I’ve been flying the mini PC flag for some time now, after I realized just how much value these little computers could provide. The used mini PC market in particular was replete with machines that cost less than a Raspberry Pi. but could run circles around the popular single-board computer for just about any computing task.
I wrote that we are living in the golden age of mini PCs, but that it probably wouldn’t last. It happened even faster than I thought, but it seems that the good times with small computers are over, at least for now. So if you didn’t get yours while the getting was good, here’s what you missed out on.
Performance got good enough
Balance in all things
If you haven’t really been paying attention to mini PCs, you might still think of them as under-powered little computers that are good for nothing more than running a cash register or some other extremely basic task. The thing is, computer processors passed the “good enough” stage a long time ago.
Quiz
Mini PCs: History, hardware, hidden uses
Trivia challenge
From tiny boxes to powerhouse desktops — how much do you really know about mini PCs?
HistoryHardwareBrandsUse CasesDesign
Which company is widely credited with popularizing the modern mini PC form factor with its NUC (Next Unit of Computing) line, launched in 2013?
Correct! Intel introduced the NUC in 2013, defining what many consider the modern mini PC category. The NUC was roughly the size of a paperback book and used laptop-grade components to pack real computing power into a tiny chassis.
Not quite — it was Intel that launched the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) platform in 2013. While ASUS, Zotac, and others followed with their own mini PCs, Intel’s NUC set the template that much of the industry would imitate for years.
The Apple Mac mini, first released in 2005, was marketed with which memorable slogan emphasizing what buyers needed to supply themselves?
Correct! Apple marketed the original Mac mini with “BYODKM” — Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse. It was a clever pitch aimed at Windows switchers who already owned peripherals, letting Apple offer a Mac at the then-low price of $499.
The actual slogan was “BYODKM” — Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse. Apple used this catchy acronym to target Windows users who wanted to try a Mac without buying an entirely new setup, positioning the $499 Mac mini as an affordable entry point.
Most modern mini PCs use which type of processor, originally designed for laptops, to balance performance and thermal output in a compact chassis?
Correct! Mini PCs almost universally rely on mobile-class processors — like Intel’s U-series or H-series, or AMD’s equivalents — because their lower thermal design power (TDP) means less heat and no need for large cooling systems. This is the key engineering trade-off that makes the tiny form factor possible.
The right answer is mobile (U-series or H-series) processors. Full desktop CPUs generate far too much heat for a small enclosure, while ARM microcontrollers are too underpowered for general-purpose computing. Laptop chips hit the sweet spot of performance and efficiency that mini PCs depend on.
Mini PCs are extremely popular for running home media centers. Which open-source media software is most commonly installed on mini PCs for this purpose?
Correct! Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) has long been the go-to open-source software for turning a mini PC into a full home theater PC (HTPC). It supports plugins, streaming services, and local media libraries, making it incredibly flexible for living room setups.
While Plex and Jellyfin are also popular for home media, Kodi is historically the most iconic choice for mini PC home theater builds. Originally called XBMC (Xbox Media Center), Kodi has a massive plugin ecosystem and was practically synonymous with the HTPC mini PC use case for many years.
What storage interface, originally designed for SSDs in laptops, became the standard internal storage connection in most mini PCs, replacing older 2.5-inch SATA drives?
Correct! M.2 NVMe slots became the dominant storage interface in mini PCs because the small card form factor fits easily inside compact chassis, and NVMe speeds far exceed what older SATA connections could offer. Many modern mini PCs include one or two M.2 slots alongside an optional 2.5-inch bay.
The answer is M.2 NVMe. While mSATA was an earlier compact storage standard, it has largely been phased out in favor of M.2, which supports the much faster NVMe protocol. M.2 drives are credit-card-sized and slot directly into the motherboard, making them ideal for space-constrained mini PC designs.
Which Chinese brand, often compared to a “mini PC powerhouse,” rose to global prominence around 2022–2023 with highly affordable mini PCs like the MinisForum Venus series?
Correct! MinisForum became a standout name in the mini PC space around 2022–2023, gaining attention for packing AMD Ryzen and even discrete GPU options into compact chassis at competitive prices. Their Venus series, featuring dedicated graphics, challenged the idea that mini PCs had to sacrifice gaming performance.
The answer is MinisForum. While Beelink, Geekom, and Acemagic are all legitimate Chinese mini PC brands that gained popularity in the same era, MinisForum made the biggest splash with performance-focused models like the Venus series, which included discrete Radeon graphics in a palm-sized box.
Beyond home use, mini PCs are widely deployed in commercial settings for one particular application. Which of the following is the most common enterprise use case for mini PCs?
Correct! Digital signage and kiosk terminals are one of the most widespread commercial applications for mini PCs. Their small size lets them mount invisibly behind displays, their low power consumption keeps operating costs down, and their standard x86 architecture means they run ordinary Windows or Linux software without special configurations.
The most common enterprise use case is digital signage and kiosk terminals. You’ll find mini PCs hidden behind restaurant menu boards, airport information screens, and retail displays worldwide. They’re ideal because they’re discreet, energy-efficient, and capable of running standard software without the bulk of a traditional PC.
Intel discontinued its own NUC product line in 2023, handing the brand to a partner. Which company took over the NUC brand and product line?
Correct! ASUS acquired Intel’s NUC business in 2023, continuing the lineup under the ASUS NUC branding. Intel decided to exit the finished product business to focus on its core chip manufacturing and design operations, and ASUS — already a major NUC manufacturing partner — was a natural fit to carry the torch.
It was ASUS that took over the NUC brand from Intel in 2023. Intel had long partnered with ASUS for NUC manufacturing, so the transition made sense. Intel’s decision to divest the NUC line was part of a broader strategy to concentrate on semiconductors rather than finished consumer hardware products.
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We can go all the way back to Intel’s Sandy Bridge generation of CPUs and find processor cores that are still more than powerful enough for browsing the web, doing office work, and most of the things people do with their computers every day. Even 15 years later, software developers haven’t managed to bloat basic computer tasks so much that it won’t work well on older processors.
Have a look at this video by Budget-Builds Official, where a Sandy Bridge Core i5 2400 is put through its paces in a modern context.
Clearly this processor is overkill for general-purpose computing even today, and it’s a common CPU to find in old mini PCs. My Plex mini PC server has a dual-core Haswell CPU (one generation newer than above) and it has zero issues with direct 4K streams, or (with hardware acceleration) transcoding.
So, in short, there are lots of mini PCs out there that can do what you need.
The part people missed: they were unusually cheap
We had it good
Used mini PCs were usually depreciated tax writeoffs from companies on a fixed upgrade cycle, and refurbishers snapped them up for scrap, checked that everything worked, and then put them out for a quick buck. This was a great deal for anyone who wanted to do homelab stuff or otherwise just needed a basic computer to do a basic job. Sure, Windows 11 support is an issue on the older stuff, but that’s nothing a nice modern Linux distro can’t solve.
But it wasn’t just used and refurbished mini PCs that were a good deal. As they became more popular, and the market expanded, new systems from numerous OEMs were going for great prices. Look at this price history for the Beelink S13 Mini PC.
At one point, the price dipped all the way down to around the $150 mark, but over time it’s creeped up to over $400 for some models.
- CPU
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Celeron FCBGA1264 3.6GHz
- Graphics
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Integrated Intel Graphics 24EUs 1000MHz
The Beelink Mini S13 Pro desktop PC is a ultra-compact computer powered by the Intel N150 processor. Shipping with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 500GB SSD, this micro desktop is perfect for a variety of workloads. From running simple server programs to replacing your old PC, the Beelink S13 Pro is up to the task.
The shift that ended it (without anyone noticing)
All good things…
That the mini PC fun has ended shouldn’t be too surprising. We all know about the cost of RAM and SSDs rising. These are, of course, two key components in any PC, mini or otherwise. So the latest models that use the latest RAM and SSD generations are going to feel the squeeze.
These are still “cheap” computers in the greater scheme of things, but the value proposition has been destroyed. The only mini PC that still feels like great value to me is, ironically, the Apple Mac Mini. If you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars on a mini PC, it might as well be one that can actually replace a desktop PC when it comes to performance.
What you actually missed
I still love mini PCs as computers and as a concept, but unless you can still find a few genuine good deals on them where you are, it seems that for now it’s probably better to hold off. That said, a potential alternative is to build your own machine from parts that people generally give away for free.
RAM, motherboards, and CPUs from 15 years ago are considered e-waste, but as we’ve seen, the performance potential is excellent. The smallest you might manage is an ITX build, but if you’re looking for performance per dollar, there is still a way.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
