Nipogi AD08 mini PC review: The stylish PC with an Intel Core i7 12650H features a mini tower design and three power modes

The selection of mini PCs available that are intended for daily office work on site or from home keeps growing and growing. The Nipogi AD08, however, is quite an interesting device, attracting attention due to its stunning looks. Visually, the AD08 is reminiscent of conventional tower PCs and as a result, it is anything but big and bulky.

Inside, it houses an Alder Lake series Intel Core i7 12650H. You will have to make do with DDR4 RAM, however, the manufacturer has given it a generous 32 GB. The PC features a 512 GB NVMe SSD, which will probably be sufficient for most office users. Currently, you might be able to find the Nipogi AD08 for as low as US$460.

In general, we can't say much about the device's pricing, as the competition can usually be had for a similar amount. Nevertheless, we can confidently say that its MRSP of around US$740 is too much in our eyes. One special feature of the Nipogi is its RGB lighting as well as its ability to let you change the processor's performance in use via a control dial.

In our test, we will be discussing the three modes (silent, auto and performance) in more detail. In this review, we have selected a range of similarly compact desktop PCs to act as comparison devices. You can find an overview in the following table. The outside of the device is reminiscent of a tower PC.

With a height of only 19 centimeters, the Nipogi AD08 is very compact and can easily be placed onto your desk. Its build quality is good, although its materials are limited to plastic, meaning we didn't like how the PC feels just as much as some other devices. In order to access the RAM or SSD, the right side of the case (seen from the front) can be removed easily.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer hasn't included such an easy solution on the other side, which would make cleaning the fans a much simpler job. The Nipogi AD08 features a simple selection of external ports. They are spread out over the front and back of the device. In total, it has four USB Type A ports, which should be sufficient for most users.

Screens can be connected via the two HDMI ports installed on the back or via the USB C connection on the front. The PC doesn't feature USB4 or Thunderbolt. Nipogi has installed a Wi Fi 6 module from Realtek into the AD08 Pro. This model works with the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands and in our test, it only achieved average performance.

We wouldn't class these results as bad, however, as they are more than enough for everyday use. For our test, we used our Asus ROG Rapture GT AXE11000 as a test router. The AD08 offers slightly faster data connections via its LAN port. Using this, you can achieve data transfer speeds of up to 1 GBit/s.

The Nipogi PC can be opened on the right side without the need for any tools. However, through this entry, you can only access the already installed components such as RAM and SSD. The WLAN module sits further on the inside and can't be accessed directly. The same can be said for the cooling unit.

In turn, this isn't all too big an issue, as all the screws can be accessed easily. In the present configuration, there is space for one further storage device. The Nipogi AD08 is well equipped with its Intel Core i7 12650H if you keep its intended uses in mind. Its 32 GB DDR4 RAM is plentiful and you won't likely run into the issue of having to upgrade quickly.

We used the energy profile "highest performance" for all our performance tests. Deviations to this were only made during our power and noise emission measurements according to our test criteria. Furthermore, it should be noted that we carried out all performance tests using the three different modes "silent", "auto" and "performance".

The Nipogi AD08 is equipped with the Intel Core i7 12650H . The SoC features a total of ten native computing cores and it can process 16 threads at once. During our test, we noted solid performance that wasn't quite enough to beat the Minisforum Venus Series NAB6 . The competitor's cooling system seems to be more effective, leading to the processor delivering slightly better performance.

In the combined comparison between all CPU benchmarks, our test sample only came 4 per cent behind, however. Using the modes "auto" and "silent" leads the Intel Core i7 12650H to be noticeably throttled. Even so, the processor's performance is good enough for everyday tasks.

For further comparisons and benchmarks, take a look at our CPU comparison table . The Cinebench R15 continuous loop gives us an insight into how effective the installed cooling system is. Using the different modes, you can tell that the SoC's PL2 value was only maintained for a short while, while its defined power limits remained stable over time.

Compared to the Minisforum Venus Series NAB6 , our test sample had to admit clear defeat. There were a good 200 points between the devices after 50 runs. The Nipogi AD08 mastered the synthetic benchmarks which take into account system performance. The competition, on the other hand, is pretty strong, leading to it only achieving an average spot in the PCMark 10 test.

The Crossmark test ran slightly better with Intel processors than ones powered by AMD. Our test device, again, achieved average results without suffering any major blows. For the sake of completeness, we also carried out all these tests using the alternative power modes. The resulting values were slightly worse, although this shouldn't significantly affect your everyday work.

LatencyMon already showed some raised latencies when opening multiple tabs in Edge. On the other hand, these didn't get any higher when playing back our 4K test video. Prime95 also didn't cause the latencies to become higher than initially documented. Our test sample is fitted with a 512 GB SSD from Netac.

It uses the PC's M.2 slot and is connected via PCIe 3.0 x4. The different performance modes have no notable influence on the installed SSD's performance. At the end of the day, it can't boast any extremely high transfer rates, which is why our test sample occupied one of the last places.

However, there shouldn't be any noticeable differences in normal everyday use. Aside from the pre installed M.2 SSD, the PC can accommodate one further 2.5 inch storage device. For further comparisons and benchmarks, take a look at our comparison table . As part of the Intel Core i7 12650H , the integrated graphics unit Intel UHD Graphics with 64 EUs takes care of picture output.

Purely from a performance perspective, you should only trust this model with 2D display. For more demanding 3D uses, the processor's iGPU is simply too weak. An AMD Radeon 780M offers notably better performance — this model can be found in the Minisforum EliteMini UM780 XTX , for example. For further comparisons and benchmarks, take a look at our GPU comparison table .

Due to its limited 3D performance, the Nipogi AD08 is only partly suited for gaming. You may well achieve playable frame rates in older or less demanding games, but you will more than likely have to lower the detail settings in order to do so. If you place more importance on 3D performance, then take a closer look at the Miniforum EliteMini UM780 XTX .

Its iGPU, the AMD Radeon 780M , performs a lot better. Alternatively, check out the Minisforum HX77G , the Minisforum NUCXi7 or the Acemagic Tank03 . These devices deliver great gaming performance thanks to their dedicated graphics cards. During our noise emission measurements, we primarily took a look at the emissions in performance mode, as this is used as the basis for our evaluation.

At first, the Nipogi AD08 ran quite quietly, although it was never fully silent. Under load, we noted high emissions of up to 51.7 dB(A) which, in due course, balanced out at 45.8 dB(A). As the processor has a low power consumption under permanent load, its noise emissions sank during these measurements compared to what we noted during average load.

The alternative performance modes additionally show that the Nipogi AD08 can be run even quieter. Auto mode seems to provide a good compromise between performance and noise emissions. The Nipogi AD08's case only heats up slightly in idle mode and under load, and at no point did it achieve critical temperatures during our test.

Only the back had a noticeable heat source near the fan outlet. The processor itself only hit a maximum of 83 °C during the stress test. However, this value was only held for a short period of time and its power consumption sank back down to the predefined value of 45 watts during the course of the test.

This means the cooling system works effectively and on average, the Intel Core i5 12650H's temperature balanced out at 70 °C in this scenario. Unfortunately, the Nipogi AD08 isn't the most frugal mini PC system. Even in idle mode, our measurement device showed between 14 and 28.7 watts. All competitors within this comparison field delivered better values.

Under load, the power supply (which is stated to supply up to 120 watts) has to provide about 100 watts. Under average load, the PC only requires 77 watts, so about on the same level as the Minisforum Venus Series NAB6 . The Nipogi AD08 is a compact PC which, visually, is reminiscent of a tower PC. Thanks to its compactness, the mini PC can easily find a space on your desk.

In addition, its sleek lighting makes the AD08 a treat for the eyes. At the same time, you can deactivate its lighting if it isn't to your taste. The Intel Core i7 12650H's performance is good — but not quite on the same level as the Minisforum Venus Series NAB6 with the same processor. The mini PC stands out from the crowd thanks to its ability to throttle or raise its performance in use.

Oftentimes, it is enough to use the Nipogi AD08 in silent mode, as with ten native computing units, the SoC offers enough reserves even at reduced power consumption. Furthermore, your ears are protected a little, as in performance mode, the AD08 can get quite loud. The Nipogi AD08 is a visually appealing office PC for home use, featuring a compact tower design.

However, when it comes to emissions, the Nipogi AD08 can't keep up with the competition. Its 32 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD make the PC a solid device for home use. When taking a closer look at its connectivity options, however, you'll notice that its competitors generally feature future proof Thunderbolt connections which greatly widen devices' potential uses.

Unfortunately, the Nipogi AD08 cannot benefit from this, meaning we would recommend the PC simply for working from home. Price wise, the device isn't the cheapest, either. Its competitors are often cheaper and offer more performance. At the time of writing, the Nipogi AD08 won't find it easy to be added to potential buyers' carts.

The Nipogi AD08 can be bought directly from Nipogi's online store. Currently, the device can be had for around US$740..