Mac mini M5 Pro, 24GB vs Strix Halo GMKtec EVO-X2, 128GB for local AI
Two machines people weigh against each other for running models at home. Same models, same prices, same arithmetic on both sides.
| Mac mini M5 Pro, 24GB | Strix Halo GMKtec EVO-X2, 128GB | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,699 | $3,500 |
| Memory | 24 GB | 128 GB |
| Usable by the GPU | 16 GB | 96 GB |
| Memory bandwidth | 307 GB/s | 256 GB/s |
| Power under load | 140 W | 150 W |
| Models that fit | 13 | 33 |
| Best model it runs | Gemma 4 12B | Qwen3.8 27B |
| Speed on that model | 29 tok/s | 10 tok/s |
| Pay-back | Pays back in 135 years | Pays back in 46 years |
Run the numbers on the Mac mini M5 Pro, 24GB · or the Strix Halo GMKtec EVO-X2, 128GB
Both columns use the same default usage: 500k tokens a day at 15:1 input to output, 32k context, and each machine's strongest model that fits.