This Mini PC Idles at 4W… Then Hits 90°C (GMKtec M3 Pro + Aurora Linux Server Test)
Today I’m putting the GMKtec NucBox M3 Pro (32 GB DDR4-3200 + 1 TB NVMe) through a real server-oriented test using Aurora Linux — an immutable Fedora Atomic-based system.
GMKtec Official Website:
https://tinyurl.com/DJWarre-GMKtec-M3Pro
Amazon:
M3 Pro 16+512:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3HKXNKD?maas=maas_adg_AD875FB724D0CBA4A78526984D3B5F17_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas
M3 Pro 32+1:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLJSB6KC?maas=maas_adg_4CD62DC5193D5A71ACE6549FE5A73069_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas&th=1
50$ OFF Code: M3PROKOL
We cover:
• Full Aurora Linux install as a headless server
• Phoronix benchmarks
• Detailed thermal testing with s-tui + stress-ng
• Real power draw numbers (idle & under load)
• Cooling behavior and recovery times
• A short post-mortem on the Void Linux + KDE attempt
Key numbers from this unit:
• Idle power: 3.3 – 4.4 W
• Full stress: 40 – 45 W
• Peak temperatures under load: 86–91°C (Thermal Max 100°C)
• Metal case helps dissipates heat and aids in cooling
• Cool-down behavior:
Distrobox: 4 minutes
rpm-ostree: 2 minutes
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Testing GMKtec Nucbox M3 Pro and Audria Linux
00:42 - M3 Pro SPecs
00:55 - Test Methodology
01:11 - Specs
01:38 - GPU
01:43 - Expansion
02:10 - Portd
02:36 - Networking
02:58 - Dimensions
03:10 - Cooling
03:14 - Who is this for?
03:33 - Aurora Linux
06:33 - Benchmarks
08:08 - Summary of Benchmarks
08:58 - Conclusions
10:26 - Pros and Cons
Links:
• Aurora Linux → https://getaurora.dev
If you found this useful, drop a like and let me know in the comments what mini PC you’re currently running as a server or always-on node.
#GMKtec #M3Pro #MiniPC #AuroraLinux #Homelab #Linux #Server