As of: February 20, 2024, 2:44 p.m
By: Nina Dudek, Ömer Kayali
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Despite their compact size, mini PCs pack a lot of power.
© fashionstock/PantherMedia
In times of smartphones, laptops and tablets, practical mini PCs were forgotten.
Why they are now more relevant than ever
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There was a time when the tiny boxes with insane computing power were one of the hottest tech products on the market.
In recent years, however, laptops, tablets and of course smartphones have taken over the field.
But it could well be that mini PCs could experience a revival.
And this has both practical and sustainable reasons.
Our editorial team followed this trend for you and took a closer look at the best mini PCs.
Table of contents
Argument 1 for the mini PC – save electricity
Argument 2 for a mini PC – a lot of performance at a lower price
Argument 3 for a mini PC – interesting solution for home offices and companies
Advantages and disadvantages of mini PC
Which are the best mini PCs?
Which mini PC uses the least power?
Mini PCs: Why not just a laptop?
Argument 1 for the mini PC – save electricity
There is definitely valid data showing that mini PCs use less power compared to laptops and tablets.
According to various sources12345, the average power consumption of mini PCs is between 45 and 120 watts, while laptops consume between 90 and 250 watts and tablets between 10 and 20 watts.
This means that a mini PC uses around 16 to 43 kWh, a laptop around 33 to 91 kWh and a tablet around 4 to 7 kWh of electricity per year.
Of course, the exact power consumption depends on the equipment, the duration of use and the type of use, but in general it can be said that mini PCs are more energy efficient than laptops and tablets.
To the energy-saving mini PC
Argument 2 for a mini PC – a lot of performance at a lower price
A mini PC can offer higher computing power than a similarly priced laptop because it has fewer limitations in terms of power consumption, heat dissipation, and form factor.
The minis are also easier to upgrade with components such as RAM, storage, CPU or GPU to improve or customize performance.
A laptop, on the other hand, often has limited upgradeability and can fall behind when it comes to demanding tasks such as gaming or professional work.
Argument 3 for a mini PC – interesting solution for home offices and companies
Mini PCs are also interesting for companies that want to equip their employees with mobile work devices.
This gives them flexibility in the office because they can set up more quickly at another table that already has a monitor, mouse and keyboard.
The same applies to anyone who wants to get a flexible computer for their home office.
Advantages and disadvantages of mini PCs
Mini PCs have several advantages and disadvantages.
The most important differences to the desktop are as follows:
Advantages of Mini PCs |
Disadvantages of Mini PCs |
|---|---|
✔️ space saving |
❌ unsuitable for gaming and image editing |
✔️ good for office and internet tasks |
❌ Hardware usually cannot be upgraded |
✔️ Lower energy consumption than other PCs |
❌ less performance than high-end PCs |
✔️ relatively cheap |
❌ no active cooling |
✔️ many interfaces |
|
✔️ very quiet |
Which are the best mini PCs?
The selection of mini PCs is large.
Some recommended models can be found in the following section.
These performed well in various tests and users are also impressed by the devices listed.
Mini PC Geekom IT11 – computing dwarf with top marks
Mini PC Geekom IT11 © Geekom
In the test, this small computer completely convinced the experts at the computer magazine Chip.
The Geekom Mini IT11 (GM11i7T) was completely convincing in our test.
The computing midget scores excellent marks in terms of features, noise production and power consumption.
Test verdict from Chip
To the Geekom IT11 Mini PC
operating system |
Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|
Size |
12x11x5cm |
Weight |
572g |
processor |
11th Gen Intel Core i7-11390H |
random access memory |
16 GB |
Storage space |
512GB SSD |
Interfaces |
USB-C |
USB 3.2 |
|
HDMI |
|
Mini display port |
|
3.5mm audio |
|
SD card reader |
|
Ethernet port |
Mini PC CSL X300 – strong performance with lots of speed
Mini PC CSL X300 © CSL Computer
The specialist magazine Computerbild particularly praises its strong performance with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G processor, 32 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD.
The CSL X300 is a fast PC in mini format.
It clearly outperforms many competitors, especially when it comes to memory-hungry software for photo and video editing.
Test conclusion from Computerbild
To the Mini PC CSL X300
operating system |
Windows 11 Home |
|---|---|
Size |
15x15x7cm |
Weight |
3kg |
processor |
AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G |
random access memory |
16 GB |
Storage space |
1TB SSD |
Interfaces |
USB 3.1 |
USB 3.2 |
|
HDMI |
|
DisplayPort |
|
HD audio |
|
SD card reader |
|
Ethernet port |
Mini PC Apple 2023 Mac Mini - Stylish case for more performance
Apple Mac mini M2 © Apple
The smallest Mac mini 2023 makes older Macs with Intel chips look old with its M2 chip.
In Computerbild's test, it particularly impressed with its very high working speed, almost silent operation and very low power consumption.
For the Apple Mac Mini 2023
operating system |
macOS |
|---|---|
Size |
20x20x3.5cm |
Weight |
1.18kg |
processor |
Apple M2 with 8-core CPU |
random access memory |
8GB |
Storage space |
256GB SSD |
Interfaces |
USB-A |
USB Thunderbolt |
|
HDMI |
|
3.5mm audio |
|
Ethernet port |
Mini PC HP Pro Mini 400 G9 6B240EA - with special security functions
HP Pro Mini PC 400 G9 6B240EA © HP
A professional mini PC for business use that is protected by always-on and trusted security features such as HP Wolf Pro Security Edition, HP self-healing BIOS and HP BIOSphere Gen6.
For the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 mini PC
operating system |
Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|
Size |
18x17.5x3cm |
Weight |
1.42kg |
processor |
Intel Core i5 12500T |
random access memory |
8GB |
Storage space |
256GB SSD |
Interfaces |
USB 3.2 |
HDMI |
|
Audio |
|
microphone |
|
DisplayPort |
|
Ethernet port |
Which mini PC uses the least power?
The GEEKOM MiniAir 11 is a very energy-efficient PC with a 15-watt Intel Celeron N5095 processor, 8 GB of RAM (expandable to 32 GB), and a 256 GB SSD (expandable to 1 TB).
It is ideal for simple tasks and offers many connections.
Mini PC Geekom MiniAir 11 – inexpensive basic model for everyday use
Mini PC Geekom MiniAir 11 © Geekom
At around 299 euros, this mini PC is an affordable model for basic tasks at home and in the office.
In the test, the Geekom MiniAir 11 proves to be a mini PC that not only scores with its very small housing, but also with its equally low price.
It also offers a particularly extensive selection of fast interfaces.
Test rating from Computerbild
About the Mini PC Geekom MiniAir 11
operating system |
Windows 11 Pro |
|---|---|
Size |
12x11x4cm |
Weight |
500g |
processor |
Intel Celeron N5095 Quad Core |
random access memory |
8GB |
Storage space |
256GB SSD |
Interfaces |
USB-C |
USB-A |
|
HDMI |
|
Mini DisplayPort |
|
3.5mm audio |
|
SD card reader |
|
Ethernet port |
Mini PCs: Why not just a laptop?
Whether it’s a mini PC or a laptop – you are particularly mobile with both types of computers.
The devices differ from each other in a few ways:
Transport in a bag
: Larger laptops in particular need a suitable bag into which they fit.
Mini PCs fit almost anywhere.
Ports
: Mini PCs are often equipped with a variety of different ports and interfaces.
This makes them a good choice for users who want to connect various devices and accessories - such as headsets or external hard drives.
Power consumption
: Mini PCs generally use less power than laptops because they are usually fanless - which also makes them quieter.
Laptops can also work without being permanently connected to the power supply because they have an integrated battery.
Longer lifespan
: Because mini PCs typically have fewer moving parts than laptops, they are less prone to damage and typically have a longer lifespan.
If you would like to find out more about office notebooks: Here you will find different work laptops in comparison.
Source 1: maketechesier.com
Source 2: EnBW magazine
Source 3: yugatech.com
Source 4: chron.com
Source 5: computernoobs.com
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked.