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Khadas Mind Pro Mini PC: RTX 5060 Ti in 0.43L [2025]

Khadas crammed an RTX 5060 Ti, 64GB RAM, and 2TB SSD into a 0.43-liter mini PC. Pre-orders January 27, 2026. Specs, pricing, and what this means for portable...

Khadas Mind Promini PCRTX 5060 Ticompact computingportable workstation+10 more
Khadas Mind Pro Mini PC: RTX 5060 Ti in 0.43L [2025]
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The Absurd Reality of the Khadas Mind Pro: A Graphics Card in Your Palm

Here's the thing: five years ago, someone told you that you'd fit a dedicated graphics card, 64 gigabytes of RAM, and two terabytes of storage inside a case smaller than a soda can, and you'd have laughed them out of the room. Yet that's exactly what Khadas just did.

The Khadas Mind Pro mini PC isn't a concept. It's not vaporware. Pre-orders open January 27, 2026, and the company has already proven itself in this space. Khadas was the first to put an Intel Lunar Lake processor inside a mini PC that actually shipped to customers. Now they're doing something even wilder.

In 0.43 liters—that's roughly the volume of a deck of playing cards standing on its edge—Khadas has managed to squeeze in an unspecified Intel Core processor, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of NVMe SSD storage. But the real conversation starter? That's the RTX 5060 Ti GPU living in a separate dock called the Mind Graphics 2.

Why does this matter? Because the entire mini PC market has been screaming for this. Companies like Asus, MSI, and Minisforum have been chasing performance-per-watt for years. Meanwhile, users have been stuck with a trade-off: you can have a powerful desktop that weighs 30 pounds, or you can have a tiny computer that breaks a sweat handling 4K video editing. The Khadas Mind Pro is attempting to obliterate that compromise.

But before we get too excited, let's talk about what we don't know. Khadas hasn't released pricing. The thermal management strategy is completely undisclosed. The exact CPU powering this thing remains a mystery. And there's the small matter of it being exclusive to the Chinese market at launch.

Let me walk you through everything about this machine, what it means for the mini PC market, and whether it's actually worth waiting for.

TL; DR

  • Khadas Mind Pro fits an RTX 5060 Ti, 64GB RAM, and 2TB SSD in just 0.43 liters
  • Pre-orders start January 27, 2026, but pricing remains undisclosed
  • Modular ecosystem includes the Mind Graphics 2 Dock and Mind x Play display for full workstation setup
  • Thermal management details are a complete mystery, raising questions about sustained performance
  • Chinese market exclusive at launch, which could delay or complicate international availability

TL; DR - visual representation
TL; DR - visual representation

Performance Comparison: RTX 5060 Ti vs RTX 4070
Performance Comparison: RTX 5060 Ti vs RTX 4070

The RTX 5060 Ti delivers 79% of the CUDA performance of the RTX 4070 while being 20% more power efficient, making it an efficiency leader for its generation. (Estimated data)

The Numbers That Sound Impossible (But Aren't)

Let's start with the basic specs, because honestly, they're worth repeating:

The Core System:

  • Unknown Intel processor (likely Core Ultra series, possibly the Core i 9)
  • 64GB of RAM
  • 2TB NVMe SSD
  • Case volume: 0.43 liters (approximately 263 cubic centimeters)

The Graphics Dock (Mind Graphics 2):

  • RTX 5060 Ti GPU with 16GB GDDR7 memory
  • Two HDMI 2.1a ports
  • One Display Port 1.4b
  • Multiple USB-A and USB-C ports
  • 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet
  • Built-in memory card reader

The Display (Mind x Play):

  • 2880 x 1920 resolution (higher than typical 4K)
  • 500 cd/m² brightness
  • 60 Hz refresh rate
  • Integrated webcam and microphones
  • Works as a portable monitor for other devices

Now, here's where it gets wild. The RTX 5060 Ti is Nvidia's budget-friendly discrete GPU from the newest generation. It's not a behemoth like an RTX 5090. But it's also not weak. We're talking about a card that can handle 1440p gaming at 60+ fps, video editing workloads, and light 3D rendering. That GPU, along with a serious amount of RAM and storage, living in a separate dock that connects to a computer the size of a hockey puck.

DID YOU KNOW: The Khadas Mind Pro is approximately 1,300 times smaller by volume than a traditional desktop PC tower, yet it maintains comparable performance levels when paired with the graphics dock.

The volume comparison is actually wild. A typical mini ITX build with discrete GPU easily occupies 10-15 liters. Some compact cases like the Thermaltake Core V1 sit around 16 liters. The Khadas Mind Pro's main unit is 23 times smaller than those. That's not an incremental improvement. That's a fundamental rethinking of what's possible.

But here's where we need to pump the brakes slightly. The specifications sheet doesn't tell the whole story. There's a reason computer hardware takes up space: heat generation and component accessibility. A 0.43-liter case is brutally constrained. The cooling solution has to be clever. The layout has to be perfect. One bad thermal design, and this entire package becomes a beautiful paperweight that throttles itself into oblivion.

QUICK TIP: Before committing to pre-order, wait for independent reviewers to run sustained load tests. A device this compact needs at least 30 minutes of continuous gaming or rendering to prove it won't thermally limit.

The dock approach is smart, though. By putting the RTX 5060 Ti in a separate enclosure, Khadas sidesteps the cooling nightmare entirely. The main unit can focus on efficiently handling the CPU and RAM. The dock has room to breathe and manage a discrete GPU without turning the entire package into a heat brick. This modular design is actually the secret weapon here.


The Numbers That Sound Impossible (But Aren't) - visual representation
The Numbers That Sound Impossible (But Aren't) - visual representation

Estimated Pricing Comparison of Mind Pro Configurations
Estimated Pricing Comparison of Mind Pro Configurations

Estimated data suggests the Mind Pro is competitively priced, offering modularity and compactness at similar costs to market alternatives. Estimated data.

Understanding the Modular Architecture: Why Separate Pieces Work Better Than One

The genius of the Khadas Mind Pro isn't just miniaturization. It's modularity. And yes, there's a huge difference.

Traditional mini PCs try to do everything in one tiny box. You get an APU or integrated graphics. Sure, it's compact. But it's also a compromise. Want serious GPU performance? You're either stuck with whatever weak integrated graphics your CPU ships with, or you're buying a bigger machine.

Khadas looked at this problem and said: what if we make the base unit as small as possible, and let users add performance when they need it? That's the entire philosophy here.

The Main Unit (Mind Pro): This is your portable computer. It has everything you need for office work, coding, web browsing, and light creative tasks. The CPU and RAM handle everyday computing. The 2TB SSD means you're not constantly cloud-dependent. Connectivity comes through two Thunderbolt 4 ports plus HDMI, which covers basically every peripheral you'd ever connect.

Weighs probably under 500 grams. Fits in a messenger bag. Works at a coffee shop without anyone giving you weird looks.

The Graphics Dock (Mind Graphics 2): When you need GPU performance, you dock the main unit. This is where the RTX 5060 Ti lives. This is also where the expansion lives. Four PCIe 4.0 lanes are available for custom expansion modules. Khadas hasn't detailed what these might be, but imagine: an extra M.2 SSD bay, a cellular modem, a capture card, or some other high-bandwidth hardware. The architecture is explicitly designed for this.

The dock also consolidates all your traditional desktop peripherals. Your monitor. Your keyboard. Your mouse. Ethernet for when Wi Fi isn't enough. USB hubs for your devices. When you're working from home, everything stays plugged into the dock. You just drop in the main unit. Minutes later, you have a full workstation.

The Display (Mind x Play): This is the cherry on top. Khadas created a display that's not just a monitor. It's a portable workstation when paired with the Mind Pro. 2880 x 1920 resolution is genuinely sharp. That's 1.5x the pixels of 1440p. For design work, coding, or any task where screen real estate matters, this is meaningful.

The brightness spec (500 cd/m²) is solid. Not absolute top-tier, but bright enough for outdoor use in most conditions. The integrated webcam and microphone mean you have a complete conferencing setup without extra cables. And critically, it works as a universal monitor for other devices. Dock your i Pad. Connect a Mac Book. Plug in a gaming console. The x Play becomes a docking station that also displays things.

Modular Computing: A system architecture where the core unit can operate independently while optional modules add specialized capabilities. Instead of one machine trying to do everything, you have a flexible base unit that connects to performance modules as needed, optimizing for portability and power independently.

This modular approach solves three problems simultaneously:

  1. Portability: The base unit is genuinely mobile. Take it anywhere.
  2. Performance: When you're home or at an office, dock it and get desktop-level GPU power.
  3. Flexibility: Users only pay for what they need. Don't need GPU power? Skip the dock.

The only catch is price uncertainty. We don't know if the dock costs

200or200 or
1,200. We don't know if buyers get the x Play display or if that's an additional purchase. Until Khadas releases pricing, it's impossible to evaluate the value proposition.


Understanding the Modular Architecture: Why Separate Pieces Work Better Than One - visual representation
Understanding the Modular Architecture: Why Separate Pieces Work Better Than One - visual representation

The CPU Mystery: What's Actually Powering This Thing?

Here's a frustration that everyone has with Khadas's announcement: they didn't specify the CPU. "Unspecified Intel processor" could mean literally anything from a Core i 3 to a Core i 9.

Given the 64GB RAM configuration and the aggressive positioning, it's probably not a low-end chip. The previous Khadas Mind 2 and Mind 2S used Intel's Lunar Lake processors, which are Intel's attempt at ultra-low-power computing. These chips have integrated graphics and deliver strong single-threaded performance in a tiny thermal envelope.

The Mind Pro might use:

Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake or Lunar Lake successor)

  • 12-16 cores typically
  • Integrated GPU for system graphics
  • TDP between 15-45 watts
  • Strong for content creation and development

Intel Core i 9-14900K or similar

  • More cores and cache
  • Higher performance ceiling
  • But also higher thermal output
  • Unlikely given the 0.43-liter constraint

Intel Core Ultra 9 series

  • New generation, optimized for power efficiency
  • Competent single and multi-threaded performance
  • Could fit thermal budget of a 0.43-liter case
  • Most likely candidate based on Khadas's previous choices

The unspecified processor is actually telling. If Khadas had used a current-generation, high-performance CPU, they'd be shouting it from the rooftops. The fact that they're being coy suggests they either:

  1. Haven't finalized the processor selection
  2. Are using a processor that's regional or not widely available in Western markets
  3. Are protecting specifications until launch to avoid design leaks

What matters functionally: the CPU needs to handle sustained loads in 0.43 liters without thermal throttling. That's a genuinely hard engineering problem. Passive cooling is impossible. Even an aggressive active cooling solution (small fans, heat pipes) has limits. If the CPU pulls more than 30-40 watts sustained, you're looking at a machine that sounds like a jet engine or one that underclocks itself during heavy workloads.

QUICK TIP: When reviews drop in January-February 2026, watch for sustained cinebench scores and thermal measurements under load. These will tell you if the system can maintain performance or if it throttles under sustained use.

For professional work, sustained performance matters. You're rendering a video? Compiling code? Running a simulation? Those are jobs that can take hours. If the CPU starts throttling after 10 minutes to keep thermals in check, the practical performance drops dramatically.

The GPU dock actually helps here. Under heavy CPU load, the GPU isn't active, so thermal load is concentrated. Under heavy GPU load, the CPU workload is typically lighter (you're just feeding GPU tasks). This natural load distribution might actually work in Khadas's favor.


The CPU Mystery: What's Actually Powering This Thing? - visual representation
The CPU Mystery: What's Actually Powering This Thing? - visual representation

Timeline for Evaluating Khadas Mind Pro
Timeline for Evaluating Khadas Mind Pro

Estimated timeline for evaluating the Khadas Mind Pro based on announcements, reviews, and user feedback.

RTX 5060 Ti: What Can It Actually Do?

Let's talk about the GPU that's apparently living in a dock the size of a lunch box. The RTX 5060 Ti is Nvidia's entry-level discrete GPU for the latest generation. On the surface, that sounds less impressive than it is.

Raw Performance Specs:

  • CUDA cores: around 2,560
  • Memory: 16GB GDDR7 (this is excellent for the price)
  • Memory bandwidth: 432 GB/s
  • TDP: approximately 130 watts

What This Means in Practice:

1080p Gaming: This card runs every modern game at high settings and 60+ fps. Cyberpunk 2077, Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, Dragon's Dogma 2. Smooth, playable experiences.

1440p Gaming: Medium-to-high settings, 60+ fps in most titles. Some demanding games might hit 45-50 fps, but still feel responsive.

4K Gaming: Possible, but you're looking at medium settings and 30-45 fps. More of a "playable but not ideal" scenario.

Video Editing: This is where the card shines. Adobe Premiere Pro, Da Vinci Resolve, and similar tools absolutely benefit from NVIDIA GPUs. You're looking at 2-4x faster exports compared to CPU-only encoding. For a 5-minute 4K video, the difference between 20 minutes (CPU) and 5 minutes (GPU) is massive.

3D Rendering: Small-to-medium projects in Blender, Cinema 4D, or similar tools. This isn't a workstation GPU like an RTX 6000, but it's capable. Ray-traced renders that would take 8 hours on CPU might take 2 hours on this card.

AI/ML Tasks: The card supports CUDA and cu DNN, so it can accelerate machine learning workloads. This is particularly relevant for content creators using AI upscaling, style transfer, or image generation tools.

3D Modeling: Games design and professional 3D work benefits from GPU acceleration. Viewport performance in Blender or Maya improves substantially.

The 16GB of GDDR7 memory is particularly smart here. A lot of RTX 4000-series cards came with 8GB, which became a bottleneck for professional workloads. Khadas doubling that for the 5000-series card is a pragmatic choice.

However, here's the catch: the RTX 5060 Ti isn't a replacement for workstation GPUs. If you're a professional 3D artist doing production work, you'd ideally want something like an RTX 6000 Ada. But for enthusiasts, indie creators, and professionals on a budget, the RTX 5060 Ti is genuinely competent.

DID YOU KNOW: The RTX 5060 Ti has approximately 79% of the CUDA performance of the previous generation's RTX 4070, but uses 20% less power and costs about 40% less, making it the efficiency champion for its generation.

The dock's additional ports are worth noting too. Two HDMI 2.1a and one Display Port 1.4b means you can drive three displays simultaneously. For creative professionals who work with reference windows, timeline scrubbing, and preview monitors, that's valuable. The GPU itself can drive multiple 4K displays without breaking a sweat.


RTX 5060 Ti: What Can It Actually Do? - visual representation
RTX 5060 Ti: What Can It Actually Do? - visual representation

Storage and Memory: Future-Proofing at Scale

Khadas configured the Mind Pro with 64GB of RAM and 2TB of NVMe storage. These aren't arbitrary numbers. They're strategic choices that hint at who this machine is built for.

64GB RAM Context:

For most users, 16GB is enough. Office work, web browsing, casual gaming—16GB covers it. But for content creators and developers, 64GB is aspirational:

  • Video Editing: Premiere Pro with multiple 4K timelines, heavy effects, and color grading benefits hugely from 64GB. Scrubbing through 4K footage requires RAM bandwidth and capacity. With 32GB, you're managing resources carefully. With 64GB, you just work.
  • 3D Rendering: 3D scenes with complex geometry, textures, and ray tracing can consume enormous amounts of RAM. A photorealistic Blender scene might use 40-50GB.
  • Machine Learning: Running local AI models, especially larger language models, absolutely requires this much RAM. Inference for a 70-billion parameter model needs serious memory.
  • Virtual Machines: Developers running multiple VMs (Linux for development, Windows for testing) easily use 40-50GB.
  • Simulation Work: Physics simulations, fluid dynamics, and similar computational work scales directly with available RAM.

2TB SSD Context:

Two terabytes is unusual for a mini PC, where storage is typically limited to 512GB or 1TB. But Khadas went big. Why?

  • Professional Work Files: A 4K 60fps video project can easily consume 500GB. A Blender scene with textures might be 50GB. A dataset for machine learning could be 200GB. 2TB means you're not constantly managing storage or offloading to external drives.
  • Software Installation: If you're a developer with multiple IDEs, Docker images, game engines, and professional software, you can easily hit 500GB of installed applications. 2TB gives breathing room.
  • Local Cache: Premiere Pro caches transcodes. Blender creates temporary files during rendering. Windows itself needs space for updates and temporary files. 2TB allows for healthy free space, which keeps systems responsive.

The combination of 64GB RAM + 2TB SSD positions this machine squarely at creative professionals and developers, not casual users. A student or office worker would be perfectly happy with 16GB and 512GB. The fact that Khadas maxed these specs suggests they're targeting people whose time is worth money. Every minute saved on export or render time justifies premium hardware.

QUICK TIP: If you're considering the Mind Pro, plan for at least one external SSD. Even with 2TB internal storage, working with multiple large 4K projects or datasets means you'll appreciate backup and additional working space.

The NVMe connection is also critical. These days, NVMe SSDs hit 7GB/s read speeds easily. That's actually the PCIe 4.0 limit. Thunderbolt 4 on the main unit supports 40GB/s, so connecting external storage doesn't become a bottleneck. This whole system is genuinely thought through for fast, sustained data movement.


Storage and Memory: Future-Proofing at Scale - visual representation
Storage and Memory: Future-Proofing at Scale - visual representation

Comparison of Modular vs Traditional Mini PCs
Comparison of Modular vs Traditional Mini PCs

Modular mini PCs like the Khadas Mind Pro offer superior flexibility and upgradeability compared to traditional mini PCs, while maintaining high performance and portability. Estimated data.

The Thermal Question Nobody Can Answer Yet

Here's the elephant in the room: nobody, and I mean nobody, has publicly disclosed how thermal management works in 0.43 liters.

This is a problem because thermal management is actually the difference between a functional computer and a glorified space heater. You can theoretically cram powerful components into a tiny space. But if those components generate heat faster than you can remove it, you've got a brick that throttles itself.

Potential Cooling Approaches:

Option 1: Passive Cooling Aluminum case acting as a heatsink, with no moving parts. Pros: silent, reliable, looks premium. Cons: severely limits CPU and GPU wattage. Probably can't sustain more than 10-15W continuous. Not viable for serious work.

Option 2: Active Cooling with Tiny Fans Small, high-speed fans with heat pipes. Common in laptops. Pros: decent cooling in a small space. Cons: can get noisy under load, fans have limited lifespan. Typical noise under sustained load: 40-50 d B (noticeable but not terrible).

Option 3: Liquid Cooling Compact vapor chamber or passive liquid loop. Pros: excellent thermal performance, relatively quiet. Cons: increased complexity, higher cost, potential leak risk in consumer devices. Unlikely but possible.

Option 4: Hybrid Approach Passive cooling for CPU, small active cooling for other components. Thermal design prioritizes CPU stability over everything else. GPU dock has its own separate cooling. This seems most likely.

Thermal Throttling: A safety mechanism where processors automatically reduce clock speed when temperature exceeds safe operating limits. This prevents hardware damage but reduces performance. A system that throttles after 10 minutes of use feels slower than a system that throttles after 3 hours.

What we need to know but don't:

  • What's the sustained temperature under load?
  • At what temperature does throttling engage?
  • How loud are fans under sustained load?
  • Does the system maintain performance during a 1-hour rendering job, or does it throttle after 20 minutes?
  • What's the thermal design power (TDP) budget Khadas allocated?

These aren't academic questions. They're literally the difference between a great machine and a frustrating one. A developer running a 30-minute compilation that throttles after 15 minutes is experiencing degraded real-world performance. A video editor exporting a 5-minute video that hits thermal limits halfway through is looking at a re-export.

Khadas's silence here is suspicious but understandable. If the thermal design is aggressive and works well, showing it off would be a major selling point. The fact that they haven't means either:

  1. It's still being optimized
  2. It's adequate but not impressive
  3. There are thermal tradeoffs they're not excited about publicizing

The dock approach actually helps significantly. Since the GPU lives separately, the main unit only needs to handle the CPU's heat output. A modern Intel Core Ultra 9 might pull 28 watts sustained under heavy load. With clever thermal design and a 0.43-liter case optimized for that single component, it's probably manageable. Not perfect, not silent, but manageable.

But we won't really know until reviews hit.


The Thermal Question Nobody Can Answer Yet - visual representation
The Thermal Question Nobody Can Answer Yet - visual representation

Connectivity and Expansion: The Docking Station Story

The Mind Pro offers connectivity through the main unit itself: two Thunderbolt 4 ports and one HDMI port. For a portable computer, that's actually solid. Thunderbolt 4 at 40GB/s is fast enough for external GPUs (though they already have that covered), external storage, displays, and everything else.

But when docked, the real expansion story unfolds.

The Mind Graphics 2 Dock provides:

  • Two HDMI 2.1a ports (8K support at 60 Hz)
  • One Display Port 1.4b (8K support, with higher refresh rates)
  • Multiple USB-A ports (exact count not specified, but "multiple" suggests 4+)
  • Multiple USB-C ports (same caveat)
  • 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (much faster than Wi Fi)
  • Memory card reader (SD, likely)
  • Four PCIe 4.0 lanes for expansion modules

The PCIe 4.0 lanes are interesting. Officially, the dock supports "high-bandwidth expansion modules," but Khadas hasn't detailed what these might be. Possible candidates:

  • Additional M.2 SSD slots: Expanding storage beyond the built-in 2TB
  • Cellular modem: 5G or LTE connectivity, useful for remote work
  • Capture card: For streamers or content creators recording video sources
  • RAID controller: For data professionals who need redundancy
  • Custom accelerator cards: For specialized workloads

The fact that Khadas explicitly designed for future expansion is smart. They're not locking users into a static feature set. As technology evolves, users can add capabilities.

The mind x Play display add another layer. With two HDMI, one Display Port, a USB-C hub, and integrated peripherals, it's a complete docking experience. You could literally work from the x Play display alone. Keyboard, mouse, monitor, and webcam all integrated.

DID YOU KNOW: The 2880 x 1920 resolution on the Mind x Play display is a 3:2 aspect ratio, matching professional displays like the i Pad Pro and Microsoft Surface. This 3:2 ratio provides 20% more vertical space than 16:9, which designers and developers strongly prefer.

For professionals, this connectivity ecosystem actually matters. Remote workers want to dock their machine and have everything ready. Developers want high-speed networking (2.5 Gbit Ethernet beats Wi Fi for local development servers). Content creators want multiple displays. The Mind Pro's dock design addresses all of these.

The only critique: we don't know how expansion modules will be priced or what will actually be available at launch. Khadas has the infrastructure to make this work, but execution matters. If modules are expensive or unavailable, the expansion promise is marketing theater.


Connectivity and Expansion: The Docking Station Story - visual representation
Connectivity and Expansion: The Docking Station Story - visual representation

Comparison of Cooling Approaches for Compact Devices
Comparison of Cooling Approaches for Compact Devices

Estimated data suggests liquid cooling offers the best thermal performance, but hybrid approaches balance noise and efficiency well. Passive cooling is silent but least effective.

The Chinese Market Reality and Global Availability Questions

Let's address the awkward part of this announcement: the Khadas Mind Pro is being positioned as a Chinese market exclusive at launch.

Pre-orders start January 27, 2026, in China. International availability is... not confirmed. For a company with a global audience, this is a significant limitation.

Why China First?

Several practical reasons:

  • Manufacturing: Khadas manufactures in China. Easier to support local market first.
  • Market demand: China has massive demand for compact electronics and mini PCs specifically.
  • Regulatory: Different regions require different certifications (FCC for US, CE for EU). China is always first when you're dealing with regulatory complexity.
  • Supply chain: Launching in one region lets Khadas work out manufacturing kinks before scaling globally.

What This Means:

If you're in the US, Europe, or other Western markets, expect a 2-3 month delay minimum before the device is available. Could be 6+ months realistically. When it does arrive globally, expect:

  • Import duties: Electronics imported into the US face tariffs. Your final price might be 15-20% higher than the domestic Chinese price.
  • Warranty complexity: International warranties with Chinese companies are often frustrating. Will Khadas handle repairs in your country, or do you ship back to China?
  • Localization: Will it come with English OS installation? Proper support documentation?
  • Software support: Updates and driver support from a Chinese company can be spotty for non-Chinese markets.

Khadas has done this before with previous Mind models and the Lunar Lake mini PC. They've eventually expanded globally. So this isn't a "never coming to the West" situation. It's a "you might wait several months" situation.

QUICK TIP: If you're interested in the Mind Pro but not in China, expect April-June 2026 for international availability. Sign up for Khadas's mailing list now to get launch notifications rather than missing it.

For import-savvy buyers, there will probably be parallel import options (buying from a Chinese retailer and shipping internationally). This adds complexity and potentially voids warranty support, but it's an option if you're impatient.


The Chinese Market Reality and Global Availability Questions - visual representation
The Chinese Market Reality and Global Availability Questions - visual representation

Competitive Landscape: How Does This Stack Up?

The mini PC market has exploded in the last two years. Let's see how the Khadas Mind Pro compares to alternatives.

Asus NUC: Assus's NUC lineup is the traditional leader. New models include Panther Lake options with dedicated graphics options. Pros: established brand, excellent support. Cons: not as compact as the Mind Pro, more expensive, less aggressive specs.

Minisforum: Minisforum makes incredibly small mini PCs, some with dedicated GPUs. They've been aggressive on specs and pricing. Pros: innovation-focused, good value. Cons: less established brand, support can be inconsistent, Chinese company (same distribution challenges as Khadas).

Intel NUC Halo: Intel's premium mini PC line. Ultra-compact, premium build quality. Pros: Intel backing, high reliability. Cons: very expensive, conservative specs, modest GPU options.

MSI Cubi: Another ultra-compact option. Reliable, solid build. Pros: decent specs, trusted brand. Cons: not particularly innovative, limited GPU options.

Why the Mind Pro Is Different:

The modular approach with a separate GPU dock is genuinely unique. Nobody else is shipping with this exact design. The combination of:

  • 0.43-liter base unit
  • Separate GPU dock (no integrated GPU)
  • Dedicated display module
  • 64GB/2TB standard configuration
  • Explicit expansion architecture

...this is a product category that didn't exist before. Khadas is creating something novel.

The trade-off is price uncertainty. If the Mind Pro is cheaper than competitors with equivalent performance, it's a no-brainer. If it's more expensive, the value proposition weakens. We won't know until January 27.


Competitive Landscape: How Does This Stack Up? - visual representation
Competitive Landscape: How Does This Stack Up? - visual representation

Mini PC Competitive Comparison
Mini PC Competitive Comparison

The Khadas Mind Pro stands out for its innovation and compactness, while Minisforum offers the best value for money. Estimated data based on product features.

Performance Expectations: Real-World Scenarios

Let's ground this in actual use cases. What can you actually do with a Khadas Mind Pro?

Scenario 1: Indie Game Developer

You're making a 2D indie game in Unity or Godot. Developing happens on the base unit: coding, asset management, scene design. The RTX 5060 Ti dock handles lighting bakes and export builds significantly faster. The 64GB RAM and 2TB storage mean your project never feels constrained. The portability means you can work from coffee shops, conferences, or home.

Result: This is an excellent fit. The modular design lets you travel light for development, then add performance when needed for rendering.

Scenario 2: Freelance Video Editor

You're taking on client work: You Tube videos, social media content, commercial projects. Editing 4K footage on the base unit with integrated graphics would be... painful. Scrubbing through timeline, applying effects, color grading—all slower than ideal.

Docked with the RTX 5060 Ti, Adobe Premiere Pro goes from frustrating to functional. Exports that took 2 hours now take 30 minutes. This is a real productivity gain.

Result: The dock is almost mandatory for this use case. Base unit alone is too limited.

Scenario 3: ML/AI Researcher

You're experimenting with machine learning models. Loading a 70-billion parameter model requires 64GB RAM. Running inference on Llama or Mistral models is GPU-accelerated with the RTX 5060 Ti.

The portability is nice. You can work from anywhere and still have local AI capabilities. The 2TB storage handles large datasets.

Result: This is a great fit for hobbyist and indie AI work. Not for production ML at scale, but for experimentation, this is excellent.

Scenario 4: Content Creator (Writing/Podcasting)

You create written content or podcasts. Maybe some light video. The base unit alone is overkill. 16GB and 512GB would be fine.

Result: The Mind Pro is over-spec'd. A cheaper, smaller mini PC would serve your needs better. The GPU dock would never get used.

Scenario 5: Office/Remote Worker

Mostly spreadsheets, email, web browsing, Zoom calls. Again, over-spec'd. The base unit is great (portable, capable), but you don't need 64GB RAM or an RTX 5060 Ti.

Result: Wait for a base-only configuration or choose a cheaper alternative.

The pattern is clear: the Mind Pro is for knowledge workers whose work benefits from GPU acceleration or RAM abundance. Developers, creators, researchers, and designers. It's not for casual users.


Performance Expectations: Real-World Scenarios - visual representation
Performance Expectations: Real-World Scenarios - visual representation

Use Cases That Pop: Where This Machine Shines

Let me get specific about where this device becomes genuinely transformative.

3D Visualization for Architecture

Architects use Revit, Sketch Up, and real-time rendering engines. Real-time visualization of a 50,000-square-foot building in Unreal Engine or Enscape requires serious GPU power. The RTX 5060 Ti handles this. The 64GB RAM means complex models don't lag. The portability means you're showing clients visualization on their site, not bringing a tower into their office.

Rendering Farm Node

Blender, Cinema 4D, and other renderers can network-render across machines. A compact Mind Pro becomes a render node. Pop 4-5 of them on a shelf (they're each 0.43 liters), and suddenly you have significant rendering capacity without needing a room full of towers. Scaling creative business becomes affordable.

Live Streaming Setup

Twitch, You Tube Live, or corporate streaming. The GPU handles encoding. The base unit is compact. The dock provides multiple video inputs through HDMI/Display Port. Pair with the x Play display and you have an all-in-one streaming workstation.

Mobile Workstation for Consultants

Tech consultants, data scientists, and specialized professionals visiting client sites. Bring the compact base unit. If you need GPU power, the dock stays behind or ships separately. You're never handicapped by hardware limitations.

AI Inference at Edge

In smart buildings, surveillance systems, or robotics, you need local compute without a full server room. The Mind Pro could run local AI models, handle real-time inference, and manage network coordination. It's a building block for Io T-like deployments.

These are the scenarios where Khadas will make money and build reputation. Each one solves a real problem that existing hardware doesn't address well.


Use Cases That Pop: Where This Machine Shines - visual representation
Use Cases That Pop: Where This Machine Shines - visual representation

The Pricing Elephant: What Will This Actually Cost?

Khadas has been intentionally vague about pricing. Pre-orders start January 27, but price isn't public. This is frustrating because pricing fundamentally determines whether this is a brilliant product or an overpriced niche device.

Price Estimation Based on Components:

Let's estimate:

Base Unit (0.43L case, Intel processor, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD):

  • Case and engineering: $150
  • Intel Core Ultra 9 processor: $400-500
  • 64GB DDR5 RAM: $200-250
  • 2TB NVMe SSD: $150-200
  • Cooling system: $50-100
  • Electronics, connectors, assembly: $100

Subtotal: approximately $1,050-1,300

Graphics Dock (RTX 5060 Ti, ports, expansion, cooling):

  • RTX 5060 Ti GPU: $250-300
  • Dock case and PCB: $150
  • Power supply and delivery: $100
  • Ports, expansion modules, assembly: $100

Subtotal: approximately $600-750

Display (2880x 1920, webcam, microphone, stand):

  • Panel (high-resolution, premium): $300-400
  • Electronics and backlighting: $100
  • Casing, stand, assembly: $100
  • Webcam and audio: $50

Subtotal: approximately $550-650

Total BOM (Bill of Materials): approximately $2,200-2,700

With manufacturing margin (30-40%), retail distribution, and profit, expect:

  • Mind Pro base unit alone: $1,600-2,000 USD
  • Mind Pro + Graphics Dock: $2,200-2,800 USD
  • Mind Pro + Graphics Dock + x Play Display: $2,800-3,500 USD

This is rough, and Khadas might optimize costs or cut margins differently. But these are reasonable estimates.

For Context:

  • A Mac Book Air 16" with similar CPU and 64GB RAM costs $2,400
  • An Asus NUC with RTX GPU and similar specs would be $2,200-3,000
  • A custom-built mini PC with equivalent performance is $2,500-3,200

So the Mind Pro is likely competitive on price, not cheaper. What you're paying for is the modular design, compactness, and ecosystem integration.

QUICK TIP: Wait for actual pricing on January 27, 2026. If it's under $1,800 for the base unit, it's a steal. If it's over $2,200, compare it directly to Mac Book Air and high-end mini PCs before deciding.

If Khadas is smart, they'll offer tiered options:

  • Base unit only: cheaper entry point
  • Base + Dock bundle: mid-tier
  • Full ecosystem: premium price

This lets price-conscious buyers start small and upgrade as needs (and budget) allow.


The Pricing Elephant: What Will This Actually Cost? - visual representation
The Pricing Elephant: What Will This Actually Cost? - visual representation

What We're Genuinely Uncertain About

Let's be honest about what remains a mystery.

Thermal Performance: Will this thing throttle under sustained load? We have no idea. The first benchmark results will be crucial.

Real-World Noise: How loud is the active cooling under sustained use? Some people find 45d B acceptable. Others find it maddening. Unknown.

Software Support: Will Khadas push BIOS updates? Firmware patches? Security patches? Chinese companies have mixed track records here.

Warranty and Repair: What's the warranty period? If something fails, can you get it repaired locally or do you ship to China? Time-to-repair matters.

Availability: How many will Khadas manufacture? If they sell out instantly, good luck getting one in 2026.

Future Expansions: Will they actually release the promised expansion modules, or was that vaporware?

Long-Term Reliability: Is this a device you can use for 5+ years, or will it feel dated in 18 months?

These unknowns are why I'm cautiously optimistic but not enthusiastically recommending a blind pre-order. Wait for:

  1. Full pricing announcement (January 27)
  2. Independent reviews (February-March)
  3. Thermal and performance benchmarks
  4. Warranty and support documentation
  5. Early user experiences (March onwards)

Then decide if it's right for you.


What We're Genuinely Uncertain About - visual representation
What We're Genuinely Uncertain About - visual representation

The Bigger Picture: Mini PCs Are Becoming the Default

Step back from the Khadas Mind Pro specifically, and something larger is happening: mini PCs are becoming genuinely serious alternatives to traditional desktops and laptops.

Ten years ago, mini PCs were compromise machines. You bought one if you needed portability and were willing to accept reduced performance. Now? They're competitive across the board.

Laptops offer portability but throttle under sustained load and are expensive. Desktops are faster but immobile. Mini PCs with docking stations are... kind of the best of both worlds. You get desktop performance when you need it (plugged into a dock with a proper power supply) and portability when you need that.

The Khadas Mind Pro is the next step in this evolution: miniaturization so extreme that you can't tell whether you're looking at a portable device or a complete workstation until you understand the modular design.

This matters for the future of computing. Smaller, modular, expandable systems could become the standard, not the exception. Instead of "I need a laptop for travel and a desktop for real work," the conversation becomes "I have a compact base unit that I dock when I need performance."

For professionals, this is huge. For companies managing IT, this is transformative. Fewer SKUs. Simpler support. Scalable performance.


The Bigger Picture: Mini PCs Are Becoming the Default - visual representation
The Bigger Picture: Mini PCs Are Becoming the Default - visual representation

Final Take: Is This Worth Your Attention?

If you're:

  • A creative professional (video, 3D, music production)
  • A developer or software engineer
  • A researcher or data scientist
  • An enthusiast who values compact, modular systems
  • Someone who travels but needs genuine performance

Then yes, the Khadas Mind Pro absolutely deserves your attention. It's solving real problems that existing products don't address well.

If you're:

  • A casual user (email, web, documents)
  • A budget-conscious buyer
  • Someone in a region without Khadas support infrastructure
  • Someone who needs absolute thermals guarantees

Then wait. Let others iron out the details. There will be alternatives.

The honest truth: this is an ambitious product from a company that has delivered before. They put a Lunar Lake mini PC on sale when nobody else would touch it. They're doing modular mini PCs before the industry consensus says it's viable.

Will the Mind Pro be perfect? Probably not. Thermal design might require compromise. Pricing might be higher than expected. Support might be uneven.

But as a proof-of-concept that you can fit a discrete GPU, 64GB RAM, and 2TB storage into something the size of a deck of cards? That's genuinely impressive. That's a machine worth following.

Pre-orders start January 27, 2026. Pricing TBA. Keep your eyes open.


Final Take: Is This Worth Your Attention? - visual representation
Final Take: Is This Worth Your Attention? - visual representation

FAQ

What exactly is the Khadas Mind Pro?

The Khadas Mind Pro is an ultra-compact mini PC that measures 0.43 liters (roughly 263 cubic centimeters) with an unspecified Intel processor, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of NVMe SSD storage. It's designed to be modular, connecting to a separate GPU dock containing an RTX 5060 Ti for when you need graphics performance, and optionally pairing with the Mind x Play display to function as a complete workstation.

How does the modular architecture work?

The Mind Pro separates the base computing unit from the GPU. The compact main unit handles everyday computing and can function independently with integrated graphics. When you need GPU performance, you dock it into the Mind Graphics 2 enclosure, which houses an RTX 5060 Ti with 16GB GDDR7 memory. This approach lets you travel with just the compact base unit and add performance when you need it, rather than carrying a full workstation everywhere. Additionally, the Mind x Play display serves as a universal monitor and docking station with integrated peripherals.

What kind of performance can you expect from the RTX 5060 Ti?

The RTX 5060 Ti is Nvidia's entry-level discrete GPU for the latest generation, capable of handling 1440p gaming at 60+ fps on high settings, smooth 4K video editing with GPU acceleration, light 3D rendering and modeling, and AI/ML inference tasks. While it's not a professional workstation GPU, it delivers approximately 79% of the CUDA performance of the previous generation's RTX 4070 while using 20% less power, making it the efficiency champion for its generation. For video editors, 3D artists, developers, and content creators, this provides meaningful GPU acceleration without requiring a dedicated workstation.

When will the Khadas Mind Pro be available and how much will it cost?

Pre-orders are set to begin on January 27, 2026, but Khadas has not yet disclosed pricing or a confirmed release date. The device is expected to launch first in the Chinese market, with international availability likely following within 2-6 months. Pricing is estimated to fall in the

1,6001,600-
2,000 range for the base unit,
2,2002,200-
2,800 for the base plus graphics dock, and
2,8002,800-
3,500 for the complete ecosystem including the x Play display, though these are estimates based on component costs.

What are the thermal management challenges with a 0.43-liter case?

Fitting an entire computer into 0.43 liters creates severe thermal constraints. Khadas has not publicly disclosed cooling specifications, which is the most critical unknown about this device. Potential approaches include passive aluminum heatsinks (which limit sustained power), active cooling with small high-speed fans (which can become noisy), or hybrid approaches balancing passive and active cooling. Early reviews will be crucial to determine whether the system can maintain performance during sustained workloads or if thermal throttling occurs after extended use.

Who is this device actually built for?

The Khadas Mind Pro is specifically designed for professionals and enthusiasts whose work benefits from GPU acceleration or abundant RAM: video editors and content creators, 3D artists and designers, software developers and engineers, machine learning researchers, IT consultants who visit client sites, and indie game developers. The 64GB RAM and RTX 5060 Ti GPU focus these specs on knowledge workers rather than casual users. If you primarily need a computer for email, web browsing, and documents, this device is over-spec'd and you'd find better value elsewhere.

How does it compare to other mini PCs like the Asus NUC or Minisforum models?

The Khadas Mind Pro's primary differentiator is its modular GPU dock architecture, which is genuinely unique in the market. Unlike traditional mini PCs where components are integrated or limited to docking displays, the Mind Pro separates the base unit from GPU performance entirely. This allows unprecedented compactness (0.43 liters) for the base unit while still enabling desktop-class performance when docked. Traditional competitors like Asus NUC offer established brand support but are less compact and aggressive on specs. Minisforum offers similar innovation and pricing but hasn't implemented modular GPU architecture at this scale. The Mind Pro essentially creates a new product category.

Will there be thermal throttling under sustained loads?

This is currently unknown and represents the single biggest uncertainty about the device. A system under sustained load—such as rendering a video, compiling code, or running ML models—could generate heat faster than the cooling system can remove it, triggering automatic clock speed reductions that degrade performance. The compact 0.43-liter case makes this a legitimate concern. Real-world thermal performance under 1-3 hour sustained loads will be critical information that only independent reviews can provide. Wait for benchmark results before purchasing if sustained performance is critical to your work.

Is this available internationally, or just in China?

At launch (January 27, 2026), the Mind Pro is expected to be a China-first release. Khadas typically expands to international markets within 2-6 months after initial launch in China. International availability will likely involve import duties (adding 15-20% to the price in the US), potential warranty complexity, and possible localization delays. If you're not in China and don't want to use parallel import channels, expect to wait until spring or summer 2026 for official availability in your region.

What makes the 2TB SSD and 64GB RAM configuration significant?

These specs position the Mind Pro at creative professionals, not casual users. Most people are fine with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, but video editors working with 4K files, 3D artists with complex scenes, machine learning researchers with large datasets, and software developers running multiple VMs genuinely need this capacity. 2TB means you're not constantly managing or offloading storage. 64GB RAM means you don't experience slowdowns from resource constraints. Together, they eliminate common bottlenecks that frustrate professionals, making this a machine designed around actual workflow efficiency rather than base-level functionality.

What expansion possibilities exist with the PCIe 4.0 lanes on the dock?

The Mind Graphics 2 Dock includes four PCIe 4.0 lanes for high-bandwidth expansion modules, though Khadas has not detailed what these modules will be at launch. Possible additions include additional M.2 SSD slots for project storage, cellular modems for mobile connectivity, capture cards for streaming and content creation, RAID controllers for data redundancy, or specialized accelerator cards for specific workloads. The explicit design for future expansion means the system's capabilities can grow as your needs (and available modules) evolve, rather than being locked into a static feature set at purchase.


FAQ - visual representation
FAQ - visual representation

Next Steps: Should You Pre-Order?

Honestly? Not yet. Here's what I'd do:

  1. January 27, 2026: Khadas announces full pricing and specs. Check if the base unit cost aligns with your budget and needs.

  2. February-March 2026: Independent reviews hit. Watch for thermal benchmarks, noise measurements, sustained performance tests, and real-world usage reports.

  3. March-April 2026: Early buyer reports appear. Check forums, Reddit, and You Tube for user experiences after 2-4 weeks of ownership.

  4. April onwards: Make your decision based on actual data, not speculation.

The Khadas Mind Pro is genuinely innovative. The modular architecture is smart. The compactness is impressive. But innovation without execution is just marketing. Let's see what Khadas actually delivers.

If it works as intended, this changes how professionals think about portable computing. If thermal design is problematic or pricing is excessive, there are alternatives. Either way, January 27 will be interesting.

Next Steps: Should You Pre-Order? - visual representation
Next Steps: Should You Pre-Order? - visual representation


Key Takeaways

  • Khadas Mind Pro fits RTX 5060 Ti, 64GB RAM, and 2TB SSD in just 0.43 liters using modular architecture with separate GPU dock
  • Thermal management details remain undisclosed, representing the biggest unknown about sustained performance under heavy loads
  • Pricing TBA on January 27, 2026, expected
    1,6001,600-
    3,500 depending on configuration from base unit to full ecosystem
  • Ideal for creative professionals (video editors, 3D artists, developers) and ML researchers; over-spec'd for casual users
  • Chinese market launch first with international availability likely delayed 2-6 months; import duties will add 15-20% to Western prices

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