The Best Windows Mini PCs for 2022

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Our guide here will run through the nuances of today's very smallest PCs. First, we've broken out the best mini PCs we've tested below, according to usage case. Following that is a detailed breakdown of how to buy the right model for you. We wrap up below that with a chart-style spec breakout of all our top picks.

A big reason why? Graphics acceleration and other essential features, handled in the past by separate chips or bulky cards, have been subsumed under the CPU. Nowadays, small-ification is getting to the point where you can't go all that much smaller. You need to leave some space for ports to plug in a thing or two.

Most of the acceleration toward super-small in desktop PCs has happened over the last decade or so. Of course, it's still easy enough to find ordinary business boxes and hulking power towers packed with big video cards and multiple platter-based hard drives. But starting with the "small-form-factor" (SFF) PC revolution of the '00s, many desktops have gone from half-size towers to compact cubes to, in their most extreme reduction, sticks not a whole lot bigger than a USB flash drive.

The term "microcomputer" has its origins in the 1970s—the "micro" of the personal computers emerging then lay in stark contrast to the room-size mainframe beasts of the day. But fast-forward half a century or so, and—oh, micro, how you have changed!

Asus ExpertCenter PN52 Best General-Use Mini PC 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: The Asus ExpertCenter PN52 is a potent mini PC built on Ryzen mobile silicon, with a generous selection of ports and above-average upgradability. PROS Compact, port-packed design

Compact, port-packed design Robust mobile H-series Ryzen CPU

Robust mobile H-series Ryzen CPU Easy access to storage slots and bays

Easy access to storage slots and bays Reasonable pricing

Reasonable pricing Keyboard and mouse included CONS No SD card slot Sold By List Price Price Asus $869.00 $869.00 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Asus ExpertCenter PN52 Review

Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon') Best Configurable Mini PC 4.5 Outstanding Bottom Line: Intel's NUC 11 Pro Kit combines the company's latest silicon with surprising expandability, multi-display chops, and productivity oomph in a state-of-the-art, right-priced mini desktop. PROS Super-trim profile

Super-trim profile Very good CPU muscle for the price and size

Very good CPU muscle for the price and size Clean, minimalist classic-NUC design

Clean, minimalist classic-NUC design Above-average connectivity for the chassis size

Above-average connectivity for the chassis size Supports up to four direct-connected displays CONS Not an option for gamers

Not an option for gamers Must factor SSD, RAM, and OS costs and installation into kit version Sold By List Price Price Amazon $949.39 $949.39 See It (Opens in a new window) B&H Photo Video $479.00 $479.00 Check Stock (Opens in a new window) Read Our Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon') Review

Intel NUC 12 Extreme Kit ('Dragon Canyon') Best Power User and Gaming Mini PC 4.5 Outstanding Bottom Line: Intel’s NUC 12 Extreme Kit mini-PC, built on Intel’s special Compute Element platform, rivals game consoles on size, but packs a serious-strength 65-watt “Alder Lake” desktop CPU and can host a full-length GPU. PROS Ultra-compact for a gaming PC

Ultra-compact for a gaming PC Fits a full-length graphics card

Fits a full-length graphics card Intel 12th Generation “Alder Lake” CPU elevates performance

Intel 12th Generation “Alder Lake” CPU elevates performance Impressive connectivity and M.2 storage support CONS Only available as a barebones unit

Only available as a barebones unit Light-up skull faceplate isn’t for everyone

Light-up skull faceplate isn’t for everyone Uses DDR4, not DDR5, RAM Sold By List Price Price B&H Photo Video $1,305.95 $1,305.95 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Intel NUC 12 Extreme Kit ('Dragon Canyon') Review

ECS Liva Q3 Plus Best Cheap, Light-Duty Mini PC 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: The ECS Liva Q3 Plus is a tiny, quiet, capable, and affordable mini PC that’s a great fit as a living-room media streamer or light-duty, hide-anywhere office computer. PROS Uber-compact design

Uber-compact design Quiet operation

Quiet operation Surprisingly strong port selection

Surprisingly strong port selection Smooth 4K streaming

Smooth 4K streaming Capable of some multitasking in Windows

Capable of some multitasking in Windows Available with or without Windows preinstalled CONS Limited local storage

Limited local storage No USB-C port

No USB-C port Lacks the latest wireless standards Sold By List Price Price ECS $332.00 $332.00 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our ECS Liva Q3 Plus Review

Geekom IT8 Mini PC A Solid Alternative to the ECS Liva Q3 Plus 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: A turnkey, rather than bare-bones, mini PC, the Geekom IT8 is a fully assembled light-duty Windows 11 system in a tiny package at a great price. PROS Full system that includes RAM and storage

Full system that includes RAM and storage Quiet operation

Quiet operation Multi-monitor support

Multi-monitor support Plenty of ports, and even some room for internal expansion CONS Outdated CPU

Outdated CPU Peripherals not included Sold By List Price Price Amazon $449.99 $449.99 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Geekom IT8 Mini PC Review

Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit ("Serpent Canyon") Best Graphics Power in a Low-Profile Mini PC 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: Outfitted with an Arc mobile GPU, Intel’s NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit delivers gaming-laptop-grade performance in a compact desktop. It's a noble debut for mobile Arc, but aim for modern, versus older, titles, and bear in mind this PC's DIY aspects. PROS Powerful for its size

Powerful for its size Quiet operation

Quiet operation Plentiful connectivity

Plentiful connectivity Stand included

Stand included Three-year warranty CONS Older games may not play nice with Intel Arc GPU

Older games may not play nice with Intel Arc GPU Power supply is external Sold By List Price Price Newegg $1,349.99 $1,349.99 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit ("Serpent Canyon") Review

HP Z2 Mini G9 Best Mini Workstation 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: HP's redesigned G9 version of its Z2 Mini workstation punches well above its weight, with desktop-class CPUs, replaceable graphics, and excellent connectivity. PROS Compact VESA-compatible design

Compact VESA-compatible design Impressive performance

Impressive performance Easily serviceable, even the graphics card

Easily serviceable, even the graphics card Ample connectivity

Ample connectivity Modular I/O ports CONS Can get louder than expected

Can get louder than expected External power brick Sold By List Price Price HP $1,901.00 $1,045.55 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our HP Z2 Mini G9 Review

Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny Best Mini PC for Business Users 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: Lenovo's ThinkCentre M720q Tiny is a well-rounded, capable SFF PC suitable for cramped offices or other space-constrained work environs. Just nail the configuration you need up front—upgradability is limited. PROS Tons of at-purchase configuration options.

Tons of at-purchase configuration options. Includes security features for businesses.

Includes security features for businesses. Chassis is compact, rugged, and easily serviced.

Chassis is compact, rugged, and easily serviced. Plenty of ports.

Plenty of ports. Runs quietly. CONS Minimal room for internal expansion, beyond 2.5-inch bay.

Minimal room for internal expansion, beyond 2.5-inch bay. Bundled keyboard and mouse are wired and subpar. Sold By List Price Price Amazon $763.44 $763.44 See It (Opens in a new window) Newegg $549.00 $549.00 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny Review

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT Best Quiet Mini PC 4.0 Excellent Bottom Line: Thanks to its compact, fanless design, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT is a tiny and silent mini PC with enough power for basic office and media-streaming tasks, as well as vertical-market and digital-signage use. PROS Silent operation.

Silent operation. Compact and rugged chassis with no moving parts.

Compact and rugged chassis with no moving parts. Core i3 CPU can handle basic office tasks and HD video streaming.

Core i3 CPU can handle basic office tasks and HD video streaming. Plenty of ports despite tiny chassis. CONS Memory tops out at 4GB.

Memory tops out at 4GB. Only possible internal expansion is storage, via an M.2 slot. Sold By List Price Price Amazon $999.99 $919.97 See It (Opens in a new window) Read Our Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT Review

Beelink GK Mini Best Digital Signage Mini PC 3.5 Good Bottom Line: Beelink's GK Mini is a fine, fully configured small PC for digital signage and streaming, with generous storage and RAM for the price. But don't try to use it as a productivity system unless you are patient. PROS Highly compact

Highly compact Low price for a full Windows PC with 8GB of RAM

Low price for a full Windows PC with 8GB of RAM Two HDMI ports

Two HDMI ports Wi-Fi support included CONS Even with RAM boost, slow for anything but simple display tasks

Even with RAM boost, slow for anything but simple display tasks Costs more than competing laptops for office or school work Sold By List Price Price Beelink $179.00 $179.00 See It (Opens in a new window) Amazon $219.00 $219.00 Check Stock (Opens in a new window) Read Our Beelink GK Mini Review

Buying Guide: The Best Windows Mini PCs for 2022

We're seeing some clear stratification in the market for tiny desktop PCs. The very smallest PCs might be termed the "stick class," vanguarded by the Atom-CPU-powered Intel Compute Stick we first reviewed in early 2015 (and again in its refreshed, Cherry Trail Atom and Core m3 forms in 2016), followed by similar sticks from Asus, Azulle, Lenovo, and others.

These are really only suitable for display/signage use or extremely basic applications, and after a promising debut a several years back, have not seen all that much evolution or momentum. You can still find them on the market, but they have failed to have a major impact. A few vendors (notably, Azulle) still make them, though.

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

The models next up in size are a bit more dynamic, a bunch we might term the "NUC class." NUC stands for "Next Unit of Computing," a longtime initiative by Intel to spur the development of very small Windows-based desktop PCs using its mobile-centric processors. The chip giant has released a series of NUC-branded mini PC kits in its own line, and several of the traditional PC-component makers have followed suit with similar models (Asus with its VivoMini line, and Gigabyte with its Brix models, for example).

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

The NUC PCs and their ilk tend to be around 5 or 6 inches square, though Intel's 2020 NUC 9 Extreme (followed on by a 2021 NUC 11 Extreme version) changes this somewhat. The NUC 9 was a new mini PC platform that Intel is encouraging partner manufacturers to utilize for many different types of PCs, based on a core-computing module called the Compute Element. While it's technically a mini PC, full retail models from partners, such as the Razer Tomahawk, can be much larger than the small square boxes we're used to associating with NUCs.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Separate from those is a host of PCs that are undeniably small but follow their own shape and size rules. Zotac, a major player in small PCs (and one of the category's unsung early innovators), offers a huge range of Zbox PCs that range in size from a fat smartphone to a bulky Discman. Shuttle, too, is another small-PC pioneer, offering machines in a host of shapes. On the macOS side of things, the venerable Apple Mac Mini is a sleek, square silver box with rounded edges that saw a big update in late 2020. Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it received Apple's homegrown M1 processor, greatly increasing its performance.

Should You Buy a Bare Bones or Fully Configured Mini PC?

Not all mini PCs ship as complete systems; more so than any other class of PC, they tend not to.

Especially in the case of Intel's NUC kits, Shuttle's small PCs, and many of Zotac's Zboxes, you get what amounts to a PC kit: a tiny chassis with a motherboard pre-installed. (In some cases, a soldered-on processor is in place, as opposed to a socketed one.) Plus, in most cases, wireless connectivity is built in. To complete the kit, you have to shop for and install a storage drive (a hard drive and/or a solid-state drive, depending on the model) and RAM modules, and install your own operating system.

This arrangement is what's called in reseller lingo a "bare-bones PC." You'll want to make sure you know what you are getting. In some cases, a given mini system is sold in bare-bones form, as well as in pre-configured versions with storage, RAM, and Windows present.

You need to factor those parts and a Windows license (unless you plan to use Linux) into the total cost. The parts you will need, mind you, will be small: the kind that you'd typically find in a laptop, not a desktop. Many small PCs like these make use of DDR4 SO-DIMMs—laptop-style RAM modules—for their main memory instead of full-size desktop DDR4 DIMMs.

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

The form factor of the storage varies more. Depending on the mini PC you are looking at, you may need a 2.5-inch drive (a solid-state or hard drive, the size that goes into most full-size laptops), or a cutting-edge variety of SSD that's known as an M.2 SSD. Such drives are the size and shape of a stick of chewing gum. Check out our guide to these complicated drives at the link; if you need to install an M.2 SSD in a bare-bones desktop, you need to know about some interface/bus and sizing subtleties before you shop. (It's too easy, otherwise, to buy an incompatible drive.)

If a given system is a bare-bones kit, you'll need to get more than a little hands-on with it to get it up and running. But a kit gives you maximum flexibility in terms of component selection. That said, one advantage of a pre-configured system, apart from the easier setup, is the fact that Windows or macOS comes installed; you won't need to install and update the OS and its drivers.

Should You Get Dedicated or Integrated Graphics in Your Mini PC?

Most mini PCs are as "mini" as they are because they rely on the basic-grade graphics acceleration built into the CPU to power their video outputs—no separate graphics card is involved. This integrated graphics silicon will suffice for productivity work and video playback.

A few outlying models, though, do incorporate the same kind of separate, dedicated mobile graphics chips that appear in gaming laptops. Among them are Zotac's Zbox Magnus models, which employ dedicated GeForce graphics muscular enough for serious PC gaming at reasonable detail settings at 1080p (1,920 by 1,080 pixels) and, in some cases, higher resolutions. The 2021 Dell Precision 3240 Compact even makes use of Nvidia's professional-grade graphics and up to Intel Xeon processors for workstation-grade tasks.

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

In particular, newer Intel NUC models have begun including, or at least offering the option, for GPU support. The 2018 "Kaby Lake-G" Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7HVK ("Hades Canyon") (since out of support) included AMD's peppy Radeon RX Vega M graphics acceleration on the same die as processor. (Earlier Intel NUCs relied solely on Intel's own integrated HD Graphics or Iris solutions.) That means well-above-average graphics performance in a system this size.

Since then, larger NUC models have even offered support for full-size GPUs, but in a notably larger form factor. The Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit ("Beast Canyon"), for instance, can fit a dual-slot graphics card up to 12 inches long. That opens up some serious productivity and gaming power, but you are of course are starting to slide out of the truly "mini" size category.

The thing is, if you're sticking with a truly small PC, a dedicated graphics chip is seldom an option, simply because of space and thermal-design reasons. The peppier Iris Xe integrated graphics processor (IGP) silicon introduced starting in Intel's 11th Generation "Tiger Lake" CPUs is one helpful solution for those staying with IGPs. Designed for mobile systems, it would also seem a perfect fit for mini PCs, and Iris Xe has shown solid improvement in NUCs like the Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit ("Tiger Canyon"), and in Iris Xe laptop reviews.

Mini PC Connections: What Do You Need?

Some mini PCs include mounting kits that let you attach them to the back of an LCD monitor. Check for that feature if space savings of that kind is important to you. And check the back of your monitor for mounting holes, which, if present, normally comply with the VESA mounting standard.

Also check for 802.11 Wi-Fi (wireless networking) of some flavor. Most micro PCs include at least that as a standard feature (and a bunch more also incorporate Bluetooth), but double-check that the system or kit doesn't require the purchase of a separate Wi-Fi card in the Mini-PCI Express or M.2 form factor. Some do.

USB and video outputs may seem like obvious things to look for, but with smaller PCs like these, the number provided can be less than you may be used to. Check for enough of each for the peripherals you need to connect.

Also check for multi-monitor support if that is a factor for you. Some small PCs are designed explicitly for digital signage and may support more concurrent displays than you might expect from a compact system. Note, though, that these models may emphasize video outputs in place of other connections, or indeed, even much in the way of CPU power.

Which CPUs Should You Look for in a Mini PC?

You'll see a variety of mobile-grade CPUs in the small PCs out there, ranging from Intel Atom and Celeron chips (very basic, and good at best for simple productivity work, e-mailing, and web browsing) up to Core i5 and i7 (and in a few cases, i9) processors that can do some modest media-crunching and rendering work. It's crucial that you know, however, if you are looking at a mobile-grade CPU (the kind used in laptops) or a desktop-strength chip. The size of the PC isn't always a good predictor of that. (That said, the very smallest PCs will always use mobile chips.)

How to tell? Most of the mini PCs on the market make use of Intel silicon, and the dead giveaway whether you're looking at a mobile CPU or a desktop one is usually (but not always) the letter at the end of the processor's number. Look for a "T" or a "K," or no letter at all, as a dead giveaway for a desktop chip (for example, Core i5-9400T), or a "U" or "Y" (or with the very latest chips, possibly a "G3," "G5," or "G7") for a mobile one. The chip family and generation being equal, you can generally expect more muscle (usually a consequence of more cores and higher base clocks) from the desktop version of, say, a Core i5 than from a mobile Core i5.

In addition, Intel chips ending in "H" are a higher-powered grade of mobile processor, occupying the middle ground between the mainstream mobile chips and all-out socketed desktop chips. They are uncommon in mini desktops, though. There are now some occasional AMD flavors as well, such as the AMD Ryzen V1605B in the ECS Liva Q3 Plus.

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

What should you glean from that mobile-versus-desktop insight? Our benchmark testing will quantify the trends, but none of the mobile-grade chips in these small PCs is a proper substitute for a desktop chip if you're a heavy multitasker, or a media pro who needs real processing muscle, say, to convert lots of video or photo files from one format to another. In most cases, the CPU is the single biggest factor in the cost of a mini PC, so keep an eye on the performance numbers in our reviews for a relative idea of what you are getting.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

Rule of thumb? For light office work, you can get by with a mobile or desktop Core i3- or Pentium-based mini PC, but you'll want to err on the side of a higher-end, desktop-strength Core chip if you'll need extra pep for serious multitasking, file conversions, heavy calculation-based work, or multimedia content manipulation. Celeron chips, meanwhile, are okay for only the very lightest of tasks, or undemanding digital display/signage use. Atoms (which are mostly gone from the market) are best avoided except for single-use, mostly passive tasks.

So, What Is the Best Mini PC to Buy?

Check out the spec breakout below for our latest mini PC recommendations, which parallel the models we outlined above. If you're shopping for a small desktop to save money, you'll also want to check out our picks for the top cheap desktops.

If you'd like to go a bit bigger, head on over to our top choices for standard-size desktops, which include some small-form-factor PCs, or see our guide to the top all-in-one desktops, which tend to be trim and feature built-in displays.

Best mini PC of 2022

When most users seek an alternative to a large PC (opens in new tab) case they are quick to make the jump to laptops (opens in new tab) and all-in-one PCs (opens in new tab). But down the road they may find themselves disappointed by the screen attached to the machine, as it limits your options. If you want to avoid a full size PC, feel constrained by a laptop or all-in-one and at the same time want to keep your freedom of choice when it comes to monitors (opens in new tab), what do you do? You can choose a Mini PC or Mac Mini, that’s where they shine.

Mini PCs (also referred to as thin clients) can be integrated with your choice of monitors (usually one at the low end, but up to four in some devices) and peripherals such as a webcam (opens in new tab), At the same, Mini PCs can stay hidden out of sight, either under the desk (opens in new tab) or behind a monitor. Despite their small size, mini PCs are as functional and compatible with software as traditional PCs.

Lack of standards can be a good thing

If there is one constant rule in electronics is that everything is shrinking, all the time and PCs are no exception. Tasks that some years ago required a bulky tower can be achieved today with a Mini-ITX standard PC case that is one third to a quarter in size of the beige boxes of the past. Yet even Mini-ITX is getting old by today’s standards and you can get ready-made Mini PCs that fit in your pocket or the palm of your hand.

There is a lot of variety when it comes to Mini PCs: various sizes are available and they are designed for various use cases. Some Mini PCs are designed to lay flat under a desk while others have a unique vertical design that allows them to be placed on top of your desk next to your monitor and within arm's reach. You can also completely conceal them behind your monitor if they come with VESA mounting holes.

Today's range of Mini PCs are a great alternative to bulky full-size desktops and all-in-one systems for all kinds of uses: from administrative workers doing data entry, to customer service specialists and call center offices, to creative professionals and students learning at home.

We have done the research so you won’t have to and here, we present you with a selection of the best Mini PCs in every size and form factor and for every usage scenario. You will find entries from big PC name brands like Dell, Intel, Lenovo, along with Zotac, one of the pioneers in this category. Finally you will find rising stars like MinisForum and Beelink, and less known, niche brands in this contested market segment.

Best mini PCs

At the low asking price, the U59 is a complete no-brainer for anyone wanting to create a Firewall or embedded presentation system. And, with 16GB of RAM, it’s also useable for basic PC tasks. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

1. Beelink U59 Mini PC Beelink's mini PC is how a mini system should be built Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Super small size + VESA mount included + Upgradable storage and RAM + Very affordable Reasons to avoid - M.2 slot is only SATA - USB ports are all 5Gbps

The Beelink U59 is a NUC-sized PC built around the Intel Celeron Processor N5105 (4C/4T, 4M Cache, 2.0GHz up to 2.9GHz). It can come with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to a 512GB SATA SSD installed.

Even with that modest silicon, the U59 performs well at basic tasks and has potential as a small office machine or for embedded applications.

For 8GB customers, the RAM can be upgraded to 16GB, along with the M.2 SATA storage. There is also a bay inside for a 2.5-inch drive for even more storage options.

What seals this deal is the relatively low asking price of both the 8GB and 16GB models and the bloatware-free Windows 11 installation.

Including dual HDMI outputs and dual gigabit LAN ports neatly positions the U59 for embedded use, ideal for providing product presentations or as a self-contained firewall.

The Beelink U59 is easily one of the better NUC-sized machines we’ve seen, and it’s cheap enough for even the tightest budgets.

Read the full review: Beelink U59 Mini PC Review

The Mac Mini M1 was launched in October 2020 but is still the best Mac Mini that you can get. (Image credit: Apple)

2. Apple Mac Mini, M1 (2020) Best for Mac users: the first iteration of Apple´s Mac Mini with M1 silicon continues to be the system of choice for Mac users Specifications CPU: Apple M1 (8 Cores) RAM: 16 GB Unified Memory (non-upgradeable) 8GB version also available Storage: 512 GB SSD (mSATA) Ports and connectivity: Thunderbolt USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB-C (x2), USB 3.1 Type-A Gen1 (x2), HDMI, Headphone Jack, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 Weight: 1.2Kg / 2.6lb specifications RAM 8GB RAM Storage Size 8GB - 512GB Colour Silver Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at eBay (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Fast M1 CPU + Can run the latest Mac OS Reasons to avoid - RAM cannot be upgraded - Updated version due this year

Overall, the 2020 version of the Mac mini with its M1 CPU is still impressive and offers a portable option to take your computing anywhere without sacrificing your favorite Apple OS and software ecosystem.

It has a compact, attractive design and the ability to run the latest greatest OS while also running legacy Intel apps and iOS apps. In October last year, many fans were hoping Apple would present a new Mac mini powered by the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips at their Unleashed event, yet it failed to materialize twice last year.

One of its drawbacks is that memory doesn't go above 16GB, nor can it be upgraded on the 8GB model to 16. Those coming from Intel-based Mac Minis will despair of finding out they can no longer use external graphic cards (eGPUs (opens in new tab)). Besides, it's a good alternative to get into the Apple world with minimum desk real estate.

Read the full review: Mac Mini M1 (2020) (opens in new tab)

A finely constructed and easily upgradable NUC design. The only issues with this machine over others are the mediocre performance of the CPU/GPU and that the M.2 slot is only two lanes, limiting speed. For the cost, a decent machine. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

3. GEEKOM MiniAir 11 Mini PC A classy and affordable NUC specifications Processor Intel Celeron Storage Size 512GB Colour Black Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at eBay (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + VESA mount included + Upgradable storage and RAM + NVMe M.2 SSD + 10Gbits USB Reasons to avoid - M.2 PCle slot is two lanes, not four - N5095 is underwhelming silicon

The Taiwanese-based PC maker GEEKOM has several small form factor PCs available, and the MiniAir 11 is currently the cheapest.

It uses the Intel Celeron Processor N5095 (4C/4T, 4M Cache, 2.0GHz up to 2.9GHz), comes with 8GB, expandable to 16GB, of RAM, and a 256GB NVMe SSD installed.

Without hyperthreading and with one of the lowest Intel UHD Graphics GPU specifications, this machine isn’t suitable for gaming or CAD. Still, it works well enough with a browser and basic Office applications.

Both memory and storage can be user-upgraded, and the unit has plenty of USB ports for the attachment of external storage.

The weaknesses of this design are that the integrated wireless networking is only WiFi 5 capable, and the NVMe M.2 port only has the bandwidth of 2 PCIe lanes.

If you have a modest task that needs Windows 11 Pro (pre-installed), then the asking price of the GEEKOM MiniAir 11 makes it an attractive choice for those working with a limited budget.

Read the full review: GEEKOM MiniAir 11 Mini PC

A tiny system that can turn a monitor into a workable PC. But it’s not that cheap, and the performance isn’t anything special. Budget to use the M.2 slot for an enhanced user experience. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

4. ECS EliteGroup LIVA Z3 Tiny computers get an Intel Jasper Lake upgrade Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Very small + Includes a VESA mounting plate + Upgradable storage and RAM + Silent Reasons to avoid - Slow boot drive - Poor graphics performance

Using the latest Intel Jasper Lake 10nm silicon, the Z3 is an incredibly compact NUC system that requires no active cooling.

It comes with a VESA mounting plate to connect it to a monitor, providing a way to make an easy-to-transport system that isn’t a laptop. Considering how tiny the Z3 is, there are plenty of USB ports, sports Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11ac WiFi adapter, and it can connect to two monitors via HDMI and Mini DisplayPort.

However, keeping the system so small and fanless has dictated an SoC that only consumes 6W, has four cores, and lacks hyperthreading. It also uses an eMMC boot drive, further reducing mediocre performance.

This performance profile makes the Z3 only suitable for light office work, as it doesn’t have the power to meet more challenging tasks.

If you still want one, we recommend using the internal PCIe M.2 slot (2 lanes) to boost drive performance. And, maybe also want to upgrade the DDR4 RAM to get the most out of this hardware.

Read the full review: ECS EliteGroup LIVA Z3

(Image credit: MinisForum)

5. MinisForum UM700 Best overall : It can be your everyday workstation, a tiny server, or an entertainment system for light gaming Specifications CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3750H (Quad-Core) RAM: 16 GB Storage: 512 GB PCIe SSD (2.5” Slot available) Ports and connectivity: 1x USB-C (front), 1x USB 3.1 Gen-1 (front), 1x USB 3.1 Gen-2 (front), 1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3.1 Gen-2, 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet Weight: 1.18kg / 2.6lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Fast CPU and quiet fans + Mounting plate + Internal bay for a 2.5” HDD or SSD + Can drive up to three displays at 4K + Unbranded Windows installation + Version with Manjaro Linux available Reasons to avoid - Need to use three different standards for three displays - Not for high-end gaming

This powerful mini PC is square and smaller than a mouse pad, making it perfect for office workers, students, and creative professionals who work from home. It looks good sitting on your desk, but thanks to its mounting plate, you can hide it from view if necessary. Additionally, its small size makes it easy to transport: simply unplug the cables and put the workhorse with its power adaptor into a backpack (opens in new tab) to take it wherever you go.

Thanks to AMD's fast, quad-core Ryzen 7 CPU and its PCI bus SSD, Windows 10 boots in less than 10 seconds. It includes 16GB of RAM, which is more than adequate for 2022 and beyond. If you want to upgrade your memory or storage, its top plate is easily removed by pressing and sliding without a screwdriver. It uses standard SO-DIMMs like laptops and has a 2.5-inch bay for an internal SSD or HDD.

The device has one USB-C port on the front as well as two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a power button. There are also more USB ports on its back, as well as HDMI and DisplayPort for hooking up a monitor. With this tiny machine, you can easily drive three 4K displays, but you will have to use three different cable types for each: USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort.

Early in January, the company announced that a version with Manjaro Linux (opens in new tab) preloaded would cost $70 less than the Windows version. The dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet port as the basic configuration provide excellent connectivity.

Minisforum offers versions of this model in various RAM and storage configurations, and some have two Gigabit Ethernet ports, whereas the Linux preloaded version has a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. Consider that when ordering and check the type and number of Ethernet ports included if wired networking is important to you.

It looks and is professional. The best Mini PC for the office is, unsurprisingly, from Dell. (Image credit: Dell)

6. Dell Optiplex 3090 Micro Best for the small office: A slim package with a speedy six core Intel i5 CPU and Dell’s trademark warranty and support Specifications CPU: Intel Core i5-10500T (Six cores) RAM: 8GB DDR4 (several configurations available. Maximum memory: 64GB) Storage: 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD (Configurations available with 1TB SSD and 2TB HDD) Ports and connectivity: DisplayPort (x2), USB 3.1 x4 (rear), USB 3.2 (front), Headphone jack, Microphone jack Weight: 1.28kg / 2.82lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Suitable for vertical or flat placement + Quiet fans + Three year warranty Reasons to avoid - No HDMI or USB-C outputs included - Internal Wi-Fi is an extra-cost option - Only one front side USB port

Dell has been in the business of Mini-PCs for years. Since launching its Optiplex series many years ago, the company has developed it into full-size PCs, SFF (Small Form Factor), and "Micro" offerings. The Optiplex 3090 Micro came out in late 2021, replacing the 3080 of a year ago, with the main differences being its ability to support 64GB of memory on its two memory slots, and all of its USB ports are 3.2 Gen 1.

This unit is designed to sit vertically next to a monitor, leaving the front USB port and power button within easy reach. With microphone and headphones ports, it makes a great video conferencing tool. Windows 10 comes preloaded, but there is an option to have Windows 11 Pro (opens in new tab) installed.

The processor included is a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 10500T with six cores with speeds up to 2.30 GHz, so it's perfect for office applications. The Intel UHD Graphics 630 shared graphics work well for watching HD videos, working within office applications, and editing graphics. DisplayPort video ports on the back allow you to hook up two monitors at up to 4K resolution (60Hz). The cooler makes little noise despite the power of the CPU.

There is a 2.5-inch storage slot for a SATA-based HDD or SSD inside, as well as two M.2-based slots: one holds the bundled PCI SSD, and another holds the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card.

On the front, there is one USB 3.2 port and on the back are four USB 3.2 ports, all capable of speeds of up to 5Gbps, along with two video outputs and an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port. There is a Kensington Lock slot for securing the device to a desk, and if you order directly from Dell, there is an option to add an additional video port, which can either be VGA, DisplayPort 1.4, or HDMI.

The system can be fine-tuned if ordered directly from Dell, with options ranging from a quad-core Intel i3 to an eight-core Intel i7, more RAM, or replacing the SSD (opens in new tab) with a FIPS-certified self-encrypting drive. Dell offers a wired keyboard as part of the base price when ordering directly from the company. An outstanding value for money is made even better by the firm's trademark three-year warranty.

This tiny monster can drive up to four external monitors and has a fingerprint reader on top for secure log-in. (Image credit: Beelink)

7. Beelink GTR-7 Best for multiple screens and security: : supports up to four screens in 4K resolution, has a fingerprint reader for easy log-in Specifications CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3750H (Quad Core) RAM: 16 GB DDR4 (2x 8GB SODIMM) Storage: 512 GB M.2 SSD (two M.2 slots) Ports and connectivity: DisplayPort, HDMI 2.0 (x2), USB 3.0 (x6), Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 x2, Fingerprint Reader, Combo Headphone & Mic Jack, Built-in Internal Mics Weight: 1.37kg / 3.01lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Supports four monitors + Fingerprint reader + Dual Gigabit Ethernet + Two M.2 slots + Good looking metal enclosure Reasons to avoid - Not an option for gamers

With the Beelink GTR7 Mini PC, Beelink has produced a workstation (opens in new tab)-class desktop in a small, shiny package that makes it a strong PC competitor to the Mac Mini, with some extra perks and functionality that raise eyebrows.

Its fingerprint reader at the top of the case is one of its biggest advantages over almost any other Mini PC, making it a good choice for the security-conscious and well-suited business settings and your home working space. Its two Gigabit Ethernet ports make it an excellent firewall (opens in new tab) for running an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) like Suricata or other edge-of-network functions.

Its connectivity is one of its strongest points, thanks to its six USB 3.0 ports and one USB Type C port that supports video. With the USB-C and the DisplayPort and HDMI ports, you can use four monitors at once if you need an amazingly large work surface. The device supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 (opens in new tab) standard and Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth 5.0.

Inside, you'll find an AMD Ryzen 7 3750H CPU inside, which clocks at up to 4GHz, and 16GB of DDR4 memory (eight gigabytes per memory slot) which can be expanded to 64GB with two 32GB modules. Due to the Radeon Vega 10 included, don't expect the same graphics performance as a discrete GPU, but it can still drive several monitors at full resolution.

With its support for up to four displays, it is great for image editing, video monitoring, digital signage, or just the news junkie that wants to watch live news TV on one display and work on three others. The 2020 Mac Mini, which can only support two displays, cannot match this level of flexibility.

Even if you ignore the extra perks, such as dual-Gigabit Ethernet and a fingerprint reader, it can also be a very good entertainment system hooked to a living room TV. Furthermore, thanks to its internal 2.5-inch bay for SATA HDD or SSDs, its storage can be expanded, making it a good long-term machine. Definitely worth the purchase.

The PI336 is caught between a performance rock and a thermally challenged hard place. As impressive as a PC this small is, Zotac appears to have ejected practicality along with the cooling fan, making this SoC even slower than it usually is. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

8. Zotac Zbox PI336 Pico An incredibly small PC with performance and cooling issues Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Tiny + VESA mount included Reasons to avoid - Slow eMMC drive - Poor SoC performance - Gets hot - Zero upgrades

We’ve seen lots of recent NUC designs that used the Celeron N5105 and N5095 that offer good performance for those that want a small entry-level PC.

On paper, the Intel Celeron Processor N6211 used in the Pico seems a good alternative until you realize it only has two cores and not the four available in the two previously mentioned chips.

With just two cores and lacking hyperthreading, the Pico is underpowered, and if an update initiates, the user experience is effectively ruined. With the standard Windows 11 Pro installation, it can be many hours before the system is useable out of the box.

Zotac makes some excellent equipment built to a high standard, but the decision to use the N6211 in this design, alongside some painfully slow eMMC storage, is not a winning combination.

There are cheaper, better NUC designs around that provide more scope for upgrades and greater flexibility.

Read the full review: Zotac Zbox PI336 Pico

For the ultimate CPU horsepower, this kit lets you add a discrete GPU of your choice and features top connectivity and superb expandability. (Image credit: Intel)

9. Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit Best for DIY : ultimate expandability in a DIY kit that is a bit pricey Specifications CPU: Intel Core i9 11900KB (8 Core) RAM: DDR4-3200 (Two slots) Storage: None Ports and connectivity: HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 Type-A Gen-2 (x8), USB 2.0 Type A (x2), USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 (x2), 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Weight: 5.05kg / 11.13lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Supports discrete GPU + Great expansion capabilities + Thunderbolt 4 ports + Latest Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet + Three Year warranty Reasons to avoid - Expensive - You could build a PC of similar size - Gaming vibes not for everyone

It's more of a Small Form Factor (SFF) than a Mini PC, but we included it on this lineup for two reasons: first, it's still small, about the size of a toaster, just slightly longer. And second, because it is one of the few ways in which a "mini" PC can also have full-blown graphics, it is suitable for creative professionals who edit video, do CAD, or render 3D.

Sold in a DIY kit, you get the gamers-inspired enclosure with RGB lighting and skull at the front, the compute module with Intel i9 CPU, but with no RAM, hard drive, or SSD, and no OS. There is no constraint on what components you pick.

Regarding the enclosure, we admit its gaming vibes with glowing skull might not be for all, and Intel apparently thinks the same since it's on a removable plate. If you consider raw horsepower and expandability, there is little doubt the NUC 11 Extreme kit is a winner. However, it is an expensive option.

It has a card reader and two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports on the front. Located on the back are six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports. The icing on the cake is a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. The device offers the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless capabilities.

Even though we selected a pricey kit, it comes with only an 11th Gen Core i9-11900KB CPU with eight cores and a big power supply that can accommodate a full-size graphics card (opens in new tab). Versions with RAM and SSD are available for varying prices at retail. This depends on how much DIY you want to do.

Read the full review: Intel NUC 11 Extreme (opens in new tab)

The best mini option for gamers that don't want the bulk of the Extreme NUC option with a separate video card. (Image credit: Intel)

10. Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast Kit (NUC11PHKi7C) Best for gaming: A discrete NVidia GPU coupled with a fast Intel i7 CPU and superb connectivity Specifications CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G (Quad Core, up to 4.70Ghz) RAM: 16 GB DDR4 (2x 8GB DDR4-3200) Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD Ports and connectivity: USB Type C (front), USB Type C (back), (Thunderbolt 4 support), USB 3.2 Type A (front) x2, USB 3.2 Type A (back) x4, HDMI 2.0b, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, Intel Wi-Fi 6E, Card reader, IR port (front) Weight: 1.59kg / 3.5lb specifications Processor Intel Core i7 Storage Size 32GB Colour Black Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) View at eBay (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Nvidia discrete GPU + Lots of ports + Fast 2.5G Ethernet + Latest WiFi 6E + Thunderbolt 4 support Reasons to avoid - Internal GPU not upgradeable - Not a game console replacement

In the NUC 11 Enthusiast kit, you'll find everything you need to satisfy the gamer in you. As well as featuring a discrete Nvidia GPU (opens in new tab), it also includes multiple display support, Thunderbolt 4 support, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, and the latest Intel Wi-Fi 6E.

If you wanted to go the extra mile, you could choose the NUC 11 Extreme kit, which allows you to install the graphics card of your choice, but that machine is more of a Small Form Factor than a Mini PC, while the Enthusiast Kit remains within a "Mini PC" style. Vertically on its stand, it is just 1.6 inches thick.

Inside, you will find a quad-core Intel i7-1165G CPU with 16GB of DDR4 RAM. We picked the version with a 256GB SSD, but it is also available with a 512GB SSD. This configuration allows it to run games like Far Cry 5 at 60 frames per second.

It has excellent connectivity, including HDMI and mini-DisplayPort ports for hooking up two monitors, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD card reader, two USB-A ports on the front, four USB 3 ports, plus one Type-C port on the back.

In summary, if you're looking for a small form factor PC that plays mainstream AAA games well, then this may be the PC for you. However, this is not a replacement for a games console or a full-size gaming rig, where you can install the graphics card of your choice to keep up with newer gaming requirements.

The GEEKOM IT8 Mini packs workstation-grade performance into a tiny package with plenty of ports to boot. (Image credit: Future)

11. GEEKOM IT8 Mini workstation PC Best for those that need workstation performance in a tiny package Specifications CPU: Intel Core i5-8259U RAM: 16GB DDR4 Storage: 512GB SSD (Kingston OM8PDP3512B-A01) Ports and connectivity: 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, SD card reader, audio jack, Intel AC-7265, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2 Weight: 565g Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Very affordable + VESA mount + Comes with Windows 11 Pro Reasons to avoid - Limited after sales support - No Wi-Fi 6

The GEEKOM IT8 is a fantastic little mini PC with plenty of bells and whistles. Available in configurations of up to 16GB RAM and 512GB onboard storage, what sets it apart from the competition is that it comes with Windows 11 Pro out of the box with an extremely low price tag. With a NUC-like chassis and tons of ports, most businesses will be able to connect their peripherals and external storage devices. It is relatively powerful thanks to its Coffee Lake-based Intel Core i5-8259U processor that has four cores and eight threads. Its integrated graphics, an Iris-grade one, is speedy enough for a number of the overwhelming majority of tasks one would find in a business environment and should be able to power up to four monitors simultaneously. Don’t expect it to be a gaming PC, though; that’s not what it’s meant for. Note that you will also be able to add a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD to increase its capacity significantly.

Read the full review: GEEKOM IT8 (opens in new tab)

A mini PC with passive cooling designed to run 24/7 protecting your network. (Image credit: Protectli)

12. Protectli Vault FW4B Best for firewall: Passive cooling and low power consumption coupled with AES-NI hardware support and four Intel Gigabit Ethernet NICs makes it ideal to run pFsense or other FOSS firewalls or an IDS like Suricata Specifications CPU: Intel Celeron J3160 (64 bit, up to 2.2GHz) RAM: 8GB DDR3 Storage: 120GB SSD (mSATA) Ports and connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet (x4), USB 3.0 Type A (x2), RJ-45 COM, HDMI (x2) Weight: 1.06kg / 2.33lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + AES-NI hardware support + No fans: 100% silent + Low power consumption: 10W + Tested with pfSense, untangle, OPNsense + Coreboot BIOS optional Reasons to avoid - No OS pre-installed

Network administrators will enjoy this Mini PC's flexibility when configuring edge-of-network security appliances. As no OS is preloaded, you can install your favorite solution while connecting an external monitor via HDMI. You can remove the monitor and hang the Mini PC anywhere out of the way and forget about it: on a wall, below a desk, you name it. The manufacturer has tested it with popular firewalls and network security solutions such as pfSense (opens in new tab), untangle, and OPNsense.

The internal components of the unit are carefully selected to provide optimal performance. For example, the Intel i210 Gigabit Ethernet ports ensure total compatibility with most Linux installations, so there's no need to dig around for drivers. Moreover, the CPU supports AES-NI hardware-assisted encryption for better performance, and its BIOS can be replaced with the open-source Coreboot, but you would have to replace it yourself. Fortunately, the manufacturer provides good technical support.

You can install it as a PFsense firewall by downloading the OS from the Pfsense website and booting it from a USB flash drive. The reviewers warned that in that case, the default boot option is legacy, and you need to change it to UEFI. You can also use it as an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) if you install the popular Suricata software. With the 8GB unit, the memory will be used at 25% and the CPU at less than 20%. In that case, the Celeron will be your bottleneck, and throughput will be limited to 300 to 500 Mbps. A Six-port version sporting an Intel Core i5 is also available that is better suited for IDS usage with higher throughputs.

This device is also compatible with the commercial Untangle NG Firewall (opens in new tab) so, with just a software subscription, it can function as a WAN balancer, WAN failover, or internet traffic filter and virus scanner. Yet, the DIY nature of this Mini PC makes it more suited for DIY enthusiasts and system administrators.

The ECS EliteGroup LIVA Z3 is a silent mini PC that packs a punch thanks to the inclusion of an Intel Jasper Lake processor. (Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

13. ECS EliteGroup LIVA Z3 Best for power efficiency: this mini PC has a SoC that only consumes 6W Specifications CPU: Intel Jasper Lake SoC Pentium Silver N6000 RAM: 4GB DDR4-2666 (2x 2GB), upgradable to 16GB Storage: 128GB of eMMC memory, 1x M.2 2280 SSD (PCIe) slot Ports and connectivity: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C, 3 x USB3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1x MiniDP, 1 x universal audio jack, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.0 Weight: 1.31kg / 2.491lb Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Very small + Includes a VESA mounting plate + Upgradable storage and RAM + Silent Reasons to avoid - Slow boot drive - Poor graphics performance

Using the latest Intel Jasper Lake 10nm silicon, the Z3 is an incredibly compact NUC system that requires no active cooling.

It comes with a VESA mounting plate to connect it to a monitor, providing a way to make an easy-to-transport system that isn’t a laptop. Considering how tiny the Z3 is, there are plenty of USB ports, sports Gigabit Ethernet, and 802.11ac WiFi adapter, and can connect to two monitors via HDMI and Mini DisplayPort.

However, keeping the system so small and fanless has dictated an SoC that only consumes 6W, has four cores, and lacks hyperthreading. It also uses an eMMC boot drive, reducing the mediocre performance even further.

This performance profile makes the Z3 only suitable for light office work, as it doesn’t have the power to meet more challenging tasks.

If you still want one, we recommend using the internal PCIe M.2 slot (2 lanes) to boost drive performance. And, maybe also upgrade the DDR4 RAM while you are inside.

Read the full review: ECS EliteGroup LIVA Z3 (opens in new tab)

A Mini PC that fits in the palm of your hand is an amazing engineering feat. (Image credit: Chuwi)

14. Chuwi LarkBox Pro Mini PC Best for size: A quad-core Celeron with six gigabytes of RAM and dual band Wi-Fi can be your Windows 10 workhorse Specifications CPU: Intel Celeron J4125 (Quad-Core) RAM: 6 GB LPDDR4 (2133 MHz) Storage: 128GB eMMC 5.1 Ports and connectivity: 2x USB 3, HDMI, USB-C (power only), Micro SD slot, Headphone jack Weight: 127g / 0.27 lb Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + VESA mount + Fits anywhere + Perfect for travel Reasons to avoid - Fan can ramp up and be loud - Cooling fan works only in Windows, not Linux - Windows build Update issues

It's not a Mini PC, it's a Nano PC, which is slightly bigger than a phone charger brick, so you can easily take it wherever you want. You can use it for typical home PC use, including casual web browsing, Word, and YouTube, and it supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. When you look at its size, you can tell it results from an incredible engineering feat. However, packing so many features into such a small space isn't without its drawbacks.

Among the specs are a quad-core Intel Celeron CPU, 6GB of RAM soldered in, 128GB of internal storage, and you can use a microSD card for storage expansion. It includes a full install of Windows 10. It has two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI connector, and a USB-C connector for power. It also has a MicroSD slot and a headphone jack on its side.

The system is fine if you leave its operating system alone. When you replace the OS, e.g., with Linux (opens in new tab), users report that the system becomes unusable because the cooling fan doesn't spin up in Linux, ever, so the system overheats and crashes. We hope Chuwi can overcome this little bug by submitting software patches to the Linux distros.

Windows 10 users who try to upgrade to a newer build report the same problem: the fan does not spin up during the upgrade process, leading to a BSOD. According to others, you can upgrade Windows if you do a clean installation with a newer build. Your mileage may vary. If you're looking for the smallest PC, you can find, this is it. If you want to avoid trouble, leave the OS alone.

Read the full review: Chuwi Larkbox (opens in new tab)

If your wallet is thin, this is the best Mini PC. It even supports dual monitors thanks to its pair of HDMI outputs. (Image credit: Beelink)

15. Beelink T4 Pro Best budget mini PC: for the cost of a hard drive, you get a full Windows 10 PC. Just don´t expect miracles out of a dual-core Celeron with four gigs of RAM Specifications CPU: Intel Celeron N3350 (Dual Core, up to 2.40Ghz) RAM: 4 GB Storage: 64 GB eMMC Ports and connectivity: HDMI 2.0 (x2), USB 3.0 Type A (x4), RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm Audio Jack (Headphones + Mic) Weight: 0.23kg / 0.51lb Today's Best Deals View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Dirt cheap + Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit Ethernet + Supports dual-monitors with its two HDMI ports Reasons to avoid - Very small internal storage - CPU is only dual-core

Look no further if you want the lowest possible price on a Mini PC. This machine, sporting a dual-core Celeron processor and four gigabytes of RAM, has been so heavily discounted that it now costs less than a single hard drive. With this astonishingly low price, you get a new machine with the full Windows 10 PC experience by connecting a monitor (or two) over HDMI and plugging in the AC adapter.

Due to its pair of HDMI ports, it does indeed support dual-screen operation. The device comes with four USB 3.0 ports to connect your keyboard, mouse, webcam, and some external storage device such as a flash drive (opens in new tab) or external hard drive.

Just don't expect miracles to happen with its internal dual-core Celeron processor and its four gigabytes of RAM. There is also a limited amount of storage space at 64GB, but you get what you pay for. This is a very handy little PC to have in a drawer as a safety device: in case your main PC suddenly dies or begins acting crazy, all you need to do is take this little box out of a drawer, plug a few wires, and you will be back in business in no time.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

16. Beelink U59 Mini PC A mini system done right Specifications CPU: Intel Celeron Processor N5105 (4C/4T, 4M Cache, 2.0GHz up to 2.9GHz) RAM: 16GB (2*8G)DDR4 RAM Storage: M.2 2280 512GB SATA SSD Ports and connectivity: 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 USB-C, 4x USB3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x HDMI 1.4, 1 x universal audio jack Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Super small + VESA mount included + Upgradable storage and RAM + Very affordable Reasons to avoid - M.2 slot is only SATA - USB ports are all 5GbpsEmpty List

The Beelink U59 is a NUC-sized PC built around the Intel Celeron Processor N5105 (4C/4T, 4M Cache, 2.0GHz up to 2.9GHz). It can come with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to a 512GB SATA SSD installed.

Even with that modest silicon, the U59 performs well at basic tasks and has potential as a small office machine or for embedded applications.

For 8GB customers, the RAM can be upgraded to 16GB, along with the M.2 SATA storage. There is also a bay inside for a 2.5-inch drive for even more storage options.

What seals this deal is the relatively low asking price of both the 8GB and 16GB models and the bloatware-free Windows 11 installation.

Including dual HDMI outputs and dual gigabit LAN ports neatly positions the U59 for embedded use, ideal for providing product presentations or as a self-contained firewall.

The Beelink U59 is easily one of the better NUC-sized machines we’ve seen, and it’s cheap enough for even the tightest budgets.

Read our full Beelink U59 Mini PC review (opens in new tab).

Also consider

The Seeed Studio J1020 (opens in new tab) is another box worth considering, though it's a little more specialist than the others. Built especially for AI and ML tasks, this is a somewhat unique Linux box that comes with plenty of power and communication interfaces. The price remains higher than the competition considering that this is an entry-level platform, but you get a system that can run as a standalone PC.

How we chose the best mini PCs

Before we get into our selection criteria we have to describe the vast array of configurations that the “mini PC” moniker encompasses: The largest mini PC is roughly the size of an electric toaster. But the majority are about the size of a stack of a handful of CDs -if you can still remember what those were. Additionally, there is the appliance type, which is usually a fan-less thin rectangular box without any fans.

Appliance-type Mini PCs often have a metal enclosure to help with passive cooling, as well as more than one wired Gigabit Ethernet port. The Mini PCs are perfect to leave unattended in a small network cabinet, rack, or locker, where they can be used as fixed-function mini-servers, such as a firewall for an office network or a file storage for a small shop.

There's also a class of mini PCs that are really, really small. These range from palm-sized to slightly bigger than a thumb drive, often with an HDMI male connector and built to be attached to the back of a TV or monitor for entertainment or web browsing on a big screen.

Thus, selecting a “Mini PC” is no easy task, first we had to filter them based on size. We started from the tiniest ones, the thumb drive sized PCs up to the palm-sized devices, then moving up to the TV-box sized machines. In each size jump we looked for the usage scenarios for each based on the capabilities of the CPU and amount of RAM and included ports, then we weeded out the ones with sub-par specs, this removed several dozen entries with the same Celeron CPUs and low RAM.

Once we got to the higher-spec entries is where the winners started to show up either by expansion capabilities, unique features, and suitability for the purpose. A final filtering by brand name and support considerations is how we ended up with our selection of picks for the best Mini PCs for the small office, for the corporate office, the best Mini PC for multiple-screen usage, the best one for gaming and the best Mini PC for firewall use. The higher you go in price, the more careful you need to be about the issue of after-sales support.

We've also highlighted the best business computers (opens in new tab)

The best mini PCs in 2022

The best mini PCs are minuscule in comparison to standard-sized rigs. However, they pack enough power to do a wide range of things, including web browsing, content creation and gaming. Not only are these diminutive computers more convenient than enormous PC towers, they're also super quiet. For some folks, mini PCs could be the perfect personal computer.

Design-wise, mini PCs range from smaller desktops to stick PCs you can slip into your pocket. Mini PCs leverage the small, energy-efficient components from laptops to provide you with a surprising among of power in sizes that can be hidden behind a monitor. With mini PCs made for everything from media streaming to gaming and VR, there are mini stick PCs and mini desktops for almost everyone.

Below, we've listed the best mini PCs for everything from home entertainment to gaming and professional workstations. Each review involves extensive testing and hands-on evaluation. This allows us to tell you exactly which are the best systems. We've put every mini PC on this list through its paces and have the top models you can get today.

The best mini PCs to buy now

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

1. Apple Mac mini with M1 The best mini PC overall Specifications Size (Inches): 7.7 x 7.7 x 1.4 Weight: 2.6 pounds CPU: Apple M1 Storage: 256GB SSD Geekbench 5 Score: 6,005 Today's Best Deals View at eBay (opens in new tab) View at BHPhoto (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Seriously fast performance + Seamless support for most software + More affordable than ever before Reasons to avoid - No aftermarket upgrades - Fewer Thunderbolt 3 ports - A few minor hiccups with compatibility and features

The latest version of the Apple Mac mini may look unchanged from its predecessors, but there's a revolution hiding inside – the Apple M1 processor, Apple's first big step away from using Intel processors in Macs. The new chip offers a surprising amount of power, taking on more expensive Intel Core i3 and Core i5 systems and coming out the victor. Paired with Apple's Mac OS Big Sur and Rosetta 2, it will run pretty much anything you need it to, as long as it's not Windows.

It's not a perfect desktop – a smaller port selection and support for only two displays is a real letdown – but the overall value you get in the Mac mini is more than we ever expected for the new, more affordable price.

Read our full Apple Mac mini with M1 review .

(Image credit: Future)

2. Apple Mac Studio The best mini PC for macOS fans Specifications Size (Inches): 7.7 x 7.7 x 3.7 inches Weight: 5.9/7.9 pounds (M1 Max/M1 Ultra) CPU: Apple M1 Max - M1 Ultra Storage: 256GB - 2TB Geekbench 5 Score: 23,931 Today's Best Deals View at eBay (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Blazing-fast performance from M1 Ultra + Great design + Plenty of ports + Whisper-quiet Reasons to avoid - Expensive for what you get, especially at the high end

The Mac Studio can deliver more power than any Apple computer on the market save the Mac Pro, and it packs it all into a quiet, well-designed chassis that looks good on a desk. As much as we love seeing Apple silicon put to good use in MacBooks, where its power efficiency helps deliver some of the best battery life in the business, the Mac Studio with M1 Ultra proves that Apple’s chips have the chops to compete with the best desktop PC silicon from Intel and AMD.

Of course, since this is Apple we’re talking about you’ll pay for the privilege. The Mac Studio’s $1,999 starting price isn’t too bad, but that gets you the entry-level model with the same M1 Max chip that's in the 2021 MacBook Pros. To get a Mac Studio with Apple's top-of-the-line M1 Ultra chip will cost you at least $4k, though it's worth it if you want one of the fastest, most powerful Macs on the market.

Read our full Mac Studio review.

(Image credit: Azulle)

3. Azulle Access3 The best stick PC Specifications Size (Inches): 5.5 x 2.36 x 0.76 Weight: 5.12 ounces CPU : Intel Celeron N4100 Storage: 32GB Geekbench 4 Score: 4,541 Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Elegant design combines fanless cooling with stylish looks + Improved port selection boasts USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet + Zippy performance with 4K video support Reasons to avoid - Slow data transfer speeds - Optional bundled keyboard is clunky

The Azulle Access3 takes our favorite tiny stick PC and makes it even better. With a compact design that's almost small enough to put on a keychain, and flexible enough to be used with any monitor or TV, the Access3 gets a faster processor, speedier USB 3.0 ports and adds Gigabit Ethernet for better performance and connectivity than any other stick PC we've reviewed. The zippy performance even supports 4K video output, making it great for streaming.

Whether it's for use in your home theater, powering digital signage or just giving you a way to watch Netflix on your hotel TV, the Access3 presses forward in a form factor that larger manufacturers have largely forgotten. The Azulle Access3 is our new favorite stick PC, and the best mini PC you can slip into your pocket.

Read our full Azulle Access3 review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

4. Geekom Mini IT8 The best mini PC for tinkerers Specifications Size (inches): 4.6 x 4.4 x 1.8 Weight: 2.2 pounds CPU: Intel i5-8259U Storage: 256GB, 512GB Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Very affordable for what you get + Lots of desktop and server applications + Decent performance + Support for up to four monitors + Ships with Windows 11 Pro Reasons to avoid - Older CPU - Lackluster GPU - Case is a fingerprint magnet

While this affordable mini PC packs an older 8th gen Intel Coffee Lake CPU, it still has more than enough power for day-to-day tasks. From web browsing to word processing, the Mini IT8 is quite up to what most people need. The Geekom Mini IT8 is also VESA-mountable, meaning that you can slap it on the back of your monitor for a clean desk.

And while getting Windows 11 Pro pre-installed is awesome, our mind immediately begins to dream about what you can do with it if you to turn this mini PC into, say, a streaming media hub or virtualization host for your home network. You can install Linux or whatever you want on the Mini IT8, making it a great mini PC for tinkerers and enthusiasts.

Read our full Geekom Mini IT8 review.

(Image credit: Future)

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5. Intel Hades Canyon NUC Best mini PC for gaming Specifications Size (Inches): 8.7 x 5.6 x 1.5 Weight: 4.75 pounds CPU : Intel Core i7-8009G/AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH Storage: Bring Your Own Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Impressive graphics performance + Compact, attractive design + Tons of ports + Customizable RGB lighting Reasons to avoid - Expensive after adding parts

Intel’s Hades Canyon NUC is a mini PC that delivers desktop-gaming-grade performance in a chassis that's about the size of a book. Thanks to its Intel Core i7-8009G/AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH hybrid chip, which combines processing and discrete graphics on a single chip, the Hades Canyon NUC can handle AAA games and VR in a small, black brick that can be tucked into a backpack or added to a home entertainment center.

Despite its small size, the Hades Canyon NUC is loaded with ports, including Thunderbolt 3 ports and HDMI output. If you buy the barebones kit, you’ll need to provide memory and storage, and your own installation of Windows, but this pint-sized gaming machine can go toe-to-toe with an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti-powered gaming tower, and it even handled a bit of VR. It's the best mini PC you can get for gaming without compromise.

Read our full Intel Hades Canyon NUC review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

6. Intel NUC 9 Pro The best workstation mini PC Specifications Size (Inches): 9.4 x 8.5 x 3.8 Weight: 4.1 pounds CPU: Intel Xeon E-2286M Storage: 1TB SSD Geekbench 5 Score: 7,985 Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Powerful workstation processing and graphics + Compact size with great port selection and upgradability + Innovative tech inside Reasons to avoid - Seriously expensive - Vertical orientation only

The Intel NUC 9 Pro is a workstation mini PC that offers huge power and a surprising amount of upgradability. A workstation desktop isn't an uncommon offering in the PC world, as they're the standard for many computationally demanding uses, ranging from architecture to animation. What is unusual is to see that level of performance packed into a tiny design that's smaller than a 5-liter SFF desktop.

Throw in room for huge amounts of RAM, added drives and up to an 8-inch graphics card, and the Intel NUC 9 Pro is a rare beast indeed. And that's before discussing Intel's innovative Compute Element motherboard, which weds the modularity of the motherboard with the built-in cooling and self-contained design of a GPU to create a unique basis for a truly potent PC. Add it all up, and it's definitely the best workstation available in mini PCs today.

Read our full Intel NUC 9 Pro review.

(Image credit: Dell)

7. Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra The best mini PC for the office Specifications Size (Inches): 10.08 x 3.78 by 1.1 Weight: 1.16 pounds CPU: Intel Core i7-8665U Storage: 512GB SSD Geekbench 4 Score: 16,684 Today's Best Deals View at Newegg (opens in new tab) View at Dell (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Great performance + Mini PC meets All-in-One desktop + Excellent port selection + Dizzying number of configurations and coverage plans Reasons to avoid - Locks you into a new, untried ecosystem - Setup is a pain

Our new favorite office desktop does a cool disappearing trick, with a funky design that hides the powerful mini PC inside a specially designed monitor stand that turns it into a low-profile all-in-one PC. Packing plenty of capability into its tiny size and offering a modular solution for offices that want to upgrade often, the Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is a cool twist on the mini PC in the workplace.

The mini PC itself is so slim it might get mistaken for a laptop battery pack or a desktop dock, but inside it boasts an Intel Core processor, up to 64GB of RAM and as much as 1TB of storage. It has plenty of ports and performance that puts it squarely among the best productivity-focused mini PCs you can buy.

If the OptiPlex 7070 is sold out, you can purchase the 7090 for $889 at Dell (opens in new tab).

Read our full Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra review.

(Image credit: Future)

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8. Acer Chromebox CXI3 Best Chrome desktop mini PC Specifications Size (Inches): 5.9 x 5.9 x 1.6 Weight: 1.2 pounds CPU : Intel Core i5-8250U Storage: 64GB SSD Geekbench 3 Score: N/A Today's Best Deals View at Newegg (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Compact design can be mounted or stashed out of sight + Includes plenty of ports + Has excellent performance + Runs cool Reasons to avoid - Limitations of Chrome OS

The Acer Chromebox CXI3 may be the best desktop version of Chrome OS available. Made for use in the classroom or in the office, the Chromebox CXI3 delivers everything that’s great about Chrome – ease of use, simple security, and all the online capability you want – in a mini PC that boasts great features and performance.

The compact Chromebox can be mounted almost anywhere and boasts plenty of ports, including several USB 3.0 ports, HDMI output and a USB-C port. Our model was outfitted with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD, combining to offer speedy performance and easy multitasking. Plus, it’s cheaper than any similarly equipped Windows machine. For one of the best mini PC designs without the bloat of Windows, there's no beating the Acer Chromebox CXI3.

Read our full Acer Chromebox CXI3 review.

(Image credit: Future)

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9. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B The best mini PC for building projects Specifications Size (Inches): 3.4 x 2.2 x 0.4 Weight: 1.6 ounces CPU : ARM Cortex A72 Storage: No onboard storage Geekbench 3 Score: N/A Today's Best Deals View at Newegg (opens in new tab) View at eBay (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Significantly more powerful than past models + Supports dual 4K video output, USB 3.0 and USB Type-C for power Reasons to avoid - Not compatible with older Raspberry Pi cases - Software compatibility is hit or miss

The Raspberry Pi ushered in a new era of DIY tech, and the latest model, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, pushes that to new heights with a more powerful processor, 4K video output and an improved part selection. The latest model, the $35 Raspberry Pi 4 Model B offers enormous value for projects ranging from simple to complex, from its enhanced processing and graphics to offering broad compatibility with older accessories.

If you want to do something different with your technology, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the best mini PC for tinkering and experimenting. Whether you buy it alone or in a kit, the Raspberry Pi is hard to beat.

Since our review, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has been updated with a new model that has 8GB of RAM, significantly improving on the 2GB memory of the base model.

If the Rasberry Pi is sold out, you can buy the Raspberry Pi 400 All-in-One (opens in new tab).

Read our full Raspberry Pi 4 Model B review.

How to choose the best mini PC for you

Mini PCs range from small project PCs for under $50 (£50/AU$75) to compact desktops that can cost $1,000 or more. Stick PCs are the most versatile, and generally cost between $100 (£100/AU$150) and $200 (£200/$AU300), and will work with most TVs or monitors. Mini PC prices vary considerably based on hardware.

Know what you want: Finding the right mini PC for you starts with knowing what you're looking for. Do you want something small enough to tuck behind a TV as a dedicated streaming box, or are you looking for something with gaming capability? Do you want a basic internet-browsing machine, or do you need serious processing and graphics capability? Our best picks above do a good job of highlighting the use-cases different systems are best suited to.

Find the right size: Then there's the question of form factor. Mini PCs are all small, but there is a range of options within the category, from stick PCs small enough to slip in your pocket to desktop towers that are still compact enough to stow out of sight. You'll sacrifice power for a smaller system, but you can still get a capable desktop that's small enough to carry in a backpack, even if you're after gaming capability or workstation performance.

Make sure you like your configuration and upgrade options: Finally, you want to look at configuration options and upgradability. Many mini PCs have two or three configuration options, which can change everything from the amount of included storage to the presence of high-end processors and discrete graphics cards. There's also the question of upgrades. Many of the smallest mini PCs leave no room for future hardware changes, but others are designed to let you add memory or storage, or even outfitted with ports that allow for an external GPU for expanded capability. When in doubt, check our reviews, which include configuration details and will discuss the potential for future upgrades.

How we test mini PCs

We put every mini PC we review through a number of benchmark tests and real-world uses to get the clearest picture we can of how well it performs, what uses it's best suited to and what sort of capability you get for the price.

For performance, we use the Geekbench processor test to measure a system's overall processing capabilities. We run custom spreadsheets to see how long it takes to handle large data sets and number-crunching tasks. We also test the file transfer speeds, copying large files to see how long a system takes to copy multimedia files, documents and other content.

To test the graphics capability, we run a number of benchmark tests from 3DMark. When a system has the capability, we'll also run individual game tests and the SteamVR performance test to see how capable a system is at handling the demands of modern gaming.

Most importantly, we spend a ton of time simply using each mini PC for everyday activities. We watch movies, do work, play games, and blast music on the speakers, all to get a better sense of which ones are worth your money.