5 Powerful Mini PCs That Can Eat Desktop Towers for Breakfast

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Mini PCs have come a long way from their roots as slow, temperamental office machines. Computer technology has advanced significantly over the past decade, and more powerful hardware continues to be crammed into smaller spaces. You’d be shocked at the performance you can get from a device that fits in the palm of your hand.

We’ve scoured the mini PC field and ruled out anything that didn’t have the specs or reviews to prove it could compete with a modern desktop tower PC in terms of performance. That still left a number of mini PCs to choose from at multiple price points, so we’ve selected the finalists you’ll see below based on their strengths and the use cases they fulfill. Ultimately, you may not need to spend thousands of dollars if you just need a small PC with a lot of punch. For example, the reliable Mac mini remains excellent value (compared to other expensive minicomputers), and there are now Windows alternatives like Lenovo’s Yoga Mini.

For gamers, there are more expensive options like the Asus ROG NUC 16, easily one of the most powerful mini PCs on the market. If its $2,500 price tag scares you, there are cheaper alternatives like the Minisforum AtomMan. The mini PC space isn’t limited to the devices you can find on store shelves, either: there are high-end custom options from companies like Framework.

No matter why you need a mini PC, the Asus ROG NUC 16 can handle it. Starting at $2,499, the ROG NUC 16 packs a ridiculous amount of power into a relatively small form factor. Even with the upgrades, the ROG NUC 16 measures about 11 inches high, 7 inches wide, and 2 inches thick.

The base model includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus processor and an Nvidia RTX 5060 laptop graphics card. The more expensive models are all equipped with an upgraded Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and an RTX 5070Ti or RTX 5080 laptop GPU. It can easily handle AAA games like “Cyberpunk 2077”, matching even the most expensive desktops like the HP Omen 45L and the MSI Aegis RS2.

All that power is packed into a chassis that weighs just under 7 pounds. The form factor doesn’t sacrifice connectivity either, as the ROG NUC 16 includes multiple USB 3.0 ports, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports, two full-size HDMI ports, a 2.5Gbps LAN port, and more. The device can even be positioned horizontally and vertically, with a special “G-sensor” detecting its orientation and adjusting the cooling accordingly.

The Mac mini is one of the most recommended mini PCs, and for good reason. Apple has spent two decades perfecting the cooling, performance, and form factor of the Mac mini. Windows versus macOS is still a hot debate, but the Mac mini can handle almost anything a small Windows PC can handle. Plus, the 5 x 5 inch size is incredibly attractive.

There are several Mac mini models to choose from, but the best options are the two newest. The new Mac mini M6 costs $899, but the slightly older Mac mini M5 Pro gives you even more power with a higher price of $1,699. The M6 ​​model is perfect for web work and light video editing, but dedicated creators with heavier workloads should look to the M5 Pro.

Using a Mac mini does, however, have some drawbacks. You won’t get the same range of connections as you do on some other mini PCs, because the Mac mini doesn’t have full-size USB-A and DisplayPort ports, leaving you dependent on adapters, a hub, or replacement cables for the devices that use them. Hardcore gaming is also largely out of the question, as most games don’t natively support macOS – although there are technically ways to play popular PC games on Mac.

If you’re perfectly set on a Windows machine but love the sleekness of the Mac mini, the Lenovo Yoga Mini is the device for you. It’s clear that Lenovo was essentially trying to make a Windows version of a Mac mini, and the Yoga Mini is a very close match.

The Yoga Mini is ultra-compact with a form factor nearly identical to the Mac mini. It’s actually a bit flatter than the Mac mini at 1.91 inches thick, but it’s a bit wider at 5.12 inches. It comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB-C ports (one with DisplayPort, another with power delivery), an HDMI 2.1 port and a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port on the back – as well as a customizable RGB underglow on the bottom.

The cheapest configuration costs $999, while the most expensive model features a powerful Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor for $1,869. Both configurations deliver impressive gaming and productivity performance, and the high-end version can even match the performance of much larger desktops like the HP Omen 16L, running games like “Arc Raiders” flawlessly.

The Minisforum AtomMan is like a slightly larger version of the Asus ROG NUC 16, but without all the gaming flair. Measuring 8 x 12 x 2 inches, the AtomMan takes advantage of the more spacious chassis to accommodate full office equipment. It’s the same thing you’d see in the best desktop computers, just packed into a small box.

The cheaper AtomMan G7 Pro model is priced at $1,699 and comes with an Intel i9 14900HX laptop GPU and Nvidia RTX 5070. The more expensive G1 Pro ups its specs to $2,149 with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX CPU and an Nvidia RTX 5060 desktop graphics card. downgrade at first glance, but this is a fully dedicated desktop graphics card, not a laptop version.

The G1 Pro can handle AAA games at 1440p resolution without breaking a sweat, and you can achieve impressive frame rates if you only play at 1080p. This desktop RTX 5060 is exactly the same as you can find in other prebuilt PCs at this price, like the Corsair Vengeance A7500, and the included Ryzen 9 processor can easily handle the latest games.

If none of the pre-built options catch your eye, then you can opt for a custom setup from a company like Framework. The price range of Framework PCs varies widely since you can choose the parts yourself, and high-end configurations can outperform some of the most powerful desktop towers.

The Framework Desktop is similar in size to a steam engine, measuring approximately 4 x 8 x 9 inches. Prices start at $1,269 and go up to $3,449. The $1,269 base configuration gets you an AMD AI Max 385 processor, but you’ll need to spend at least $1,959 to get the more powerful AMD AI Max 395.

AMD’s AI Max processors are still relatively new, but they deliver impressive gaming performance. At 1440p with ultra graphics settings, the AI ​​Max 385 and 395 run “Monster Hunter Wilds” at averages of 67 FPS and 85 FPS, respectively. With “Cyberpunk 2077” at high settings, both processors average around 70 FPS. Both processors are also great for productivity, with Framework even letting you add a ton of memory to your setup to run large language models.

Our main concern when putting together this list was finding mini PCs with enough raw power to serve as legitimate alternatives to desktop towers, rather than machines suitable only for basic browsing and office work. We focused on models with capable processors and graphics hardware, combing through their spec sheets and taking into account expert reviews to gauge how they handle demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, and other productivity work. Size mattered, too, since the appeal of these machines lies in getting that level of performance without giving up a large portion of your desktop.

For the final five mini PCs you see above, we wanted to offer a selection covering different use cases and budgets. That’s why you’ll see gaming-focused Windows machines alongside a Mac and a fully customizable option. Prices range from $899 for the cheapest option (the base Mac mini M6) to $3,499 (the Framework model with the highest configuration), but most of the models mentioned fall within a price range of around $1,000 to $2,500 — in other words, there should be something on this list for just about everyone.