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Mini PCs are a great compact alternative to traditional desktop gaming towers. While small, many of these tiny computers are powerful enough to handle modern games, with the right visual settings.
They are an excellent choice for someone who wants a desktop computer that’s portable and doesn’t take up much space. There are a lot of options out there, but I’ve narrowed it down to the 3 Best mini PCs for 2024.
Starting with an incredible value pick that defies its price tag, moving to a premium choice that balances cost and high-end features, and finish with our top choice which is the perfect example of peak performance in a sleek package.
Number 3. MinisForum Venus UM773 Lite – Best Budget Mini PC
MinisForum makes some excellent compact systems, and the Venus Series UM773 Lite is currently the best value that they have to offer. While it doesn’t offer the latest and greatest gaming performance, it manages to perform admirably for a small and affordable PC.
At the heart of this tiny machine sits the Ryzen 7 7735HS. While the Ryzen 9 7940HS seen on the likes of the Beelink SER7 would have offered better performance, this 8-core Ryzen 7 processor was a better choice considering the lower cost and thermal requirements. Performance-wise, it’s still great for gaming and productivity because of the high core count and a 4.7GHz boost clock.
As for the GPU, the Um773 Lite uses the Radeon 680M integrated graphics. It delivers a boost clock speed of 2.2GHz, and while it’s not as great as its successor, the Radeon 780M, it delivers respectable gaming performance at 1080p with low to medium settings.
Other than that, you get a whopping 32 gigabytes of DDR5 memory, a 1TB SSD, a 40Gbps Type-C port, and dual HDMI ports. If you prefer you can configure this PC with less storage and memory, and that would drive the price down even further.
As for the PC itself, all the components sit inside a simple black metal box that comes with its own stand. This stand helps to improve airflow and gives this already mini PC an even smaller footprint.
Considering the components inside, the enclosure is actually quite spacious. The internal fan never needs to ramp up too much to cool everything, and ultimately you get a silent machine that won’t thermal throttle. For temperatures, you can expect a normal range of about 70-80 degrees Celsius under load.
Overall, this PC is certainly impressive for the price. However, while the CPU performance is great, you can get slightly better graphical performance by paying a bit more for higher-spec PCs from Minisforum. It’s still decent enough for casual gaming and daily use, but editing large 4K videos or working with animation will result in a bit of a GPU bottleneck.
Around this price, there are two other main options: the GMKtec K2 Gaming, and the Beelink SEi12 Mini. The K2 performs similarly to the MinisForum machine but does tend to thermal throttle because of the smaller case. As for the Beelink SEi12, it’s more affordable but has less RAM and storage.
Putting all that together, the UM773 Lite is the best option if you are looking for a budget but capable mini PC. While the graphical performance and design could have been a bit better, the overall value still manages to shine through.
To sum up, what I like is…
Great CPU performance
Never gets too loud
Plenty of storage and RAM
On the downside
Graphical performance could be better
The design is a bit bland and generic
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 6/10
Performance: 8/10
Connectivity: 8/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Number 2. Minisforum UM790 Pro – Best Premium Mini PC
If you’re looking for a premium, high-performance mini PC, then the M2 Mac Studio might seem to be the obvious choice. However, when you think of a high-end machine, you want a respectable amount of storage, RAM, and performance. The base Mac Studio has only a 512GB SSD, and at the $2000 starting price, that’s not exactly a great value.
In comparison, the Minisforum UM790 Pro is a much better offer. It offers the Ryzen 9 7940HS (a CPU that’s comparable with the Apple M2 Max), a 1TB SSD, and 64GB of DDR5 memory. All for less than half the price of the base Mac Studio.
It runs Windows and it’s a great machine for gaming. The 7940HS has 8 cores and 16 threads, and the Radeon 780M integrated GPU can boost up to 2.7GHz. This means that it is capable of handling most modern games at 1080p 60fps with medium to high settings. Not bad at all for a tiny machine.
Other than gaming, the high-end CPU and graphics combo means that this machine is also great for video editing. The 7940HS performs great in Premiere Pro, and performance is almost as good as Apple’s M2 Max chip.
However, the CPU can run a bit hot. At maximum load, it can reach a temperature of up to 90 degrees Celsius. While that’s within the operating temperature, it’s still quite hot for a system that only draws 65W of power. Fortunately, the fan inside doesn’t get too loud and prevents thermal throttling.
Another plus point with this machine is the abundance of ports. You get two HDMI 2.1 ports that are capable of a 4K output at 144Hz, two USB-C 40 Gbps ports, 2.5GB Ethernet, four USB-A ports, and a headphone jack. However, the two USB-C ports are poorly placed at the front. If you want to plug in a monitor with USB-C, you’ll have to route it from the front and somehow avoid blocking the headphone jack or power button.
Minisforum also offers a barebones version of this PC, and that only includes the chassis, the CPU, and the integrated graphics. If you have a RAM kit and SSD lying around, you could very well save yourself a lot of money by going the barebones route.
Finally, the best part about this PC is that it’s futureproof and upgradeable. It already comes with 64GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB SSD, but you could swap the SSD and RAM out for higher-capacity versions down the line.
At this price though, there are a few competitors. The closest one is the Beelink SER7 Mini PC. That PC offers a slightly lower price, but also a slightly weaker processor — the Ryzen 7 7840HS. However, in most cases, the performance difference isn’t that high. The SER7 loses out though because of the lower amount of RAM and the fact that it only has one USB 4 port. It also lacks a barebones option.
All in all, if you want excellent performance and the ability to upgrade, the UM790 Pro is the best choice. It runs a bit hot, and two USB-C ports at the front are placed poorly, but neither of those aspects is a dealbreaker. Simply considering the price-to-performance ratio, this is one of the best Mini PCs that money can buy.
To sum up, what I like is…
Surprisingly great graphical performance
Easy to repair and upgrade
Plenty of ports
Sleek and minimal design
On the downside
Runs a bit hot
USB-C ports are poorly placed
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Value for Money: 9.5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Number 1. Apple Mac Mini (2023) – Our Top Choice
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the Mac Mini is hands down the best mini PC you can buy. It has an impressive small form factor, plenty of power thanks to the M2 and M2 Pro chips, making it the perfect machine for people who want to code or edit photos or videos.
One of the most compelling reasons to get this one is because of the excellent support Apple puts behind this machine. The customer support is always going to be better than any other mini PC manufacturers like Beelink, Minisforum, and Geekom since you get up to 3 years of Apple’s extended warranty along with the benefits of Apple Care+.
As for the machine itself, you can get it with either an M2 or M2 Pro chip, and pricing varies on how you configure the machine. Speaking of which, I recommend you skip the base model that only has 256GB of storage. That configuration may be enough for some people, but it’s not enough storage to be futureproof. The version I recommend most people to get is the M2 Mac Mini with the 512GB SSD.
It’s also worth noting that the Mac Mini comes with 8GB of RAM, but you can opt for the 16GB version. Apple is using unified memory on their Macs now, which means the RAM modules are packed on top of the Apple Silicon.
While 8 gigs of RAM would not be enough for Windows, it’s plenty here for having multiple chrome tabs and apps open in the background. You’d really only need 16 gigs of RAM if you’re editing long 4K videos, as the added memory will reduce stuttering. Other than that, the 8 gigs will be more than enough for most people.
When it comes to performances, the M2 chip performs very well, delivering a Geekbench score of 9003 (multicore benchmark). It’s a dramatic 73% improvement from the M1 chip, which only scored 5181. Unsurprisingly, the M2 Pro chip is even faster with a score of 15013. However, most people should get the regular M2 chip as that’s still fast enough for everyday tasks.
As for the graphics, the 512GB variant has a 10-core GPU that’s integrated with the M2 chip. This GPU is capable enough for photo and video editing, but if you plan on editing 4K videos, you might want to consider the M2 Pro with its 16 or 19-core GPU configuration.
The Steam library on Mac is a bit limited, but things have gotten better. Apple’s OS now supports games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil 8, Lies of P, Grid Legends, Stray, and more. In terms of performance, the M2 chip aided by the 10-core GPU delivers good framerates with medium to high visual settings across most titles. Performance while emulating older consoles is also great.
Earlier on, I mentioned how buying a Mac from Apple has its advantages. For example, the M2 Mac Mini runs macOS Sonoma very well. However, with Apple, you’re locking yourself into their closed ecosystem. The downside with this is that there’s no way to upgrade the SSD or RAM on your own. What you buy is what you get. Repairing it is also going to be quite expensive, unless you have AppleCare.
If that sounds concerning to you, there are a few options around this price. For example, you could get the Beelink GTR7 or the Geekom AS6. Both of those options aren’t as efficient or as performant as the M2 Mac Mini, but they give you more customization options to play with.
Of course, if you go the Windows route, you’re sacrificing apps like Final Cut Pro, iMessage, and Facetime. There are obvious downsides with the closed ecosystem seen with this Mac, but it offers great performance, a reasonable price, and near-silent operation. That’s what makes this my choice for the best mini PC in 2024.
To sum up, what I like is…
Major performance improvement from the M1 chip
Small footprint and sleek design
Cheaper than its predecessor
On the downside…
Nearly impossible to repair or upgrade yourself
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Connectivity: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
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