Intel Reatan S8 Mini Gaming PC Intel Core I9 12900H Review

The Reatan S8 Mini Gaming PC is a compact desktop with a powerful Intel i9 CPU and 32GB of RAM, but its integrated graphics make it terrible for actual gaming. It's best suited as a productivity or home server box. At around $619, it's a decent value only if you need its specific strengths and can ignore the misleading 'gaming' label.

If you're searching for a mini PC with a big CPU and lots of RAM for under $700, the Reatan S8 Mini Gaming PC will definitely pop up. It's packing an Intel Core i9-12900H processor and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, which sounds like a powerhouse on paper. But here's the catch: the 'Gaming PC' in its name is a bit of a misnomer, as it relies on integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. So, is this a tiny titan or a case of misleading marketing? Let's dig into the data.

This little box is built for connectivity, landing in the 85th percentile for ports in our database. You get dual 2.5G Ethernet, WiFi 6, and a Thunderbolt 4 port that can drive an 8K display. It's clearly aimed at users who need a compact, multi-screen workstation for office tasks, light development, or as a home server. But for actual gaming, you'll need to temper your expectations right from the start.

The CPU performance is solid, sitting around the 55th percentile. The 14-core (6 P-cores, 8 E-cores) i9-12900H is a legit mobile chip, and it chews through productivity tasks, multi-tab browsing, and light video editing without breaking a sweat. It's where this PC shines. The 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM is also a huge plus, landing in the 76th percentile and making multitasking a breeze.

Now, the elephant in the room: gaming performance. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics puts it in the bottom third (32nd percentile) for GPU power. You can forget about modern AAA titles. You're looking at light esports titles like League of Legends or CS:GO at low-to-medium settings for playable frame rates. If your idea of gaming is anything more demanding than that, this isn't the box for you.

At around $619, you're paying for a compact chassis, a powerful CPU, and a generous helping of RAM. That's not a bad deal if you need exactly that combo for a specific task like a coding server, network appliance, or ultra-compact office machine. However, for a general-purpose or gaming desktop, that money could go towards a more balanced system with a real graphics card, even if it's a bit bigger.

This is where things get interesting. The Reatan S8 is competing in a weird space. Compared to proper gaming desktops like the HP Omen or Corsair Vengeance series, it loses instantly because they have dedicated GPUs. Its real competition is other mini PCs. For the same price, you could look at AMD-based mini PCs with Radeon 680M graphics, which offer significantly better gaming performance. If you need Intel and Thunderbolt 4 specifically, the Intel NUC series or similar mini PCs from Beelink offer more established brands, though you might sacrifice some RAM. The Reatan's main draw is its high RAM and port selection in a tiny box, but you trade away graphics power and, according to our reliability data, some peace of mind.

Gamers should skip this immediately. If you're playing anything more demanding than Minecraft or League of Legends, look for a mini PC with AMD Radeon 680M graphics or, better yet, a small form factor PC that can fit a real GPU. Also, if reliability is your top concern, our data shows this model scores poorly. In that case, consider a mini PC from a more established brand like Intel NUC, ASUS, or Minisforum, even if it costs a bit more for similar specs.

Should you buy the Reatan S8 Mini Gaming PC? Only if you read that as 'Reatan S8 Mini Everything-But-Gaming PC.' Buy this if you need a very compact, well-connected machine for office work, light development, or as a home server/router, and the 32GB of RAM is a must-have. Do not buy this if gaming is any part of your plan, or if you value long-term reliability from a well-known brand. It's a niche product that's good at a few specific things, but its name sets entirely wrong expectations.