For work, school or home – the mini PC is the new ‘go to’ solution. Cost effective, portable and quite powerful these days.
Ideal for any office type applications, development, design and web surfing but they are not suitable for any intensive 3D gaming.
You don’t need a giant tower PC to get performance anymore, laptops are rather expensive and you generally have to plug them into larger screens with docking stations if you plan on using them extensively. Productivity on a larger 27″ dual display setup with separate keyboard and mouse is far more efficient than with a standard laptop. If you really need to take it with you on the road, it will plug into any TV or screen wherever you are.
First lets look at the all the products on offer and then we will show you our new low cost choice for 2025/2026.
Top 10 Mini PCs are:
- HP EliteDesk or ProDesk Mini PC
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M Tiny Series Mini PC
- MSI Cubi NUC
- Asus NUC Mini PC
- Dell OptiPlex Micro Plus
- GMKtec NucBox
- Apple Mac Mini
- Geekom Mini PC
- Minisforum Mini PC
- Beelink Mini PC
HP EliteDesk & ProDesk Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £450 – £1,500+
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 30,000+
- Customer Ratings: Generally very high (4.5/5 stars). Customers praise their reliability, quiet operation, and build quality. Negative feedback, when it occurs, is usually related to the higher price point compared to consumer brands.
- Summary: HP’s business-focused mini PCs are lauded for their corporate-level security and robust construction. They are a “set it and forget it” solution for professional environments. While you pay a premium, that cost covers extensive security features, long-term support, and the peace of mind that comes with enterprise-grade hardware.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M Tiny Series Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £400 – £1,400+
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 28,000+
- Customer Ratings: Consistently excellent (4.6/5 stars). Users highlight the legendary Think-brand durability, compact size, and surprisingly strong performance. They are considered workhorses. The design is seen as functional rather than stylish, which is a pro for its target audience.
- Summary: A benchmark for the business mini PC, the ThinkCentre M Tiny series is celebrated for its ruggedness and reliability. They offer a fantastic blend of performance and a compact, durable design with easy serviceability, making them a favorite of IT professionals and businesses.
MSI Cubi NUC
- Costs (Typical Range): £250 (barebones) – £900
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 20,000+
- Customer Ratings: Generally positive (4.2/5 stars). Users appreciate the stylish designs, versatility, and the option to buy barebones kits. Some feedback mentions that cooling on the higher-end models can be audible under heavy load.
- Summary: MSI’s Cubi NUC line is a versatile all-rounder for home and small business use. It offers a good balance of style, performance, and price. The availability of barebones kits makes it a flexible option for those who want to customize their build.
Asus NUC Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £300 – £1,600+ (for ROG models)
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,500 – 30,000+
- Customer Ratings: Very high (4.5/5 stars). Praised for packing immense power, especially the ROG gaming models, into a tiny chassis. Excellent connectivity (Thunderbolt) is a frequently cited benefit. The primary drawback is the premium price on high-end models.
- Summary: Asus has successfully carried the NUC legacy forward, focusing on high performance and cutting-edge features. From essential office machines to beastly compact gaming rigs (ROG NUC), they offer a powerful and feature-rich solution for almost any need, albeit at a premium.
Dell OptiPlex Micro Plus
- Costs (Typical Range): £450 – £1,300+
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 27,000+
- Customer Ratings: Consistently high (4.5/5 stars). Buyers, typically from a corporate background, value the reliability, ease of deployment, and Dell’s excellent business support. The tool-less design is also a frequently praised feature for easy upgrades.
- Summary: A cornerstone of the corporate world, the OptiPlex Micro is Dell’s answer to a compact, manageable, and secure business desktop. It’s a supremely reliable choice for organizations, especially those already utilizing Dell’s ecosystem.
GMKtec NucBox
- Costs (Typical Range): £200 – £800
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 30,000+
- Customer Ratings: Good to very good (4.3/5 stars). Customers are consistently impressed with the incredible performance-to-price ratio. The brand delivers high benchmark scores for the money. Some reviews mention that build materials can feel less premium than top-tier brands.
- Summary: GMKtec is the value-for-performance champion. They pack powerful, modern CPUs into affordable packages, making high performance accessible to a broader audience. It’s an excellent choice for home users and enthusiasts who want the most power for their pound.
Apple Mac Mini
- Costs (Typical Range): £649 – £2,500+ (with upgrades)
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 9,500 (M2) – 15,000+ (M2 Pro)
- Customer Ratings: Exceptional (4.8/5 stars). Users are overwhelmingly positive about the speed, silence, and power efficiency of Apple’s M-series chips. The seamless integration with other Apple products and the premium build quality are major highlights. The lack of user upgradability is the main criticism.
- Summary: The Mac Mini is in a class of its own, offering phenomenal performance and efficiency thanks to Apple’s integrated silicon and macOS. It is the default choice for creative professionals and anyone invested in the Apple ecosystem seeking a compact desktop.
Geekom Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £250 – £850
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 28,000+
- Customer Ratings: Very good (4.4/5 stars). Geekom receives positive reviews for its solid build quality, generous port selection, and reliable “out-of-the-box” experience. They are seen as a dependable and well-rounded choice that balances price and features effectively.
- Summary: Geekom excels at creating reliable, well-balanced mini PCs that offer fantastic value. They are a safe and popular choice for users who want a no-fuss, feature-rich compact computer for home, office, or media center use without paying a premium.
Minisforum Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £300 – £1,100+
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,500 – 30,000+
- Customer Ratings: Very high among enthusiasts (4.6/5 stars). This brand is praised for its innovation and for consistently pushing the performance boundaries with the latest CPUs. Their powerful and often uniquely designed systems are a hit with the tech-savvy crowd.
- Summary: Minisforum is the brand for enthusiasts. They are performance leaders in the mini PC space, often being the first to market with cutting-edge processors. If you want the absolute most power for demanding tasks or gaming in the smallest possible form factor, Minisforum is a top contender.
Beelink Mini PC
- Costs (Typical Range): £180 – £750
- CPU Performance (Multi-Core Range): ≈ 5,000 – 29,000+
- Customer Ratings: Good to very good (4.3/5 stars). Beelink is famous for its affordability. Customers frequently express surprise at the high level of performance offered at such low price points. They are considered one of the best budget-friendly brands.
- Summary: Beelink is a king of the budget mini PC market. They offer an extensive range of products that provide an unbeatable balance of performance and price. For home theaters, light gaming, or general productivity on a budget, Beelink provides a capable and highly affordable solution.
Our Mini PC Picks:
Corporate: Lenovo ThinkCentre or the HP EliteDesk.
Small to Medium Business: Asus NUC Mini PC or MSI Cubi NUC or GMKtec NucBox
Home, School or SME Office: GMKtec NucBox
GMKtec NucBox Price and Performance Table:
| Model Number | CPU | CPU Benchmark Single Core | CPU Benchmark Multi Core | Typical Price Range (£) |
| High-Performance “K” Series | ||||
| NucBox K11 | AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | 3,843 | 29,697 | £750 – £950 |
| NucBox K10 | Intel Core i9-13900HK | 3,792 | 27,605 | £700 – £900 |
| NucBox K8 Plus | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS | 3,734 | 28,437 | £650 – £850 |
| NucBox K4 | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | 3,868 | 30,015 | £600 – £800 |
| Mainstream “M” Series | ||||
| NucBox M6 | AMD Ryzen 5 6600H | 3,175 | 18,639 | £350 – £500 |
| NucBox M5 Plus | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | 3,044 | 18,071 | £300 – £450 |
| NucBox M5 | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | 2,555 | 15,567 | £280 – £420 |
| NucBox M3 | Intel Core i5-12450H | 3,299 | 16,193 | £300 – £450 |
| Compact and Efficient “G” Series | Below this line is too slow | Under 9200 not recommended * | ||
| NucBox G5 | Intel N97 | 2,053 | 5,913 | £200 – £280 |
| NucBox G3 | Intel N100 | 1,901 | 5,374 | £180 – £260 |
| NucBox G2 Plus / G3 Plus | Intel N150 | 1,910 | 5,456 | £180 – £260 |
| NucBox G1 | Intel N95 | 1,916 | 5,317 | £170 – £250 |
* Don’t buy under system that does not have at least 9200 on PassMarks Multi Core CPU Benchmark. Aim for 16Gb of Ram and 500Gb+ NVMe
