro it is $6,799 / $4,349 = 1.56×. “Roughly double” fits the cheaper 128GB listings in this check. It does not fit the GTR9 Pro.

Which box to buy

Buy a 128GB Max+ 395 when the weights, KV cache, and runtime fit in 96GB dedicated, or you have checked Linux GTT on a current kernel and confirmed the process stays inside the limit you set. Among listings read on 2026-10-06, the Framework DIY at $3,449 is the lowest 128GB starting price, and it is a pre-order kit rather than a sealed mini PC. The Minisforum MS-S1 MAX at $3,799 is the sealed 128GB box with dual 10GbE, USB4 v2, and a PCIe slot in the vendor spec. The GTR9 Pro at $4,349 buys dual 10GbE and a vapor chamber at a higher price and a stated 35-day pre-order. Pay the Beelink premium only if you want that chassis. Do not pay it for more memory. All three share the same 128GB Strix Halo pool.

A 64GB Framework DIY Max+ 395 starts at $1,959 on the same comparison page. That is the Strix entry if 64GB of installed memory is actually enough. It is the wrong box for a 70B-at-higher-quant or a 90GB+ file.

Buy the 192GB Gorgon Halo box when a file such as Framework’s 163GB DeepSeek V4.1 Flash Q2 example has to reside on one machine, and you have confirmed it fits in that machine’s allocatable memory rather than in the slogan “192GB.” At $6,799 for the EVO-X5 Pro price on the store page, you are paying about 1.8× the Minisforum 128GB price for 1.5× the installed RAM and a 6.6% bandwidth step. Framework opened 192GB pre-orders on 2026-09-30 with Linux-only configurations and November shipments; the dollar figure was not in the post, so this page does not rank Framework’s 192GB on price. AMD’s own 192GB Halo is still “Available Soon” on the product page, with no price in the fetch.

Do not buy either for a model that already fits a 24GB GPU and where decode speed is the constraint. Bandwidth at 256–273 GB/s is the ceiling. The GPU guide is the speed path.

When a DGX Spark or a Mac is the better fit

DGX Spark is the better fit when the software stack is the constraint: CUDA, vLLM, NVFP4 checkpoints, or a recipe that already assumes NVIDIA’s box. LocalRig’s Spark vs. dual 3090 and dual-Spark Qwen 3.8 Flash-Next pages cover that path. This refresh did not re-read a 128GB Spark price, so none is printed here.

RTX Spark is a different product. NVIDIA’s 2026-09-03 post says Windows PCs from partners, with a Grace CPU, a Blackwell GPU, and up to 128GB of unified memory, arrive in October. The post does not list a price. Treat them as coming and unpriced. Do not budget an analyst figure.

Mac Studio is the better fit when bandwidth, or a pool larger than 192GB, is the constraint, and MLX is an acceptable runtime. Apple’s 2026-09-22 Newsroom update says Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499, with up to 512GB of unified memory at 1.2TB/s. The 512GB configuration was still “coming in late October,” so $5,499 is the starting price, not the 512GB price. M5 Max starts at $2,499 and supports up to 128GB; that sentence is not a 128GB configurator price. 1.2TB/s against 256 GB/s is a different machine. The older Strix Halo vs. Mac Studio page is still framed on M3 Ultra and the retired Strix price range.

Power and noise

These are vendor power modes, not wall-draw measurements from LocalRig.

The EVO-X5 Pro spec table lists silent 54W, balanced 85W, and performance 120W sustained / 160W peak, with a 330W adapter. The GTR9 Pro page lists 120W default and 140W peak, a 230W internal supply, and a 32 dB claim at 140W. ServeTheHome’s comment thread includes a buyer who measured 52 dBA, returned the unit, and another who said full-power mode was not quiet. Those are reader comments on a 2025-10-11 review, not a new lab session. The MS-S1 MAX page lists 60 / 95 / 130W modes and 160W peak, and does not state a decibel figure. Framework’s 192GB post says a Noctua NF-A12x25 is pre-installed and does not state a decibel figure. AMD’s Halo spec table lists 120W default TDP for both the 395 and the 495 developer platforms.

If the box sits on a desk, the missing noise cells matter. A vendor “32 dB” line is not a substitute for a measured idle and load figure.

NPUs

Ryzen AI Max+ 395 platforms quote an XDNA 2 NPU at up to 50 TOPS. The Max+ PRO 495 quotes up to 55 TOPS (GMKtec and AMD’s Halo spec table). AMD’s memory FAQ and the ROCm Strix Halo guide talk about iGPU address space for local models. They do not show llama.cpp or Ollama running generation on that NPU. The longer version of this gap is do NPUs matter for local AI.

Throughput

Not yet measured by LocalRig. ServeTheHome’s 2025-10-11 GTR9 Pro review shows LM Studio screenshots — gpt-oss 120B at 31.41 tok/s and Llama 3.3 70B at about 4.89 tok/s — without a quantization, context length, or runtime version in the prose. That is short of a cite packet, so those numbers are not planning figures here. GMKtec’s EVO-X2 page publishes a vendor speed table, including Qwen3 235B at 11 tok/s, and does not state the quantization except on the Llama 4 109B Q4_K_M row. Vendor rows without a quant stay out of the decision.

Who this is not for

• You want maximum decode speed on a model a 24GB GPU already holds. A mini PC wins on capacity per liter, not on bandwidth.
• Your file is above ~160–192GB. Kimi-class floors do not become mini-PC purchases because Gorgon Halo exists. Use the can-I-run page for that model, or a Mac capacity tier you have actually priced.
• You need CUDA this quarter. Spark, or a discrete NVIDIA build, is the stack constraint. A 192GB AMD box does not satisfy it.
• You are pricing RTX Spark at a leaked or estimated dollar figure. The NVIDIA post that says they ship in October does not price them.

Bottom line

Match the purchase to the memory the GPU can address and to a price read on 2026-10-06. A 128GB Strix Halo box — $3,449 starting as a Framework DIY pre-order, $3,799 as a Minisforum MS-S1 MAX, $4,349 as a Beelink GTR9 Pro — is the capacity buy when 96GB dedicated (Windows) or a Linux GTT limit you have set is enough. A 192GB EVO-X5 Pro at $6,799 is about 1.8× that Minisforum price for 1.5× the installed RAM and a 6.6% bandwidth increase, and it is the buy when the working set clears the 128GB machine and still fits. DGX Spark is the CUDA fit. Mac Studio M5 Ultra is the bandwidth and larger-pool fit, starting at $5,499, with 512GB still not the starting configuration as of Apple’s 2026-09-22 note. Tokens per second on these mini PCs are not yet measured here.

Amazon search links use the localrig-20 tag. The manufacturer URLs above are not affiliate links.

• Search Strix Halo mini PCs on Amazon →
• Ryzen AI Max mini PCs on Amazon →