The best mini PCs

The Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G is a relatively compact mini PC with a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, which together with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M offers solid gaming performance. The configuration we tested also includes fast DDR5 memory and an NVMe SSD, but only 512 GB of storage.

In the test, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G could convince with its system performance and a low noise level. But the connectivity is also impressive: USB4 and the possibility to operate up to four monitors simultaneously are a small selection. Visually, the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G doesn't need to hide either and looks very appealing due to the design with the stable stand.

The Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G is a stylish compact gaming PC for uncompromising Full HD gaming.

You can get the Minisforum Neptune Series HX99G directly in the store at Minisforum. The current price is 949 (~$1044). Amazon offers the device with more RAM and a bigger SSD for 1,590 Euros (~$1750).

The Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit - Serpent Canyon is a small PC based on an Intel Core i7-12700H. Intel does here without dedicated graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia and equips the mini-PC with the Intel Arc A770M, one of their own models. With its large VRAM, the dedicated graphics adapter sometimes outshines the competition from Nvidia and AMD. Nevertheless, the Intel model has a hard time keeping up with the contenders. However, the overall performance, which is consistently good in everyday use, is basically good.

Intel also installs the hardware in a stylish and at the same time very compact case. Fast Wi-Fi and the good connectivity including Thunderbolt are good and provide important points that justify the excellent result in our Top10 list.

The Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit is a stylish mini-PC with a fast Intel Core i7-12700H. The Intel Arc A770M provides solid base performance and plenty of VRAM.

The Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit is available in the barebone version at Notebooksbilliger.de for 679 Euros (~$747) and is thus currently a real price-performance tip.

The Minisforum Neptune Series NAD9 is a very powerful mini PC for demanding office work. With the Intel Core i9-12900H, a processor with 14 native processing units is at work in the chic metal case. With 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD, you are also well equipped. The consistently good system performance and the high-quality casing contribute to the excellent rating as well as the extremely low noise under load. In the test, the device was almost inaudible even under full load. Many external interfaces are also present, although Thunderbolt is not one of them.

The Minisforum Neptune Series NAD9 is one of the quietest mini-PCs we have tested so far. The compact computing powerhouse with the Intel Core i9-12900H offers great performance in demanding tasks.

The Minisforum Neptune Series NAD9 is available directly from the manufacturer. In our test configuration the price was 659 Euros (~$725). The device is also shipped from the German warehouse.

The Beelink GTR7 is a good upgrade to the Beelink GTR6 and offers with the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS a brand new SoC from AMD. However, the new SoC also gets a new iGPU, which is now named AMD Radeon 780M. It also offers a bit more performance and is based on AMD's current RDNA-3 architecture.

We were impressed by the Beelink GTR7's impeccable build quality and low emissions. Furthermore, the SSD and RAM can be replaced easily and two network ports with 2.5 GBit/s each are not standard for compact PCs in this size.

The GTR7 is not simply a competitor to those models from Intel, but also does a few things much better.

The GTR7 is currently not yet available at most retailers in Europe. However, it is still recommended to check Amazon or the manufacturer's website every now and then to see if there are new offers.

The Minisforum Venus Series UM690 is another mini PC from the hand of Minisforum and also this model could secure a place in the top 10 due to the good rating in our test. Based on the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX there is a relatively up-to-date SoC from AMD. With the AMD Radeon 680M there is also a good iGPU, which is clearly superior to the Intel counterparts. With DDR5 and USB4, it is also well prepared for the future. But Minisforum could also shine in terms of emissions with the Venus Series UM690 and win important rating points for itself.

Based on the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, the Minisforum Venus Series UM690 offers excellent performance without consuming too much energy.

The Minisforum Venus Series UM690 is currently available for 659 Euro (~$725) in the Minisforum store. Amazon also offers the device with 32 GB DDR5 RAM for 840 Euros (~$924).

With a solid performance and a very high-quality casing, the Morefine M600 has also managed to grab a place in the top 10. It is also powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, a popular model of the powerful AMD processor. The interaction with the AMD Radeon 680M is good and often much better than with the competition from Intel. 32 GB DDR5 RAM and a 1 TB SSD are included in the scope of delivery. In addition, the chic mini-PC offers modern USB4 ports and two 2.5 GBit/s Ethernet ports.

The Morefine M600 is a fast mini PC with many external interfaces. Thanks to Thunderbolt 4, there are many possibilities to further exploit the potential of the Morefine M600.

The Morefine M600 is currently available directly from the manufacturer. The Morefine M600, which corresponds to our test configuration, currently changes hands for ~$809.

With the Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro the Chinese mini-PC manufacturer primarily targets performance-hungry users. With the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS you get AMD's cutting-edge 8-core SoC including a powerful iGPU aka AMD Radeon 780M. The manufacturer does not make any compromises when it comes to the working memory and provides the mini-PC with 16 GB DDR5 RAM with 5600 MT/s. The mass storage of 512 GB is the usual standard. Furthermore, we see a simple mini-PC with a very high-quality metal case in the test. The connectivity is also impressive. External graphics cards can also be operated with USB4 and Thunderbolt. As one of the few mini-PCs, the Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro is able to output 4K@144Hz.

The Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro is a really good mini PC with a strong iGPU. However, we do not see a noticeable performance increase compared to the Minisforum Venus Series UM690.

The Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro is available directly from the manufacturer's store. Currently, there are attractive discounts for the pre-sale. Taxes are already included. Therefore, the Minisforum Venus Series UM790 Pro changes hands for 789 Euros (~$868). Without the discount, the price is 989 Euros (~$1,088). The cheaper barebone model, meanwhile, starts at 585 Euros (~$644). The device is also available on Amazon. However, it comes with 32 GB DDR5 and a 1 TB SSD for 1,194 Euros (~$1,314).

With the Geekom AS 6 another Mini-PC based on the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX has made it into the top 10. Together with 32 GB DDR5 and a 1 TB SSD, there is a very solid configuration. Despite the compact dimensions, the Geekom AS 6 offers many external interfaces and the possibility to accommodate up to three mass storage devices is not standard. Furthermore, up to four displays can be operated simultaneously and USB4 is also included. We tested the advantages of the interface with an external graphics card and the results are impressive.

The Geekom AS 6 has the potential to be a really good mini PC. With the strong iGPU, it can easily beat almost all Intel mini-PCs and with Thunderbolt, it is also well positioned in terms of future-proofing.

You can buy the Geekom AS 6 directly from the manufacturerhttps://bit.ly/GEEKOMAS6-DE. At the moment the price is 769 Euros (~$846). Meanwhile, the Geekom AS 6 is currently available with a Ryzen 7 6800H for 649 Euros (~$714).

Geekom sells some of its mini PCs in the style of Intel's NUC series. The Geekom Mini IT12 is one, and is equipped with Intel's Core i7-1260P, with 12 native computing cores. On top of that, the SoC is very frugal with adequate performance. Furthermore, there is 16 GB DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB SSD. With Thunderbolt, you are currently secured for the future and accessories from third-party manufacturers can be connected perfectly. It is one of only a few mini-PCs with an SD card reader and accommodating up to three mass storage devices. With low emissions and low DPC latencies, the Geekom Mini IT11 has good chances to serve as a streaming PC in the living room.

The Geekom Mini IT12 is a compact computing powerhouse that is suitable for a variety of uses and has excellent connectivity.

Amazon offers the Geekom Mini IT12 in our test configuration for 1,025 Euros (~$1128).

As one of the smallest mini PCs with a lot of power, theMinisforum Mercury Series EM680 secured the last place in our top 10 list. The mini-PC lives up to its name and only takes up 8 cm² of desk space, and yet it comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U with 8 cores and 16 threads. The performance of the SoC is good and even quite stable under full load. We would not have expected that due to the compact design. With the AMD Radeon 680M there is even a strong iGPU, although the low TDP throttles the performance a bit here. However, the AMD Radeon 680M still has an easy game against Intel's iGPUs. On the connection side, you are somewhat limited due to the build. Nevertheless, Minisforum does not forgo Thunderbolt, which also expands the application possibilities enormously here.

The Minisforum Mercury Series EM680 convinces with an outstanding performance in the smallest space. At the same time, it does not do without the most modern connections, such as Thunderbolt.

The Minisforum Mercury Series EM680is available directly in the store at Minisforum. The device is currently available for 509 Euros (~$560) in our test configuration. With 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD, 549 Euros (~$604) are due. You can also get the Minisforum EM680 via Amazon. Here, you currently have to budget for 569 Euros (~$626).