The term "microcomputer" has its origins in the 1970s—the "micro" of the personal computers emerging then lay in stark contrast to the room-size mainframe beasts of the day. But fast-forward half a century or so, and—oh, micro, how you have changed!

Most of the acceleration toward super-small in desktop PCs has happened over the last decade. Of course, it's still easy enough to find ordinary business boxes and hulking power towers packed with big video cards and multiple platter-based hard drives. But starting with the "small-form-factor" (SFF) PC revolution of the '00s, many desktops have gone from half-size towers to compact cubes to, in their most extreme reduction, sticks not a whole lot bigger than a USB flash drive.

A big reason why? Graphics acceleration and other essential features, handled in the past by separate chips or bulky cards, have been subsumed under the CPU. Nowadays, small-ification is getting to the point where you can't go all that much smaller. You need to leave some space for ports to plug in a thing or two.

Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon')

Pros	Cons
+ Super-trim profile	- Not an option for gamers
+ Very good CPU	- Must factor SSD, RAM, and OS costs
+ Clean, class-NUC design
+ Above-average connectivity
+ Supports up to four direct-connected displays

Why We Picked It

Though public events and tradeshows that call for display kiosks are on ice at the moment, there are still plenty of pertinent uses for Intel's classic Next Unit of Computing (NUC) family of mini PCs. Newly released models like the NUC 11 Pro Kit NUC11TNKi5 (starting at $450 for a bare-bones model), based on the chipmaker's "Tiger Canyon" mini PC platform and "Tiger Lake" mobile CPUs, showcase this perfectly.

Petite yet powerful, the NUC11TNKi5 gives you the power of a PC multiple times its size in the palm of your hand. And while diminutive desktops have traditionally attracted very specific customers and niche use cases, the new power budget of options like this one might start to change that narrative for good. While the NUC 11 Pro's gaming performance is predictably ho-hum (though better than past models', thanks to new Iris Xe integrated silicon), as a machine made for general work and browsing tasks, it fills its role (and its little chassis) to the fullest. It rates an Editors' Choice award as one of the best traditional-size small-form-factor (SFF) PCs on shelves today.

Intel NUC 12 Extreme Kit ('Dragon Canyon')

Pros	Cons
+ Ultra-compact for a gaming PC	- Only available as a barebones unit
+ Fits a full-length graphics card	- Light-up skull faceplate isn't for everyone
+ Intel 12th gen CPU elevates performance	- Uses DDR4, not DDR5, RAM
+ Impressive connectivity and M.2 storage support

Why We Picked It

Intel’s Next Unit of Computing (NUC) mini-PCs are a long-running platform that lets the big chip maker showcase how much performance and functionality can fit in a compact, minimalist desktop design. The NUC 12 Extreme Kit under review here (dubbed “Dragon Canyon” during its development) is a gaming desktop barely larger than a game console, but packing in some major firepower: a 12th Generation Intel “Alder Lake” Core desktop processor, plus the space and power delivery for a full-length graphics card. Not only that, but it’s also entirely end-user upgradable, from its SO-DIMM RAM and three M.2 storage-drive slots to its actual CPU, via Intel's unique Compute Element platform.

A traditional mid-tower desktop with these specs would doubtlessly cost less; sold only as a barebones unit, the NUC 12 Extreme Kit starts at $1,150 with a Core i7 Compute Element installed, jumping to $1,450 for the Core i9 version we’re testing. That’s before you add your own RAM, storage, operating system, and graphics card. But the allure of a mini-PC that can do it all is undeniable, and the NUC 12 Extreme Kit’s outstanding performance and practicality make it our top gaming mini-PC, and a repeat Editors' Choice award winner.

ECS Liva Q3 Plus

Pros	Cons
+ Uber-compact design	- Limited local storage
+ Quiet operation	- No USBC port
+ Suprisingly strong port selection	- Lacks the latest wireless standards
+ Smooth 4K streaming
+ Capable of some multitasking in Windows
+ Available with or without Windows preinstalled

Why We Picked It

The ECS Liva Q3 Plus (starts at $332; $550 as tested) is a capable and quiet mini PC, which were two things that we couldn’t say about its predecessor, the Liva Q2, whose meager performance limited it to single-program productivity work or display duty and whose loud cooling fan never ceased. In addition to better performance and acoustics inside what is still one of the mini-est of mini-PC enclosures, the Liva Q3 Plus offers improved connectivity with the addition of a third USB port and a mini-DisplayPort connection. The system is based on an embedded AMD Ryzen V1605B chip that features four processing cores and integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics. Local storage is a bit tight, but there’s a microSD card slot if you need to expand. You’d be hard pressed to find a better budget-minded mini PC in such a tiny package for such a low price.

Geekom IT8 Mini PC

Pros	Cons
+ Full system that includes RAM and storage	- Outdated CPU
+ Quiet operation	- Peripherals not included
+ Multi-monitor support
+ Plenty of ports, and even some room for internal expansion

Why We Picked It

Think of it as a NUC from another name. We regularly see ultra-small desktops or mini PCs from Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) series. The NUCs are usually sold as bare-bones kits to which you add memory and storage before deploying the tiny system mounted behind an office monitor, in a customer kiosk, or as a media streamer in your home theater. The Geekom IT8 Mini PC (starts at $439.99; $549.99 as configured) is a bit different: it's a complete system with RAM and an SSD preinstalled for a diminutive desktop that's a snap to set up and start using. Even with an outdated CPU (one of Intel's 8th rather than current 12th Generation CPUs), it's a surprisingly capable sample with a useful array of ports, support for multiple monitors, and even a bit of room inside to expand. Add an affordable price and quiet operation, and the IT8 is a fine alternative to an Intel NUC for light work, display signage, and other mini PC applications.

Intel NUC 11 Enthuasist Kit NUC11PHKi7C

Pros	Cons
+ Packs a ton of processor and GPU power	- A bit bulky relative to classic NUCs
+ Customizable lighting panel
+ Superb selection of ports for a PC its size

Why We Picked It

If you're looking for a small, unassuming, yet surprisingly powerful mini PC to hide some gaming prowess in your living room (or, yawn, provide a new level of horsepower for your 8K corporate signage), the Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast Kit (NUC11PHKi7C) could be the petite desktop for you. This NUC, while not the most powerful we've ever tested, punches well above its size class, walking that fine line between bulk and brawn with finesse. Among mini PCs, it's in a class by itself if you need both serious discrete-GPU power and exceptionally flexible display output in a PC that's barely there. Just mind the total cost of components and OS if you go the kit route. (You can buy it as the $1,075 bare-bones model tested here, or as a slightly costlier preconfigured unit.) Either way, it's a dynamo and our new Editors' Choice pick for power-user mini PCs.

5. Asrock DeskMini X300

Pros	Cons
+ Compact and low-cost	- Optional fan is a little loud
+ Easy to built out	- The best compatible AMD CPUs
+ Can host plenty of storage and RAM	- Must supply and install own M.2 WiFi module
+ Boots quickly
+ Pleasant aesthetics, including optional internal lighting

Why We Picked It

At first glance, Asrock's DeskMini X300 ($169.99) looks very similar to the company's other mini PCs, though the front panel has a bit more flair. On the inside, though, the X300 is something else entirely. Unlike Asrock's other compact desktops, the X300 is based on AMD technology and has completely different strengths and weaknesses. Since it's a bare-bones system (you supply the CPU, RAM, storage, and operating system), performance will vary greatly depending on the AMD graphics-equipped processor (up to 65 watts) and supporting components that you install. But one thing is for certain: You can squeeze a bit more graphics power out of the X300 given the capability of AMD's on-chip Radeon graphics versus the integrated graphics on Intel's equivalent desktop CPUs.

6. Dell Precision 3240 Compact

Pros	Cons
+ Powerful and compact	- Pricey
+ ISV certified	- AC adapter is external
+ VESA mounting options
+ Easy to upgrade
+ Standard 3-year warranty

Why We Picked It

Dell’s Precision 3240 Compact (starts at $839; $3,047 as tested) is a mini desktop workstation for space-conscious professionals. About the size of a thick hardcover book, it features up to a 10-core Intel Xeon processor and Nvidia Quadro RTX-class graphics for performance that can rival that of larger towers. It also offers good end-user serviceability, VESA mounting options, and a standard three-year warranty. It’s an excellent, if not necessarily superior, alternative to HP’s Z2 Mini G5. You'll get better value out of full-size desktop workstation towers, to be sure, but this model and HP's Mini effort trade blows in the wee-workstation space.

7. HP Z2 Mini G9

Pros	Cons
+ Compact VESA-compatible design	- Can get louder than expected
+ Impressive performance	- External power brick
+ Easily servicable
+ Ample connectivity
+ Modular I/O ports

Why We Picked It

HP’s compact Z2 Mini desktop workstations have long been favorites of ours. Though we found little wrong with the previous model, HP decided to redesign it anyway, and the subsequent Z2 Mini G9 (starts at $1,209; about $3,000 as tested) is the best yet. Intel's 12th Generation "Alder Lake" silicon brings vastly improved performance to this wee workstation, and the new model even finds room for an industry-standard replaceable graphics card. Naturally, a larger tower chassis will provide more expandability, but if saving space tops your list, so should the Z2 Mini G9. It easily takes Editors' Choice honors as a super-petite workstation.

8. Lenovo ThinkCentre M270q Tiny

Pros	Cons
+ Tons of at-purchase configs	- Minimal room for internal expansion beyond 2.5" bay
+ Includes security features for businesses	- Bundled keyboard and mouse are wired and subpar
+ Chassis is compact, rugged and easily serviced
+ Plenty of ports
+ Runs quietly

Why We Picked It

Lenovo's ThinkCentre M720q Tiny ($389.99 starting price, $764 as tested) is a low-lying small-form-factor PC kitted out for the business set. In our test model, it packs an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 desktop processor inside a compact chassis for space-constrained offices and cubicles. The M720q is designed to sit horizontally, but Lenovo includes a tiny stand that lets you orient it vertically, if you like. And once it's tucked out of the way, you'll hardly know it's there; the M720q operates in near silence. Add in our test model's support for multiple monitors and a host of security features, and the ThinkCentre M720q Tiny is a good bet for businesses that prioritize trim dimensions and office acoustics over upgradability.

9. Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT

Pros	Cons
+ Silent operation	- Memory tops out at 4GB
+ Compact and rugged chassis with no moving parts	- Only possible internal expansion is storage via an M.2 slot
+ Core i3 CPU can handle basic office tasks and HD video streaming
+ Plenty of ports despite tiny chassis

Why We Picked It

Lenovo sells two versions of its ThinkCentre Nano, the tiniest desktop in its mini PC line. There's the ThinkCentre M90n Nano we reviewed a month ago, and then there's the ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT seen here. The former is the more powerful (up to a Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM), but it relies on a constantly spinning cooling fan to keep thermals in check. The ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT (starts at $359; $479 as tested) offers less power (Celeron and Core i3 options only, and topping out at 4GB of RAM), but it operates in blissful silence. For an office-productivity machine or in a living room as a streaming device, I'd pick the fanless Nano IoT. I wouldn't want to sit next to the noisy, actively cooled Nano at a desk, and I don't need its added power to smoothly stream 4K videos on my TV. The Core i3-based ThinkCentre M90n Nano IoT proved to be a capable, silent addition to my home theater setup, and it also served for basic office use. And as the "IoT" in the name suggests, you can also deploy it for vertical-market tasks; it features a few legacy ports to interact with specialized hardware.

10. Beelink GK Mini

Pros	Cons
+ Highly compact	- Even with RAM boost, slow for anything but simple display tasks
+ Low price for a full Windows PC with 8GB of RAM	- Costs more than competing laptops
+ Two HDMI ports
+ WiFi supported included

Why We Picked It

Though public events and tradeshows that call for display kiosks are on ice at the moment, there are still plenty of pertinent uses for Intel's classic Next Unit of Computing (NUC) family of mini PCs. Newly released models like the NUC 11 Pro Kit NUC11TNKi5 (starting at $450 for a bare-bones model), based on the chipmaker's "Tiger Canyon" mini PC platform and "Tiger Lake" mobile CPUs, showcase this perfectly.

Petite yet powerful, the NUC11TNKi5 gives you the power of a PC multiple times its size in the palm of your hand. And while diminutive desktops have traditionally attracted very specific customers and niche use cases, the new power budget of options like this one might start to change that narrative for good. While the NUC 11 Pro's gaming performance is predictably ho-hum (though better than past models', thanks to new Iris Xe integrated silicon), as a machine made for general work and browsing tasks, it fills its role (and its little chassis) to the fullest. It rates an Editors' Choice award as one of the best traditional-size small-form-factor (SFF) PCs on shelves today.

11. ECS liva Z3

Pros	Cons
+ Small	- Modest performance rules out complex tasks
+ Included mounting gear	- Peripherals not included
+ Access for storage and memory upgrades
+ HDMI and mini DP with 4K support
+ Affordable

Why We Picked It

Been shopping for a tiny desktop around the internet? The ECS Liva Z3 is going to look pretty familiar. These days, mini PCs from many different manufacturers look like they all come off the same assembly line. Similar boxy profiles and basic black panels look like somebody copied-and-pasted the Intel NUC over and over again, with minor cosmetic changes here and there. The ECS Liva Z3 (starts at $220; $250 as tested) doesn’t stray from that template, looking just like the recently reviewed Beelink GK Mini and other NUC-like systems. But it still has something to offer: a low price that makes it a great choice if you're on a budget. That's provided, of course, that you can accept the performance limitations that come with the Liva Z3’s Pentium processor and eMMC storage.

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Mini PCs: How to Define Degrees of 'Small'

As a result, we're seeing some clear stratification in the market for tiny desktop PCs. The very smallest PCs might be termed the "stick class," vanguarded by the Atom-CPU-powered Intel Compute Stick we first reviewed in early 2015 (and again in its refreshed, Cherry Trail Atom and Core m3 forms in 2016), followed by similar sticks from Asus, Azulle, Lenovo, and others.

These are really only suitable for display/signage use or extremely basic applications, and after a promising debut a several years back, have not seen all that much evolution or momentum. You can still find them on the market, but they have failed to have a major impact. A few vendors (notably, Azulle) still make them, though.

The models next up in size are a bit more dynamic, a bunch we might term the "NUC class." NUC stands for "Next Unit of Computing," a longtime initiative by Intel to spur the development of very small Windows-based desktop PCs using its mobile-centric processors. The chip giant has released a series of NUC-branded mini-PC kits in its own line, and several of the traditional PC-component makers have followed suit with similar models (Asus with its VivoMini line, and Gigabyte with its Brix models, for example).

The NUC PCs and their ilk tend to be around 5 or 6 inches square, though Intel's 2020 NUC 9 Extreme (followed on by a 2021 NUC 11 Extreme version) changes this somewhat. The NUC 9 was a new mini-PC platform that Intel is encouraging partner manufacturers to utilize for many different types of PCs, based on a core-computing module called the Compute Element. While it's technically a mini PC, full retail models from partners, such as the Razer Tomahawk, can be much larger than the small square boxes we're used to associating with NUCs.

Separate from those is a host of PCs that are undeniably small but follow their own shape and size rules. Zotac, a major player in small PCs (and one of the category's unsung early innovators), offers a huge range of Zbox PCs that range in size from a fat smartphone to a bulky Discman. Shuttle, too, is another small-PC pioneer, offering machines in a host of shapes. On the macOS side of things, the venerable Apple Mac Mini is a sleek, square silver box with rounded edges that saw a big update in late 2020. Like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it received Apple's homegrown M1 processor, greatly increasing its performance.

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Should You Buy Bare Bones or Ready-Configured?

Not all mini PCs ship as complete systems; more so than any other class of PC, they tend not to.

Especially in the case of Intel's NUC kits, Shuttle's small PCs, and many of Zotac's Zboxes, you get what amounts to a PC kit: a tiny chassis with a motherboard pre-installed. (In some cases, a soldered-on processor is in place, as opposed to a socketed one.) Plus, in most cases, wireless connectivity is built in. To complete the kit, you have to shop for and install a storage drive (a hard drive and/or a solid-state drive, depending on the model) and RAM modules, and install your own operating system.

This arrangement is what's called in reseller lingo a "bare-bones PC." You'll want to make sure you know what you are getting. In some cases, a given mini system is sold in bare-bones form, as well as in pre-configured versions with storage, RAM, and Windows present.

You need to factor those parts and a Windows license (unless you plan to use Linux) into the total cost. The parts you will need, mind you, will be small: the kind that you'd typically find in a laptop, not a desktop. Many small PCs like these make use of DDR4 SO-DIMMs—laptop-style RAM modules—for their main memory instead of full-size desktop DDR4 DIMMs.

The form factor of the storage varies more. Depending on the mini PC you are looking at, you may need a 2.5-inch drive (a solid-state or hard drive, the size that goes into most full-size laptops), or a cutting-edge variety of SSD that's known as an M.2 SSD. Such drives are the size and shape of a stick of chewing gum. Check out our guide to these complicated drives at the link; if you need to install an M.2 SSD in a bare-bones desktop, you need to know about some interface/bus and sizing subtleties before you shop. (It's too easy, otherwise, to buy an incompatible drive.)

If a given system is a bare-bones kit, you'll need to get more than a little hands-on with it to get it up and running. But a kit gives you maximum flexibility in terms of component selection. That said, one advantage of a pre-configured system, apart from the easier setup, is the fact that Windows or macOS comes installed; you won't need to install and update the OS and its drivers.

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Should You Get Dedicated or Integrated Graphics?

Most mini PCs are as "mini" as they are because they rely on the basic-grade graphics acceleration built into the CPU to power their video outputs—no separate graphics card is involved. This integrated graphics silicon will suffice for productivity work and video playback.

A few outlying models, though, do incorporate the same kind of separate, dedicated mobile graphics chips that appear in gaming laptops. Among them are Zotac's Zbox Magnus models, which employ dedicated GeForce graphics muscular enough for serious PC gaming at reasonable detail settings at 1080p (1,920 by 1,080 pixels) and, in some cases, higher resolutions. The 2021 Dell Precision 3240 Compact even makes use of Nvidia's professional-grade graphics and up to Intel Xeon processors for workstation-grade tasks.

In particular, newer Intel NUC models have begun including, or at least offering the option, for GPU support. The 2018 "Kaby Lake-G" Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7HVK ("Hades Canyon") (since out of support) included AMD's peppy Radeon RX Vega M graphics acceleration on the same die as processor. (Earlier Intel NUCs relied solely on Intel's own integrated HD Graphics or Iris solutions.) That means well-above-average graphics performance in a system this size.

Since then, larger NUC models have even offered support for full-size GPUs, but in a notably larger form factor. The Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit ("Beast Canyon"), for instance, can fit a dual-slot graphics card up to 12 inches long. That opens up some serious productivity and gaming power, but you are of course are starting to creep out of the truly "mini" size category.

The thing is, if you're sticking with a truly small PC, a dedicated graphics chip is seldom an option, simply because of space and thermal-design reasons. The peppier Iris Xe integrated graphics processor (IGP) silicon introduced starting in Intel's 11th Generation "Tiger Lake" CPUs is one helpful solution for those staying with IGPs. Designed for mobile systems, it would also seem a perfect fit for mini PCs, and Iris Xe has shown solid improvement in NUCs like the Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit ("Tiger Canyon"), and in Iris Xe laptop reviews.

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Connectivity and Mountability

Some mini PCs include mounting kits that let you attach them to the back of an LCD monitor. Check for that feature if space savings of that kind is important to you. And check the back of your monitor for mounting holes, which, if present, normally comply with the VESA mounting standard.

Also check for 802.11 Wi-Fi (wireless networking) of some flavor. Most micro PCs include at least that as a standard feature (and a bunch more also incorporate Bluetooth), but double-check that the system or kit doesn't require the purchase of a separate Wi-Fi card in the Mini-PCI Express or M.2 form factor. Some do.

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Which CPUs Should You Look for in a Mini PC?

You'll see a variety of mobile-grade CPUs in the small PCs out there, ranging from Intel Atom and Celeron chips (very basic, and good at best for simple productivity work, e-mailing, and web browsing) up to Core i5 and i7 (and in a few cases, i9) processors that can do some modest media-crunching and rendering work. It's crucial that you know, however, if you are looking at a mobile-grade CPU (the kind used in laptops) or a desktop-strength chip. The size of the PC isn't always a good predictor of that. (That said, the very smallest PCs will always use mobile chips.)

How to tell? Most of the mini PCs on the market make use of Intel silicon, and the dead giveaway whether you're looking at a mobile CPU or a desktop one is usually (but not always) the letter at the end of the processor's number. Look for a "T" or a "K," or no letter at all, as a dead giveaway for a desktop chip (for example, Core i5-9400T), or a "U" or "Y" (or with the very latest chips, possibly a "G3," "G5," or "G7") for a mobile one. The chip family and generation being equal, you can generally expect more muscle (usually a consequence of more cores and higher base clocks) from the desktop version of, say, a Core i5 than from a mobile Core i5.

In addition, Intel chips ending in "H" are a higher-powered grade of mobile processor, occupying the middle ground between the mainstream mobile chips and all-out socketed desktop chips. They are uncommon in mini-desktops, though. There are now some occasional AMD flavors as well, such as the AMD Ryzen V1605B in the ECS Liva Q3 Plus.

What should you glean from that mobile-versus-desktop insight? Our benchmark testing will quantify the trends, but none of the mobile-grade chips in these small PCs is a proper substitute for a desktop chip if you're a heavy multitasker, or a media pro who needs real processing muscle, say, to convert lots of video or photo files from one format to another. In most cases, the CPU is the single biggest factor in the cost of a mini PC, so keep an eye on the performance numbers in our reviews for a relative idea of what you are getting.

Rule of thumb? For light office work, you can get by with a mobile or desktop Core i3- or Pentium-based mini-PC, but you'll want to err on the side of a higher-end, desktop-strength Core chip if you'll need extra pep for serious multitasking, file conversions, heavy calculation-based work, or multimedia content manipulation. Celeron chips, meanwhile, are okay for only the very lightest of tasks, or undemanding digital display/signage use. Atoms (which are mostly gone from the market) are best avoided except for single-use, mostly passive tasks.

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So, Which Mini PC Should I Buy?

Check out the list below for our latest mini PC recommendations. If you're shopping for a small desktop to save money, you'll also want to check out our picks for the top cheap desktops.

If you'd like to go a bit bigger, head on over to our top choices for standard-size desktops, which include some small-form-factor PCs, or see our guide to the top all-in-one desktops, which tend to be trim and feature built-in displays.