Small spaces call for small devices. That’s where mini PCs come in handy, seeing you through your PC needs without taking up too much room. A desktop PC setup, after all, does take up some space—on top of the computer itself, you have to have a monitor and all the other necessary accessories. And sometimes, you must minimize where you can. These machines are also much more portable than a traditional PC, so if you need to take it along to work or on a business trip with a portable monitor, it’s not as much of a hassle.
However, don’t take the word “mini” to mean “underpowered.” On the contrary, thanks to the advancements manufacturers have made, components are now smaller yet more capable and energy-efficient. So, whether you’re setting up a work PC in your small apartment, a content creation machine in your newly-minted custom-built van, or a kitted-out gaming PC inside your 18-wheeler truck, you’ll find the ideal mini PC to see to your needs. Take a look at our top picks.
TL;DR – These are the Best Mini PCs of 2022:
- MinisForum Elitemini X500
- Corsair One i300
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Tiny Gen 3
- Apple Mac Studio
- Asus Chromebox 4
- Acer Chromebox CXI4
- Intel NUC 12 Extreme
MinisForum Elitemini X500
Best Mini PC Overall
The MinisForum Elitemini X500 ticks the right boxes as it’s affordable yet powerful, palm-sized yet thermal-efficient. Powering it all is an exceptionally-fast AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with AMD Radeon Graphics, so this PC is ready to take on some demanding needs, games included. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage pair perfectly with that processor and should be plenty for the average user, making it a multitasking maven.
While you’re stuck with the CPU, the MinisForum Elitemini X500 is very upgradable, thanks to two DDR4 slots to amp the memory up to 64GB, along with an M.2 2242 SATA SSD slot, a 2.5-inch HDD slot, and an SD card slot for additional storage. Beyond that, this machine packs tons of connectivity, including a 4K@60Hz dual display output via HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort to hook up multiple monitors. Though, we’re slightly disappointed about the lack of USB-C.
Corsair One i300
Best Mini PC for Gaming
Though the Corsair One i300 is not nearly as compact as our top option, it’s at the top of the pile in terms of sheer performance. In fact, it might be overkill for some gamers toting a beastly Intel Core i9-12900K processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU. And to ensure your games continue to run smoothly and load up quickly is a whopping 32GB RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. There’s no graphics-demanding PC game that this mini rig can’t conquer at the highest settings, modern AAA games at 4K resolutions included.
Even with all that power behind it, you still get a PC shorter than most full-sized gaming keyboards. The Corsair One i300 even remains relatively quiet, featuring liquid cooling, while a high-airflow fan exhaust pushes all the heat through the top like a chimney. To top it off is a handful of ports for peripherals and customizable RGB lighting, giving you that classic gamer aesthetic.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Tiny Gen 3
Best Mini PC for Businesses
Lenovo is a master in creating business machines, so it’s hardly surprising that the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Tiny Gen 3 gets our vote for the best mini PC for work. It’s compact, lightweight, and durable, so you can throw it in your bag to take to and from work or even travel. Naturally, you get security protocols, including a TPM 2.0 chip for password encryption, BIOS-based Smart USB Protection to deter unauthorized users, and a Kensington lock slot for good measure.
Besides ultra portability and ample security, the ThinkCentre M90q Tiny Gen 3 is high performing machine thanks to a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 chip paired with 8GB of memory, ensuring it breezes through all your workflows. But if you want to upgrade that RAM to something beefier or add in more SSD storage, both slots are easily accessible and ready for expansion. And this rig’s even packing tons of ports to plug in up to four displays and additional peripherals.
Apple Mac Studio
Best Mini PC for Content Creators
The M1 Ultra-powered Mac Studio is every content creator’s dream, and at its core are the dual M1 Max chips that Apple has dubbed the M1 Ultra. With it, you get a 20-Core CPU, 48-Core GPU, and 32-Core Neural Engine, along with 64GB of memory and 1TB of storage. Thus, delivering a machine powerful enough to stream up to 18 8K ProRes videos and support five displays—though if that’s overkill for you, M1 Max configurations are also on hand.
Beyond being one of the fastest and smoothest machines around, it’s also small enough to toss in a carry-on bag—a detail that nomadic creative professionals can appreciate. And though it’s compact, you still get all the ports you could need, including four Thunderbolt 4 in the back, two USB-A, and an SDXC reader. However, with all that capability comes a high price tag, and you won’t be able to upgrade its internals like many of the other machines on this list—not that you’ll need to.
Asus Chromebox 4
Best Mini PC for Students
If you’re a student living in a dorm and are tight on space, a mini PC can be helpful, especially to those who prefer a desktop computer over a laptop. The lightweight and compact Asus Chromebox 4 is a great solution, easily fitting on a desk or in a school backpack. Thrifty students will also love a price that hovers around $300—that happens to include a mouse and keyboard too.
More than just affordable and portable, this ChromeOS-based PC is secure and doesn’t need excessive power, seeing users through research, writing papers, and movie streaming when taking a break from studying. The support for up to three 4K displays through its Dual HDMI and USB-C port can also come in handy. But if you’re doing more graphics-heavy tasks like video editing or gaming, you may want to grab something with a bit more oomph and storage under the hood.
Acer Chromebox CXI4
Best Chrome Box
More powerful than most Chromebooks out there, the ChromeOS-based Acer Chromebox CXI4 is fantastic for home, work, and school use—as well as mobile games. Though several generations behind, the Intel Core i7-10610U processor is still a solid option. And when you combine that CPU with 16GB of RAM, it can chug through almost everything you throw at it.
Acer Chromebox CXI4 is great for casual users, but it’s even better for professionals who can maximize its features. You get support for up to three external displays, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1, along with a decent number of ports for peripherals. Though it’s already supremely compact and weighs under two pounds, you can save even more space using this rig’s multiple mounting options attaching it to things like a monitor stand.
Intel NUC 12 Extreme
Best Mini Barebones PC
PC builders and DIYers will instantly fall for the next level Intel NUC 12 Extreme. This barebones setup leaves ample room for customizations without forcing you to start from scratch. You begin with a high-end 12th-gen Intel Core processor, a mini PC case, the latest ports, the newest connectivity standards, and three 92mm fans to keep everything chill.
However, this modular mini PC leaves the rest to your discretion, so a monstrous RAM up to 64GB can come pre-installed, while three M.2 slots leave plenty of space to add in SSD storage. It even totes a PCIe Gen5 slot for a discrete GPU and customizable RGB lighting if you're building a gaming PC. But remember that all those customizations won’t come cheap and things get cramped quickly, so think about what components you absolutely need before buying.
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Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
source https://www.ign.com/articles/best-mini-pc