Firebat A8 Ryzen AI 9 365 Review: mini gaming PC with Radeon 880M

The Firebat A8 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is one of the most ambitious mini PCs in its class: it combines a 10-core Zen 5 processor, Radeon 880M graphics, dual USB 4.0 ports, OCU Link, and two 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports. It offers exceptional connectivity and a very solid foundation for 1080p gaming, demanding productivity tasks, and future-proofing with an eGPU.

Its main limitation is internal: it only has one M.2 slot for an SSD, so you can't add a second NVMe drive. It's also worth confirming whether the 32GB version uses a single module, because dual-channel memory is important to get the most out of the integrated GPU.

The best features: Ryzen AI 9 365, Radeon 880M, OCuLink, 2x USB4, dual 2.5G LAN, and 65W cooling.
The worst features: a single M.2 SSD bay; versions with single-channel RAM that may limit graphics performance.

📦 Unboxing and contents

The Firebat A8 is usually sold in barebone versions, without memory, SSD or operating system, and in complete configurations, such as 32 GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD with Windows 11 Pro.

The contents may vary depending on the seller, but typically include:

• The Firebat A8 Mini PC: The main unit is protected with foam molding against impacts.
• Power Adapter (Power Brick): A robust 120W (19V / 6.32A) external power supply.
• Power Cable: The cable that goes from your wall socket to the power transformer.
• HDMI cable: A standard HDMI cable ready to connect to your monitor or TV. 
• VESA Mounting Bracket: A metal plate that allows you to screw the Mini PC directly behind compatible monitors to save desk space.
• Screws: The set of screws required both to install the VESA mount and to secure internal components.
• User Manual: A quick guide detailing initial setup, physical port layout, and security instructions.

💡 Buying tip: Always check the chosen variant before paying. “Barebone” means you will need to add DDR5 SO-DIMM RAM, an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, and install the operating system.

🛒 Check out the Firebat A8 on AliExpress: See Available Offer

📊 Technical specifications

The Ryzen AI 9 365 integrates 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Radeon 880M includes 12 RDNA 3.5 compute units. The combination represents a clear leap forward compared to mini PCs equipped with the Radeon 780M.

🧱 Design and construction

The Firebat A8 uses a combination of reinforced ABS plastic and an internal structure with aluminum alloy components. The design doesn't aim for a premium, all-metal finish, but rather prioritizes rigidity, low weight, and ample ventilation.

The exterior design is clearly more aggressive than that of a purely office-oriented mini PC. Its side and top vents take up a considerable amount of space, a logical decision to power the dual-fan system and keep a processor capable of running at up to 65W stable.

It also incorporates configurable RGB details, a decorative element that may be appealing on a gaming desk, although it does not change the practical experience of the equipment.

General feeling

• ✅ Compact chassis for the power it integrates.

• ✅ Wide grids designed for sustained loads.

• ✅ VESA mount included to hide it behind the monitor.

• ⚠️ The predominance of plastic may convey less of a “premium” feeling than an aluminum Beelink or Minisforum.

• ⚠️ The vents must be kept clear; avoid fitting it into closed cabinets.

🖥️ Screen and multimedia

Like all mini PCs, the Firebat A8 doesn't have a built-in screen or speakers. Your audiovisual experience will depend on the monitor, TV, and external sound system you use.

In terms of video capabilities, it's very well equipped: it includes HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and two USB4 ports with DisplayPort output. This allows you to connect multiple monitors and, depending on the port, cable, and display, handle high resolutions, including 4K at high refresh rates.

Multimedia experience

• The Radeon 880M has enough power for 4K streaming, playback of compatible HDR content, and video acceleration.

• The two 3.5mm audio connectors make it easy to connect headphones, speakers, or a microphone without using adapters.

• The microSD reader is useful for importing photos and video from cameras, drones, or portable consoles.

  🎬 For video editing, it is recommended to connect a fast external SSD via USB4 or install a 2TB or larger NVMe PCIe 4.0 drive, as the computer only has one internal slot.

🚀 Performance and software

The Ryzen AI 9 365 is a modern APU with Zen 5 architecture and 10 cores/20 threads. For everyday tasks, advanced office applications, multi-tab browsing, programming, photo editing, light virtualization, and video editing, it should deliver a very smooth experience.

The integrated NPU provides acceleration for applications that support local AI, camera effects, noise reduction, and certain AI workloads. It doesn't turn the Firebat A8 into a dedicated GPU workstation, but it does better prepare it for modern software that leverages neural acceleration.

Windows 11 Pro

Complete configurations are advertised with Windows 11 Pro installed. Even so, when receiving any imported mini PC, it's advisable to:

1. Verify that Windows is activated.

2. Run Windows Update.

3. Download drivers from AMD and, if available, from Firebat.

4. Uninstall unwanted programs.

5. Create a restore point or system image.

Does it include bloatware?

There is no comprehensive and consistent public audit of pre-installed software across all variants. As a precaution, it is recommended to consider a clean installation of Windows 11 Pro if unnecessary applications, unusual configurations, or questionable licenses are detected.

🛒 Check Firebat A8 Prices

🔌 Energy consumption and cables

The Firebat A8 is designed to deliver up to 65W of sustained power under load, a high figure for a mini PC with integrated graphics. This means higher power consumption than a conventional Intel N100 or Ryzen U processor, but also a significant performance boost.

Expected consumption by scenario

*These are indicative estimates based on the advertised power limit; they are not our own laboratory measurements.

The system uses an external power adapter. This is a common solution in mini PCs: it reduces heat inside the chassis and makes replacements easier, although it adds another layer of cable management.

🌡️ Temperature and noise

Cooling is one of the most important features of the Firebat A8. Firebat advertises a dual-fan setup and three copper heatpipes designed to handle up to 65W of power.

What to expect

• Daily use: should remain relatively discreet; the fans do not need to spin at maximum speed.

• During extended gaming, rendering, or compiling, the noise will be audible. It's the unavoidable trade-off of packing high-performance CPUs and GPUs into a compact form factor.

• Stability: the thermal system is designed to reduce throttling, that is, the automatic reduction of speed due to excessive temperature.

How to improve temperatures

• Place the device on a hard, open surface.

• Do not cover the side or top vents.

• Keep at least 10 cm free around the air outlets.

• Use an efficient NVMe SSD, preferably single-sided.

• Consider limiting Windows power mode to basic tasks.

• Check the dust regularly if you live in a stuffy environment.

🔗 Connectivity and extras

The Firebat A8 clearly excels in connectivity. Few mini PCs offer two USB4 ports, OCuLink, dual 2.5 GbE Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and six USB-A ports as standard.

Does it have 5G, NFC, fingerprint or IP certification?

No. The Firebat A8 does not include 5G mobile, NFC, a fingerprint reader, or IP water/dust resistance certification. These are normal omissions in a mini desktop PC.

🔧 Expansion and upgrades

The expansion is good in memory, but limited in internal storage.

RAM

The device incorporates two SO-DIMM slots and supports up to 64 GB DDR5-5600, typically as 2x32 GB.

• Minimum recommended configuration: 16 GB in 2x8 GB.

• Balanced configuration: 32 GB in 2x16 GB.

• For creation, virtualization, and AI: 64 GB in 2x32 GB.

  ⚠️ Important: If you purchase a version with a single 32GB module, add a second compatible DDR5-5600 module to enable dual channel. The Radeon 880M uses system memory, so dual channel can make a noticeable difference in gaming.

Internal SSD

The Firebat A8 uses an M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 slot . According to available information, it supports drives up to 4 TB, and a single-sided SSD is recommended for physical and thermal compatibility.

• ✅ You can replace the existing SSD.

• ✅ You can install a compatible 1TB, 2TB or up to 4TB SSD.

• ❌ There is no second internal M.2 slot available in the indicated configuration.

• ❌ It does not have a 2.5-inch SATA bay.

The absence of a second NVMe drive is the major compromise of this model: Firebat prioritizes PCIe lanes and OCuLink connectivity for eGPUs instead of multiplying internal storage.

Recommended SSD and RAM

• RAM: 2x16 GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM kit from Crucial, Kingston Fury Impact or Corsair Vengeance.

• Balanced SSD: Lexar NM790 1TB/2TB, Crucial T500, or WD Black SN7100.

• SSD for heavy loads: Samsung 990 Pro or WD Black SN850X, checking thickness and heatsink.

🛒 Check Firebat A8 Prices

🆚 Comparison with competitors

The Firebat A8 is positioned above systems with an integrated Radeon 780M GPU and AI platform. Compared to direct competitors with the same Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, its differentiating factor lies in OCULink and dual 2.5 GbE networking.

⭐ Reviews and reputation

This point deserves attention because the Firebat A8 with Ryzen AI 9 365 is a relatively recent product and the amount of long-term independent analysis is still limited.

What the published sources highlight

• AndroidPCtv highlights the Ryzen AI 9 365, the NPU with up to 50 TOPS, the Radeon 880M, the dual-fan system with three heatpipes, and connectivity with OCuLink, USB4, dual 2.5G LAN, and DDR5-5600 support.

• Notebookcheck confirms the A8's upgrade to the Ryzen AI 9 365, the Radeon 880M based on RDNA 3.5, and the presence of OCuLink and dual USB4 for external GPUs.

• Hardware Fanatics position the Radeon 880M as the successor to the 780M and highlight its focus on 1080p gaming supported by FSR, in addition to dual-fan cooling.

• On AliExpress it is sold with 32 GB DDR5 and a 1 TB SSD, although ratings and price depend on the seller, region and active promotion.

• Amazon Spain lists a configuration with Ryzen AI 9 365, 32 GB DDR5-5600, 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, OCuLink and dual 2.5G LAN.

Cautious reading

The specifications are outstanding, but before buying it's advisable to check recent reviews of the specific seller and look for comments about:

• Fan noise under load.

• BIOS stability.

• Quality and speed of the included SSD.

• Actual RAM configuration: single channel or dual channel.

• Warranty, returns and after-sales service.

• Legitimate activation of Windows 11 Pro.

🧪 Technical tests and expected performance

1. Processor Tests (Synthetic)

Under stress tests that demand pure computing power from the CPU's 10 Zen 5 cores, the results are outstanding:

• Geekbench 6: It averages around 2,730 points in Single-Core and nearly 13,770 points in Multi-Core. This means it's extremely fast in single-core tasks, ideal for opening apps instantly and browsing the web.
• Cinebench R23/2024: In continuous rendering tests, the Zen 5 architecture demonstrates its efficiency. It outperforms older desktop processors while consuming a fraction of their power, maintaining a stable 65W thanks to its dual-fan cooling system.
• AI Performance (Geekbench AI): Its dedicated NPU (capable of processing up to 50 TOPS) achieves excellent native scores in local facial recognition, language translation, and image interpolation tasks.

2. Game Tests (Integrated Radeon 880M Graphics)

The new RDNA 3.5 architecture is tested at 1080p resolution . The actual performance, measured in frames per second (FPS), is as follows:

• Competitive Games (Esports): Titles like Valorant, Counter-Strike 2 or League of Legends easily exceed 100-120 FPS on high quality.
• Cyberpunk 2077: At Low settings and native 1080p, the chip maintains between 45 and 55 FPS. However, by enabling AMD FSR 3.0 with Frame Generation, the frame rate increases dramatically, exceeding a stable 90 FPS.
• Black Myth: Wukong / GTA V: GTA V runs above 70 FPS on very high settings. Meanwhile, Wukong (a very demanding game) averages a stable 60 FPS on medium graphics settings with upscaling enabled.
• 3DMark Time Spy: The graphics score puts the Radeon 880M on par with (or slightly above) past generations of dedicated desktop graphics cards, such as the NVIDIA GTX 1650.

3. Temperature and Noise Tests (Thermal Analysis)

The Firebat A8 chassis stands out for its dual-fan system (a large upper fan for the CPU and a smaller lower fan for the memory and storage). Thermal stress tests yielded the following results:

• Temperatures under load: Even when the system is under 100% load for hours, the cooling system keeps the processor below 86°C, well below the danger zone (thermal throttling). This ensures that the PC will not lose performance during long gaming sessions.
• Noise Behavior: During office tasks or streaming, the device is virtually inaudible. When gaming at 65W, the fans noticeably speed up; the noise is similar to that of a powerful gaming laptop. It generates a perceptible airflow and a high-pitched hum that is best mitigated by using headphones.

🎮 Gaming and emulation

The Radeon 880M is AMD's best integrated graphics card at this product level and outperforms the well-known Radeon 780M. It's designed for 1080p gaming with reasonable settings, FSR upscaling when available, and realistic expectations for AAA titles.

Anticipated gaming

To get the most out of gaming, install two identical DDR5-5600 modules. Using RAM in single channel reduces the bandwidth available to the integrated graphics and can negatively impact FPS.

Emulation

The Firebat A8 has enough power to:

• 8, 16 and 32 bit retro consoles.

• Dreamcast, PSP and GameCube.

• Wii and a large part of the PlayStation 2 catalog.

• Switch and PlayStation 3 emulation with results dependent on the game, the emulator, and its requirements.

  🎮 The use of emulators must respect legislation and copyright: use your own legally obtained games, BIOS and backups.

Is an eGPU worth it?

Yes, if you need to play AAA games at 1440p/4K, work in professional 3D, render with CUDA, or run AI models that require dedicated VRAM, the OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4 port is more suitable than USB4 for this type of expansion, although it does require purchasing an enclosure/dock, power supply, and graphics card.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Firebat A8 come with Windows 11 Pro?

The full configurations are advertised with Windows 11 Pro. The barebone version does not include RAM, SSD, or operating system.

Can the RAM be upgraded?

Yes. It has two SO-DIMM DDR5-5600 slots and supports up to 64 GB, usually in a 2x32 GB configuration.

Can I install two internal SSDs?

Not according to the published technical configuration for this model with Ryzen AI 9 365. It has only one active M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot.

Does it support a 2.5-inch SATA drive?

A 2.5-inch SATA bay is not specified. To expand storage, you can replace the internal NVMe drive with a higher-capacity one or use an external USB 4 SSD.

Is it better than a mini PC with a Ryzen 7 8845HS?

Yes, generally speaking, it offers a newer platform, a Zen 5 CPU, and a Radeon 880M. However, a Ryzen 7 8845HS with a Radeon 780M might offer better value for money if it costs significantly less.

Is it good to play with?

Yes, especially for esports, indie games, emulation, and many current games at 1080p with adjusted quality and FSR. For ray tracing or AAA games at high quality, an eGPU with OCU Link will be a significant upgrade.

What are the two 2.5G LAN ports for?

They allow fast network connections to NAS devices, routers, switches, home labs, or firewall configurations. They can also separate the local network and the internet, depending on the operating system and configuration.

Does it have Wi-Fi 7?

No. The indicated model uses Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

✅ Final conclusion

The Firebat A8 Ryzen AI 9 365 is a high-end mini PC especially appealing to those who don't want to compromise on power, ports, and external expandability. Its combination of a Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, Radeon 880M graphics, OCULink, USB4, and dual 2.5G LAN makes it a highly versatile solution for demanding productivity tasks, content creation, networking, home labs, and 1080p gaming.

It's worthwhile if you're looking for a compact computer with a long lifespan and the option to add an external graphics card later. It's not the most logical purchase if you're only going to browse the web, work with Office, or stream content: for that, a mini PC with an Intel N100/N150 or Ryzen 5 processor will be much more economical.

Before buying, choose a configuration with dual-channel RAM, check the actual price against a Beelink SER9 or models with a Radeon 780M, and confirm the seller's warranty terms. Its only significant technical compromise is the lack of a second internal SSD, but this is partially offset by external USB4 storage and the enormous flexibility of OCuLink.

🛒 Where to buy

👉 Firebat A8 Ryzen AI 9 365 on AliExpress:  View Configuration and Offers