My favorite mini PCs "tempt me away from desktops" — smaller than a graphics card and powerful enough for Windows 11 in 4K

Windows Central mini PC deals for Black Friday
(Image credit: Windows Central)

There's a perfect middle-ground between a tower-sized desktop and a slim laptop for Windows 11, and it's the relatively niche category of mini PCs. Some of the best examples I've seen, like the excellent Beelink EQR6, are heavily discounted with deals that look suspiciously similar to those usually appearing around Black Friday despite it being weeks away. They're perfect for students and casual users, but gamers with a little more cash to spare can spring for the RTX-powered ASUS ROG NUC 970 while the saving lasts!

Beelink EQR6Was: $499.99Now: $379.99 at Amazon.com

Beelink EQR6
Was:
$499.99
Now:
$379.99 at Amazon.com

"It's pretty much near silent all of the time. I only ever heard the fans spin up during our benchmark testing and gaming/video rendering, and even then, it was still whisper quiet. It also doesn't get alarmingly hot, which explains why you pretty much never hear the fans. — Zac Bowden"

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 6600H/7 7735HS/9 6900HX RAM: 16GB/24GB Storage: 500GB/1TB Ports: 3x USB-A 3.0, 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C 10Gb, 2x HDMI 4K60, 2x Ethernet LAN, 1x combo audio

Launch date: 2024

👀See at: Amazon.com

Perfect for: Choice — Beelink offers variants with lower-spec CPUs and smaller storage to save cash if you don't need them.

Avoid if: You mostly use USB-C devices since there's only one front-facing port, so you might need a docking station (data only, no video-out.)

💰Price check: $435.99 at Newegg

Beelink SER5 PROWas: $329.99Now: $296 at Amazon.com

Beelink SER5 PRO
Was:
$329.99
Now:
$296 at Amazon.com

"If you're looking for an affordable mini-PC with a powerful AMD processor and don't mind it being on the older side, the SER5 Pro 5800H is a great choice. It's great for productivity and even some creative workflows. — Zac Bowden"

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H RAM: 16GB/32GB Storage: 500GB Ports: 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x Ethernet LAN, 1x combo audio

Launch date: 2023

👀See at: Amazon.com

Perfect for: Budget-friendly computing with ports for a modern DisplayPort monitor and high-speed USB devices.

Avoid if: You use intensive apps that rely on the GPU, like video editors or even gaming.

💰Price check: $420.99 at Newegg

Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8)Was:$649.99Now: $589.99 at Lenovo.com

Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8)
Was:
$649.99
Now:
$589.99 at Lenovo.com

"Lenovo's latest IdeaCentre Mini tempts even me, thanks to the substantial space-saving benefits and whisper-quiet operation. Just spring for the entry-level or mid-range option and upgrade it yourself because the top-end CPU pairing doesn't shine to its potential. — Ben Wilson"

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CPU: Intel Core i5-13500H/i5-13420H/i7-13620H/i7-13700H RAM: 8GB/16GB Storage: 512GB/1TB Ports: 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet LAN, 1x combo audio

Launch date: 2023

👀See at: Lenovo.com

Perfect for: Upgrades — Lenovo includes standard M.2 2280 storage and SODIMM memory that is user-replaceable.

Avoid if: You're looking for a compact gaming machine; Intel's Iris Xe graphics aren't strong enough for real-time rendering.

💰Price check: $719.99 at Amazon

ASUS ROG NUC 970Was: $2,199Now: $1,808.99 at Amazon.com

ASUS ROG NUC 970
Was:
$2,199
Now:
$1,808.99 at Amazon.com

"The fact that it supports up to four monitors means you can have a decent battle station without needing a large computer tower. It also works as a great gaming console alternative if you want to connect it to your TV and play your favorite PC games on your couch. — Rebecca Spear"

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H/9 185H RAM: 16GB/32GB GPU: RTX 4060 L/4070 L Storage: 512GB/1TB Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, 4x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 2.0, 1x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort, 1x Ethernet LAN, 1x combo audio, SD card reader

Launch date: 2024

👀See at: Amazon.com | Newegg.com

Perfect for: Gaming, thanks to the dedicated NVIDIA RTX graphics card inside. It's the closest version of a console-sized PC you'll find.

Avoid if: You don't absolutely need a space-saving machine because similarly-priced gaming laptops could match this performance.

💰Price check: $719.99 at Amazon

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

Which specs matter the most in a mini PC?

Lenovo's IdeaCentre Mini Gen 8 runs brilliantly and users can upgrade its memory or storage. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

A mini PC is exactly what it sounds like. It's a fully functional computer in a compact form, often so surprisingly tiny that it might give unfamiliar users an impression of being underpowered or otherwise inferior to a full-size desktop tower. However, most components inside come from some of the best laptops, specifically the processor (CPU) and often the memory (RAM), because they're already designed to fit in a small chassis.

Why you should trust me
Ben Wilson
Why you should trust me
Ben Wilson

I've tested countless variants of desktop PC components and laptops, seeing their parts migrate to some of the most fascinating and surprisingly capable mini PCs and experiencing first-hand how performant these little machines can be.

Solid-state storage (SSD) commonly uses the M.2 standard, which looks like a USB memory stick without the plastic casing and comes in ultra-skinny shapes small enough to fit inside any PC or laptop. So, besides the purpose-built power supply (PSU) and motherboard that everything connects to, the only outlier is a graphics card.

Almost all mini PCs rely on the processor's integrated graphics (iGPU) and will handle productivity tasks without issue, while mini PCs for gaming require the extra power that a discrete GPU provides. Even budget desktop graphics cards are generally too big to fit inside a mini PC, with even a compact, single-fan variant proving too chunky. It's another area where laptop-centric parts make an appearance in mini PCs, like NVIDIA's RTX 4060 and 4070 L variants available in ASUS' ROG NUC 970.

What can you use a mini PC for?

ASUS' ROG NUC 970 is a mini PC that can genuinely replace your console or gaming desktop. (Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)

Productivity is a common buzzword, but it's relevant here, with mini PCs proving particularly useful to students. It boils down to web browsing, working in apps like Microsoft 365 or Office, and some light creation in image editing suites and simplistic video editors like Clipchamp. Essentially, you can expect to do everything on a mini PC that you would on a laptop or desktop computer besides modern gaming unless the model you pick is geared explicitly towards it with a dedicated graphics card, and don't forget a discounted gaming monitor if you do.

That's not to say you couldn't play any casual titles with lighter minimum specification requirements, especially with titles around ten years or older — just don't expect to fire up Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 if you opt for a $300-400 machine with integrated graphics. If your day-to-day is more 'traditional' in that you're spending most of your time on a web browser like performance-optimized Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, then a mini PC is more than capable of providing an optimal Windows 11 experience.

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Ben Wilson
Senior Editor

Ben is a Senior Editor at Windows Central, covering everything related to technology hardware and software. He regularly goes hands-on with the latest Windows laptops, components inside custom gaming desktops, and any accessory compatible with PC and Xbox. His lifelong obsession with dismantling gadgets to see how they work led him to pursue a career in tech-centric journalism after a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support.