Do you want something small enough to tuck behind a TV as a dedicated streaming box, or are you looking for something with gaming capability? Do you want a basic internet-browsing machine, or do you need serious processing and graphics capability? Our best picks above do a good job of highlighting the use-cases different systems are best-suited to.įind the right size: Then there's the question of form factor.
Know what you want: Finding the right mini PC for you starts with knowing what you're looking for. Mini PC prices vary considerably based on hardware. Stick PCs are the most versatile, and generally cost between $100 (£100/AU$150) and $200 (£200/$AU300), and will work with most TVs or monitors. Mini PCs range from small project PCs for under $50 (£50/AU$75) to compact desktops that can cost $1,000 or more.
Read our full Raspberry Pi 4 Model B review.
If the Rasberry Pi is sold out, you can buy the Raspberry Pi 400 All-in-One. Since our review, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has been updated with a new model that has 8GB of RAM, significantly improving on the 2GB memory of the base model. Whether you buy it alone or in a kit, the Raspberry Pi is hard to beat. If you want to do something different with your technology, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the best mini PC for tinkering and experimenting. The latest model, the $35 Raspberry Pi 4 Model B offers enormous value for projects ranging from simple to complex, from its enhanced processing and graphics to offering broad compatibility with older accessories. The Raspberry Pi ushered in a new era of DIY tech, and the latest model, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, pushes that to new heights with a more powerful processor, 4K video output and an improved part selection. If you want more power but prefer to stay on macOS, consider the Mac Studio: With a starting price of $1,999 it's not cheap, but it's one of the faster Macs on the market - especially if you pay the $4,000 starting price for a model with Apple's cutting-edge M1 Ultra chip. As one of the first Macs outfitted with Apple's M1 processor, it offers a lot of power at a more affordable price than ever before. The best mini PC overall is the Apple Mac mini, the late 2020 version of Apple's compact desktop computer. We've put every mini PC on this list through its paces and have the top models you can get today. This allows us to tell you exactly which are the best systems. Each review involves extensive testing and hands-on evaluation.
With mini PCs made for everything from media streaming to gaming and VR, there are mini stick PCs and mini desktops for almost everyone.īelow, we've listed the best mini PCs for everything from home entertainment to gaming and professional workstations.
Mini PCs leverage the small, energy-efficient components from laptops to provide you with a surprising among of power in sizes that can be hidden behind a monitor. It’s great to have a 2018 Mac mini to fall back to if we want to keep our favored displays.Īnd yet, it’ll seem like a step backwards compared to the elegant, powerful 2013 Mac Pro.Mini PCs feature many compact designs, ranging from smaller desktops to stick PCs you can slip into your pocket.
Those of use who bought a 2013 Mac Pro (and maxed out our credit card) will never (I surmise) be able to afford the 2019 Mac Pro as a personal Mac. The whole discussion, however, is both a testament to the power of the 2013 Mac Pro, its design, and also how a 2018 Mac mini can come close in performance five years later for about half the Mac Pro’s original retail price. And the price he paid was right: US$1600. He’ll no doubt be pleased with the Mac Pro’s myriad of ports and elegant design. In the end, Peter von Panda has his own criteria and budget. Still a formidable computational machine in 2018.
(With OpenCL support.) Depending on one’s workflow and mission critical apps, a Mac with only DDR3 and Thunderbolt 2 can still be very capable and cost-effective.įor as long as it works and as long as Apple supports it. The “trash can” 2013 Mac Pro is still a formidable computational machine, especially the 8- and 12-core models. The trade-offs here, however, are fascinating. But, as they say, buy the computer you need and can afford when you need it. And I tend to agree. Buying a 2013 Mac in 2018 is fraught with potential problems.