what models should you pay attention to?

Mini PCs are becoming increasingly popular due to their compactness and power. With their help, users can solve a wide range of problems in limited space. In this review, we will look at the current mini-PC models, their main characteristics, functionality and cost. Whether you're looking for a device for office, study, or entertainment, there's an option to suit every need and budget.

Topton D13

Source.

Topton D13 is a compact mini PC that measures just 108 x 108 x 60 mm. It features a powerful AMD Ryzen™ 7 7840HS processor, 32GB of LPDDR5-6400 RAM, and three M.2 2280 slots for PCIe 4.0 x4 storage. The device is versatile, supporting an external graphics dock via the OCuLink port and the ability to connect up to three displays, making it an excellent solution for a variety of tasks.

The device has active cooling. The wooden top adds a stylish touch to the design, I guess.

Characteristics

Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 7840HS, 8 Zen 4 cores, TDP 35-54 W.
RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5-6400 (stacked).
Storage: three M.2 2280 slots (PCIe 4.0 x4), support up to 6 TB PCIe NVMe (at additional cost).
Ports:

1 x USB4 40 Gbps,
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A,
2 x HDMI 2.1,
2 x LAN 2.5 Gbps (Intel® i226-V),
1 x 3.5 mm audio jack,

Wireless: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2.

Graphics: integrated Radeon 780M with 12 RDNA and three GPU units,

eGPU support: OCuLink for external graphics dock with 64 Gbps bandwidth.

The Topton D13 mini PC is available on AliExpress with a starting price of around $400 for the 32GB RAM version, no storage or operating system.

GMKtec EVO-X1 HX370

Source.

The GMKtec EVO-X1 HX370 is a compact mini PC from Chinese manufacturer GMKtec that is powered by the latest AMD Strix Point processor, the AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370. The device supports high-speed external graphics connectivity via the OCuLink port, making it an excellent choice for those who wants to combine the compactness of the device with the ability to use a powerful graphics dock. The GMKtec EVO-X1 HX370 also features high levels of performance and energy efficiency thanks to its processor with an integrated AI computing chip.

Characteristics

Processor: AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370, 12 cores, 24 threads, 4 Zen 5 cores and 8 Zen 5C cores, up to 5.1 GHz.
RAM: LPDDR5x-7500 (assembled).
Graphics: integrated AMD Radeon 890M, 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU units, frequency up to 2.9 GHz
AI support: Ryzen AI with performance up to 50 Tops.
Ports:

1 x OCuLink 64 Gbps,
1 x USB Type-C,
2 x USB Type-A (front panel),
1 x 3.5 mm audio jack.

So far, GMKtec has not announced the price and release date of the GMKtec EVO-X1 HX370. Details are expected after release.

Apple Mac Mini (2024)

Source.

Apple's new 2024 Mac Mini is a compact desktop computer with a redesigned design that takes up half the desktop space of previous models. The main changes affected processors and ports. The base model features an M4 chip, while higher-end configurations feature an M4 Pro chip, delivering significant performance gains, especially for 3D rendering and video processing tasks. The M4 Pro model offers Thunderbolt 5 support for high-speed data transfer and support for high-resolution displays. This makes Mac Mini a versatile solution for work and creative tasks.

Thunderbolt 5 on the M4 Pro model offers bidirectional data speeds of up to 80 Gbps and asymmetric speeds of up to 120 Gbps for video output. This is one of the few desktop PCs with such capabilities.

M4 Specifications

Processor: ten cores (four productive and six energy-efficient).
Graphics: ten cores.
Neural Engine: 16-core.
Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s.
RAM / Storage: from 16 GB / 256 GB to 32 GB / 2 TB
Ports: 3 x Thunderbolt 4 up to 40 Gbps.
Display support: up to three displays (2 x 6K/60Hz + 1 x 5K/60Hz or 1 x 5K/60Hz + 1 x 8K/60Hz).
Wireless: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3.
Additionally: built-in speaker.

Specifications M4 PRO

Processor: 12 cores (eight high-performance and four energy-efficient).
Graphics: 16 cores, upgradeable to 20 cores for an additional fee.
Neural Engine: 16-core.
Memory bandwidth: 273 GB/s.
RAM/Storage: 24 GB/512 GB to 64 GB/8 TB
Ports:

3 x Thunderbolt 5 (up to 120 Gbps),
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps),
1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5 mm audio jack,
1 x Ethernet (Gbit or 10 GB),
1 x Power.

Display support: up to three displays (3 x 6K/60 GHz or 1 x 6K/60 GHz + 1 x 8K/60 GHz)

Wireless: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3.

Additionally: built-in speaker.

Source.

The Mac Mini is available for pre-order starting at $599 for the M4 chip model and $1,399 for the M4 Pro version. The expected start date of sales is November 8, 2024.

Asus NUC 14 Essential (NUC14MNK)

Source.

The Asus NUC 14 Essential is a compact desktop computer measuring 135 x 115 x 36mm that supports up to three displays. Ideal for multimedia and office tasks. The device is one of the first models compatible with the latest Intel N-series processors, including as-yet unannounced chips that offer improved performance and energy efficiency. Asus offers this model as a completely finished PC or as a barebones version without memory, storage and operating system.

The device is focused on connecting multiple displays, offering a wide range of ports, including support for DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1. An important feature of the model is the presence of a 2.5 Gbit/s Ethernet port for a high-speed network connection, which is rare in compact systems of this class.

Characteristics

Four processor options are available:

Intel® N97 (4 cores, Intel UHD Graphics, 12 W TDP);
Intel® N150 (6 MB cache, up to 3.6 GHz, 6 W TDP);
Intel® N250 (6 MB cache, up to 3.8 GHz, 6 W TDP);
Intel® Core 3 N355 (6 MB cache, up to 3.9 GHz, 15 W TDP).

RAM: up to 16 GB, single-channel DDR5-4800.

Storage: One M.2 2280/2242 PCIe Gen 3 x4 slot (NVMe or SATA support).

Ports:

1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps with DisplayPort 1.4 support);
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps, data only);
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps);
1 x USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps);
1 x HDMI 2.1;
1 x DisplayPort 1.4;
1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet (RTL8125BG-CG);
1 x 3.5 mm audio jack;
1 x power input (19V/3.42A, 65W).

Wireless: WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.x.

Display support: up to 3 displays.

While Asus has not announced the exact price and release date of the NUC 14 Essential, this information is expected soon.

MINISFORUM EliteMini AI370

Source.

MINISFORUM EliteMini AI370 is one of the first mini PCs to feature AMD Strix Point processor with Zen 5 cores, RDNA 3.5 graphics and Ryzen AI Neural Processor for high-performance artificial intelligence computing. The device supports up to three 4K displays simultaneously at 120Hz, and the compact, rugged design makes it ideal for both home and work environments.

Characteristics

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, 12 cores, 24 threads, frequency up to 5.1 GHz, TDP 45 W.
Graphics: 16-core Radeon 890M, frequency up to 2.9 GHz
Neural Engine: Ryzen AI with up to 50 TOPS performance, up to 80 TOPS overall when working with CPU and GPU.
RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5x-7500 (non-user replaceable).
Storage: Two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slots (up to 4TB total capacity)
Ports:

1 x USB4 40 Gbps,
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 10 Gbps,
1 x HDMI 2.1,
1 x DisplayPort 2.0,
2 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet,
1 x 3.5 mm audio jack.

Wireless: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3.

Cooling system: three copper heat pipes, a large quiet fan and an additional fan for SSD cooling.

The MINISFORUM EliteMini AI370 is available for pre-order at $1,099 for the 32GB RAM/1TB storage model. Deliveries are expected to begin on November 4, 2024.

The article presents models for every taste and color, as they say. If you have your own preferences, write them in the comments.