The 3 Best Mini Desktop PCs of 2023


If you’re looking for a simple, small desktop computer that doesn’t take up much space in your home or office, consider a mini PC. These computers are best for everyday tasks like working on documents and spreadsheets, browsing the web, taking video calls, or watching TV. However, our top picks are also powerful enough to do some light media editing, and our upgrade pick is fast enough even for professional photo and video editors.

For those who prefer Windows, the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is the best choice, and macOS users should buy the Mac mini with Apple’s M2 processor. Both are capable little computers that you can stick under or behind a monitor, saving space on your desk. A more powerful upgrade is the Apple Mac mini with the M2 Pro processor, which competes with high-end desktops in photo and video editing capabilities.

Our pick

HP Pro Mini 400 G9

This simple Windows PC is small, quiet, and powerful enough for daily work.

Buying Options

*At the time of publishing, the price was $919.

Processor: Intel Core i5-12500T Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD
Memory: 16 GB Size: 7 by 7 by 1.5 inches
Front ports: two USB 3.2 Type-A (10 Gbps), one USB 3.2 Type-C, headphone jack Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Rear ports: three USB-A, two DisplayPort 1.2, one HDMI, one 1Gbps Ethernet Expansion: two DDR4 RAM slots, one NVMe M.2 slot, M.2 Wi-Fi card

The HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is a basic PC that’s perfect for home or office use. It runs on Intel’s latest generation of processors, which are energy-efficient and more than powerful enough for daily tasks. It has all the ports you need to hook up multiple monitors, and it offers the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. We love that the Pro Mini 400 is especially repairable; you can swap out and upgrade the storage drive, the RAM, and even the processor. And HP’s competitive pricing on this model means you can get more RAM and storage for $300 less than you’d pay for a similarly upgraded Apple Mac mini.

Our pick

Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023)

The Mac mini offers excellent performance, and the system’s fan is whisper-quiet even when you’re editing photos or videos or compiling code.

Processor: eight-core Apple M2 CPU Storage: 256 GB proprietary SSD
Memory: 8 GB Size: 7.7 by 7.7 by 1.4 inches
Front ports: none Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3
Rear ports: two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, one HDMI, one 1 Gbps Ethernet, headphone jack Expansion: none

If you prefer macOS, get the Apple Mac mini with Apple’s M2 processor. This speedy little Mac desktop can integrate seamlessly with an iPhone or an iPad, as well as Apple services like FaceTime and iMessage. For everyday browsing and general use, an M2 Mac mini with 8 GB of memory is good enough, though if you plan to use yours for professional photo and video editing or app development, you should step up to 16 GB of memory. Keep in mind that you can’t upgrade the Mac mini’s memory or storage after you buy it, so you need to make that decision up front. Apple’s internal-storage upgrades are pricey enough that you should look at an external hard drive or a portable SSD if you need more space.

Upgrade pick

Apple Mac mini (M2 Pro, 2023)

The Mac mini with an M2 Pro and 32 GB of RAM can speed up most media-editing workflows, and it can connect up to three monitors.

Buying Options

*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,300.

Processor: 10-core Apple M2 Pro CPU Storage: 512 GB proprietary SSD
Memory: 16 GB Size: 7.7 by 7.7 by 1.4 inches
Front ports: none Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3
Rear ports: four USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, one HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone jack Expansion: none

By upgrading the processor in Apple’s Mac mini to the M2 Pro, you get the same blistering processing speeds found in the new MacBook Pro for nearly half the cost. Compared with our previous upgrade pick, the Mac Studio with an M1 Max chip, the Apple Mac mini with an M2 Pro processor loses some convenient features, such as front USB-C ports and an SDXC card reader, but you pay substantially less—$700 less, to be exact—for a faster machine. It’s also whisper-quiet, even under a heavy processing load, so you can keep it on your desk and forget it’s even there.



Source link

Previous articleMac Studio (M2 Max) review: Re-filling the need for speed
Next articleSecurity Agency Detains Nigeria's Suspended Anti-Bitcoin Central … – Bitcoin News