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Mini PCs · Head to head

GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) vs GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)

Full Mini PCs comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official GMKtec site.
2026 verdict
NVMe headroom is the storage consequence, and the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) is the mini PC that has it.
GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
Winner
GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
$474.98$649.9927% OFFPrime exclusive deal

Last recorded price

Buy on Amazon USA
It is the more affordable of the two, with a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, a free M.2 2242 bay, 16 GB of DDR4-3200 and 2.5G Ethernet in a 361 g chassis running Windows 11 Pro. The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) answers with 32 GB of DDR4, an eight-core Ryzen 7 7730U, two 2.5G ports and Wi-Fi 6E, on a 512 GB PCIe 3.0 SSD. Both stop at 64 GB, both carry a one-year warranty, and neither has USB4 or Thunderbolt. Keep the M2 Pro S when the larger, faster drive and the price decide it, and move to the M5 Ultra when dual Ethernet and 32 GB are the job.
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FeatureGMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)Winner
Price$474.98$559.99GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
Rating4.44.3GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
Memory Capacity16 GB32 GBGMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)
Storage Capacity1 TB512 GBGMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
CPU ModelIntel Core i7-1185G7AMD Ryzen 7 7730UDifferent strengths
GPU ModelIntel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96 EUs, 1.35 GHz)AMD Radeon Graphics (8 cores, up to 2000 MHz)Different strengths
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Memory ConfigurationDual-channelDual-channelTie
Memory TypeDDR4DDR4Tie
Memory Speed3200 MT/s3200 MT/sTie

What the differences mean

Installed storage

The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) ships a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD and leaves an M.2 2242 SATA bay free. The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) ships a 512 GB SSD on PCIe 3.0, with two M.2 2280 bays. The M2 Pro S is the one that arrives with more room and a faster link on the main drive. The M5 Ultra's bays are the larger 2280 size if you add a second fast drive later.

Memory already fitted

Both use DDR4-3200 SODIMM and both can reach 64 GB. The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) already has 32 GB. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has 16 GB. If the machine is a virtualisation node on day one, the M5 Ultra skips a RAM purchase. If 16 GB is enough, that advantage disappears.

Ethernet ports

The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) has two 2.5G Ethernet ports, which is why owners use it as a firewall or a Proxmox node. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has one 2.5G port, an Intel I226-V. One port is enough for a desktop. Two ports are the difference for a router that also needs a LAN.

Processor and wireless

The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) uses an eight-core Ryzen 7 7730U and Wi-Fi 6E. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) uses a quad-core Intel Core i7-1185G7 with Iris Xe graphics and Wi-Fi 6. Bluetooth is 5.2 on both. Neither has an NPU, and neither has USB4. The Ryzen is the heavier CPU. The Intel box is the one with the larger SSD.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) split into homelab buyers and people who just want a quiet desktop, and both groups praise the same small box. Homelab owners single out the pair of 2.5G Ethernet ports, two M.2 bays and a 64 GB memory ceiling for Proxmox, a firewall or a small cluster, and several say Fedora and Linux Mint installed cleanly. Desktop owners talk about silence and about the Ryzen 7 7730U feeling quick for the power it draws. The complaints match a value platform: DDR4 and PCIe 3.0 rather than newer memory and storage, graphics that run hot in a long game, a sleep-wake bug one reviewer solved by turning sleep off, and a one-year warranty they call short. Support itself gets warm mentions, with units replaced well after purchase.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
  • GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) or GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)?

The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB), on storage and price. It has a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD against a 512 GB PCIe 3.0 SSD in the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB). The M5 Ultra is the better pick when you want 32 GB fitted, two 2.5G ports and an eight-core Ryzen.

What is the biggest difference between the M2 Pro S and the M5 Ultra?

What is already installed, not the brand. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has more and faster storage. The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) has twice the RAM, two Ethernet ports and a stronger CPU. Both use DDR4 and Windows 11 Pro, and neither has USB4.

Which GMKtec has two Ethernet ports, the M2 Pro S or the M5 Ultra?

The GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB), with two 2.5G ports. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has a single 2.5G Intel I226-V port. That is the split for a firewall or a homelab node.

Do the M2 Pro S and the M5 Ultra support Thunderbolt or USB4?

No. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) and the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB) both lack USB4 and Thunderbolt. The M2 Pro S has a 5Gbps USB-C port. The M5 Ultra has a USB 3.2 Type-C port. Neither replaces a Thunderbolt dock.

Who should buy the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)?

Someone who wants the more affordable Windows mini PC, a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD and a free second bay, and who can live with 16 GB of DDR4, one Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 6.

Who should buy the GMKtec NucBox M5 Ultra (32GB + 512GB)?

Homelab and firewall builders who want two 2.5G ports and 32 GB already fitted, plus anyone who wants the eight-core Ryzen 7 7730U and Wi-Fi 6E and is willing to add storage later.

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