The perfect mini PC will help you maximize your desk house with out compromising on efficiency. These compact computing powerhouses provide an area-saving different to conventional desktop towers, making them ultimate for each gaming PCs and on a regular basis PCs.
TL;DR – These are the Best Mini PCs of 2024:
The great thing about mini PCs lies of their versatility. Regardless of their small measurement, many mini PCs pack a punch with regards to efficiency. So irrespective of whether or not you’re on the lookout for a PC on a finances, or one thing a little bit extra future-proof, there’s a mini PC on the market for you.
Nonetheless, it is value noting that choosing a mini PC does include a number of concerns. Not like all-in-one PCs, mini PCs usually don’t come bundled with a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. So, you may have to issue within the further value of those peripherals when planning your mini PC setup.
1. Apple Mac mini
Best Mini PC
Execs:
- M2 Professional chip
- Wonderful efficiency
Cons:
The M2 Professional-powered Mac mini is each content material creator’s dream. With it, you get a ten-Core CPU that gives six efficiency and 4 environment friendly cores, a 16-Core GPU, and a 16-Core Neural Engine. If you pair that with 16GB of reminiscence and 512 GB of storage, this machine is highly effective sufficient to edit a number of streams of ProRes, H.264, and HEVC video at an 8K decision and assist as much as three excessive-res shows. For much more oomph, it’s doable to spice up the RAM to 32GB and storage as much as a wild 8TB.
Past being one of many quickest, quietest, and smoothest machines accessible, the Mac mini one way or the other manages a compact, light-weight design making it straightforward to toss in a carry-on bag—a element that nomadic inventive professionals can recognize. Although this beast is tiny, it’s nonetheless packing all of the ports you want, together with 4 Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and a 10Gb Ethernet for quicker community speeds. It is also a fairly respectable finances Mac for gaming due to the ability of the M2 Professional chip.
2. Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini
Best Mini PC for On a regular basis Duties
Execs:
- Numerous configurations accessible
- Respectable efficiency
Cons:
If you happen to’ve determined a mini PC is what you want, then the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini is a superb choice for on a regular basis duties. There are many configurations accessible, however with 16GB of RAM, you have to be good to realize most of what you want on your residence workplace. And with 1TB SSD storage, there’s loads of room to retailer your information, photographs, and extra.
Sure, you could possibly get a full desktop PC setup with barely higher specs at roughly the identical value, however not everybody has house for that. Regardless of being mini in measurement, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini performs properly and comes with a variety of ports, together with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and so on.
With Home windows 11 pre-put in, you’re principally good to go. All you’ll want is a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and also you’ve obtained a house PC for on a regular basis duties at properly underneath $1,000.
3. Apple Mac Studio
Best Mini PC for Creators
Execs:
- Numerous ports
- Quiet efficiency
Cons:
Small in measurement, and big in efficiency, the Apple Mac Studio is among the strongest Apple computer systems round. This fashionable mini PC is barely bigger than the Mac mini however comes geared up with Apple’s M2 Max or Extremely chip, relying on the configuration you select. With a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, and 32GB of RAM, you’ll be able to anticipate to pay a premium, however that is arms-down the perfect mini PC you’ll get for creators. And with this setup, you could possibly comfortably play video games in your Mac, too!
Not like the Mac mini, the Mac Studio comes with a wealth of ports. There are 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports, a number of USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and extra. It’s additionally geared up with Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E, making it a severely versatile machine.
4. Asus Chromebox 5
Best Mini PC for College students
Execs:
- Very reasonably priced
- ChromeOS is nice for novices
Cons:
- Will not deal with greater than fundamental duties
If you happen to’re a scholar dwelling in a dorm and are tight on house, a mini PC will be useful, particularly to those that want a desktop pc over a laptop computer. The light-weight and compact Asus Chromebox 5 is a superb resolution, simply becoming on a desk or in a backpack. Thrifty college students can even love the underneath $300 price ticket, so you’ll be able to seize an incredible finances monitor and different peripherals to pair with it.
Extra than simply reasonably priced and transportable, this ChromeOS-primarily based PC is safe and doesn’t want extreme energy, seeing customers via analysis, writing papers, and film streaming when taking a break from learning. Help for as much as 4 4K shows via Twin HDMIs, a DisplayPort 1.4, and a Thunderbolt 4 can turn out to be useful, whereas a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6E guarantee a dependable and speedy web connection. Nonetheless, for these seeking to do extra graphics-heavy duties like video modifying or gaming, you might wish to seize one thing with extra oomph underneath the hood.
5. Acer Chromebox CXI5
Best Chromebox
Execs:
- Numerous fashions/configs accessible
- twelfth Gen CPU
Cons:
Chromebooks are a well-liked alternative of laptop computer different for these on the lookout for a less complicated and extra reasonably priced strategy to carry out on a regular basis duties on the go. However what in case you want one thing comparable in desktop PC kind? The Acer Chromebox CXI5 does simply this – working Chrome OS, this mini PC is designed for light-weight desktop use.
It doesn’t boast the perfect specs round, nevertheless it does provide a better means for many who are much less tech-savvy to finish fundamental processing duties, net shopping, and phrase processing. Nonetheless, you’re getting a twelfth-Gen i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM in a tiny bundle.
Sadly, this Chromebox is restricted to DDR4 RAM, so it’s not probably the most futureproof mini PC round. It’s additionally on the upper finish of the dimensions with regards to affordability, however for some, the compact nature and ease will likely be simply the ticket.
6. Intel NUC 12 Fanatic
Best Mini Barebones PC
Execs:
- Extremely customizable
- Distinctive type
Cons:
PC fanatics and DIYers will recognize this barebones mini PC for gaming. Consider it as your individual private venture that you may construct upon and customise to your coronary heart’s content material. When you don’t get an OS or any equipment, you do get a plethora of ports like HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0, supporting as much as six 4K screens.
It’s additionally designed to assist the most recent connectivity requirements like Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E, with an excellent bigger choice of ports by way of the I/O. Packing loads of efficiency, you’ll be able to simply whisk the NUC 12 Fanatic away on trip or to a buddy’s home, neatly transporting it in your backpack.
Supporting as much as a monstrous 64GB of RAM, 3x M.2 SSD slots, and sufficient ports to deal with your entire equipment, the NUC 12 Fanatic is among the greatest barebones mini PCs round.
7. GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13
Best Mini PC for Companies
Execs:
- Wonderful connectivity
- Potential to improve
Cons:
With the most recent thirteenth-Gen Intel cellular processor pre-put in, the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 is sort of a beast. Nonetheless, we have now to keep in mind that this chip was designed for a laptop computer, and due to this fact energy consumption is restricted at a base stage of 45W. That’s how this mini PC manages to maintain cool whereas delivering respectable efficiency.
Upgrading the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 is fairly simple you probably have a little bit technical know-how. There’s house right here for an extra M.2, in addition to an HDD or SSD. Regardless of being the most recent mannequin, not a lot has modified because the IT11 or IT12. It could have been nice to see an improve to DDR5 reminiscence, however sadly this mini PC remains to be restricted to DDR4.
However forgetting the marginally uncommon spec config right here, the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 does ship on ports and connectivity. It’s extremely versatile, with assist for 8K@60Hz and 4K@60Hz. Heck, you could possibly join two 8K and two 4K shows in whole, making it a severe multitasking machine.
8. MSI Cubi 5
Best Desktop Various
Execs:
- Comparatively reasonably priced
- Power-environment friendly
Cons:
- i3 processor isn’t significantly highly effective
Powered by an Intel Core i3-1215U processor, the MSI Cubi 5 delivers environment friendly efficiency with out being too energy-hungry, due to its low 15W TDP. With 8GB of DDR4 RAM on board, you may haven’t any hassle multitasking or working your on a regular basis apps easily. Pre-loaded with Home windows 11 Dwelling, this mini PC is nice as a desktop different. No, it’s not going to play the most recent video games or allow you to design intricate 3D fashions, nevertheless it works properly as an on a regular basis PC.
It affords a wide range of I/O ports together with USB 3.2 Gen 1 Kind-A, Thunderbolt Kind-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort, making hooking up your peripherals and exterior shows is a breeze. With a rated wattage of simply 65W, this mini PC helps you scale back your vitality payments whereas additionally shrinking your carbon footprint. The Cubi 5 additionally comes with all the required cables and an influence provide adapter included, so you will get arrange proper out of the field.
9. Acemagician AM08 Professional
Best Mini PC for Gaming
Execs:
- Good connectivity
- Strong graphics efficiency
Cons:
Boasting a novel design, the Acemagician AM08 Professional is one for the avid gamers, supported by a Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU and AMD Radeon 680M graphics. So, in case you are seeking to run graphic-intensive duties or sport, this mini PC checks these containers. The 32GB of DDR5 RAM is beneficiant, however that is upgradeable as much as 64GB do you have to wish to do that later down the road.
By way of cooling, which is vital for gaming PCs, the Acemagician AM08 Professional excels. It’s environment friendly at protecting cool underneath load. In addition to providing good cooling, this mini PC stands out due to its vast connectivity choices, together with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and triple 4K show assist.
Upcoming Mini PCs
There have been a number of mini PC releases and bulletins throughout CES 2024. A type of that stood out probably the most was the ASUS ROG NUC which boasts an Intel Core Extremely processor. There are presently two fashions to select from, together with the Intel Core Extremely 7 and Extremely 9. These beastly mini PCs are excellent for avid gamers, due to the inclusion of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU – who knew it was doable?
How To Choose the Best Mini PC
If you happen to’re out there for a mini PC, chances are high you’re seeking to save house, otherwise you don’t have a lot room for a full desktop PC within the first place. When seeking to purchase a mini PC, measurement actually does matter – in any case, there’s no level in investing in a machine that’s too huge, as a result of that defeats the aim.
However, simply because one thing is smaller in measurement, it doesn’t imply it may well’t carry out properly. There are many mini PCs that may ship the identical, if no more energy than a desktop PC. Apple’s Mac Studio, for instance, is supplied with a 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU!
One factor mini PCs don’t include, nonetheless, is any peripherals – no monitor, keyboard, mouse, and so on. Because of this, one of many greatest concerns when selecting the perfect mini PC is connectivity and accessible ports. If you happen to’re going to spend your exhausting-earned money on a mini PC, it could be extremely disappointing to comprehend it doesn’t assist each of your screens or a lot of your equipment.
FAQs
What Is a Mini PC Used For?
Mini PCs are primarily chosen due to their small and compact kind. Not like a standard tower desktop PC which takes up a number of house, mini PCs can neatly be tucked in a small house in your desk, and even be transported in your bag.
Do Mini PCs Overheat?
Whereas mini PCs are smaller, and due to this fact cram elements right into a smaller house, they’re designed to have correct cooling and air flow for his or her measurement.
Are Mini Pcs Higher Than Laptops?
Mini PCs in comparison with laptops are typically extra highly effective. They are typically extra customizable, permitting you to improve elements that you just may not have the ability to do on a laptop computer.
Is a Mini PC Good for Working From Dwelling?
There’s no motive why a mini PC wouldn’t work on your at-residence setup. These compact machines are extra succesful than ever, providing spectacular CPUs, a great deal of reminiscence, and ample storage alternatives. You’ll haven’t any drawback getting on-line, modifying spreadsheets, and doing all of your on a regular basis duties. And, in fact, you’ll save house by not having an enormous tower case to cope with. It’s even doable to mount a few of these rigs on the again of your monitor, whereas it’s easy to take the pc with you when you might want to head into the workplace.
Many mini PC choices have built-in GPUs, making them higher for much less graphically intensive duties. However there are gaming and modifying options providing the most recent and best graphics playing cards. Simply notice that it’s a lot more durable to improve elements, and cooling can even turn out to be problem because of the small kind issue, comparable issues that plague some laptops.
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Michelle Rae Uy is a contract tech and journey author, half-time manufacturing editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She presently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the remainder of the world. Observe her on Instagram @straywithRae.
Danielle Abraham is a contract author and unpaid music historian.