Peladn HO5: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 โ The Smartest Buy in Mini PCs Right Now
Flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, OCuLink eGPU support, Wi-Fi 7, USB4 (40 Gbps), dual 2.5G Ethernet โ at $940, the Peladn HO5 is the insider tip the mini PC community has been waiting for.
Introduction โ Why the HO5 Is Different
The mini PC space is more competitive than ever in 2026. Brands like Minisforum, Geekom, and BOSGAME all offer compelling machines โ but they come with premium price tags to match. The Peladn HO5 takes a different approach: give you everything the flagship competition offers, at a price that makes them look overpriced.
For $940, you get AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 โ the same chip inside systems costing $1,100โ$1,300. Add OCuLink, Wi-Fi 7, USB4 at 40 Gbps, and dual 2.5G Ethernet, and you have a machine that’s genuinely hard to argue against.
A spec sheet that belongs in a machine costing $200โ$300 more.
Full Specifications
The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (Strix Point) โ 12 cores, 50 TOPS NPU, up to 54W sustained TDP.
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12C/24T, up to 5.1 GHz) |
|---|---|
| Architecture | 4ร Zen 5 + 8ร Zen 5c (Strix Point) |
| TDP | 28โ54W sustained ยท 70W burst |
| NPU (AI) | 50 TOPS (XDNA 2) |
| Integrated GPU | AMD Radeon 890M (16 CUs, RDNA 3.5) |
| RAM | 32 GB LPDDR5-7500 MT/s quad-channel (soldered) |
| Storage | 1 TB Crucial P3 Plus PCIe 4.0 NVMe |
| Extra Storage | 1ร M.2 slot (tool-free via magnetic lid) |
| USB | 2ร USB 2.0 ยท 2ร USB 3.2 Gen 2ร2 (20 Gbps) ยท 1ร USB4 (40 Gbps) |
| Video Out | 1ร HDMI ยท 2ร DisplayPort โ up to 3ร 4K@60Hz |
| Wired Network | Dual 2.5 GbE (Realtek RTL8125) |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 (MediaTek MT7925) ยท Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Special Ports | OCuLink (eGPU) ยท Docking station port |
| Power Supply | 120W external adapter |
| Dimensions / Weight | 129 ร 129 ร 54 mm ยท 575 g (+ 282 g PSU) |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro (pre-installed) |
| Price | $940 |
Design, Build & Connectivity
The HO5 is compact without feeling cheap. At 129 ร 129 ร 54 mm and just 575 grams, it sits behind any monitor with the included VESA mount. The plastic chassis is sturdy and well-ventilated. A magnetic lid gives tool-free access to the second M.2 slot โ a small detail that makes storage upgrades painless.
The rear IO: USB4, USB 3.2 Gen 2ร2, OCuLink, dual 2.5G Ethernet, HDMI, and 2ร DisplayPort.
Performance Benchmarks
All tests at factory defaults: 54W TDP, 2 GB dedicated VRAM for the Radeon 890M. The BIOS allows further tweaking.
CPU Performance
| Benchmark | Peladn HO5 | Geekom A9 Max | Minisforum AI X1 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinebench 2024 Multi | 1,132 | ~1,140 | ~1,550 |
| Cinebench 2024 Single | 116 | ~117 | ~120 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 20,354 | ~20,500 | โ |
| PCMark 10 | 7,755 | โ | 7,577 (โ2%) |
The HO5 matches the Geekom A9 Max (same chip, similar TDP) and outscores the Minisforum AI X1 Pro in PCMark 10 โ a machine priced $150 higher.
GPU & 3DMark
| Benchmark | Peladn HO5 | Geekom A9 Max |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Fire Strike | 8,919 | ~9,200 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 3,412 | ~3,500 |
| Steel Nomad | 359 | โ |
Gaming โ 1080p (Radeon 890M, iGPU only)
The Radeon 890M handles 1080p gaming comfortably in most titles at LowโMedium settings.
| Game (1080p) | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V | 175 | 167 | 81 | 33 |
| The Witcher 3 | 170 | 116 | 61 | 39 |
| Dota 2 | 168 | 143 | 98 | 93 |
| Strange Brigade | โ | 81 | 67 | 54 |
| Baldur’s Gate 3 | 51 | 40 | 32 | 32 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 50 | 40 | 28 | 24 |
| F1 24 | 94 | 94 | 61 | 15 |
โ 60+ fps โ Smooth โ 30โ59 fps โ Playable โ <30 fps โ Demanding
Storage & Wireless
The Crucial P3 Plus SSD delivers 4,258 MB/s read / 4,162 MB/s write. Wi-Fi 7 real-world throughput hit 1,802 Mbps TX / 1,757 Mbps RX at 6 GHz. USB4 external SSD (ADATA SE920): 3,150 MB/s sequential read.
Temperatures & Noise
Idle: completely silent, surface temps below 35ยฐC. Under sustained load: 35โ40 dB โ audible but non-intrusive at a normal working distance. CPU peaks at 95ยฐC under stress with no significant throttling.
Pros & Cons
โ What We Loved
- Best price/performance under $1,000
- Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 โ top mobile chip
- OCuLink for eGPU upgradability
- Wi-Fi 7 + Dual 2.5G Ethernet
- USB4 at 40 Gbps
- Fast LPDDR5-7500 quad-channel RAM
- PCIe 4.0 SSD + expandable M.2 slot
- Compact, VESA-mountable
- Silent at idle
- Windows 11 Pro included
โ Watch Out For
- RAM soldered (no upgrade path)
- Audible fan under sustained load
- No HDMI 2.1
- Smaller brand โ support unknown long-term
- Wi-Fi occasionally finicky on Linux
Final Verdict
If you want flagship-tier mini PC performance without the flagship price, the Peladn HO5 makes the competition look overpriced. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 delivers top performance, the connectivity is class-leading, and OCuLink gives you a real upgrade path.
The only real limitation is the soldered 32 GB RAM. If you need 64 GB, the Minisforum AI X1 Pro (~$1,099) is the safer pick. For everyone else, this is the most compelling value in mini PCs right now.