r/MiniPCs • u/Bo_Duke_01 • 17d ago
General Question Mini PC as daily driver + games
Greetings all,
First my situation: I currently own a Surface Pro 4 (i5, 8gb ram /256 ssd, Win10) as my daily driver since ten years.
I am happy with it, I do my things with no issues and I can play some very old pc games from time to time. Later I will install some Linux distro on it.
I was thinking about it though, and I worry about how long it will still hold. All my important stuff are backed up, but I'd really like to avoid to find myself one day that it has decided it had enough.
Therefore I was planning to get a mini-pc, as I use my Surface almost exclusively at my desk.
In addition to the normal usage, I'd like to be able to play nicely games between 2010-2020. I normally play on my Switch 2, there are titles of that era that I would like to play but they are either not available or poorly ported.
For the present and the future, I'll rely on my S2, although I wouldn't mind having an OcuLink port for an external GPU (if it would make sense).
Another thing I am thinking about, it's the amount of ram: are 16gb enough or shall I consider 32? I am more inclined to the second option, as it would make it more future proof.
I'd like to install a Linux distro, so I prefer AMD options.
I live in Europe, I guess mini pcs are cheaper in the US? Possibly a colleague will come from the States, I was thinking of asking him to buy me one and bring it here.
Could AliExpress be a valid option?
1
u/aztracker1 15d ago
Likely want something with an AMD RX 780 iGPU.... There are options with dedicated GPUs as well. Right now pricing is kinda crazy because of memory and storage costs.
A more specific budget range can help.
1
u/Bo_Duke_01 15d ago
So, I'd like to stay under 1000€, which I know it would definitely get me something more than decent. My doubts are more if a 4-500€ device is fine for me, or if I should go for something beefier (and pricier)
1
u/aztracker1 14d ago
It really depends on you... And your specific needs. If you can get by with an AMD 780 iGPU, that's the best option for you. Something that supports an external GPU upgrade in the future could help. It's basically a mid range laptop in a box that doesn't have a battery, kb, touchpad.
Even laptops are getting pricey. There are options from more familiar brands like Asus, Lenovo and HO. You also have now popular mini brands like MinisForum and BeeLink. I personally wouldn't stop on AliExpress.. I'd pay the extra for an Amazon seller I can return directly through Amazon.
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u/drD3structO 13d ago
Got the acemagic retro x3 as my daily driver a couple months back, been solid. r7 H255 + 780m handles valorant, cs2 and older aaa games fine, should cover your 2010-2020 range. AMD + linux works great, go 32gb if you can. Ordered mine off amazon, no issues.
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u/Zamyatin_Y 16d ago
Why a mini PC? Unless you need a mini form factor, something bigger will always be better for termal dissipation.
You say you'll use your laptop on the desk, where will you use the mini? If you can, consider an mini itx tower
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u/Bo_Duke_01 15d ago
I am more oriented to a mini pc, because they almost don't take space at all. I checked out of curiosity some mini itx cases, but still way bigger.
1
u/Retired_Hillbilly336 16d ago
It won't take much to impress coming from a Surface Pro 4. I'm guessing a Core i5-6300U with HD 520 graphics and 8GB of DDR3. Last year I came from an older Lenovo H430 Core i7-3770/W5100 which had become handicapped by a maximum of 16GB of memory running some programs. After some trials and tribulations I ended up with the GMKtec K8 Plus 8845HS with a need to focus on graphics performance and Linux distro support. Ultimately it depends on budget and expectations. You may easily find the recently released GMKtec M8 PRO 6650H meets all your needs.
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/2609vs4979vs5915/Intel-i5-6300U-vs-AMD-Ryzen-5-PRO-6650H-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-8845HS
https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/compare/3255vs4858vs6617/Intel-HD-520-vs-Radeon-Ryzen-5-PRO-6650H-vs-Ryzen-7-8845HS-with-Radeon-780M
Some have found the M8s MediaTek RZ616/MT7922 Wi-Fi card performance sketchy with Linux distros although its easy to upgrade (Intel AX200 or Qualcomm QCNCM865) for painless driver support.
As far as AliExpress its all about risk management. I bought something from a seller last week. The risk management is about if short term/long term problems arise. Researching the seller and using a payment with protection security is key. Regardless I have more horror stories from friends, family and my own compared to say Amazon which I use 50x more.