The best mini PC combines a lot of power in a small package – giving you the flexibility to work how you want and where you want.
If you’re looking for an alternative to a large desktop, laptops and all-in-one computers are the obvious solution. But a mini PC – sometimes known as a NUC or thin client – offers a more discreet choice. They’re configurable, versatile, and often more affordable than traditional desktops and laptops. The most powerful mini PC is capable of everything from gentle online browsing to gaming and video editing.
After a comprehensive testing process and armed with our in-depth mini PC reviews, we’ve rounded up the best mini PCs you can get right now. As part of this process, we’ve detailed specs, connectivity, and compared overall performance between devices. We’ve included Windows and Mac systems, and everything from the best mini PC for gaming to the cheapest mini PC that still packs a punch.
Best mini PC 2023
Apple dropped an impressive update to its popular Mac mini boasting a new M2 chip and a lower price than the M1 (2020) model. For businesses looking to maximize ROI, look no further than the Apple Mac mini M2. Offering incredible performance and a lower price point, it’s a machine that’s hard to beat.
With Apple claiming 1.9 times better CPU performance and 2.6 times faster GPU performance over the M1 model, we are keeping the Mac mini at the top of our best computers for the business list, including the best mini PC of the year, especially when we compare it to more expensive machines or less powerful ones.
Yes, we know that when you’re looking for the best mini PC you might not think of a Mac, but with the ability to install Windows on the Mac mini with ease, the hardware specs are hard to overlook.
Read our full Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023) review
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 review
The AS 6 is a different beast compared to the AS 5. This NUC system might look identical from the outside, but the Zen 3+ processor and DDR5 in this system can deliver a dramatically improved performance.
Combining better bandwidth with DRR5 memory, a more power-efficient processor, a superior GPU and a PCIe 4.0 infrastructure, the AS 6 has almost everything going for it. If it has weaknesses, these include a noisy cooling system, all-plastic construction and the same Asus-designed interior layout where the motherboard is in two parts connected by a flexible ribbon cable.
However, it has USB 4.0, and the two 2280 M.2 NVMe slots are both Gen 4, allowing for plenty of performance storage to be added alongside a 2.5-inch SATA mechanism. Sadly, Geekom supplies the machine with only a Gen 3 NVMe drive, but swapping it for something faster is a relatively inexpensive and straightforward exercise.
With an asking price between $659 and $749, depending on the largely processor-optional SKU, this isn’t a cheap design, but it represents good value for a machine with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage as standard. For those wanting a high-performance NUC system that can take on most office challenges, the Geekom AS 6 is yet another practical option.
Read our full Geekom AS 6 review
The NucBox K1 leverages the excellent performance offered by the Ryzen 7 6800H processor and its integrated Radeon 680M GPU to outstanding effect.
Using the same mobile processor as many high-specification laptops, making the K1 very close in performance to the Beelink SER6 Pro 7735HS that uses the Ryzen 7 7735HS mobile CPU. The entry-level SKU for the NucBox K1 is a cheap ‘barebones’ system where the purchaser must supply the DDR5 memory, NVMe and an operating system. Alternatively, it can come pre-configured with up to 32GB of memory and 1TB of NVMe Gen 4 storage at a greater cost. However, beware that our review SKU came with a single 16GB memory module that underperformed without access to the bandwidth of dual-channel memory.
With dual memory modules installed, the K1 is easily fast enough to blood the nose of the Intel NUC 13 Pro and trounce any Core i5 or Celeron-powered machines. Access for memory or storage changes is remarkably easy and doesn’t even require the removal of screws.
The only other point that needs making about the K1 is that while it comes with a USB 4.0 port this isn’t one that is also Thunderbolt compatible.Overall, for the asking price, this is an amazing mini PC and has the performance scope to handle numerous tasks in the home and office.
Read our full GMKtec NucBox K1 review
If you’re a creative professional, the Apple Mac Studio is the best mini PC for you. A beefed-up version of the Mac mini, the Mac Studio is built from a single aluminum extrusion, with a square footprint of 7.7 inches and a height of 3.7 inches.
In our tests, the Mac Studio performed beautifully. It easily handled 8K video editing and the advanced AI-powered photo editing tools in Adobe Photoshop. We even saw the Mac Studio load a detailed 3D scene that took up more memory than most discrete professional PC GPUs come with. And it did all this in near-silence.
The bottom line is that you’re just not going to get another PC of this performance level in such a compact chassis. Its laser-like focus on creative professionals means it won’t be for everyone, but it packs plenty of ports, and if you want a powerful and compact creative mini PC, there’s a lot to love with the Apple Mac Studio.
Read our full Apple Mac Studio review
Those looking for the fastest NUC might head to the new Intel NUC 13 Pro, but that assumption might be premature.The Beelink SER6 Pro 7735HS, as the name infers, is built around the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 mobile technology and can match or better the latest Intel 13th Gen silicon.
The AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor in this tiny computer has eight cores and can process sixteen threads, making it one of the most powerful small system platforms. Combined with 32GB of DDR5-4800, a Gen 4 NVMe drive and a chipset that includes Thunderbolt, a 2.5GbE LAN port and Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX2111, expect a very positive user experience.
At the time of writing, there is only one SKU that comes with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. However, these machines can be upgraded to 64GB and at least 2TB of storage through drop-in replacements. Dismantling the machine to add these upgrades could be easier, but it’s something most users will only do once. Our only other complaint is that the single Thunderbolt port is on the front, whereas the rear might have been a better option for those with docking stations.
The power and efficiency of this platform are distinctive, and we expect to see many NUC makers embrace this new silicon to deliver new high-performance options. Beelink got its machine out early, and this is now a no-brainer for anyone needing a NUC for demanding jobs lesser hardware might struggle with. It does all this for around $300 less than the Intel NUC 13 Pro, making it a bargain.
Read our full Beelink SER6 Pro 7735HS review
With early access to the silicon, Intel got a 13th Gen NUC out of the door first. But other brands, like Minisforum, are now joining that party.
The NPB7 is the flagship of the Venus series and features the incredible Intel Core i7-13700H (14 cores, 20 threads) mobile CPU and up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM. However, it can be bought barebones with the processor installed by the RAM and M.2 NVMe storage provided by the customer.
In some designs, like the Intel NUC 13 Pro, installing these parts would involve a screwdriver, but simply pressing the lid with two fingers on opposite sides releases the top in seconds. That makes upgrades easy and provides quick access to all the critical parts you can change.
In testing, the power of this CPU is undeniable, with especially crushing results for any benchmark that uses multiple threads. If this system has an inherent weakness, it is that the Iris Xe GPU isn’t balanced well with the raw performance of the i7-13700H. There isn’t any way to negate that flaw, as it’s baked into the current Intel mobile platform.
Overall, the power in this small system is daunting, with an impressive selection of ports that include two USB 4.0/Thunderbolt and dual 2.5GbE LAN. These give the NPB7 remarkable flexibility for a wide range of applications and plenty of scope for external enhancements to storage and networking. A brilliantly effective design which isn’t expensive for what is inside it.
Read our full Minisforum Venus NPB7 review
The latest, and arguably the greatest NUC yet. The Intel NUC 13 Pro takes the best silicon from the new 13th Gen mobile product lines and packages them in the classic Intel NUC cases.
What the customer gets is plenty of CPU performance with up to 12 threads and 64GB of RAM combined with Gen 4 NVMe storage and Thunderbolt 4 technology baked into the machine. Starting at around $320 for the Core-i3 models and going to over $1,000 for the top-of-the-range Core-i7 vPro processors, there is plenty of scope for both performance and price. All these machines are provided as ‘barebones’, meaning that you will need to provide RAM modules, NVMe storage and other peripherals (mouse, keyboard, screen, operating system, etc.) to make them fully operational.
In our testing, the NUC 13 Pro was much quicker at multithreaded tasks than its predecessors, but the performance of single-threaded benchmarks was only modestly better. The best aspects of the new NUC are the connectivity with Thunderbolt 4.0 and USB 3.2 ports and the near-silent operation.
The Intel NUC 13 Pro might not be the cheapest option for compact computing devices, but it is from a highly trusted source and offers the absolute cutting edge in NUC technology.
Read our full Intel NUC 13 Pro review
On paper, this looks like a very powerful NUC and a bargain price from Geekom. Based on the 2021 launched Ryzen 9 5900HX mobile processor, this tiny system comes in a single SKU with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe 3.0 NVMe storage.
The problem it faces is that it’s competing with systems that use either more recent Ryzen designs or the latest Intel 13th gen processors that use DDR5 memory. The DRR4 RAM in this design comes in copious amounts, but the bandwidth on offer is the Achilles heel of this platform, as it reduces the performance of the integrated Radeon RX Vega GPU.
All that said, this is a fully featured NUC system with three monitor outputs, seven USB ports and a 2.5GbE LAN port. Internally it has two M.2 2280 slots for storage, and a bay for a 2.5-inch SATA device, allowing it to be a tiny power-packed media system. If it weren’t for hardware like the Minisforum Venus NPB7 and the Beelink SER6 Pro 7735HS, we’d be more impressed with a tiny computer with an eight-core and sixteen-thread CPU.
Still, at just over $600, this is plenty of mini PC for that investment, and it is a flexible solution that could easily be repurposed for one of many jobs.
Read our full Geekom AS 5 review
Best mini PC: FAQs
Are there different types of mini PC?
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 best 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.
What is the best use of a mini PC?
Mini PCs excel at everyday tasks like web browsing, word processing, video streaming, and light gaming. You can easily connect them to your TV to play games and watch movies either via a platform like Netflix or through your own media server, with the effectively set acting as a monitor. With specs comparable to mid-range laptops, they don’t have the necessary CPU and GPU to run more resource-intensive apps and games. In those circumstances, it may be worth investing in high-spec devices like the best laptops for photo editing, video editing laptops, and so on.
What are the disadvantages of a mini computer?
While the best mini PCs absolutely shine, they’re not without a few downsides. When it comes to specs, mini PCs pale in comparison to modern desktop computers and the very best laptops. This makes it difficult to use hardware-intensive apps and processes, like any of the best video editing software tools. Upgrading those lower-specced internals is usually out of the question. You won’t generally be able to upgrade the components in your mini PC (at least, not without some technical knowledge and skill).
They also need to be run from the mains, so while they’re an excellent portable option, you lack the built-in batteries found in laptops. Due to their form, some users may also experience issues with overheating. Mini PCs also lack peripherals, from screens to optical drives.
How much RAM do you need for a mini PC?
As with desktop computers and laptops, the best RAM is a lot of RAM – as much as you can get. Especially if you’re using the mini PC for a lot of tasks. We recommend a bare minimum of 8GB memory, although 16GB and above is better.
Are mini PCs good for gaming?
It all depends on which games you want to play. Mini PCs can ably run lightweight or older games – in fact, many use them as emulators. However, they will typically struggle with newer games, like the triple-A offerings from the likes of Rockstar. They simply don’t have the required CPU and GPU to handle them.
Can you connect a mini PC to a laptop?
Yes, you can connect your mini PC to a laptop and use it as a monitor – but it’s also easy, as many mini PCs lack the required HDMI ports to output to the laptop screen. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by using remote desktop software.
Are mini PCs better than laptops?
It depends how you intend to use your mini computer. While both are highly portable, mini PCs are more so, with a far smaller surface area. If you’re working on the go, be aware of the sometimes limited battery life on laptops – if you’re usually running off the mains, a mini PC may be the better choice.
Laptops serve as a great all-in-one solution with everything you need to work and play. Accessories like keyboards and a dual monitor set-up are optional. They also come with a range of tech specs, with options for everyday computing tasks right up to high-powered gaming laptops.
Like a traditional desktop computer, a mini PC is best when used in spaces with easy access to monitors (or TV), keyboards, and other peripherals on hand. For this reason, mini PCs are great for office use, allowing multiple users to access the device in a variety of locations.
Cost is also a factor, as mini PCs tend to be cheaper than laptops – particularly high-spec or business laptops.
How to choose the best mini PC for you
When choosing which mini PC is best for you, there are several factors to consider – but first, it’s important to be sure a mini PC is right for your needs.
Mini PCs, sometimes known as think clients or NUCs, are ideal for light use, such as web browsing and video streaming. Some can even handle casual gaming sessions. But you won’t find the raw power offered by the likes of the best mobile workstations.
If a mini PC is best, consider how you’ll be using your machine. In addition to general computer usage, Mini PCs have been used as media servers, games emulators, and much more.
For smooth performance. a good CPU, GPU, and RAM are essential. We’ve included a selection of AMD- and Intel-powered thin clients here, all capable of delivering speed and performance for a range of uses.
However, be sure to check your device’s ports and connectivity. Some of the best mini PCs pack in plenty of Thunderbolt and USB ports, memory card slots, and HDMI connections, but some are less generous. If portability is a consideration, remember to check dimensions and weight. You’ll find these details in our full mini PC reviews.
How we test the best Mini PCs
We’ve tested thousands of devices, from the best laptops for photo editing to best business computers, alongside small-form PCs.
A lot of time and care goes into selecting the best mini PCs. Appliance-type mini-PCs often have a metal enclosure to help with passive cooling and more than one wired Gigabit Ethernet port. The Mini PCs are perfect for leaving 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 file storage for a small shop.
There’s also a class of mini PCs that are small. These range from palm-sized to slightly more significant 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.
As such, 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 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, the winners started to show up either by expansion capabilities, unique features, or suitability for the purpose. Final filtering by brand name and support considerations is how we ended up with our selection of picks for the best mini PC for home and office.
As such, when testing which mini PC is best, we study several key areas. This includes build quality and form-factor – we want to see a robust machine, and the best materials available for the cost. This is especially true with mini PCs, as they’re designed to be easily carried and used in multiple locations.
We explore the internal specs of each device, and how they compare with some of the other best mini PCs on the market. As part of this process, we also assess the upgradability of the device – from the options on offer to the ease of creating your perfect mini PC. This includes benchmarking performance of the CPU, GPU, and RAM. We’re not necessarily looking for the most powerful mini PC. But we want to see suitable performance relative to a range of uses and budgets.
Ports and connectivity are another area where we look at what’s on offer – and how it compares with rival devices. Not everyone will need Thunderbolt 4, but we expect to see adequate slots on a mini PC to increase functionality and flexibility.
Price is always a consideration. Depending on how you use it, the most expensive mini PC you can buy may not offer genuine value for money. We’ve curated a selection of mini PCs here, from premium machines to the cheapest mini PC with great performance.
You can read more about our comprehensive testing methods in our guide How we test laptops and desktops: Our review process explained.
