Mini PCs are indeed a great choice for those who like simplicity and flexibility. It’s portable, compact, and can fit quite nicely everywhere — even in a small room.
Not to mention, these days a lot of brands are coming out with more powerful and incredible tiny mini PCs that can easily compete with regular-sized ones.
If you are looking for the best mini PC recommendation, you’re in the right place! In this article, we’ve rounded up some selections of the best mini PCs for your home and office this year.
Let’s dive right in!
1. Apple Mac Mini
Our first pick for the best mini PC in 2021 comes from Apple. Released in November last year, the newest Apple Mac Mini PC is supported by the Apple M1 processor chip.
This new M1 processor comes with an 8-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine, giving the Mac mini incredible speed and power that makes it on par with the newest Air or Pro versions.
The 8-core CPU delivers up to 3 times faster processing performance to the new mini Mac without changing its compact, tiny, and iconic design,
When it comes to the graphics, the 8-core GPU inside the Apple M1 chip offers an advanced graphics processor that gives the Mac mini a 6 times graphics performance jump.
Not only that, but the newest Mac mini also offers a bigger ram compared to its predecessor. It comes with an 8GB memory that can be upgraded up to 2x times its size (16GB).
Similar to other newest Apple products, the Mac mini is also equipped with SSD storage options. It comes with 256GB regular storage and up to 2TB add-ons.
Priced at $699, the 7.7-inch square box Mac mini is capable of almost anything. It supports the newest macOS Big Sur, incredibly fast Gigabit Ethernet, as well as multiple connectivity options.
2. ASUS Mini PC PN51
If you’re looking for a mini PC that features the latest AMD Ryzen processor, the Mini PC PN51 Asus announced last April might be worth checking out.
Supported by the latest AMD Ryzen 5000, the mini PC provides up to 20.2% system-wide performance increase and 58.2% improvement for daily computing activities.
When it comes to graphics, the Asus Mini PC PN51 features class-leading graphics performance powered by the AMD Radeon Vega 7 Graphics.
It offers a wide selection of RAM memory starting from 4G, 8GB, up to 16GB. Additionally, its SSD storage capacity also ranges from 256GB up to 1TB.
Weighing at only 700 grams, the Asus PN51 has the measurements of 115 x 115 x 49 mm, making it an incredibly compact and mini device.
As of right now, Asus puts a $350 starting price tag for a mini PN51 PC with an AMD Ryzen 5300U process, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB NVMe SSD.
3. Lenovo ThinkStation P350 Tiny
If you’re looking for a tiny PC with an incredibly powerful performance, the Lenovo ThinkStation P350 Tiny can be a good choice.
With a variety of processors up to the 11th Gen 8-Core i9, the ThinkStation P350 tiny gives its users freedom to pick RAM size of 4 up to 64GB as well as an SSD storage option up to 2TB.
When it comes to graphics, Lenovo equips the ThinkStation P350 Tiny with the NVIDIA professional graphics that boasts support for a wide range of accessories and multiple displays.
Despite having a simple, tiny, and efficient design measuring only 1.4 x 7.2 x 7.0 inches, this tiny powerful workstation from Lenovo actually supports a wide range of operating systems.
Moreover, the tiny PC that was announced back on July 12th along with the other ThinkStation P350 versions has the tiniest price tag of them all, starting at only $899.
4. HP ProDesk 405 G6
For another selection of the best mini PC with AMD Ryzen processor, we have chosen the HP ProDesk 405 C6 announced back in 2020.
Equipped with the AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 4650GE that supports a 3.3 GHz base clock up to 4.2 GHz max boost, the HP ProDesk 405 C6 is on sale right now for $664.
The HP ProDesk 405 C6 is integrated with the AMD Radeon™ Graphics, dual RAM slots of 8GB onboard (1×8), and a 265GB SSD storage.
Additionally, the mini PC also gives users the flexibility to expand on its capability and capacity through the multiple connectivity options it offers.
For extra security, users can also protect their Mini pc with hardware-enforced solutions from the HP BIOSphere Gen6, HP Sure Sense, HP Sure Click, and HP Manageability Integration Kit.
5. Intel NUC 11PHKi7C
If you’re more interested in the newer release of mini PCs, don’t fret! We also have a selection of newer mini PCs. The Intel NUC 11PHKi7C released at the beginning of 2021, for example.
Powered by the 11th generation Intel Core i7, the Intel NUC 11PHKi7C is essentially a powerful and customizable tiny PC. Users get to choose a wide array of RAM size up to 64GB and SSD storage up to 8TB.
Since it is super customizable, the price of the tiny Intel NUC 11PHKi7C PC ranges. Starting from $1500 for the base model (8GB of RAM and 128GB storage onboard) up to $3900 for its highest specifications.
When it comes to the graphics, the mini PC supports the NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX2060, making it perfect for gaming, streaming, rendering, and other content creation that relies on heavy-duty graphics.
The best part? All of these specifications are packed in a tiny, compact, lightweight design of the Intel NUC 11PHKi7C measuring only 8.9 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches.
6. ZOTAC Magnus
The ZOTAC Magnus is one of the best options for a powerful mini PC with the Intel Core processor packed in a small measurement (8.27 x 7.99 x 2.45 inches).
Supporting the 9th Generation Core i5 & Core i7, the Zotac Magnus is designed for quick and easy upgrades. It supports up to 32GB memory and also a dual storage capability.
As it is very customizable, the storage options can be adjusted to the users’ needs. It ranges from the regular 128GB storage up to a few terabytes.
When it comes to graphics, the Zotac Magnus series is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 20-series graphics card. Users get to enjoy up to 8K resolution and stream 4K videos.
As of right now, the ZOTAC Magnus series currently retails for $1,499 (the barebone version) and $1,799 (the regular one with an OS installed).
7. DELL Precision 3240
Released in the Q3 of 2020, the DELL precision 3240 is a performance-driven mini PC that supports the latest Intel® Core and Xeon 10 core processors.
At a starting price of $919, the DELL Precision 3240 compact offers 3 selections of the Intel Core processors up to the i7, 2 selections of the hard drive up to 512GB, and a RAM up to 16GB.
In terms of graphics, the DELL Precision 3240 compact provides the Intel Integrated Graphics or the NVIDIA Quadro™ RTX 3000 graphics card.
Both are pretty good at providing users with high-end graphics and performance. However, the NVIDIA Quadro creates more realistic graphics, making it slightly more expensive.
Weighing at 3.77 lbs, the compact version of the Precision 3240 is one of a very few ultra-small (7.40×2.76×7.03 measurement) workstations that support multiple 4K displays at 60Hz.
8. Minisforum X400 4750G
The Minisforum X400 4750G is one of the newly released mini PCs. It is available on sale starting just this June 2021 with a starting price of $849.
Powered by the AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 4750G processor, the Minisforum X400 4750G offers an 8-core processor with up to 4.4 GHz, giving it incredible performance.
Thanks to the Radeon™ Vega Graphics, the X400 4750G is much more efficient for office work and daily entertainment as its high-end graphics bring you an immersive new experience.
In addition, with a dual-channel RAM selection of up to 32GB and a storage selection up to 512GB, the Minisforum X400 4750G can also be good for high-end gaming and editing.
Measuring only 5.91 x 5.91 x 2.36 inches and 976 grams, the Minisforum X400 4750G is light and compact, portable enough to carry wherever you go.
As the Minisforum X400 mini PC is highly customizable, the price ranges greatly. It starts from $629 for the base model if you order it directly from its official website.
9. ASRock DeskMini X30
If you’re looking for an affordable mini PC, the ASRock DeskMini X30 released in 2020 can be a good choice.
Priced at only $163.99, the mini device gives users a powerful performance and also robust storage. It has a selection of up to 64GB RAM and a very terabyte of storage.
The ASRock DeskMini X30 also supports AMD Ryzen processors starting from the Athlon, Ryzen 3, to the Ryzen 7, giving the mini PC a smooth performance for daily computing.
In terms of graphics, the ASRock DeskMini X30 is powered by AMD Radeon Graphics which is good and powerful enough for mid and high-end gaming activities.
With a measurement of only 155 x 155 x 80 mm, this mini PC is a must-have if you’re looking for an affordable compact device.
Wrapping Up!
There you have it! In this article, we’ve rounded up our picks for the best mini PC selections for your home and office this year.
We hope this article has been helpful! If you have any questions about the devices mentioned above, don’t hesitate to ask in the comment section below.
Happy choosing and good luck!
