7 min read
7 min read

China’s MaxSun has launched an advanced AI-focused workstation called the Mini Station, marking a bold entry into high-performance computing.
Built for tasks like AI inference and large model deployment, this compact powerhouse merges Intel’s top-tier Core Ultra 9 285HX processor with dual Arc Pro B60 GPUs.
The Mini Station signals China’s ambition to dominate AI hardware markets that were once the domain of U.S. and European firms.

At the heart of the Mini Station is Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285HX, a 24-core processor based on Arrow Lake-HX architecture. Although technically a mobile-class chip, MaxSun’s engineers repurposed it for desktop use through a Mobile-on-Desktop (MoDT) strategy.
This approach allows them to leverage laptop silicon’s high efficiency and compact design while delivering desktop-level performance suited for AI workloads.

MaxSun equipped the Mini Station with two Intel Arc Pro B60 GPUs, each with 24GB of GDDR6 memory.
These GPUs deliver a massive 48GB of video memory, crucial for handling large-scale AI inference tasks, extended-context language models, and resource-heavy creative workloads like video editing and 3D rendering.
This dual-GPU setup explicitly targets professionals working with AI models and complex simulations.

In a parallel development, Taiwanese manufacturer Sparkle confirmed its own dual Arc Pro B60 GPU designed for professional use. Like MaxSun’s, Sparkle’s card integrates two 24GB GPUs, targeting AI developers, engineers, and content creators.
Unlike gaming GPUs, these professional cards prioritize high VRAM and AI-specific hardware accelerators over rendering speed, making them purpose-built for intensive computational workloads.

The Arc Pro B60 series isn’t just about memory. Each GPU carries 20 Xe-cores and 160 XMX AI engines, supporting INT8 compute speeds of up to 394 TOPS.
With AV1 encoding, ray tracing capabilities, and native PyTorch and OneAPI support, these GPUs are built for modern AI frameworks and content pipelines.
Their architecture favors AI scalability, deep learning training, and inference tasks, expanding Intel’s presence in the pro computing segment.

Unlike consumer multi-GPU setups, the Arc Pro B60 Dual 48G Turbo does not pool memory or split rendering tasks. Instead, each GPU functions independently, accessing 24GB of dedicated memory.
Both GPUs connect via a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot but use bifurcation, sharing eight lanes each. This approach suits AI inference workloads better than typical gaming parallelism, offering a professional-grade solution for data-intensive computing.

MaxSun’s Mini Station incorporates a triple-layer cooling system to ensure stable performance under long-running workloads. This includes a turbo-style blower fan, a vapor chamber heat plate, and a metal backplate.
Proper thermal management is essential when operating dual GPUs and Intel’s high-core CPU, preventing throttling during AI model training or inference processes that span hours or days.

Using PCIe 5.0 lane bifurcation, MaxSun’s solution avoids requiring expensive enterprise-grade motherboards. Instead, their GPUs can run efficiently on consumer-grade motherboards supporting PCIe x16 bifurcation.
This cost-effective design lowers the barrier to entry for AI developers, startups, and small creative studios who need serious performance without the budget for server-class infrastructure.

MaxSun’s Mini Station includes dual Thunderbolt 5 and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports alongside SlimSAS interfaces. Combined with PCIe Gen5 storage, this offers theoretical throughput up to 192Gbps.
Such bandwidth is essential for handling large datasets, transferring model weights, or connecting external GPUs, positioning the workstation as a future-ready hub for professionals working with massive data pipelines.

Despite its power, the Mini Station’s soldered Core Ultra 9 285HX processor limits long-term flexibility. Users are locked into the original configuration since the CPU cannot be upgraded.
While this simplifies design and cost, it may concern professionals prioritizing modularity. Nevertheless, its initial hardware specs position the system as competitive for current-gen AI workloads.

Intel’s Arc Pro B60 graphics cards are optimized for use with its software stack, including the IPEX-LLM inference engine, vLLM frameworks, and ISV-certified drivers for PyTorch. This guarantees broad compatibility with popular AI tools.
Developers can expect streamlined support for building and deploying large models like DeepSeek-r1:70B, enabling practical AI development without extensive reconfiguration.

MaxSun’s workstation showcases China’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor firms like Nvidia. Chinese firms can produce high-performance AI hardware domestically by partnering with Intel for cutting-edge CPUs and GPUs.
This aligns with national goals of achieving self-sufficiency in AI infrastructure amid ongoing U.S. tech sanctions and supply chain disruptions.

With dual Arc Pro B60 GPUs offering 48GB of VRAM, Intel and MaxSun target markets historically dominated by Nvidia’s workstation GPUs, like the RTX A6000.
While Nvidia maintains an edge in software support and mature AI frameworks, the affordability and accessibility of MaxSun’s solution could attract small-to-medium enterprises seeking alternatives for AI workloads and creative tasks.

The 48GB memory capacity makes MaxSun’s Mini Station ideal for deploying large-scale language models like Qwen3-32B or distilled DeepSeek models. These models demand extensive memory for extended context handling and high concurrency.
By enabling stable multi-turn conversations and extensive batch processing, this workstation directly supports next-gen generative AI development at a workstation scale.

This strategic pivot signals a broader ambition: positioning China as a serious contender in the high-performance computing and AI infrastructure sectors.
By leveraging partnerships with global chipmakers like Intel, companies like MaxSun are rapidly moving up the value chain, no longer content with just serving budget consumer markets.
Their offerings now target complex workloads like AI model training, scientific simulations, and media production pipelines. They aim to challenge established players like Dell, HP, and Lenovo in the lucrative professional hardware market.
Curious how your own setup compares? See if your rig can handle 2025’s toughest games.

Introducing MaxSun’s Mini Station and Sparkle’s Arc Pro B60 cards highlights the intensifying competition in professional AI hardware.
By combining Intel’s best CPUs and GPUs in an accessible form factor, Chinese vendors are positioning themselves as serious contenders in the AI era. For developers, creatives, and researchers, 2025’s workstation market just got far more interesting.
What do you think about China unveiling a new PC beast with Intel specs? Can it handle a heavy workload easily? Please share your thoughts and drop a comment.
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Dan Mitchell has been in the computer industry for more than 25 years, getting started with computers at age 7 on an Apple II.
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