For most individuals, a laptop is the default option when looking for a brand new laptop. It can work from home, it may possibly work on the go, and it has all the things constructed proper into it: a display, a keyboard, a trackpad, audio system, a webcam, and the pc itself.
But as handy as that is likely to be, a laptop computer may not be your best option relying on the way you’re going to make use of it. You could not want the entire package and kaboodle. Plus, there’s a very good little bit of engineering that goes into laptop computer designs — and that provides to the fee.
If your laptop computer goes for use at house on a regular basis, tethered to your desk with an exterior monitor and keyboard and mouse, and also you’re solely selecting a laptop computer since you don’t need to spend tons for a cumbersome pre-built desktop PC… then contemplate a mini PC as a substitute.
Mini PCs supply a number of advantages over laptops which are completely price it in the event you don’t want the innate portability that laptops supply.
Related: Why you shouldn’t buy a laptop based purely on its specs
Mini PCs are extra economical
Jared Newman / Foundry
While there’s no assure {that a} mini PC will all the time be cheaper than an equal laptop computer, it’s sometimes true that you could get a strong mini PC for a cheaper price than you’d pay for a laptop computer with related {hardware}.
That’s as a result of the mini PC can forego the prices of different components that aren’t included: show, keyboard, mouse, audio system, battery, and so on. If you have already got all that stuff, or in the event you plan to equip your laptop computer with a number of exterior peripherals, then you definately’re losing cash with a laptop computer.
For an excessive instance that drives house the purpose, examine the M2 Mac Mini with the M2 MacE-book Air. By skipping out on all the opposite “laptop” components, the Mac Mini solely prices $599 — considerably lower than the MacE-book Air’s $999 price ticket.
Which means in the event you’re available in the market for a particular vary (e.g., entry-level, mid-tier, high-end), then you definately’ll probably pay much less for a similar choices in the event you go together with a mini PC as a substitute of a laptop computer.
Mini PCs have higher efficiency
Mattias Inghe
Mini PCs have a bonus that enables for even larger efficiency than you’d get in related laptops: they aren’t constrained by the dimensions limitations that laptops require, so mini PCs have larger freedom with regards to their inner parts.
The bodily design of a laptop computer determines how air flows by the laptop computer, which impacts cooling. Laptops must stability warmth administration with efficiency. Meanwhile, mini PCs can form themselves nonetheless they need — and with more practical cooling, they’ll push their parts additional and eke out extra efficiency.
For instance, the $479 Beelink SER8 runs its Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU quick sufficient to attain over 13,000 factors in Cinebench R23’s multi-core check and 1,600 factors in its single-core check.
That places it fairly near the $850 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED laptop, which scores 13,777 and 1,508 in the identical assessments, respectively — and that’s with a Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, which is an improve over the mini PC’s chip.
It’s the same story on the Mac aspect of issues. Our associates over at MacWorld noticed the $699 M1 Mac Mini outperform the $999 M1 MacE-book Air in Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5 assessments. Talk about large financial savings!
Mini PCs don’t have batteries
Panos Sakalakis / Unsplash
Ignoring the fee and efficiency components that push mini PCs forward of laptops, right here’s one other huge one to think about: since mini PCs aren’t moveable, they don’t have any batteries.
Batteries could be problematic, not simply in laptops however in any moveable machine. The fixed charging and discharging generates further warmth that may hurt the opposite inner parts if pushed too onerous, and it additionally wears down on the battery’s lifespan.
Mini PCs have fewer components to fret about so far as longevity is worried, which suggests they often last more.
Mini PCs are simpler to improve
Jared Newman / Foundry
Most laptops don’t have sufficient inner area for upgrades. Maybe you possibly can swap out a chunk right here and there, however usually you’re caught with no matter configuration you purchase.
Mini PCs are a special story. The $399 GMKTec M5 Plus Gaming is likely to be a mini PC, nevertheless it’s spacious sufficient for an M.2 slot, a 2.5-inch SATA slot, and two SO-DIMM slots. So, regardless of coming with an M.2 drive, you possibly can improve with an additional SATA drive if you wish to — and you’ll improve the RAM modules past the preliminary configuration, despite the fact that this mannequin already comes with an ample 32GB put in.
In truth, a fast seek for “mini PC” on Newegg exhibits that almost all accessible mini PCs explicitly supply user-accessible RAM and help a number of storage drives (i.e., each SATA and M.2 slots).
Meanwhile, fashionable laptops sometimes include a single M.2 slot with no room for an additional drive, and so they generally include RAM modules which are soldered on. This means you possibly can solely improve your knowledge drive by changing it and you’ll’t improve your RAM in any respect.
Further studying: Killer PC upgrades that are shockingly cheap
Mini PCs have extra ports
Mattias Inghe
As laptops have gotten slimmer and smaller, sure facets needed to be sacrificed to get there — like ports and connectivity.
These days, you’d be fortunate to get two USB ports and a headset jack. Bonus factors in the event you additionally get an HDMI port. High-end laptops particularly have nearly given up on ports, such because the Dell XPS 13 that solely affords two USB-C ports. This means an excessive reliance on hubs and docks.
Mini PCs play to a special tune. The very first mini PC in my Newegg search contains 4 USB-A ports on one aspect, after which two HDMI 2.0 ports, two Ethernet ports, and a headset jack on one other aspect.
And that’s not even one of many extra spectacular mini PCs. The Minisforum UM690S has 4 10Gbps USB-A ports, two HDMI ports able to 4K@60Hz, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, and a Kensington lock slot — and all of that’s simply on the rear. The entrance moreover has a 10Gbps USB-C port, a USB4 port, and a headset jack.
Mini PCs is likely to be what you want
In quick, mini PCs supply extra bang on your buck than laptops, in a position to wring out extra efficiency from equal {hardware} and costing lower than laptops on the identical tier.
Of course, you’re giving up the innate portability of a laptop computer by choosing a mini PC, however that’s high-quality in the event you’re all the time at house anyway. You’ll even have to offer your individual keyboard, mouse, and monitor, however you may get them for reasonable and nonetheless pay lower than you’d for a laptop computer.
If you’re available in the market for a brand new machine and also you suppose your solely decisions are laptop computer, desktop, or pill, suppose once more. The mini PC is likely to be precisely the factor that serves you greatest for the value. We recurrently highlight mini PC deals in our editorial protection, so hit that hyperlink and poke round if you wish to save much more cash.
Related: I switched from a $1,000 desktop PC to a $300 mini PC and regret absolutely nothing