The Best Mini Desktop PCs

If you’re looking for a simple, small desktop computer that doesn’t take up much space in your home or office, consider a mini PC. These computers are best for everyday tasks like working on documents and spreadsheets, browsing the web, taking video calls, or watching TV. However, our top picks are also powerful enough to do some light media editing, and our upgrade pick is fast enough even for professional photo and video editors.

For those who prefer Windows, the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is the best choice, and macOS users should buy the Mac mini with Apple’s M2 processor. Both are capable little computers that you can stick under or behind a monitor, saving space on your desk. A more powerful upgrade is the Apple Mac mini with the M2 Pro processor, which competes with high-end desktops in photo and video editing capabilities.

Processor:Intel Core i5-12500TStorage:512 GB NVMe SSDMemory:16 GBSize:7 by 7 by 1.5 inchesFront ports:two USB 3.2 Type-A (10 Gbps), one USB 3.2 Type-C, headphone jackWireless:Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2Rear ports:three USB-A, two DisplayPort 1.2, one HDMI, one 1Gbps EthernetExpansion:two DDR4 RAM slots, one NVMe M.2 slot, M.2 Wi-Fi card

The HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is a basic PC that’s perfect for home or office use. It runs on Intel’s latest generation of processors, which are energy-efficient and more than powerful enough for daily tasks. It has all the ports you need to hook up multiple monitors, and it offers the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. We love that the Pro Mini 400 is especially repairable; you can swap out and upgrade the storage drive, the RAM, and even the processor. And HP’s competitive pricing on this model means you can get more RAM and storage for $300 less than you’d pay for a similarly upgraded Apple Mac mini.

Processor:eight-core Apple M2 CPUStorage:256 GB proprietary SSDMemory:8 GBSize:7.7 by 7.7 by 1.4 inchesFront ports:noneWireless:Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3Rear ports:two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, one HDMI, one 1 Gbps Ethernet, headphone jackExpansion:none

If you prefer macOS, get the Apple Mac mini with Apple’s M2 processor. This speedy little Mac desktop can integrate seamlessly with an iPhone or an iPad, as well as Apple services like FaceTime and iMessage. For everyday browsing and general use, an M2 Mac mini with 8 GB of memory is good enough, though if you plan to use yours for professional photo and video editing or app development, you should step up to 16 GB of memory. Keep in mind that you can’t upgrade the Mac mini’s memory or storage after you buy it, so you need to make that decision up front. Apple’s internal-storage upgrades are pricey enough that you should look at an external hard drive or a portable SSD if you need more space.

Processor:10-core Apple M2 Pro CPUStorage:512 GB proprietary SSDMemory:16 GBSize:7.7 by 7.7 by 1.4 inchesFront ports:noneWireless:Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3Rear ports:four USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A, one HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone jackExpansion:none

By upgrading the processor in Apple’s Mac mini to the M2 Pro, you get the same blistering processing speeds found in the new MacBook Pro for nearly half the cost. Compared with our previous upgrade pick, the Mac Studio with an M1 Max chip, the Apple Mac mini with an M2 Pro processor loses some convenient features, such as front USB-C ports and an SDXC card reader, but you pay substantially less—$700 less, to be exact—for a faster machine. It’s also whisper-quiet, even under a heavy processing load, so you can keep it on your desk and forget it’s even there.