The Best Windows Mini PC Deals This Week*
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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’ve changed!Most of the acceleration toward super-small 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 much bigger than a USB flash drive.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, miniaturization 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.Our guide here will explore the nuances of today’s smallest PCs. First, we’ve broken out the best mini PCs for 2024 that we’ve tested below, according to the 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.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (2023)
Best General-Use Mini PC
Why We Picked ItThis is a mini PC fit for a home office, secondary workspace, or small business, and the configuration we reviewed ensures any of those users can get real work done. This compact box starts in the $600 range, but we tested a more capable $909 configuration, which packs an impressive Intel Core i7-13700H processor, 16GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD. Buyers with truly serious workloads to push will want to seek out a larger PC with a workstation-grade or Core i9 chip, and you’ll find no discrete graphics in the Mini, but the performance is substantial for a compact PC, especially one under $1,000. While it’s not perfect, and limited in what you can upgrade, the IdeaCentre Mini supports multiple monitors, includes a useful selection of ports, and features a nicer-looking design than most. Who It’s ForThose looking to simplify a home-office setup or put together a desk for their small business, but who still need legitimate processing power, will be pleased with the IdeaCentre Mini. A Core i7 H series chip represents near-desktop-level processing muscle (it’s the class of chip that goes into power-user laptops), so this PC sits well above the class of mini PC suited merely for digital-signage or kiosk duty. You could set up a similarly quick traditional tower PC for less money, so don’t opt for a mini PC unless space constraints are paramount, but this Lenovo effort is an attractive all-purpose solution.
PROS
Decent performance for a low-profile mini PC
Well-balanced configuration for office use
Plenty of ports, including a Thunderbolt 4
Multi-monitor support
CONS
No VESA mount included
Limited upgrade capability
A little pricey in test configuration
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Intel Core i7-13700H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Intel Iris Xe
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Learn More
Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (2023) Review
Asus ExpertCenter PN52
A Solid Alternative to the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini
Why We Picked ItA fraction larger than the Intel NUCs of old at 2.3 by 4.7 by 5.1 inches (HWD), Asus’ ExpertCenter PN52 has something they’ll never have—an AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor. The chip gives the PN52 lively performance, while the chassis delivers easy access and ample upgradability for the class, accommodating up to 32GB of RAM and two M.2 solid-state drives plus a 2.5-inch SSD or hard drive. Our $968 review unit was even boxed up with a keyboard and mouse. If you’re not feeling the need for an AMD chip, the newer Core i7 CPU in the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, our main pick, is even quicker.Who It’s ForAnyone intrigued by the idea of a mini PC should check out the ExpertCenter PN52. Equipped with plenty of ports—ours could drive four 4K monitors or one 8K display—it’s overkill for digital signage but a fine choice for Microsoft 365 or other office apps, whether stashed on a corner of a desktop or VESA-mounted behind a monitor. It’s even suitable for light creative work with programs like Adobe Photoshop. It lacks a microSD memory card slot, but otherwise, it’s hard to find fault with this Asus.
PROS
Compact, port-packed design
Robust mobile H-series Ryzen CPU
Easy access to storage slots and bays
Reasonable pricing
Keyboard and mouse included
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
Processor Speed
3.2 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Graphics Card
Integrated AMD Radeon
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Asus ExpertCenter PN52 Review
Intel NUC 13 Extreme Kit (‘Raptor Canyon’)
Best Power User and Gaming Mini PC
Why We Picked ItIntel’s NUC 13 Extreme is expensive for a mini PC (our flagship configuration with a blazing 13th Generation Core i9 CPU was $1,549). It’s also downright huge for a mini PC—or rather, a small-form-factor (SFF) tower measuring 13.3 by 5.1 by 12.5 inches (HWD), actually larger than SFF gaming desktops like the Falcon Northwest Tiki and Corsair One i300. But that relatively jumbo case makes room for not only a heavyweight processor but something no mini PC can fit—one of the latest 12-inch, triple-slot graphics cards for frame rates that reach hardcore gaming heaven. Who It’s ForSold as a bare-bones kit (you’ll need to supply your own GPU, memory, and solid-state storage as well as a copy of Windows), the NUC 13 Extreme challenges you with a complex disassembly and installation process but rewards you with console-beating gaming in a package barely bigger than a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. It’s a nifty DIY alternative to boutique SFF gaming rigs.
PROS
New small-form-factor design
Room for a full-length, three-slot graphics card
Intel 13th Gen desktop CPU delivers impressive performance
CONS
Sold as a bare-bones kit
External Wi-Fi antennas
Uses mobile DDR5 memory
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF), Gaming
Processor
Intel Core i9-13900K
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Intel NUC 13 Extreme Kit (‘Raptor Canyon’) Review
MSI Pro DP21
Best Cheap, Light-Duty Mini PC
Why We Picked ItIt’s bulkier than an Intel NUC Pro (2.2 by 8 by 8.2 inches), but only one-tenth the size of the midtowers that dominate the budget desktop market. Yet MSI’s Pro DP21 delivers surprisingly perky performance in a petite package that can rest on your desk horizontally, perch on edge in the included stand, or hide behind a monitor or cling to the underside of your desk thanks to a VESA mount. It also starts at just $329, with our review unit ringing up at $471 with a quad-core Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory, a 256GB solid-state drive, Windows 11 Home, and a basic USB keyboard and mouse.Who It’s ForIf you’re on a budget and not into the hobbyist aspect of bare-bones kits, the DP21 is a great way to get into mini PCs. The four antique USB 2.0 ports on the front panel aren’t too useful, but you get four USB 3.2 ports (three Type-A, one Type-C), 4K HDMI and DisplayPort monitor connectors, Gigabit Ethernet, and audio jacks around back. Inside, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth share the space for up to 64GB of RAM, two 2.5-inch drives plus an M.2 SSD, and even an Intel 12th Gen CPU upgrade instead of the usual fixed mobile processor. What’s not to like?
PROS
Compact, VESA-mountable design
Well-priced
Peppy Core i3 processor
Ample connectivity including Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth
Easily upgradable
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Business
Processor
Intel Core i3-12100
Processor Speed
3.3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
256 GB
Graphics Card
Intel UHD Graphics 730
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Learn More
MSI Pro DP21 Review
MSI Cubi 5 12M
A Solid Alternative to the MSI Pro DP21
Why We Picked ItThe Cubi 5 12M loads up on the latest supporting hardware, such as Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and Thunderbolt 4. For all that, the Cubi 5 12M costs just $100 more than the previous holder of this position. If you don’t necessarily need the full-desktop-grade power of the MSI Pro DP21 but rather need more current supporting features, this is a smart place to start your search.Who It’s ForIf you’re short on desk space but want a PC with the latest in connectivity and enough power to drive your basic computing needs, the MSI Cubi 5 12M is an excellent alternative to the more powerful MSI Pro DP21. For some of you, laptop-grade processing is enough to get through basic computing tasks, and it’s the supporting features that are more important. For that, we recommend the MSI Cubi 5 12M.
PROS
Compact design
Quiet operation
Enough oomph to run office apps and stream video
Room to expand RAM
Plethora of ports
CONS
No free M.2 slot or SATA connection to expand internal storage
Lacks an SD card slot
Keyboard and mouse not included
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Intel Core i3-1215U
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
256 GB
Graphics Card
Intel UHD Graphics
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Learn More
MSI Cubi 5 12M Review
HP Z2 Mini G9
Best Mini Workstation
Why We Picked ItMost desktop workstation buyers want tons of expandability and upgradeability. HP’s Z2 Mini G9 doesn’t have those, but it has awesome performance, impressive connectivity, and surprising serviceability for a PC only 2.7 by 8.3 by 8.6 inches big. Though it can hide under a desk or behind a monitor with an optional VESA mount, the Z2 Mini accommodates the 125-watt processors you’ll find in full-size towers, such as our test unit’s flagship Intel Core i9-12900K, and an industry-standard graphics card. The latter must be a half-length, half-height GPU powered by the PCI Express slot, but the 12GB Nvidia RTX A2000 in our review system is certainly no slouch.Who It’s ForThe Z2 Mini G9 carries the independent software vendor (ISV) certifications of its bigger desktop brothers and HP’s ZBook mobile workstations, making it a great choice for 2D and light 3D design and CGI rendering as well as video editing, dataset analysis, and scientific and engineering apps. Up to 64GB of memory and 8TB of storage give you plenty of headroom, while two “flex banks” can be configured with a dizzying array of ports. Apparently nobody told it it wasn’t a tower.
PROS
Compact VESA-compatible design
Impressive performance
Easily serviceable, even the graphics card
Ample connectivity
Modular I/O ports
CONS
Can get louder than expected
External power brick
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Workstation
Processor
Intel Core i9-12900K
Processor Speed
3.2 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
64 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Nvidia RTX A2000
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
HP Z2 Mini G9 Review
Geekom AS6
Best Mini PC for Productivity
Why We Picked ItGeekom’s AS6 delivers better-than-expected performance in a small package, with the supporting features to back it up. We rarely say many users shopping for a mini PC don’t need as much muscle as what this punchy box contains, but our review unit features an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, 32GB of memory, and a 2TB SSD. You even have modest graphics power in the form of an AMD Radeon 680M GPU. For $1,009 as tested, that’s a fair deal, and it supports up to four displays and includes a lot of ports. You can get real work done on this little system, and it takes up much less space than a traditional tower.Who It’s ForIf saving space is a priority, but you still need a machine to get real work done, the AS6 is a smart pick. You’ll find cheaper Geekom configurations for shoppers who don’t need this much memory or storage from their small system, as mini PCs tend to be a budget-oriented category. If you require the level of CPU muscle a Ryzen 9 HX delivers, you’ll also enjoy the multi-monitor support and connectivity. (It’s also easier to pack up and take if needed than a power-user laptop or mini-tower.) It’s a decent fit for a tight home office or unorthodox workspace, too.
PROS
Small footprint for an HX-series-processor mini PC
Snappy CPU and GPU performance
Loads of ports for its size
Supports up to four monitors
Decent storage-expansion potential
CONS
Spotty U.S. availability of tested Ryzen 9 configuration
So-so documentation for upgrades
2TB ceiling on SATA and M.2 drive upgrades
No SD card slot
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
Processor Speed
3.3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon 680M
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Geekom AS6 Review
Beelink GK Mini
Best Digital Signage Mini PC
Why We Picked ItDesktop PCs with user-interchangeable components just don’t come smaller than the Beelink GK Mini, an Intel Celeron system that measures only 4.6 by 4.1 by 1.75 inches and has room for a relatively generous 8GB of RAM plus M.2 and 2.5-inch storage drives. Four USB 3.0 ports, two HDMI ports, an Ethernet jack, and Wi-Fi 5 provide connectivity. It’s only $319 as tested.Who It’s ForThe Beelink is tailor-made for use as a kiosk PC or digital signage station. The company’s claims for the GK Mini as a general-purpose PC for office or schoolwork are undercut by its extremely weak processor—it can’t muster half of the 4,000 points in our PCMark 10 benchmark that we consider the sign of acceptable productivity. But it’s fine for streaming video or a static or animated display.
PROS
Highly compact
Low price for a full Windows PC with 8GB of RAM
Two HDMI ports
Wi-Fi support included
CONS
Even with RAM boost, slow for anything but simple display tasks
Costs more than competing laptops for office or school work
SPECS
Name
Value
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Intel Celeron J4125
Processor Speed
2 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
256 GB
Graphics Card
Intel UHD Graphics 600
Operating System
Windows 10
Learn More
Beelink GK Mini Review
Buying Guide: The Best Windows Mini PCs for 2024
We’re seeing some clear stratification in the market for tiny desktop PCs. The very smallest PCs might be termed the “stick class,” pioneered 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), followed by similar sticks from Asus, Azulle, Lenovo, and others. You can still find stick PCs on the market, but these are suitable only for display/signage use or extremely basic applications. After a promising debut those years back, they have not seen all that much evolution or momentum. They have failed to have a major impact; the form factor is just too small to grow beyond those use cases.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The models next up in size were much more dynamic, a bunch we traditionally termed the “NUC class.” NUC stands for “Next Unit of Computing,” a longtime initiative started by Intel to spur the development of very small Windows-based desktop PCs using its mobile-centric processors. Over the last decade or so, the chip giant released successive series of NUC-branded mini PC kits, and several of the traditional PC component makers have followed suit with similar models.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Most of the “classic” NUC mini PCs were around 5 or 6 inches square, though later NUCs expanded the footprint to wider and taller designs, with commensurate increases in the performance level. Intel shuttered its NUC program in 2023 (though stocks of its latest NUC models remain on the market for now), though Asus has picked up the NUC-brand torch and is keeping the name alive. They and other PC makers continue to deliver mini PCs with decent power, plus some that push the boundaries of the platform.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
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 innovators), offers a huge range of Zbox PCs that range in size from “classic NUC” size on upward. Shuttle, too, is another small-PC pioneer, offering machines in a host of shapes mostly nowadays for business and industrial audiences. And 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 2023. Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it received Apple’s homegrown M1 and M2 processors in recent years, greatly increasing its performance.Should You Buy a Bare-Bones or Fully Configured Mini PC?Not all mini PCs ship as complete systems. With some models, 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 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 or DDR5 SO-DIMMs—laptop-style RAM modules—for their main memory instead of full-size desktop DIMMs.
(Credit: 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 slimmer 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 on a bare-bones desktop, you need to know about some interface/bus and sizing subtleties before you shop. (It’s easy 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. A few compact workstation desktops even make use of Nvidia’s professional-grade graphics and up to Intel Xeon processors for high-power, ISV-certified tasks.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
Some of the larger Intel NUC models included discrete mobile and desktop GPUs. That means well-above-average graphics performance in a system this size. These “Extreme” Intel NUCs made room for a dual-slot graphics card up to 12 inches long. That opens up some serious productivity and gaming power, but the NUC Extremes take you out of the true “mini” size category, and they’re only available as end-of-life models at this point. It’s all relative. We’ll have to watch for some newer models, such as the forthcoming Asus ROG NUC, to carry on the trend.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. We’ll see what this year brings in this department, but a traditional gaming PC will always be your best bet to maximize power for serious gaming.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 most 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 little 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 Celeron and Pentium 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. You must 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 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 i5-13400T), or a “U” or “Y” (or possibly a “G3,” “G5,” or “G7”) for a mobile one. With 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, but not unheard of; one of our favorite selections, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, packs a 13th Gen Core i7 H-series CPU.
(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)
You’ll also find some occasional AMD flavors as well, such as the embedded-class AMD Ryzen V1605B in the ECS Liva Q3 Plus and even the Ryzen 9 6900HX in the potent Geekom AS6. Intel also launched a new Core Ultra mobile platform; these haven’t shown up in mini desktops just yet but, like other mobile processors, should eventually. Their onboard AI-ready neural processing units (NPUs) may prove useful to desktop users.What to 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: Molly Flores)
Rule of thumb? For light office work, you can get by with a mobile or desktop Core i3-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 calculations, or multimedia content manipulation.So, What’s 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.
