A Blast from the Past

Modern life often feels overwhelming, leading many to seek comfort in the aesthetics of the past. Acemagic is clearly tapping into this sentiment with the Retro X5, a mini PC that bears a striking resemblance to the iconic NES console. While it features a shrunken footprint and rearranged ports, it hides a powerful, fully-fledged gaming computer inside its retro-styled chassis.


Designed for those who want to relive the pre-internet era while enjoying the power of Windows 11 on a 4K display, the Retro X5 offers a unique proposition. It is a device that balances high-end technical specs with the comforting, tactile design language of the late 80s and early 90s.


Technical Specifications and Build

Despite its nostalgic exterior, the internal hardware is thoroughly modern:

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12-core, 24-thread).
  • Graphics: Radeon 890M iGPU (16 CU).
  • Memory: 32 GB (2x 16 GB) DDR5 SODIMM @ 5,600 MT/s.
  • Storage: 1 TB Huawei eKitStor Xtreme 200E PCIe 4.0 SSD.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual 2.5 Gb Ethernet, and a front-facing USB4 (40 Gbps) port.

The port selection is particularly impressive, offering plenty of room for external peripherals, eGPUs, or high-speed storage drives. While the included Huawei SSD lacks a DRAM cache, it provides solid performance that complements the system's overall capabilities.


Performance: More Than Just a Pretty Face

While its appearance suggests a bygone era, the X5 performs like a modern machine. In testing, the Ryzen 9 HX 370 maintained stable clock speeds during intensive Cinebench runs without exceeding thermal limits. When it comes to gaming, the results are equally compelling:

«The Retro X5 handled demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Horizon Zero Dawn with playable frame rates, proving that its compact size doesn't prevent it from delivering a top-tier experience.»

Comparatively, the X5 outperforms many competitors in its size class, largely due to its efficient memory configuration. While some similar systems suffer from bandwidth bottlenecks, the dual-stick memory setup in the X5 ensures the Radeon iGPU reaches its full potential.


Final Verdict

The Acemagic Retro X5 is a remarkable piece of engineering that manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia without sacrificing modern performance. While the pricing has seen significant fluctuations and the cooling fans can become audible under load, the device succeeds in its mission. It provides a powerful computing experience wrapped in a nostalgic aesthetic that feels both soothing and incredibly relevant in today's hardware market.