The best mini PCs save a lot of space. Since space can come at a premium, there are a lot of benefits to keeping things on and around your desk a little more compact. Whether you’re looking for a gaming PC in small form or an everyday PC that can handle all of your tasks, there’s a mini PC to suit everyone and every budget.
TL;DR – These are the Best Mini PCs of 2024:
- Apple Mac mini
- Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini
- Apple Mac Studio
- Asus Chromebox 5
- Acer Chromebox CXI5
- Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast
- GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13
Just because you opt for a mini PC, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice power and performance. The only thing you’ll need to consider as an extra would be a suitable monitor, keyboard, and mouse because mini PCs do not come with these.
1. Apple Mac mini
Best Mini PC
Pros:
- M2 Pro chip
- Excellent performance
Cons:
- Lack of ports
The M2 Pro-powered Mac mini is every content creator’s dream. With it, you get a 10-Core CPU that offers six performance and four efficient cores, a 16-Core GPU, and a 16-Core Neural Engine. When you pair that with 16GB of memory and 512 GB of storage, this machine is powerful enough to edit multiple streams of ProRes, H.264, and HEVC video at an 8K resolution and support up to three high-res displays. For even more oomph, it’s possible to boost the RAM to 32GB and storage up to a wild 8TB.
Beyond being one of the fastest, quietest, and smoothest machines available, the Mac mini somehow manages a compact, lightweight design making it easy to toss in a carry-on bag—a detail that nomadic creative professionals can appreciate. Even though this beast is tiny, it’s still packing all the ports you need, including four Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and a 10Gb Ethernet for faster network speeds. It’s also a pretty decent budget Mac for gaming thanks to the power of the M2 Pro chip.
2. Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini
Best Mini PC for Everyday Tasks
Pros:
- Lots of configurations available
- Decent performance
Cons:
- Expensive for what it is
If you’ve decided a mini PC is what you need, then the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini is a great option for everyday tasks. There are plenty of configurations available, but with 16GB of RAM, you should be good to achieve most of what you need for your home office. And with 1TB SSD storage, there’s plenty of room to store your files, photos, and more.
Yes, you could get a full desktop PC setup with slightly better specs at roughly the same price, but not everyone has space for that. Despite being mini in size, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini performs well and comes with a range of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.
With Windows 11 pre-installed, you’re basically good to go. All you’ll need is a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and you’ve got a home PC for everyday tasks at well under $1,000.
3. Apple Mac Studio
Best Mini PC for Creators
Pros:
- Lots of ports
- Quiet performance
Cons:
- Expensive
Small in size, and huge in performance, the Apple Mac Studio is one of the most powerful Apple computers around. This stylish mini PC is slightly larger than the Mac mini but comes equipped with Apple’s M2 Max or Ultra chip, depending on the configuration you choose. With a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, and 32GB of RAM, you can expect to pay a premium, but this is hands-down the best mini PC you’ll get for creators. And with this setup, you could comfortably play games on your Mac, too!
Unlike the Mac mini, the Mac Studio comes with a wealth of ports. There are four Thunderbolt 4 ports, multiple USB ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and more. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E, making it a seriously versatile machine.
4. Asus Chromebox 5
Best Mini PC for Students
Pros:
- Very affordable
- ChromeOS is great for novices
Cons:
- Won’t handle more than basic tasks
If you’re a student living in a dorm and are tight on space, a mini PC can be helpful, especially to those who prefer a desktop computer over a laptop. The lightweight and compact Asus Chromebox 5 is a great solution, easily fitting on a desk or in a backpack. Thrifty students will also love the under $300 price tag, so you can grab a great budget monitor and other peripherals to pair with it.
More than just affordable and portable, this ChromeOS-based PC is secure and doesn’t need excessive power, seeing users through research, writing papers, and movie streaming when taking a break from studying. Support for up to four 4K displays through Dual HDMIs, a DisplayPort 1.4, and a Thunderbolt 4 can come in handy, while a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6E ensure a reliable and speedy internet connection. However, for those looking to do more graphics-heavy tasks like video editing or gaming, you may want to grab something with more oomph under the hood.
5. Acer Chromebox CXI5
Best Chromebox
Pros:
- Various models/configs available
- 12th Gen CPU
Cons:
- DDR4 RAM
Chromebooks are a popular choice of laptop alternative for those looking for a simpler and more affordable way to perform everyday tasks on the go. But what if you need something similar in desktop PC form? The Acer Chromebox CXI5 does just this – running Chrome OS, this mini PC is designed for lightweight desktop use.
It doesn’t boast the best specs around, but it does offer an easier way for those who are less tech-savvy to complete basic processing tasks, web browsing, and word processing. Still, you’re getting a 12th-Gen i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM in a tiny package.
Unfortunately, this Chromebox is limited to DDR4 RAM, so it’s not the most futureproof mini PC around. It’s also on the higher end of the scale when it comes to affordability, but for some, the compact nature and simplicity will be just the ticket.
6. Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast
Best Mini Barebones PC
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Unique style
Cons:
- Can get very expensive
PC enthusiasts and DIYers will appreciate this barebones mini PC. Think of it as your own personal project that you can build upon and customize to your heart’s content. While you don’t get an OS or any accessories, you do get a plethora of ports like HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0, supporting up to six 4K monitors.
It’s also designed to support the latest connectivity standards like Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E, with an even larger selection of ports via the I/O. Packing plenty of performance, you can easily whisk the NUC 12 Enthusiast away on vacation or to a friend’s house, neatly transporting it in your backpack.
Supporting up to a monstrous 64GB of RAM, 3x M.2 SSD slots, and enough ports to handle all of your accessories, the NUC 12 Enthusiast is one of the best barebones mini PCs around.
7. GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13
Best Mini PC for Businesses
Pros:
- Excellent connectivity
- Potential to upgrade
Cons:
- DDR4 RAM
With the latest 13th-Gen Intel mobile processor pre-installed, the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 is quite a beast. However, we have to remember that this chip was designed for a laptop, and therefore power consumption is limited at a base level of 45W. That’s how this mini PC manages to keep cool while delivering decent performance.
Upgrading the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 is pretty straightforward if you have a little technical know-how. There’s space here for an additional M.2, as well as an HDD or SSD. Despite being the latest model, not much has changed since the IT11 or IT12. It would have been great to see an upgrade to DDR5 memory, but unfortunately this mini PC is still limited to DDR4.
But forgetting the slightly unusual spec config here, the GEEKOM Mini PC Mini IT13 does deliver on ports and connectivity. It’s incredibly versatile, with support for 8K@60Hz and 4K@60Hz. Heck, you could connect two 8K and two 4K displays in total, making it a serious multitasking machine.
Upcoming Mini PCs
There were several mini PC releases and announcements during CES 2024. One of those that stood out the most was the ASUS ROG NUC which boasts an Intel Core Ultra processor. There are currently two models to choose from, including the Intel Core Ultra 7 and Ultra 9. These beastly mini PCs are perfect for gamers, thanks to the inclusion of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU – who knew it was possible?
How To Pick the Best Mini PC
If you’re in the market for a mini PC, chances are you’re looking to save space, or you don’t have much room for a full desktop PC in the first place. When looking to buy a mini PC, size really does matter – after all, there’s no point in investing in a machine that’s too big, because that defeats the purpose.
But, just because something is smaller in size, it doesn’t mean it can’t perform well. There are plenty of mini PCs that can deliver the same, if not more power than a desktop PC. Apple’s Mac Studio, for example, is equipped with a 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU!
One thing mini PCs don’t come with, however, is any peripherals – no monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. For this reason, one of the biggest considerations when choosing the best mini PC is connectivity and available ports. If you’re going to spend your hard-earned cash on a mini PC, it would be incredibly disappointing to realize it doesn’t support both of your monitors or many of your accessories.
FAQs
What Is a Mini PC Used For?
Mini PCs are primarily chosen thanks to their small and compact form. Unlike a traditional tower desktop PC which takes up a lot of space, mini PCs can neatly be tucked in a small space on your desk, or even be transported in your bag.
Do Mini PCs Overheat?
While mini PCs are smaller, and therefore cram components into a smaller space, they are designed to have proper cooling and ventilation for their size.
Are Mini Pcs Better Than Laptops?
Mini PCs compared to laptops tend to be more powerful. They tend to be more customizable, allowing you to upgrade components that you might not be able to do on a laptop.
Is a Mini PC Good for Working From Home?
There’s no reason why a mini PC wouldn’t work for your at-home setup. These compact machines are more capable than ever, offering impressive CPUs, a good deal of memory, and ample storage opportunities. You’ll have no problem getting online, editing spreadsheets, and doing all your everyday tasks. And, of course, you’ll save space by not having a big tower case to deal with. It’s even possible to mount some of these rigs on the back of your monitor, while it’s simple to take the computer with you when you need to head into the office.
Many mini PC options have integrated GPUs, making them better for less graphically intensive tasks. But there are gaming and editing alternatives offering the latest and greatest graphics cards. Just note that it’s much harder to upgrade components, and cooling can also become issue due to the small form factor, similar problems that plague some laptops.
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Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
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