Lenovo's rival to Apple's Mac Studio gets one of Intel's fastest CPUs and a dedicated GeForce RTX 5060 TI GPU

8 hours ago 11

(Image credit: Videocardz)

Lenovo ThinkCentre neo Ultra 2025 squeezes high-end AI hardware into a tiny, 3.6-liter case
Delivers big performance and power efficiency at just 300 watts
It supports large language models with up to 14B parameters

Apple’s Mac Studio continues to dominate the conversation around compact high-performance desktops, but Lenovo is pushing back with its ThinkCentre neo Ultra series.

Originally released at CES 2024, the first ThinkCentre neo Ultra featured a 14th Gen Intel processor. Just six months later, Lenovo refreshed the device with Intel’s Core Ultra CPUs, and also upgraded the GPU in a separate system, the Lenovo Yoga Portal mini PC.

Now, Lenovo has introduced yet another update to the ThinkCentre neo Ultra series - a new mini workstation equipped with Intel’s high-end Core Ultra 9 285 CPU and a 16GB RTX 5060 Ti GPU rated at 180W.

Portable yet powerful

“Small Stature, Big Energy” is how Lenovo describes this year’s model, and the tagline fits. Despite its compact 3.6-liter chassis, this mini PC delivers a total performance output of 825 TOPS and upgrades from the desktop-grade LGA-1700 to the newer LGA-1851 socket.

The power supply has been reduced from 350W in the previous version to 300W, suggesting improved power efficiency.

Although this model still avoids unlocked K-series CPUs, it aims for a balance between thermal limitations and computational performance that should appeal to its business-focused audience.

One of the standout features is the upgraded graphics. Replacing the RTX 4060 with a 16GB RTX 5060 Ti offers a substantial boost for users handling AI inference, 3D rendering, or high-resolution video workflows.

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Lenovo also hints at a dedicated NPU card, though it’s unclear whether this refers to separate hardware or is tied to Intel’s Arrow Lake architecture.

Either way, the system supports locally deployed large language models with up to 14 billion parameters - an appealing option for organizations looking to run AI workloads in-house.

Lenovo says the system earned a CES 2025 Best New Tech for Home and Workplace Award, adding further credibility to its performance claims.

Base configurations include 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, with pricing set at 14,999 RMB (about $2,056) for the Core Ultra 5 and RTX 5060, or 19,999 RMB (about $2,741) for the Ultra 7 and RTX 5060 Ti.

Pricing and availability for the Core Ultra 9 and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB variant have yet to be announced, and there's no word on international launch details.

Via Videocardz

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Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master's and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: [email protected]

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