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My team and I have reviewed over 100 of the best mini PC systems - now, I've selected the 8 top-performing Windows 11 and macOS machines for businesses, content creators, developers, and gamers.
For those looking for a reliable and affordable Windows 11 mini PC that balances exceptional performance and price, the GMKtec M6 Ultra is an easy recommendation. This machine really impressed us with what it could do, whether it was running office apps, content creation, and even handled some AAA gaming during our tests.
Alongside value picks like the AceMagic K1 and GMKtec G10, I've highlighted some real powerhouses in this guide. Creative professionals will love the performance of the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra, while the Asus ROG NUC proved one of the best gaming mini PCs to ever go through our tests.
See the full line-up below for our comprehensive reviews of each system. We've used industry-standard benchmarking tools and real-world performance tests to see how each system compares for office use, AI, content creation, gaming, and development.
Best mini PC overall
✅ You want a performance-driven mini PC that doesn't cost too much: Considering the price of the M6 Ultra, we were stunned by how well this performed - it's exceptional value, capable of tackling everything from office tasks to light gaming.
✅ You enjoy upgrading your machines: This mini PC is perfect if you want to future-proof it, available as both a barebones model and two kitted out configurations expandable up to 128GB RAM and 8TB storage.
❌ You're a gamer: While it performed fine for light gaming duties, if you're a dedicated gamer, this isn't the right pick due to the lack of discrete GPU and no way to connect one later down the line.
❌ You're a professional video editor: We ran Premiere Pro aand Resolve easily enough for basic edits and color grading short clips, but avoid if you need a mini PC for your next feature film.
The M6 Ultra from GMKtec delivers exceptional performance for the price. If you're looking for that all-rounder mini PC for the office, content creation, even a bit of gaming without breaking the bank, this is it.
Specs-wise, it's running Windows 11 Pro on a Ryzen 5 7640HS processor with integrated AMD 760M and 1TB SSSD storage. 16GB and 32GB configurations are available, as well as a barebones model. All can be expanded up to 128GB of memory and 8TB storage.
During our tests, we ran the usual suite of office software without any problems at all. On the content creation side, editing RAW files in Photoshop and Lightroom, and basic 4K video clips in Premiere Pro and Resolve were a breeze. Even Hogwarts Legacy and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle were playable, although we needed to switch to lower settings.
And that's really the only element missing from an otherwise excellent mini PC: the graphics - and there's no option for adding an external GPU either. So, if you're a hardcore gamer or editing your next movie, it doesn't have the chops for that. In every other way, this is a superb performer. True, it might not be as sleekly designed a Mac mini or Geekom's A-series machines, but under the hood it's unbeatable for the cost.
Read our full GMKtec M6 Ultra mini PC review
Best mini PC on a budget
✅ You want a good cheap mini PC: For price and performance, there's nothing much that comes close to the GMKtec G10, which we called " this is a terrific little system."
✅ You want to configure your own machine: A specced version of the G10 is available, but a barebones model is also available, and we found accessing internals was simplicity itself.
❌ You want a workhorse: Performance for general office and everyday tasks is good here, but don't expect high speeds and max performance here.
❌ You prefer USB4 or Thunderbolt: If you're into high-speed connectivity, you won't find it here, with it only boasting your standard USB-A and USB-C ports.
You can find a lot of cheap Windows 11 mini PCs these days, but the GMKtec G10 was a stand-out in our tests. In our review, we said, "at the asking price, this is a terrific little system that can easily be upgraded to handle larger tasks with more memory and storage."
Sure, it's not going to win any awards for speed. And it's hardly a work-horse - you'd struggle to edit 4K videos, play games, or run complex software. But if your goal is to find a budget mini PC that can tackle light duties, like browsing, streaming, and office work without breaking the bank, the G10 proved to be a superb machine.
What I especially like about the G10 is that it's fully upgradeable. Beyond the barebones model, it has two variants: one with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, and one with 16GB RAM and 1TB. Both can be expanded with up to 64GB of memory and a maximum of 16TB SSD storage (8TB per drive). And we found it incredibly easy to gain access to the internal components during our tests.
If your budget stretches a little further, I recommend the GMKtec M5 Plus, it's an excellent machine with solid specs.
Read our full GMKtec G10 mini PC review
Best Apple mini PC
✅ You want a mini PC that just works: This machine is ideal for anyone who wants to plug, play, create, and work.
✅ You create content: We highly rate the Mac mini for anyone editing photos and videos, alongside running the usual office apps.
❌ You want a Windows machine: The Apple ecosystem isn’t for everyone - especially in the NUC community.
❌ You want a mini PC you can upgrade: Unlike most Windows mini PCs, you don’t have the luxury of upgrading this system at will.
The Apple Mac mini is our top choice for users who want a smooth and powerful computing experience that won’t break the bank.
Since first getting an M-series chip, the Mac mini has been the best mini PC around, and equipped with the latest M4 chipset only makes it even better. This is a device that’s more than capable of everything from productivity tasks to photo and video editing. All on 16GB RAM, amazingly optimized by Apple.
Our expert reviewer used the M4 Mac mini for general office tasks, admin, browsing the web - what I’d call the essentials - and found the device worked perfectly. For 4K video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro and other intensive workloads, the machine still brilliantly kept pace, and remained virtually silent (perfect for shared workspaces). Playing games was fair, too, although you’d never mistake the device for a gaming mini PC. And what about Apple Intelligence? It’s been hyped to the Nth degree, but we found it…fine. It was good, capable, but evidently still in its infancy. One to watch.
But overall, powered by the M4, the Apple Mac mini retains its lead above rivals. For performance, price, and size, there’s just no beating it.
Read our full Apple Mac mini (M4) review
Best mid-range mini PC
✅ You need a mini PC with more than enough performance for general tasks: The AceMagic K1 is a confident performer for all everyday tasks, like running office software and light content creation apps.
✅ You don't want cheap and you don't want premium: This is a lovely mid-range mini PC that's well-priced and well-designed on the inside and out.
❌ You want top-end specs: This is very solidly an entry-level mini PC, sporting 12th gen Intel i5 or Ryzen 5 7430U depending on your chosen configuration. It performs great for the price, but it's not a high-end machine.
❌ You're a creative professional: We found ourselves able to perform light photo editing duties here, but for any demanding creative workloads, including 4K video cuts, it will struggle.
The AceMagic K1 is a well-balanced machine with mid-range specs that give it a performance boost over ultra-cheap mini PCs, making it ideal for those who need something for everyday office tasks.
Testing out the K1, we found it capably handled running Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web browsing, streaming, and light photo editing. If that's all you need a mini PC to do, the K1 is easy to recommend for the price.
We did notice it struggling on more demanding workloads, such as editing high-resolution videos. As soon as we tried using Premiere Pro, the limitations showed, with 4K timeline rendering being especially slow. On the other hand, at 1080p, we experienced no issues cutting videos for social media in CapCut.
Gaming was next to impossible for modern titles, although older games ran when we lowered settings. And we expected that, really, given the specs. While the graphics is the weak spot here, there is upgrade potential elsewhere. The K1 supports options to increase both memory and storage to a respectable 64GB and 4TB.
Still, it does almost everything most users need from a desktop like this. And it's one of the most compact machines we've ever tested, and the silver casing on the Intel model gives it a genuinely premium look and feel.
Read our full AceMagic K1 mini PC review
Best mini PC for gaming
✅ You want a mini PC for gaming: In our review, we noted that the ROG NUC is "an ultra-compact desktop system packed with some of the most powerful cutting-edge gaming components."
✅ You want a mini PC that will tackle AI and content creation: This mini PC showed strong gaming prowess, but performance was similarly excellent for AI and content creation tasks.
❌ You don't want to spend too much: This gaming mini PC is more expensive than a console, but less than a true gaming PC - so, it's not exactly at the budget end of the market.
❌ You need a basic mini PC: Thanks to some high specs and expandability, this is better suited to those that want a performance boost rather than a mini PC for office tasks.
The Asus ROG NUC is easily the best mini PC for gaming you can get - it's an ultra-compact desktop computer, fully loaded with some of the most powerful gaming components on the market.
Now, when we test mini PCs, we'll always try running games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While many can handle these AAA titles on low settings, the ROG NUC absolutely blasted through our tests, hitting triple-digit framerates at 1080p every time.
1440p and 4K at 60fps told a similar story (only Cyberpunk and Metro Exodus required DLSS to keep a stable framerate with max, ray-traced graphics turned on). In just about every way, performance stayed fast and fluid - helped by a very speedy SSD and the impressive Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU.
Beyond gaming, we found graphical, AI, and creative workloads all ran smoothly and seamlessly, in part due to the discrete graphics card here. For those heavy workloads, it's an excellent all-rounder.
True, it's not the cheapest mini PC around. However, when compared to similarly-specced systems, it's not ludicrously high-priced, and in our review, we called it one of the best compact gaming PCs we've ever seen.
Read our full Asus ROG NUC review
Best mini PC for AI
✅ You want an AI mini PC: The Bosgame M5 is exceptionally good on this score, with advanced AI capabilities that are unparalleled in our experience, designed to learn and adapt to your preferences.
✅ You want powerhouse performer: The only thing better than the AI is the sheer power this mini PC is capable of, impressing us throughout testing for even the most complex and demanding tasks. Bonus points for including USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.
❌ You're just using office apps and browsing: This is total overkill for everyday tasks, especially for the price. This is for power users, but most people will be happy with a machine like the M6 Ultra for day-to-day work.
❌ You like sleek and attractive devices: One of the few issues some may have with the Bosgame M5 is the appearance, which is very in-your-face unlike the usual array of black or silver boxes. Still, that might be a bonus, we're not judging.
When it comes to power and performance, we're struggling to think of anything that can beat the Bosgame M5 - an AI-ready mini PC powerhouse. During our testing, it delivered unprecedented levels of CPU and GPU performance, slicing through even the most demanding workloads we threw at it. It never even stopped to take a breath.
That power lies in the excellent specs here - the top-end Max+ 395 processor is paired with a healthy dose of memory and high-speed storage that lets it tackle everything from video editing, graphics-intensive games, and complex simulations. And we know. We tried it all.
Performance remained consistent across the board, and shattered just about every mini PC we compared it to during benchmarking, and even trounced a Lenovo workstation.
One of the main draws of the M5 is its advanced AI capabilities. These, we found, are unparalleled, with the AI able to learn your preferences and habits, and adapt to suit you. The theory is, the mini PC will become more intuitive over time, and it's not a level of personalization you often see in this space.
Now, for a lot of users, all this power is more than you'll need. But for business professionals, coders, and gamers, it's a beast of a machine.
Read our full Bosgame M5 AI mini PC review
Best mini PC for video editing and photo editing
✅ You want to edit videos: In our tests, the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra tackled 4K video editing and color grading in Premiere Pro and Resolve without pause.
✅ You want a mini PC you can upgrade: Out of the box, this is an already impressive machine, but it can be made even more powerful thanks to the expansive upgrade options across memory and storage.
❌ You just want to run office apps: Although this mini PC will excel at general office usage, it will be overkill if that's all you need to do.
❌ You're on a budget: The MS-02 Ultra is an expensive device, and if you want to max out expansion, it's going to cost even more.
The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is one of those mini PCs we delighted in testing. Out of the box, it breezed through office and creator-driven tasks without breaking a sweat.
Content creation is where this machine really shone. Even without a discrete GPU, we could edit and grade 4K videos in Pro and Resolve. Given that level of power, it's no surprise that the mini PC also had no problems with working across Photoshop and Lightroom Classic, where it showed no performance issues with large RAW files either. Transfer speeds were quick, particularly when using the front-facing USB4 V2 port.
If you're a professional filmmaker, we recommend bolting on an external graphics card here. Without it, we noticed that extended timeline rendering slowed the deeper we got into an edit. But for general video editing, out of the box performance was impressive. It even ran AAA games on mid-level settings, running better than a lot of gaming mini PCs we've tested out.
But there's plenty to like here beyond video and photo editing, including the addition of Intel vPro for security-minded businesses, excellent expansion and connectivity for building a true desktop workstation
The only sticking point for some users is that it's an already expensive machine made more expensive if you're going to kit this out to the max. Overall, the MS-02 Ultra proved itself a powerful machine for office and business professionals, developers exploring AI, but chiefly photographers and videographers.
Read our full Minisforum MS-02 Ultra mini PC review
Best mini PC for business
✅ You want a mini PC for AI use: The HX 370 configuration offers AI compute up to 80 TOPS, with other models reach similar figures for all AI workloads.
✅ You want a business-ready mini PC: This powerful, premium machine delivered what we consider a perfectly streamlined office solution, performing the core range of business tasks to perfection.
❌ You're likely to upgrade a machine: While you can expand the memory from the default 1TB up to 8TB, you won't be able to upgrade the 32GB RAM, as it's soldered to the board. Not a problem for most business users, but some may call it a deal-breaker.
❌ You need a cheap mini PC for the office: This is an expensive business-class mini PC designed for professional power users. For more basic office jobs, check out the GMKtec M6 Ultra or AceMagic K1.
The Beelink SER9 Pro is one of the best-looking mini PCs we've used, with its sleek, all-metal casing looking stylish and feeling premium in hand.
But that's really just the icing on the cake. It's performance that matters for business users, and this machine didn't fail to impress us. Windows 11 Pro and all the office apps businesses rely on run smoothly, flawlessly, and exceptionally quickly. In other words, it's a productivity beast.
What particularly stands out with the SER9 Pro is the AI voice kit. This hardware is built into the machine as an AI-enhanced mic and speaker array. It excelled as taking notes via dictation and removing background noise in meetings. Our only niggle is that we couldn't quite get it to correctly differentiate different voices the way a dedicated AI transcriber like the Plaud range can.
It's available in a wide range of configurations - notably, a suite of different Ryzen H- and HX-series processors - so there are plenty of options here. However, it has limited upgrade options beyond expanding the storage to 8TB. That's a shame, although our fears over capping memory at 32GB proved unfounded during tests, HD and 4K video editing projects were handled with relative ease and speed.
Overall, this is a striking mini PC with a powerful feature-set for business users - with the AI voice kit being a particular highlight for those taking notes and conducting video calls.
Read our full Beelink SER9 Pro review
Best mini PCs compared
Model | CPU | GPU | RAM | Storage | Dimensions | Barebones model available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | AMD Radeon 760M | Up to 128GB | Up to 8TB | 5.07 x 5 x 1.88in / 12.88 x 12.7 x 4.78cm | ✅ | |
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U | AMD Radeon Vega 8 | Up to 64GB | Up to 16TB | 4.1 x 3.9 x 1.7in / 10.3 x 9.8 x 4.2cm | ✅ | |
Apple M4 | Integrated GPU (up to 16-core) | Up to 32GB | Up to 2TB | 5 x 5 x 2in / 12.7 x 12.7 x 5cm | ❌ | |
Up to AMD Ryzen 5 7430U / Intel Core i5-12600H | AMD Radeon / Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Up to 64GB | Up to 4TB | 5.04 x 5.05 x 1.63 in / 12.80 x 12.82 x 4.13 cm | ❌ | |
Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 | Up to 64GB | Up to 2TB | 11.1 x 7.4 x 2.2in / 28.2cm x 18.8cm x 5.7cm | ❌ | |
AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | AMD Radeon 8060S | Up to 128GB | 2TB | 8.70 x 7.83 x 2.05 in / 22.10 x 19.89 x 5.21 cm | ❌ | |
Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX | Intel Graphics (eGPU supported) | Up to 256GB | Up to 16TB | 8.72 x 3.82 x 8.86 in / 22.15 x 9.70 x 22.50 cm | ✅ | |
Up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Up to AMD Radeon 880M | Up to 32GB | Up to 8TB | 5.31 x 5.31 x 1.76 in / 13.50 x 13.50 x 4.47 cm | ❌ |
Also Tested
Mini PC | Good for | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Home offices | ★★★★☆ | |
Fast networking & AI | ★★★★⯪ | |
Network-attached storage | ★★★★☆ | |
8K displays | ★★★★☆ | |
RAM upgrades | ★★★★⯪ | |
Photographers | ★★★★☆ | |
Local AI & data speed | ★★★★☆ | |
Software development | ★★★★⯪ | |
Flexibility | ★★★★☆ | |
Multiple displays | ★★★★☆ |
Best mini PC: Frequently asked questions
U-series and H-series - what's the difference?
You've probably noticed letters at the end of certain processors and wondered what they mean, and which one you should choose. Here's what you need to know.
U stands for Ultra-low-power. These processors are tailored to efficiency and best-suited for business use like opening office apps and browsing.
H stands for High Performance. These CPUs are designed for long-term tasks without throttling performance, and are ideal for tasks like video editing and gaming.
HS (High Performance Slim) chips run at a lower wattage than H-series chips, but still deliver similar performance and efficiency. I think of them as the middle-ground between U- and H-series processors.
HX (High Performance Extreme) is the absolute best for performance, and are best for professional-grade creative workloads and higher-end gaming.
Are there different types of mini PC?
There is a lot of variety when it comes to mini PCs: various sizes are available and they are designed for various use cases.
Today's best mini PCs are a great alternative to bulky full-size desktops and all-in-one systems for all kinds of uses: from administrative workers doing data entry, to customer service specialists and call center offices, to creative professionals and students learning at home. If they come with VESA mounting holes, you can even conceal certain models behind your monitor.
As the technology advances, we're starting to see some heavy-duty mini PCs enter the arena, capable of impressively powerful performance that's almost on par with workstations built for demanding workloads.
Essentially, whatever you need a desktop for, there's a mini PC to fit the bill.
What are the disadvantages of a mini computer?
While the best mini PCs absolutely shine, they’re not without a few downsides. When it comes to specs, mini PCs pale in comparison to modern desktop computers and the very best laptops. While you shouldn't have trouble using most as a space-saving alternative to the best laptops for graphic design or the best laptops for photo editing, it can make it difficult to use hardware-intensive apps and processes, like any of the best video editing software.
Upgrading those lower-specced internals is usually out of the question. Even some of the best mini PCs can't be expanded with better components (at least, not without some technical knowledge and skill).
They also need to be run from the mains, so while they’re an excellent portable option, you lack the built-in batteries found in laptops. Due to their form, some users may also experience issues with overheating. Mini PCs also lack peripherals, from screens to optical drives.
How much RAM do you need for a mini PC?
As with desktop computers and laptops, the best RAM is the most amount of RAM you can get within budget. It will make performance much more fluid, especially if you’re using the mini PC for a lot of tasks. We recommend a bare minimum of 16GB memory, although 32GB and above is preferred.
Are mini PCs good for gaming?
It all depends on which games you want to play. The very best mini PCs can ably run lightweight or older games - in fact, many users use the devices as gaming emulators.
However, not all mini PCs can handle gaming, and some especially budget models will struggle with newer titles, as they don't have the CPU and GPU power to handle modern games.
In all our tests, we checking gaming capabilities using less demanding titles like Tekken 8 and DiRT Rally and more graphics-intensive AAA games including Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Can you connect a mini PC to a laptop?
Yes, you can connect your mini PC to a laptop that acts as a monitor. However, check the specs as some mini PCs lack the required HDMI ports to output to the laptop screen. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by using remote desktop software.
Are the best mini PCs better than laptops?
It depends how you intend to use your mini computer. While both are highly portable, mini PCs are more so, with a far smaller surface area. If you’re working on the go, be aware of the sometimes limited battery life on laptops - if you’re usually running off the mains, a mini PC may be the better choice.
Laptops serve as a great all-in-one solution with everything you need to work and play. Accessories like the best office keyboards and the best monitors for a dual set-up are optional. They also come with a range of tech specs, with options for everyday computing tasks right up to the best gaming laptops.
Like a traditional desktop computer, a mini PC is best when used in spaces with easy access to monitors (or TV), keyboards, and other peripherals on hand. For this reason, mini PCs are great for office use, allowing multiple users to access the device in a variety of locations. Cost is also a factor, as mini PCs tend to be cheaper than laptops.
How to choose the best mini PC for you
When choosing which mini PC is best for you, there are several factors to consider - but first, it's important to be sure a mini PC is right for your needs.
A lot of mini PCs, sometimes known as think clients or NUCs, are ideal for light use, such as web browsing and video streaming. Some can even handle casual gaming sessions.
But we're now seeing some impressive powerhouse performers from the likes of Beelink and Minisforum delivering workstation-level performance in a compact size.
Below, I've listed the minimum recommended specs for a range of tasks when choosing which mini PC is best for you. As ever, going beyond these should result in better performance.
Component | Minimum for business | Minimum for creators | Minimum for gamers |
|---|---|---|---|
CPU | Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 U-series | Intel Core i7, AMD Ryzen 7 H-series, Apple M4 | Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 H-series |
GPU | Integrated graphics | Nvidia RTX 4060 (if integrated, check it supports eGPU) / not applicable for Mac mini | Nvidia RTX 4060 (if integrated, check it supports eGPU) |
RAM | 16GB | 32GB / 16GB (M4 only) | 16GB |
SSD | 512GB | 1TB | 1TB |
How we test the best mini PCs
We've tested thousands of devices, from the best photo editing PCs to best video editing Mac and MacBook laptops and best business monitors. And we have extensive experience with small-form NUCs and thin clients.
First impressions, design & specs
We study several key areas. This includes build quality and form-factor - we want to see a robust machine, and the best materials available for the cost. This is especially true with mini PCs, as they're designed to be easily carried and used in multiple locations.
We explore the internal specs of each device, and how they compare with some of the other best mini PCs on the market. As part of this process, we also assess the upgradability of the device - from the options on offer to the ease of creating your perfect mini PC.
Ports & connectivity
Ports and connectivity is especially important - we want to see a good range of ports for connecting peripherals and displays, and we want to see how well the selection compares with rival devices. Not everyone will need Thunderbolt or USB4, but we expect to see adequate slots on a mini PC to increase functionality and flexibility.
Benchmarking
We benchmark every mini PC we test using industry-standard software. This tells us what performance the machine is theoretically capable of achieving - we can then see how closely the simulated tests measure up to real-world performance.
Real-world performance (office, creative, gaming)
Next, we use each machine for a range of tasks - so we use it for day-to-day tasks like web browsing, email, messenger apps, and office software. Then push each one harder, running creative apps like Photoshop and Lightroom.
For video editing, we test both 1080p and 4K editing using Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and CapCut. During this part of our testing, we also measure file transfer speeds, which is critical for those moving large video files from one drive to another.
To test gaming capabilities, we see how well the likes of less graphically intensive titles like DiRt Rally and Tekken 8 play. For graphically intense titles, we play Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, noting where graphics settings need to be lowered.
Price & value
Price is always a consideration. Depending on how you use it, the most expensive mini PC you can buy may not offer genuine value for money. We're looking for those mini computers that offer a strong long-term investment based on the build, specs, and performance. For this guide, we've curated a selection of mini PCs here, from premium machines to the cheapest mini PC with great performance.
You can read more about our comprehensive testing methods in our guide How we test laptops and desktops: Our review process explained.
Today's best mini PC deals
