Mini gaming PCs are becoming increasingly popular, as advances in hardware in recent years have made it possible to enjoy powerful computers with minimal size.
This makes it an ideal option if you want to take your computer to your colleagues’ homes to play a few games of your favorite eSport, or if you are simply looking for a discreet PC that takes up as little space as possible.
If you also want to join the compact computer fever, in this article, you will find the best mini-gaming PCs on the market and how to choose the right one for you.
What is a mini gaming PC?
A mini gaming PC is a computer specially configured for gaming, just like any desktop gaming computer.
With the difference that its dimensions are extremely compact. Even more, than a PC mounted on a mini-ITX tower.
They are perfect for those who want to play on PC with a console feel or for those who do not have much space to accommodate their computer.
Inside we find the following components:
- Processor.
- Motherboard.
- Graphics card.
- RAM.
- Hard disk.
It usually is not possible to choose the components we want, but the equipment is already preconfigured with closed specifications.
However, in most cases, it is possible to upgrade some parts, especially RAM and hard disk.
Others, such as the processor, come soldered to the motherboard and it is not possible to change it (or at least it is not easy to do so, and if you do, you lose the warranty).
On the other hand, there is a type of mini PC known as barebones.
These are partially assembled equipment, which come with the chassis, motherboard and other basic components. To complete it, we must buy and install the rest of the parts ourselves, thus customizing part of the configuration.
Best mini gaming PCs:
Now that we have seen the features of these small gaming computers, we present a selection of the best that can currently be found on the market.
Millennium NUC 3
Millenium is an almost complete unknown in Spain, even for the most fans of video games. However, it has a lot of experience in the sector. It was one of the first brands in France that opted for e-sports already in 2002 and the commercialization of equipment, with hardware and peripherals from the hand of Schneider. Millenium has Monitors, mid-range computers, keyboards, mice and headsets specifically for gaming.
The NUC 3, offers 3 different models for the Millenium brand with impressive powers. Lioness, his younger brother Lissandra and the most economical model, Kogmaw.
The Millennium NUC 3 Kogmaw, mounts an Intel Core i5-9300H 2.4GHz processor and an Nvidia geForce RTX 2060 Graphics Card, 2×8 Go DDR4 2666 MHz RAM, in addition to the rest of components common to the Millennium NUC 3 family, such as the 1TB SDD, its great connectivity and excellent compact design.
Specs:
- Intel Core i5 9300H processor (2.4GHz Base – 4.1GHz Boost)
- Memoria RAM 2×8 Go DDR4 2666 MHz
- Nvidia geForce GTX 166O Ti 6Go graphics card
- SSD 500Go M.2 NVMe
- Power supply 500 Watts
- Dimensions : 238 x 216 x 96 mm (Height x Depth x Width) – 5.0L
- Weight : 4,1Kg
Neptun HX90G Series
Although it is not a mini-PC designed specifically for gaming, the power of its components makes it very versatile for any use.
This mini-PC has an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8 Cores processor and a configuration of up to 64 GB of RAM with 2 ports. It is very quiet and has liquid cooling so you can squeeze it to the maximum without temperature problems.
As we have mentioned, although it is not a specific PC for gaming, its performance when it comes to playing is surprising. More than enough to play any console emulator. And not only that also gets good results in PC games. You will be able to play Fortnite without problems in FULL HD.
MSI Creator P100A 12
The team designed for creators, multitasking and gaming thanks to its Geforce RTX 3060 graphics. A powerful versatile equipment ready to use. With Intel Alder Lake processor of last generation, 32 GB of RAM and 1TB SSD this team, halfway between a mini PC and a compact tower is an ideal solution for any task without taking up much space. Its design and two powerful fans allow optimal cooling for its most demanding use. It also incorporates LAN 2.5 Gbps and a large number of state-of-the-art ports.
Specs:
- 7th Gen Intel® Core ™ i12 processor
- The latest MSI GeForce® RTX 3060 graphics card
- Dual-channel memory with DDR4
- Wi-Fi 6E with up to 2.4 Gbps speed
- The Silent PRO cooling system
- 10.36 liters, the most compact desktop PC for creators
PROS
Very versatile team
Quiet and good cooling
Easily upgradeable
CONS
Its size although compact is somewhat large
Advantages of mini PC gamers
Mini gaming computers have several advantages over desktop gaming PCs.
Among them, the following stand out:
- They take up little space.
- They perform well for their size (as long as you choose the right model).
- They consume very little energy.
- They keep temperatures at bay.
- They are quite quiet.
- You can carry them back and forth easily.
Disadvantages of mini gaming PCs
But like everything in life, it also has some points against it. The clearest disadvantages are:
- They have few customization and upgrade options.
- They are not as powerful as desktop gaming computers.
- Its price is higher than normal-sized computers with similar specifications.
How to choose a mini gaming PC
Below we explain what aspects you should look for to choose the best mini-gaming computer according to your needs.
Barebone or preconfigured?
Do you want to set up your own computer, or do you prefer a mini PC ready to use?
This is the first thing you need to decide.
As we’ve already mentioned above, barebones allow you some customization leeway, as they only come with a few components. Most commonly, they include the chassis, motherboard and processor. The rest (RAM, hard drive) you have installed them.
If you have already mounted one Gaming computer by pieces and you enjoy tinkering with components, without a doubt this is your best choice.
They are also useful if you want to reuse parts of an old computer, although first you must make sure they are compatible.
On the other hand, pre-configured mini desktops come with everything you need from the factory. Just plug it in and start using it.
Processor
The choice of processor is fundamental since it is the component that will give power to your computer.
In addition, it cannot be easily replaced, so you will have to live a lot of time with the CPU of your choice.
Mini PCs typically use mobile processors, such as those found in laptops. They are designed to consume very little and maintain low temperatures.
Most mini-gaming computers have Intel processors, although there are more and more with AMD Ryzen inside.
As for specific models, if your main objective is to play, we recommend one of the following processors:
- Intel Core i3.
- Intel Core i5.
- Intel Core i7.
- Intel Core i9.
- AMD Ryzen 5.
- AMD Ryzen 7.
Other mini PCs bring processors more models such as Celeron or Atom, which will fall short quickly.
It is also important to check the version of the processor, something that in the case of Intel, you can do by looking at the letter that appears at the end of the model name:
- Mobile processors: These are the most common processors in laptops and their name ends in “Y” or “U”. They are more efficient but less powerful.
- Desktop processors: These are designed for full-size computers, so they are more powerful and consume more. You will know if you are facing one of them if the model name ends in “T”, “K” or any letter (it only contains numbers).
RAM
Mini PCs only support SO-DIMM memory modules, which are the same as laptops.
This means that you can’t use your desktop memory in them.
As for the quantity, we recommend at least 8GB, although the truth is that most models (and especially the cheapest) come with 4GB.
But this should not be a problem either, since in the future you can expand the memory.
Graphics card
Many mini PCs are so “mini” thanks to the fact that they do not have a dedicated graphics card. Instead, they use a graphics chip built into the processor, saving a lot of space.
- In Intel processors, this chip is known as Intel HD Graphics.
- In AMD Ryzen, graphics are based on Radeon Vega.
This solution is sufficient for playing videos, performing basic productivity tasks (such as editing photos and videos) and playing at low resolution and undemanding titles, such as eSport or classic games.
However, there are other models of mini gaming PC that do have separate graphics.
They are usually mobile versions of desktop graphics, the same ones that mount many gaming laptops. These cards allow you to run more powerful video games and at higher resolutions, although of course, they do not reach the level of desktop computers.
Storage
Here you have to take into account both the storage size and the type of hard drive.
As for the type, there are computers with mechanical hard disks (HDD) and solid state disks (SDD). You should choose one with SDDs, as they are much faster and lighter.
For the size (capacity), forget about any option below 128 GB if you do not want to run out of free space in a short time. And if it has 256GB or more, so much the better.
Connections
The connections of the mini PC will determine the number and variety of peripherals you can connect.
At a minimum, it will have an HDMI output for the monitor and several USB ports for the keyboard and mouse. But you can also find other connections:
- Jacks for microphones and headphones.
- SD card slot.
- USB Type C.
- Ethernet port.
- VGA.
- DVI.
It is very important that before making your purchase, you think carefully about what peripherals you are going to use with your mini gaming PC and, thus not take unpleasant surprises later.
Conclusions: play anywhere with the best mini-gaming PCs
Thanks to the latest great advances that have occurred in the world of hardware, small PCs are able to provide performance that a few years ago was unthinkable.
You can even find mini PCs ready to play games in virtual reality without going over the size of a shoebox.
Of course, a mini-computer focused on gaming with good specifications will always cost more than a normal desktop PC bought by pieces.
But the market is full of possibilities for all budgets. If you need the portability provided by this equipment, you will surely find one that suits what you are looking for.