Huge high-performance desktops are nonetheless frequent — particularly for gaming — however as part sizes shrink, so do the computer systems that comprise them. Mini desktop PCs like those on this checklist supply efficiency sufficient for many dwelling workplace duties, and a few permit for extra demanding gaming and video manufacturing, but most are sufficiently small to truly match nearly wherever.
That makes the most effective mini PCs compelling choices for these of us dwelling in smaller flats or working from dwelling with no devoted workplace area, or for college students sharing rooms the place area is at a premium. As an alternative of you having to search out room for an enormous tower, these tiny issues can sit unnoticed in your desk, hidden on a close-by bookshelf and even mounted behind your monitor totally out of view.
In addition they use considerably much less energy, with most drawing round 30 to 40 watts when you’re net searching (Apple’s Mac Mini attracts solely about 8 watts). That is rather a lot lower than the 250-watt drain you will discover with a typical desktop PC.
The smaller dimension does imply most fashions haven’t got the uncooked energy anticipated from full-sized desktops, however all fashions examined listed below are greater than able to dealing with on a regular basis workplace duties, net searching, 4K video playback and picture enhancing in skilled apps like Adobe Lightroom. The extra high-spec fashions are even capable of easily edit 4K video in Adobe Premiere or deal with demanding video games like Elden Ring.
What’s the finest mini PC total?
Apple’s Mac Mini with M2 Professional chip topped our assessments, managing to be probably the most highly effective possibility, but it additionally used the least quantity of vitality in on a regular basis use. It is one thing of a tiny powerhouse, casually munching by way of our 4K video enhancing undertaking and exporting the ultimate file in lower than half the time of any others we examined. Nevertheless it’s additionally the costliest, at greater than double the worth of others on this checklist. So although it is the most effective from a efficiency perspective, it won’t be the most effective on your finances.
The Geekom AS6 gives a greater steadiness of efficiency and worth, with sufficient efficiency to deal with picture enhancing, mild gaming and informal video enhancing however at a way more accessible worth than the Mac Mini.
Should you’re merely after a machine to deal with your every day dwelling workplace duties, net searching or to behave as a media middle to hook as much as your TV, the AceMagician delivered first rate leads to our assessments, and it is the most cost effective mannequin on this checklist.
Greatest mini PCs 2023
Time taken to export 4K video from Premiere Apple Mac Mini 7:03 Geekom AS6 16:17 AceMagician AMR5 26:09 AceMagician AM08 Professional 25:20 GMKTec Nucbox K1 35:45 Word: Shorter bars equal higher efficiency
Common energy utilization throughout net searching Apple Mac Mini 8 Geekom AS6 50 AceMagician AMR5 40 AceMagician AM08 Professional 35 GMKTec Nucbox K1 50 Word: Shorter bars equal higher efficiency
How we take a look at mini PCs
All gadgets on this checklist have been examined by us, with our personal truthful fingers. All producer’s claims had been put to the take a look at to see in the event that they lived as much as their promise.
Every mannequin has undergone a collection of benchmark assessments together with a number of runs of Geekbench 6 and 3DMark Wild Life Excessive. We examined gaming utilizing demanding titles like Elden Ring (by way of Steam) at varied high quality settings in addition to much less demanding video games like Dredge. We examined the PCs whereas net searching, enjoying YouTube movies and dealing in Google Docs.
We edited high-resolution uncooked photos in Adobe Lightroom CC and edited 4K movies in Premiere Professional. We famous the overall responsiveness of every interface, and we timed how lengthy it took to export our take a look at video undertaking in 4K.
We additionally plugged every mannequin in to the ability outlet by way of an influence meter, noting how a lot energy every mannequin used throughout completely different duties, permitting us to touch upon the effectivity of every machine.