The best mini PCs in 2024

The best mini PCs (alternative)
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The best mini PCs still manage to pack quite a lot of power into their absolutely tiny cases. From simple tasks like web browsing and office work to more demanding ones like video and photo editing and even gaming, these little computers have become quite impressive in recent years.

I’ve been using one of the best mini PCs for the past six years as an alternative to both a laptop and a big, bulky desktop. Don’t get me wrong, I love building desktop PCs but it was actually the work and research that went into building smaller ones that got me into mini PCs in the first place. Now, though, they’re more powerful than ever and you also have a lot more options to choose from.

While our pick for the best mini PC for most people is the Mac mini M2, Apple has just announced the new completely redesigned Mac mini M4. We'll be calling that one in for review but based on its upgraded specs and much smaller design, it already looks to be a big upgrade over its predecessor.

Whether you want a tiny mini PC you can slip into your pocket or something closer in size to a game console, there’s something for everyone on this list. Based on our reviews and extensive testing, we’ve rounded up the best mini PCs for work, content creation and even gaming to help you find the right one for you.

The quick list

Written by
Anthony Spadafora
Written by
Anthony Spadafora

Anthony Spadafora prefers desktops to laptops and when you're short on space, a mini PC is the perfect solution. After building his own small form factor PCs for years, he started testing and reviewing pre-built mini PCs as part of his work at Tom's Guide. Anthony also covers standing desks, office chairs and other home office furniture and his work with mini PCs ensures he's able to put together brand new desk setups to show off all the tiny computers that he goes hands-on with.

The best mini PCs to buy now

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The best mini PC overall

Apple's first mini PC is still going strong

Specifications

Size (Inches): 7.7 x 7.7 x 1.4
Weight: 2.6-2.8 pounds
CPU: Apple M2/M2 Pro
Storage: 256GB - 8TB SSD
Geekbench 5 Score: 15,038

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful, especially with M2 Pro
+
Small, quiet and looks good on a desk
+
$100 cheaper than predecessor

Reasons to avoid

-
Not user-repairable or upgradable

Apple outdid itself with the Mac mini M2, a pint-sized powerhouse that’s cheaper and faster than its predecessor thanks to the speedy M2 chip. The option to upgrade it with an M2 Pro sweetens the deal, turning this into a decent Mac for gaming or light photo/video editing. Best of all, it barely takes up any space on your desk.

Of course, you get more than just speed when you pay for Pro: the entry-level Mac mini with M2 Pro is not only more powerful, but it also has more memory and storage than the entry-level Mac mini, as well as more ports. It’s a great mini PC for Mac fans, one that showcases macOS Ventura to good effect. It also looks great on almost any desk setup. A perfect balance of elegance and power.

It's worth noting that Apple just announced the new Mac mini M4. At 5 x 5 x 2-inches, it's significantly smaller than its predecessor and much more powerful thanks to the inclusion of either the M4 or M4 Pro chip. The Mac mini M4 also ditches USB-A completely for five Thunderbolt ports instead.

Read our full Mac mini M2 review.

The best mini PC for power

A powerful mini PC to handle almost any task

Specifications

Size: 11.2 x 6 x 2.4 inches
Weight: 6.17 pounds (2.8kg)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
Storage: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Strong selection of ports
+
Wi-Fi 7 support and 2.5G Ethernet
+
Powerful internals with some room for expansion
+
Cool and quiet with dedicated fan control button

Reasons to avoid

-
Power port placement
-
RGB backlighting panels

The Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT is larger than a typical mini PC but it has the power to justify that. It's the first AMD Advantage-certified mini PC thanks to the combination of a Ryzen processor and Radeon graphics. Though it's not made for 4K gaming, this mini PC truly shines with 1080p gaming and 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD also give this machine decent performance.

Despite the AtomMan G7 PT's gaming aesthetic, it's also a powerful work computer thanks to that same AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX processor. That makes it an all-around excellent mini PC for those who need a dependable work computer that can also double as a solid gaming machine.

Read our full Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT review.

The best mini PC for gaming

A mini PC for gaming with a console-like look

Specifications

Size: 10.62 x 7.09 x 2.36 inches
Weight: 5.7 pounds
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 155H (185H)
Storage: 512GB SSD, 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Ultra small
+
Supports up to four 4K displays
+
Can be used in a vertical or horizontal orientation
+
Quiet and cool operation with built-in fan control

Reasons to avoid

-
Premium price for its size and design

The Asus ROG NUC 970 is a mini PC built for gaming from the ground up. Its wider size and the ability to use it both upright or lying down make it the perfect console replacement for those that want to work as well as play games with limited space. It has an RGB Republic of Gamers logo on one side but you can swap in your own logo or image. The ROG NUC 970 is also expandable and when you open it up, you can add an extra two M.2 SSDs for even more storage.

Under the hood, the ROG NUC 970 sports an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and a Nvidia RTX 4070 mobile graphics card. This is paired with either a 512GB or a 1TB SSD. As for ports, you get two USB-A ports, an SD card reader and a headphone jack up front and four USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, two DisplayPort 1.4a ports and a Thunderbolt 4 port around back. The ROG NUC 970 is on the expensive side for what you get component wise but you’re paying a premium for its design and smaller form factor.

Read our full Asus ROG NUC 970 review.

The best mini PC for business

Specifications

Size (Inches): 5.79 x 5.79 x 2.05 inches
Weight: 4.58 pounds
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
Storage: 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Extra M.2 slot
+
Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5 Gb Ethernet
+
Sleek design with a small footprint
+
Fast processor and loads of RAM

Reasons to avoid

-
Noisy fan
-
No Thunderbolt or USB4

The Acemagic F2A is an elegant mini PC featuring a ton of ports. Thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, it can handle on-device generative AI. 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD also give it enough power for everyday tasks. That same power also allows you to connect multiple displays. The only drawback is that its dual fans can get very loud after a while. Unfortunately, there is no button or software setting to turn them down.

This mini PC had a higher-than-normal price at launch but has since come down in the months after its release. Because of that, it's even more enticing for those who want a mini PC that's AI-ready.

Read our full Acemagic F2A review.

The best mini PC for creatives

A small form factor Mac with plenty of creative power

Specifications

Size (Inches): 7.7 x 7.7 x 3.7 inches
Weight: 5.9/7.9 pounds (M1 Max/M1 Ultra)
CPU: Apple M1 Max - M1 Ultra
Storage: 256GB - 2TB
Geekbench 5 Score: 23,931

Reasons to buy

+
Blazing-fast performance from M1 Ultra
+
Great design
+
Plenty of ports
+
Whisper-quiet

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive for what you get, especially at the high end

The Mac Studio can deliver more power than any Apple computer on the market save the Mac Pro, and it packs it all into a quiet, well-designed chassis that looks good on a desk. It's bigger than the Mac mini, but still discreet enough for any desk setup.

As much as we love seeing Apple silicon put to good use in MacBooks, where its power efficiency helps deliver some of the best battery life in the business, the Mac Studio with M1 Ultra proves that Apple’s chips have the chops to compete with the best desktop PC silicon from Intel and AMD. You're not sacrificing power with this small computer.

Since this is Apple, you’ll have to pay a premium. The Mac Studio’s $1,999 starting price isn’t too bad for what it offers, and that gets you the entry-level model with the same M1 Max chip that's in the 2021 MacBook Pros, which means this mini-computer packs a serious punch. To get a Mac Studio with Apple's top-of-the-line M1 Ultra chip will cost you at least $4k, though it's worth it if you want one of the fastest, most powerful Macs on the market.

Read our full Mac Studio review.

The best mini PC design

A liquid cooled mini PC with a beautiful design

Specifications

Size: 10 x 6 x 6 inches
Weight: 8.2 pounds
CPU: Up to Intel Core i9-13900H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (mobile GPU)
RAM: 32GB
Storage: Up to 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous small design
+
Surprisingly powerful
+
Even better sustained performance (thanks liquid cooling)
+
A ton of I/O
+
Easy to upgrade

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive for a mini gaming PC
-
Just HDMI 2.0

The Geekom Megamini G1 is pricey at $1,899, which is a lot for a mini gaming PC. However, for what it offers and its ability to potentially replace your PS5 or Xbox Series X (while looking great to boot), it's a machine well worth considering if you want a small gaming PC for your desk setup.

This might be a small PC but it packs big power thanks to its Intel Core i9-13900H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 mobile GPU, both of which have been tuned for strong sustained performance thanks to its Liquid Cooling block. In addition, the Nvidia GPU features the company's DLSS tech, which helps boost frame rates even at 4K resolution and settings cranked up to high.

While the Megamini G1 might not be the overall best mini gaming PC (the AtomMan G7 PT above takes that honor), Geekom's diminutive PC is a great premium option that delivers the goods thanks to those Nvidia features.

Read our full Geekom Megamini G1 review.

How to choose the best mini PC

Mini PCs range from small project PCs for under $50 (£50/AU$75) to compact desktops that can cost $1,000 or more. 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 PC prices vary considerably based on hardware.

Minisforum Neptune HX99G sitting outside on balcony

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Know what you want

Finding the right mini PC for you starts with knowing what you're looking for. 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.

Slipping the Khadas Mind mini PC into a pocket

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Find the right size

Then there's the question of form factor. Mini PCs are all small, but there is a range of options within the category, from stick PCs small enough to slip in your pocket to desktop towers that are still compact enough to stow out of sight. You'll sacrifice power for a smaller system, but you can still get a capable desktop that's small enough to carry in a backpack, even if you're after gaming capability or workstation performance.

An overhead shot showing the two free M.2 SSD slots and the other internals of the Asus ROG NUC 970

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Make sure you like your configuration and upgrade options

Finally, you want to look at configuration options and upgradability. Many mini PCs have two or three configuration options, which can change everything from the amount of included storage to the presence of high-end processors and discrete graphics cards. There's also the question of upgrades. Many of the smallest mini PCs leave no room for future hardware changes, but others are designed to let you add memory or storage, or even outfitted with ports that allow for an external GPU for expanded capability. When in doubt, check our reviews, which include configuration details and will discuss the potential for future upgrades.

How we test the best mini PCs

We put every mini PC we review through a number of benchmark tests and real-world uses to get the clearest picture we can of how well it performs, what uses it's best suited to and what sort of capability you get for the price.

For performance, we use the Geekbench processor test to measure a system's overall processing capabilities. We run custom spreadsheets to see how long it takes to handle large data sets and number-crunching tasks. We also test the file transfer speeds, copying large files to see how long a system takes to copy multimedia files, documents and other content.

To test the graphics capability, we run a number of benchmark tests from 3DMark. When a system has the capability, we'll also run individual game tests and the SteamVR performance test to see how capable a system is at handling the demands of modern gaming.

Most importantly, we spend a ton of time simply using each mini PC for everyday activities. We watch movies, do work, play games, and blast music on the speakers, all to get a better sense of which ones are worth your money.

For more information on our testing process, check out our how we test page for Tom’s Guide.

Anthony Spadafora
Senior Editor Security and Networking

Anthony Spadafora is the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. Before joining the team, he wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he’s not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. 

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