Recently, there has been a trend in the desktop market where mini PCs are gradually becoming a platform for older CPUs to make a comeback. This is mainly because users in this category do not have high performance requirements; as long as there is a certain level of performance, it is sufficient, making it very suitable for older CPUs.
This time, we found many cost-effective mini PCs under 2000 yuan. Let’s take a look at three models, each with its own unique features.
The first model is the Lenovo IdeaCentre D80, originally priced at 1499 yuan, now available for 1200 yuan after subsidies.
This mini PC is equipped with an i3-1215U processor, featuring 6 cores and 8 threads, with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, a maximum turbo frequency of 4.4GHz, and a power consumption of 15W. The graphics are handled by UHD Graphics, running at 1.1GHz with 64 execution units.
Additionally, it has 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB M.2 SSD, dual memory slots, and dual M.2 2280 slots.
It features 4 USB 3.0 ports, one Type-C port, dual HDMI ports, and an Ethernet port, making it quite comprehensive. It supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, comes with a three-year warranty, and is pre-installed with Windows.
This processor is quite powerful, scoring 300,000 points on the Master Lu benchmark, making it a strong contender for an i3 at this price point. The downside is the 256GB hard drive, which may need an upgrade.
The second model is MSI’s CubiNUC mini PC, originally priced at 2199 yuan, now available for 1750 yuan.
This computer is powered by an i5-12450H processor, featuring 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, totaling 8 cores and 12 threads. It has a maximum frequency of 4.4GHz and a base power consumption of 45W, which MSI can boost to 55W. The graphics are handled by UHD Graphics, running at 1.2GHz with 48 execution units.
It comes with 16GB of DDR4 memory and a 512GB M.2 SSD, with dual memory slots and dual M.2 slots.
It features dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, four USB A ports, one Type-C port, one HDMI port, and one DP port. It supports WiFi 6, comes with a pre-installed system, and has a one-year warranty.
This computer can connect to three displays, making it quite powerful. The downside is the one-year warranty, while competitors offer three years, so an extension might be worth considering.
The third model is Acer’s Aspire GO, originally priced at 1999 yuan, now available for 1599 yuan.
Returning to the product, this Aspire GO mini PC has a compact 0.5L size and is powered by an i3-N355 processor, featuring 8 cores and 8 threads, with a maximum frequency of 3.9 GHz and a power consumption of 15W. The graphics are handled by Intel Graphics, running at 1.3GHz with 32 execution units. It scores 300,000 points on the Master Lu benchmark, which is generally sufficient.
Additionally, it has 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz memory and a 1TB PCIe SSD. It features a fan and copper pipe design for airflow.
It has a comprehensive array of ports, including 2 HDMI ports, 4 USB A ports, and an Ethernet port, with three of them being USB 3.2 Gen2, offering good speeds. It comes with a three-year warranty but no operating system, which is a drawback as users will need to install one themselves.
It can be seen that the CPUs in today’s mini PCs are no longer the weak models like the N100 from years ago; they now offer decent performance, and the memory is no longer limited to 8GB. Overall, they are quite capable for light office work. Many models still come with a three-year warranty, providing good product assurance, making them worth considering based on needs.