Visitors explore the UGREEN booth during CES in the United States, where the Shenzhen-based company showcased its AI NAS private cloud products. Bao'an Daily

A new generation of compact AI-powered computers made in Shenzhen’s Longhua District is drawing growing global attention as demand rises for edge AI and localized computing devices. 

Longhua-based Mini PC brands have recently appeared at major international tech events including CES, while overseas tech influencers have traveled to Shenzhen to visit local manufacturers and test products promoted as “desktop AI supercomputers.” Earlier this year, Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, also drew attention online after publicly asking for a device from Beelink, an overseas brand owned by Longhua-based AZW Technology.

Behind the growing profile is an industrial cluster quietly taking shape in Longhua’s Dalang Subdistrict, where several leading Mini PC makers are expanding into AI terminals and edge computing devices.

Once considered a niche product category, Mini PCs are gaining new relevance in the AI era. As businesses and consumers increasingly seek localized AI deployment, compact devices capable of running AI models offline are becoming more attractive for applications involving data privacy, lower cloud-computing costs and faster processing speeds.

Three major companies — Chuangyingxin Industrial, GMKtec and AZW Technology — have established strong operations in Dalang. Together, the firms generated more than 4 billion yuan (US$555 million) in output value last year, with products sold in over 100 countries and regions, according to the district government.

A technician assembles a Mini PC at Chuangyingxin’s factory in Longhua District in a CCTV report highlighting Shenzhen’s growing AI hardware export.

For Chuangyingxin, the shift began with overseas demand for smaller and more powerful computers. The company, originally focused on set-top box exports, launched its first Mini PC in 2015 and has since expanded into AI workstations and intelligent computing terminals.

The company recently unveiled several AI-focused product lines designed for enterprise AI applications and localized model deployment. Some products were developed with Chinese AI firms including SenseTime and Alibaba Cloud to support hybrid cloud-edge computing systems.

Other Longhua firms are also moving aggressively into AI-enabled hardware.

GMKtec recently launched an AI-enabled desktop device with pre-installed local AI tools aimed at simplifying office automation workflows. The company said demand exceeded expectations during its online debut earlier this year. It has also worked with Intel on next-generation processors designed for local AI rendering and computing tasks.

AZW Technology, meanwhile, has built a strong overseas presence through its Beelink brand, with some products becoming top sellers on international e-commerce platforms. The company’s strengths in motherboard architecture and thermal management have helped it compete in increasingly demanding AI computing environments.

The lobby of Beelink, the overseas Mini PC brand operated by Longhua-based AZW Technology. File photo

Industry observers say Longhua’s advantage lies not only in manufacturing capacity, but also in Shenzhen’s dense supply chain ecosystem, where hardware design, components, assembly and logistics can move rapidly from concept to production.

Longhua has been promoting intelligent terminal industries as part of its broader digital economy strategy. District officials say Dalang’s Mini PC sector now accounts for nearly 80% of Shenzhen’s total industry scale, supported by local electronics, semiconductor and AI-related supply chains.

As AI computing increasingly shifts toward edge devices and localized deployment, Longhua’s growing Mini PC cluster is positioning itself at the intersection of manufacturing and next-generation intelligent hardware — turning a once-specialized product into a new gateway for Shenzhen tech brands going global.