This article will discuss not the “ITX host” type of mini PC, but rather a smaller version that those interested in digital technology should be familiar with: the NUC. This is a product form proposed by Intel a few years ago, whose full name is (Next Unit of Computing), which translates to Next Generation Computing Unit.

In the past, we generally had either desktop computers, like the one below:

Or laptops.

Although there are some modified or special products, they are not a mainstream product category. Since Intel proposed the NUC, the mini PC market has gradually begun to heat up. Intel’s push is certainly important, but another core reason is that laptop CPUs are also becoming more powerful. When mainstream performance can fully meet mainstream needs, there is a demand for some additional features, such as size and portability, and the popularity of M.2 solid-state drives has accelerated this trend.

Intel’s specifications for the NUC are stricter, but for the average person, this doesn’t mean much. Let’s talk about the characteristics of commercially available mini PCs:

• Uses laptop CPUs or low-power CPUs, and laptop memory

• Some have VESA interfaces, which can be mounted behind monitors

• Most can only support a maximum of 2.5-inch hard drives, and many only support M.2 solid-state drives

• Compact size, roughly the size of a palm or slightly larger

Then the main drawbacks:

They typically have cooling fans similar to laptops, with average cooling performance. This is why they use low-power or laptop platforms.

Poor expandability, similar to some gaming laptops; generally, memory is replaceable, solid-state drives usually have two slots, but apart from that, the CPU and GPU (which are mostly integrated graphics) cannot be upgraded. Although there is hope for future external GPU connections through Oculink, this clearly seems a bit impractical.

However, now that performance is usable, these drawbacks are not as significant as they once seemed, which does not warrant denying this product. So, if your performance needs are generally met by mainstream laptops, and you need something portable (some people use it as a second PC to carry to work or other places)

Finally, let’s summarize some current purchasing suggestions.

1. Start from the price, and do not recommend choosing something too new.

New means lower cost performance. Most of these Mini PCs have CPU iterations synchronized with laptops, so currently, Intel has the Ultra series CPUs, and AMD has the 8000 series, which correspond to corresponding Mini PC products. However, the premium is indeed high. For example, in the case of ASUS, why not buy a laptop for the same price? Not only does it use the Ultra5, but it also has a larger solid-state drive, plus a screen and keyboard. Remember, laptops can connect to monitors through docks, achieving nearly the same functionality as Mini PCs, but laptops come with a built-in screen and keyboard, which Mini PCs cannot offer.

Specific “old” models from Intel are the 13th and 12th generation i5, i7, etc., such as 12500H, 12700H, 13500H/13700H, etc. From AMD, the 6800H, 6900H, and some 7840HS models can be considered if the price is reasonable. The 8845 is just a rebranded 7840HS, so there is basically no difference between the two. This is also why those equipped with 7840HS haven’t dropped much in price.

2. Try to choose standard voltage H suffix models, and avoid U suffix models. A representative example is the NUC PC, while HP’s Zhan66 Mini uses a U series ultra-low voltage CPU. Although it can meet office needs, choosing it is not very necessary.

In fact, HP has many series derived from commercial use, such as EliteDesk, ProDesk, etc. You can find second-hand systems from commercial use, even using desktop-level low-power CPUs ending with T, like 6500T, etc.

And CPUs with a P suffix from Xiaomi, which are between U and H in terms of power consumption, can be chosen, but are not highly recommended.

3. Avoid being tempted by cheap N series models (old N5095, new N95, N100, etc.). Although they are sufficient for basic office tasks, their upper limits are very limited. Based on their power consumption and performance, they are more recommended for use as soft routers, and as computers, they generally serve as public “form-filling machines”.

4. Solid-state drives are currently quite expensive. If storage requirements are not high, it is more cost-effective to buy built-in ones rather than barebones systems. Additionally, some manufacturers’ mini PCs come pre-installed with systems, and some even include Office suites, as these are legitimate software, which also adds to the cost, while barebones systems definitely do not have this.

Of course, recently, solid-state prices have risen significantly, and manufacturers are quite cunning. Many models that used to come with memory and solid-state drives for just a few hundred more are now out of stock and only sell barebones systems (requiring users to add memory and solid-state drives themselves, which can be quite painful with some DDR5 + solid-state combinations).

However, note that if you buy memory and solid-state drives separately, do not buy overly powerful solid-state drives, and it is recommended to add thermal pads for heat dissipation. High-performance ones may not be able to perform to their fullest (also pay attention to the interface version), and they may generate more heat.

5. Lastly, buying models with dual network ports has additional benefits—if you get bored, you can use them as soft routers when you retire them, but this point does not need to be overly concerned about (it can also be expanded via USB, but it’s not as neat and comfortable as having dual network ports natively).

Specific Product Recommendations

The first recommended product with a good cost-performance ratio is the Hasee War God Mini, but its shape is special, and it cannot be mounted on a monitor. However, for ¥1899, you get a complete setup with a 12th generation i5 + 16G memory + 512G solid-state drive + pre-installed system—what more could you ask for?

Colorful this one has a 12th generation i5, and the price is very reasonable, but as mentioned above, versions with memory and solid-state drives are often out of stock. Its configuration of 16 + 512G for less than 2000 is more appropriate.

If you can’t buy that, Haier’s is another comparable option, and it has an additional 2.5G network port compared to Colorful.

Then for high performance, the Mechanical Engineer has one; do you think these two models look familiar? That’s right, the one from Haier is actually produced by Mechanical Engineer. Its i7 + 16G + 1TB product is what I consider the upper price limit for mini PCs; if it’s priced higher without any outstanding features, you might as well buy a laptop.

If you prefer AMD, the Zero刻 SER7 models are also acceptable, with decent cost performance (after all, their performance is there), but not outstanding. The biggest advantage of AMD is its integrated graphics, whether it’s the R9 6900HX’s 680M or the R7 7840HS’s 780M, both can reach the level of entry-level discrete graphics, such as GTX1650. If you also want to play some entry-level games, this is a better choice (to play smoothly at high resolutions like 2K or 4K, you would need to consider this).

The Mingfan UM690WT uses the 6900HX and is also worth considering.