Acemagic’s NES-inspired Retro X3 mini PC is the most fun-looking mini PC I’d put on my desk

Most mini PCs we test have the same sort of look.

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>Most mini PCs we test have the same sort of look. Little black boxes or Mac mini-style silver designs. Acemagic's X3 does things a little differently: styled like a Nintendo Entertainment System, it's quick enough for work and light gaming, while bringing a big dose of nostalgia.</p><p>For a very limited time, the <a href="https://acemagic.com/products/x5-mini-pc?variant=51285046296882" target="_blank">Acemagic Retro X3 is $509 (was $799) at Acemagic</a> when you use the code <strong>RETRO40</strong>. That's the cheapest I've ever seen this mini PC, which comes equipped with an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 H255 chip, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD. </p><p>• <strong>Best for:</strong> Retro gaming fans and home users who want a compact, capable Windows PC with a design that stands out.</p><p>• <strong>Why we like it:</strong> We're big Nintendo fans here at <em>TechRadar Pro</em>. So of course, this classic retro-themed "console" one catches the eye. On top of some good specs for the price, the mini PC also features Radeon 780M graphics, a fast USB4 port, two M.2 slots for adding storage, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.</p><p>• <strong>What you need to know: </strong>While you can expand storage, memory is soldered to the board here. And if you're more of a SNES fan, check out the higher-spec but higher-priced Acemagic X5.</p><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="fbf05c06-cee9-11f1-919e-317e42725be5" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Retro X3" data-dimension48="Retro X3" data-dimension25="$509" href="https://acemagic.com/products/x5-mini-pc?variant=51285046296882" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2364px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:108.29%;"><img id="LvgcwTQMMQFQCfhj7hp9Hm" name="ACEMAGIC-X5-mini-PC" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LvgcwTQMMQFQCfhj7hp9Hm-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2364" height="2560" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class="" /></p></div></div></figure></a><p>The Retro X3 pairs an eight-core, 16-thread AMD Ryzen 7 H 255 with Radeon 780M integrated graphics, 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD, with a second M.2 slot for more storage. Ports include USB4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, 2.5G Ethernet, and six USB-A ports, and it ships with Windows 11 Pro. The step-up Retro X5 has a 10-core Ryzen AI 9 365, Radeon 880M graphics, 32GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, and dual 2.5G Ethernet.</p><p><strong>Use promo code RETRO40 to get $40 MORE off. </strong><a class="view-deal button" href="https://acemagic.com/products/x5-mini-pc?variant=51285046296882" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="fbf05c06-cee9-11f1-919e-317e42725be5" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Retro X3" data-dimension48="Retro X3" data-dimension25="$509">View Deal</a></p></div><h2 id="why-we-recommend-it">Why we recommend it</h2><p>Acemagic has built a following for affordable mini PCs - we included the K1 as our top mid-range pick in our guide to the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/mini-pcs" target="_blank">best mini PCs</a> we've tested. But the Retro X3 is its most eye-catching yet, with a gray shell and red power button that’ll take anyone who grew up with an NES straight back. </p><p>We haven’t tested it ourselves, but we previously <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/this-retro-mini-pc-is-a-proper-trip-down-memory-lane-acemagic-retro-x3-brings-back-the-grey-casing-but-with-a-welcome-hardware-boost-inside" target="_blank">covered the initial launch</a> and welcomed the hardware boost inside its retro casing when it launched. In <a href="https://www.notebookcheck.net/A-mini-PC-like-a-retro-console-Currently-on-sale-for-639-Acemagic-Retro-X3-review.1364934.0.html" target="_blank">Notebookcheck’s review</a>, it delivered solid, stable performance with low case temperatures, though the fan got clearly audible under heavy load and the 16GB of memory is soldered, so you can’t upgrade it later. </p><h2 id="price-context-amp-historical-value">Price Context &amp; Historical Value</h2><p>At $509 with code RETRO40, the Retro X3 is cheaper now than it was the last time we checked back in September, where it was priced at $539. For comparison, it's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/ACEMAGIC-X3-Windows-PCIe4-0-Business/dp/B0GJ4SHYNT/" target="_blank">discounted at Amazon right now for $575 (was $639)</a>.</p><p>The Retro X5 is a different story, since $1,099 is a lot to pay for a mini PC, even one with a faster Ryzen AI 9 chip and 32GB of memory. Unless you need the extra power, the X3 is the better buy.</p><h2 id="should-you-buy-it">Should you buy it?</h2><p><strong>✅ Buy the Acemagic Retro X3 if...</strong> you want a compact Windows PC for everyday work, streaming, and light or retro gaming, you love the retro console look, or you’d like to add storage later through the spare M.2 slot.</p><p><strong>❌ Skip the Acemagic Retro X3 if...</strong> you need more than 16GB of memory, since it’s soldered and can’t be upgraded, you want a near-silent PC under heavy load, or you’d rather not wait for a pre-order to ship.</p><ul><li><a href="https://acemagic.com/" target="_blank">See all mini PCs at Acemagic</a>.</li></ul> </article> ]]>