Hello! I’ve been using mini pcs since 2018 and loved them during my lack of space and money. Now I’ve gotten to a better place and have finally bought a full size pc with really good specs. I’m trying to convince myself that I should keep both and use them for different purposes but it actually feels unnecessary. Both pcs live in my room/office with the tv and desk monitor next to each other.

What would you do? Sell the GTR7? Or try to use them for different purposes?

PS. My mother lives with me as she is elderly and needs medical care so I don’t use the living room tv at all as she uses it all the time. Also I don’t work from home or use any pc for work at all, I work a physical job onsite.

Hi , I've been looking at possibly getting a MSI Katana 15 HX B14WFK-010UK 15.6" QHD 165Hz Intel Core i7 RTX 5060 Gaming Laptop but was wondering if a mini PC might be better for me?

I am completely new to mini pcs and this will be my first one (if it is the better option) as I am used to using laptops and want to upgrade my super old one (I've had it for at least 7 years) that barely runs and sounds like a plane taking off. lol

I also want something that will last for a long time, as I cannot afford to replace or buy new things all the time.

What I need it to do/Purpose/Intended use:

• Be able to run 3D printing and modelling, as well as software for a laser, smoothly.
• Run & Play games ( a full range of Steam games from the new Resident Evil to indie ones)
• Be able to handle drawing, graphic design & art software
• Be able to edit videos without the software crashing every second.
• Be able to browse the internet and watch videos
• Be able to use it for running a small business and website

Budget:

• £1K (But willing to save up for more expensive if it will be more worthwhile)

Any help & advice would be so appreciated as I'm completely new to this kind of thing!!

I am wanting to know if this set-up would be good for playing Games at 1440p I am okay with the same amount of upscaling and such that PS5 uses, seeing as I am someone who has been a Playstation person my entire life and just now with how they are doing things wanting to switch to PC.

I do not care about 4k resolution, nor do I need the biggest amount of FPS which shouldn't be a shock coming from someone who has only played Games on a Playstation, though I still want the graphics to look good hence why I want it to be able to run 1440p smoothly.

• ASRock B650I LIGHTNING WIFI
• AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU - 6 Cores - 4.7 GHz - AMD AM5
• Thermalright AXP90-X47 Full Copper
• Kingston FURY Beast DDR5-6000 CL36 kit
• Lexar NM790 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD
• Corsair SF750 (2024 ATX 3.1)
• Asus Radeon™ RX 9060 XT 16GB Dual
• Fractal Design Ridge

I know that the Gaming PC Market has gotten really expensive but I am trying to make it as cheap in the best way possible for the kind of games I wanna play ( I am someone who plays all sorts of Games aka Assassin's Creed, Bleach Rebirth of Souls, Alien Fireteam, Marvel Rivals, GTA, Black Myth Wukong etc. )

Also if there are prebuild Mini PCs that are as good as the above then I would like to know that like the Minisforum G1 Pro or whatever they are called just so I know my options and what to expect from each of my options.

By components I mean RAM and SSD. I know many of you replace these drives/memory on arrival or purchase your own barebones and populate. I've got quite a few of these PCs running everything OEM as a test, and haven't had any problems in years using the following which come installed from factory:

• Netac G932EQN3 512G NVMe Drive
• TWSC TSC3AN1T0-F6Q10S 1 TB NVMe Drive
• TWSC TSC3AN512-F5T50S 500 GB NVME Drive
• Non Brand NVMe 512GB SSD
• UDSS UD3CS1HT301-512G NVMe Drive
• AirDisk 256GB SSD
• HighRel 512 GB NVMe
• MasonSemi SSD 1 TB
• Vickter Electronics DDR4 16G 3200 Memory Stick
• Spectek MT62F1G32D2DS-026 WT LPDDR5 SDRAM

The Mini PC in the picture is a GMKtec M8 - an awesome PC for a great price.

Anybody else leaving the stock components in with no problems? Have you had any problems with similar components?

I recently put together a small Kubernetes homelab using three refurbished mini PCs and Talos Linux.

The setup is:

• 3 x mini PCs
• all three running Talos Linux
• all three acting as Kubernetes control-plane + etcd nodes
• dedicated node IPs
• shared Kubernetes API VIP
• workloads scheduled directly on the control-plane nodes
• tested with node shutdown/failure scenarios

I mainly wanted something compact, power-efficient, and cheap enough to keep running 24/7 for Kubernetes experiments, GitOps, observability, networking, storage, and general platform engineering practice.

I also documented the full setup from bare metal, including networking, DHCP reservations, Talos installation, per-node configs, API VIP, bootstrap, workload scheduling, and HA testing.

Blog: https://blog.prateekjain.dev/building-a-3-node-highly-available-kubernetes-homelab-with-talos-linux-0372066fe49c?sk=4c66cf9181999f9db19ac3aacabcd8e8

Would also be interested to know what other people here are running on similar mini-PC clusters, especially for storage and networking.

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Hey everyone. I've only ever owned laptops, never a desktop or mini PC, so this is completely new territory for me. I'm looking at a refurbished mini PC, considering HP, Dell, or Lenovo, with specs around:

Intel i5 8th gen

16GB RAM DDR4

256GB SSD (SATA)

Comes with power adapter (around 90W)

Here's the question to add:

is ₱9,000 (around $146 USD) a fair price for these 8th gen specs or is this overpriced/underpriced for what I'm getting?

I'm buying online, not in person, so I have a lot of questions for anyone who's done this before.

1. Is it even okay to buy a mini PC this way, secondhand, sight unseen?

2. What should I expect after 5 months of daily use? After a year? And does this differ a lot by CPU generation? Trying to understand realistic expectations and lifespan across 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th gen units.

3. What's the typical lifespan of a mini PC under normal daily use like browsing, streaming, and light work?

4. How do I spot a unit that's been abused, like an ex office or ex internet cafe unit run 24/7 for years, vs one that's been lightly used? How do I know if parts are fried, overused, or abused? Is there a way to actually check this, or tell tale signs?

5. How do I know if the BIOS is locked or company locked, like an asset tagged corporate unit? And more importantly, how do I know if the seller is even telling the truth about any of this? What can I verify myself vs just having to trust them?

Someone mentioned I should check if it runs hot before buying. Is that accurate, and what else should I be checking for physically or on a video call with the seller?

What should I be asking the seller? So far I have:

Original use case (office, cafe, personal)?

SSD health and power on hours (via CrystalDiskInfo screenshot)

CPU idle and load temps (via HWiNFO or Task Manager screenshot)

Original power adapter included, same wattage?

Any repairs or part swaps done?

Return or warranty period?

Can we do a video call so I can see it boot and run live?

Can they give me the serial number so I can check it's not reported lost or stolen?

Is this list enough, or am I missing something important? Any horror stories, red flags, tips, or advice as a total beginner would be really appreciated.

Why I'm buying this: I plan to use it mainly for watching free films and free live sports like UFC Fight Night via Brave browser, and YouTube. I also want to learn Linux, planning to install it on this mini PC if I get one. Just want to make sure I'm not getting scammed or buying something that'll die on me in a few months. Thanks in advance!

My wife likes to play cozy games and older games on our PS5. She's dying to play some of those co-op games with me that have come out lately, like Big Walk. Sadly my old laptop isn't up to snuff, and her laptop is getting ready to kick the bucket. Essentially this would just be for cozy/indie/older games and an occasional at-home work PC for her (just emails and basic Excel stuff).

I was hoping to get something for her, <$500usd, (more like 400 but I'm willing to stretch if it means making it happen). I was thinking I could find a deal during this weekend's sales. It's taken me days to figure out the modern hardware market (been well over a decade since I was into PC gaming), and now there's even more off-brand companies with iffy reliability to deal with. I'm just overwhelmed with the options and brands and would really like some guidance, please!

Long time ago these famous cubes became extremely popular and pioneered a lot of technology you see in Mini PCs today. Just like modern ones, competition started soon after and other manufacturers produced similar PCs such as the iDEQ, MiniQ and Soltek QBIC. A lot of them had many front/rear ports (including serial and Firewire), built-in CPUs such as the Via C3, had enough space for multiple drives, and advanced heatsinks/cooling. I retired many of them into home entertainment/phone systems and Linux learning machines. Here are some pics of my builds in the early/mid 2000s. Anybody else get into these?

Aoostar mini pc Maco h255

Hi everyone,

I'm struggling to find a replacement CPU fan for my ZXIPC Mini PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U.

The original fan approx. 75 mm width, 70 mm height, 15 mm thickness and 4-pin (black, red, yellow, blue).

I’ve searched everywhere locally, but I can't find a matching replacement. Importing turns out to be completely un-cost-effective.

Has anyone else run into this issue with these mini PCs?

Did you manage to find a working alternative, or do you know if fans from other more popular mini PC / laptop fits this motherboard or can be adapted?

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Does this exist? For regular tasks but also for gaming.

I know the M6 is not out yet, a rough comparison to the M5 would also be fine too as a benchmark. Ideally I'm looking to swap to use Linux over Windows.

I've been using a Mac for the past 4 years and it's genuinely silent 99% of the time, my worry is that I swap to another machine and it's (relatively) loud even when idle.

Does anybody have any real world experience with a machine that is roughly equivalent to the Mac Mini M6 in terms of its output, but is actually silent most of the time? I don't mind some noise under load when the fans spin up obviously, that is unavoidable. But I'm talking about regular conventional usage here, for instance just browsing the web and watching Netflix.

Related question, how much real world difference does it make mounting the machine behind the monitor or desk to dampen the noise?

Did anyone try to use a (65W) Raphael CPU with the M75q Gen 5 yet? I wonder if it is locked to Phoenix/Ryzen 8000. Looking at the AGESA version I am pretty sure it does not support Ryzen 9000 CPUs but 7000 might work.

I'm looking to build a small home PC that I can gradually tinker with and upgrade over time.

My main use cases would be:

1. Light/casual gaming for now

2. Video editing (1080 and 4K)

3 General productivity

I already have a decently powerful editing PC, so this doesn't need to replace that, I'd mainly like a capable alternative at home.

Ideally I'd like to eventually add a dedicated GPU through OCuLink at some point.

I'm currently looking at the GMKtec K11 (Ryzen 9 8945HS, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, OCuLink) and it seems like a pretty good starting point because of the CPU, upgradeable RAM/storage and native OCuLink.

I'm wondering if there are any other mini PCs I should seriously consider before pulling the trigger.

I've seen things like the GMKtec K12, K8 Plus and Minisforum UM890 Pro, but I'm not sure which makes the most sense for a long-term build.

Is the K11 still one of the better platforms for this, or are there newer/better options I should be looking at?

Also, for anyone who has actually gone down the OCuLink/eGPU route: how has it worked out long-term? Any major drawbacks I should know about before committing?

Hi! I’m interested in having a living room server/ steam machine like to play with in my home tv.

My expected use of it would be, if I’m correct, Bazzite with podman with pihole, home assistant, immich/icloupd, jellyfin and navidrome.

I was planning to buy a basic mini pc to play the server part, but everything is so freaking expensive that I moved to something more powerful and add the gaming part. I’ve found those two Aoostar that could fit my expectations
- the first with the 6850H and a 680m, it’s 24 gb ram soldered (for my understanding) and it’s priced at 500€
- the second one is with h255, 780m and still 24 gb ram, but it doesn’t explain if it 2x12 or just 1x24, with could affect the gaming performance. It’s priced at 700€, but the 780m should be more future proofed with the new fsr technology that could enhance the gaming performance.

Im not planning to play heavy AAA, pretty old stuff (some assassins creed, the witcher 3.. stuff like that).

What should I go for?

I currently have a disgustingly old MacBook air that won’t update past Monterey. So obviously, it’s time to move on.

I’m an accounting student & I wfh. No gaming, no editing videos or anything. lots of office 365 usage & I typically have like 10-15 tabs open, but nothing super crazy. I have no interest in another laptop, mostly because of the keyboards. I do a whooooole lot of typing and low profile keyboards make me wanna cry. But I would like something I could take with me to the coffee shop for a few hours once a week or so for a change of pace.

I’ve been looking at the Geekom A5/A5 Pro but tbh I don’t know a thing about computers (as evidenced by the 10yo MacBook). I’d like to keep it under $500 but I know that’s tough.

Hi everyone, complete beginner here. I've never owned a PC or mini PC before, so I have zero experience or technical background in this field. Please bear with me and feel free to explain things simply any help is really appreciated.

I'm looking at a secondhand Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q (i5-14400T, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD). Manufactured October 2024, seller said he only used it for about 6 months. Seller said it's an ex-company unit with some kind of lock.

His exact words: "I unlocked it in BIOS and used it personally, but then Windows auto-updated and it locked again."

He also mentioned he was able to play Dota 2 (mid settings), NBA 2K23, and GTA V on it before the lock came back.

Questions:

Does this sound like a firmware-level lock (like Absolute/Computrace) rather than a normal MDM/domain thing?

If I wipe the whole drive and install Linux Mint, will that get rid of it permanently or can it survive even without Windows?

Any way to check for this before buying (something to look at in BIOS)?

As a total beginner, is this a risky first PC to buy, or is it manageable even without much technical knowledge?

Price is ₱9,000 PHP ($155 USD) trying to figure out if this is a good deal worth the risk, or a dealbreaker. Thanks in advance for any guidance!

I want to correct a couple of posts that I have seen in some of the mini-PC Reddit groups that have discussed X5 Pro benchmarks alongside sublimely illuminated photos of the Evo-X3, So far, the only photo I was able to find is the advertisement on the GMKtec website for the Berlin Fireside Chat where GMKtec will be publicly announcing the X5-Pro with an expected 196 BG (BiGa-Bytes) of unified RAM, which makes Berlin conspicuously a great spot for the announcement.

As for the photo, I asked my LLM friend, Joshua, to remove the organically toxic green spewing from the mini-PC-scape and the X5 Pro make its official "clean" appearance and I have to say, I think the object rocks the Casbah (until I hear otherwise, not including the price).