8 Best Mini PCs (August 2026) Trusted Reviews

I’ve spent the last 90 days testing eight of the best mini PCs you can buy right now, running everything from video editing timelines to AAA gaming sessions. The mini PC market has exploded in 2026, with new Ryzen and Intel chips packing desktop-class performance into boxes smaller than a hardcover book.

Whether you’re building a clutter-free home office, setting up a media center, or hunting for a compact gaming rig, there’s a mini PC on this list for you. I focused on real-world usability, not just spec sheets, because thermal performance and noise levels vary wildly between brands. I also tested each unit with Windows 11 Pro, and checked Linux compatibility on the AMD models.

Below, I break down my top picks across every price range, from a $279 budget workhorse to a $599 gaming monster. If you’re looking for a mini PC specifically for creative work, our mini PCs for video editing guide goes deeper on that use case.

Top 3 Picks for Best Mini PCs in 2026

Best Mini PCs in 2026: Complete Comparison

1. GEEKOM A5 2026 Edition Mini PC – Best for Home Office

I plugged the GEEKOM A5 into a dual-monitor setup on day one and ran it through 30 days of spreadsheets, Zoom calls, and constant Chrome tabs. The Ryzen 5 7430U handled 18 browser tabs plus a Slack video call without a hiccup, and the fan stayed quiet enough that I forgot it was on my desk.

The build quality surprised me for a sub-$400 machine. The plastic chassis feels solid, and the included VESA mount let me tuck it behind my monitor completely out of sight. I measured power draw at just 28 watts during normal office use, which is roughly a third of what my old mid-tower consumed.

The 6 USB ports solved a real problem for me. I have an external webcam, mechanical keyboard, mouse, drawing tablet, and two SSDs all plugged in at once, with room to spare. The HDMI 2.1 port supports 8K output at 60Hz, which is overkill for office work but nice to have if you want to drive a high-end monitor.

Where the GEEKOM A5 falls short is gaming. The integrated Radeon graphics can handle Stardew Valley and older indie titles, but anything from the last 5 years at high settings will struggle. This is a productivity machine first, not a gaming rig.

Who should buy the GEEKOM A5

This is the mini PC I’d recommend to anyone replacing an aging office desktop. The 3-year warranty is rare in this category, and the upgradable RAM means it can grow with your needs. It’s also a great fit for students who need something reliable that won’t break the bank.

Who should skip the GEEKOM A5

Creative professionals who need serious CPU horsepower should look at the GEEKOM A6 or GMKtec M6 Ultra instead. The Zen 3 architecture is two generations behind current Ryzen chips, so it won’t age as gracefully.

2. GEEKOM A6 Mini PC – Editor’s Choice for Performance and Value

The GEEKOM A6 became my daily driver within a week of testing. With its Ryzen 7 6800H and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, it chewed through 4K video exports in DaVinci Resolve about 30% faster than the A5. The aluminium chassis genuinely makes a difference, dispersing heat better than the plastic alternatives.

I stress-tested the A6 with a 20-minute Handbrake encode while monitoring thermals. The CPU held 4.0 GHz across all 8 cores and peaked at 82°C, which is impressive for a small form factor PC. The fan ramped up noticeably under load but never got shrill.

The USB4 port is the real star here. I connected a Thunderbolt dock and drove two 4K monitors, an external SSD, and a wired network connection through a single cable. Wi-Fi 6E delivered consistent gigabit speeds in my testing, which matters for anyone dealing with large files in the cloud.

My one complaint is that the RAM is soldered. You get 16GB, and that’s it. For most users that’s plenty, but if you edit 8K video or run virtual machines, you’ll feel the ceiling. The 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, however, is blazing fast and you can swap it for a larger drive later.

Who should buy the GEEKOM A6

This is the best mini PC for most people in 2026. It balances price, performance, and build quality better than anything else I tested. If you want a compact PC that can handle demanding productivity work and won’t feel dated in 3 years, start here.

Who should skip the GEEKOM A6

If your priority is gaming, the integrated Radeon 680M graphics will run esports titles fine but struggle with modern AAA games at high settings. For serious gaming, look at the BOSGAME P4 Ultra or GMKtec M6 Ultra.

3. KAMRUI Pinova P2 – Best Value Mini PC

With nearly 2,000 reviews and a 4.4-star average, the KAMRUI Pinova P2 is one of the most popular budget mini PCs on Amazon. I had to see what the hype was about, and after three weeks of use, I get it. For the price, this thing punches way above its weight.

I set it up as a dedicated home office workstation for my partner, who mostly does email, light photo editing, and video calls. The Ryzen 3 7330U is no powerhouse, but it handled 12 Chrome tabs and a Photoshop session without breaking a sweat. The triple 4K display support is genuinely useful for productivity.

The plastic chassis feels lighter than the GEEKOM options, but it doesn’t feel cheap. I appreciated the small footprint; it sits on the desk without taking up space or looking like a black brick. The 256GB SSD fills up fast, but you can swap it for a 1TB drive in about 10 minutes with a screwdriver.

Where the Pinova P2 disappoints is in storage capacity out of the box. 256GB goes quickly once you install Office, a few browsers, and some applications. I’d budget for an SSD upgrade on day one if you go this route.

Who should buy the KAMRUI Pinova P2

Anyone looking for the best budget mini PC that can still handle real work. It’s especially great for small business owners who need a reliable machine for point-of-sale or digital signage applications. The triple display support is rare at this price.

Who should skip the KAMRUI Pinova P2

If you need serious processing power for video editing or software development, you’ll want at least a Ryzen 7 chip. The Pinova P2 is built for everyday computing, not heavy creative workloads.

4. BOSGAME P4 Ultra – Best for Gaming

The BOSGAME P4 Ultra earned a 4.7-star rating from over 100 reviewers, and after testing it for two weeks, I see why. This is the mini PC I’d recommend to anyone who games casually and wants a compact rig that doesn’t scream “gamer” with RGB lighting and aggressive styling.

I ran Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p on medium settings and averaged 38 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Esports titles like Valorant and CS2 ran at 90+ FPS without issue. For most gamers, especially those playing older or less demanding titles, this is plenty of power.

The dual 2.5G LAN ports are the standout feature for a small form factor PC. I connected one to my NAS and another to my router, getting full 2.5Gbps throughput in both directions. If you’re running a home server or doing LAN gaming, this is huge.

The cooling design is well thought out. I stress-tested it for 90 minutes straight and the CPU never throttled, hovering around 78°C under sustained load. The fan noise was noticeable but not annoying, similar to a quiet laptop under load.

Who should buy the BOSGAME P4 Ultra

Casual gamers who want a mini PC that can handle modern titles at 1080p without breaking a sweat. The dual LAN setup also makes it perfect for home lab enthusiasts and anyone running a home server.

Who should skip the BOSGAME P4 Ultra

Hardcore gamers chasing 1440p or 4K at high refresh rates will need a dedicated gaming desktop with a discrete GPU. The integrated Vega graphics have limits, and no mini PC in this price range will replace a full tower with an RTX card.

5. GMKtec Mini PC Intel i7 – Best Intel Option

If you’re committed to the Intel ecosystem or need the slightly better single-core performance that Intel chips traditionally offer, the GMKtec i7 Mini PC is the best Intel option I tested. The 11th-gen i7-1185G7 might be older, but Iris Xe graphics still outperform most AMD integrated options for light gaming and video work.

I compared it head-to-head with the GEEKOM A6 on a Handbrake encode. The AMD chip finished about 12% faster on multi-core work, but the Intel chip edged ahead on single-threaded tasks like photo editing in Lightroom. For most productivity workflows, you’d never notice the difference.

The USB4 port and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity match what the more expensive AMD options offer. I connected a CalDigit dock and drove a 4K monitor at 60Hz plus two 1440p displays simultaneously. The single 2.5G LAN port is a downgrade from the dual-port options, but most home users won’t notice.

With over 900 reviews and a 4.5-star average, this is a well-loved machine. The community feedback consistently praises reliability, which is something I can’t say about every mini PC brand. I’ve seen forum reports of people running these for 2+ years without a single issue.

Who should buy the GMKtec i7 Mini PC

Anyone who needs Intel-specific features like Quick Sync for video work, or businesses that standardize on Intel hardware. It’s also a great choice if you’ve had good experiences with Intel systems in the past and want that consistency in a compact PC.

Who should skip the GMKtec i7 Mini PC

If raw multi-core performance matters more than single-core, the AMD Ryzen options offer better value. The 11th-gen Intel chip is also two generations behind current offerings, which limits future-proofing.

6. HP Pro 400 G9 Mini – Best for Business

The HP Pro 400 G9 Mini is the only machine on this list from a tier-1 PC manufacturer, and that matters for business buyers. You get HP’s commercial support network, driver stability, and the kind of build quality that enterprise IT departments trust. I tested it as a dedicated office workstation and came away impressed.

The ultra-quiet design lives up to its name. Even under sustained load, the fan noise was barely measurable in my testing, around 28 dB at one meter. If you’re putting a PC in a conference room or shared workspace, this matters.

The included keyboard and mouse is a nice touch that keeps the total cost of ownership down. The DDR5 RAM is unusual for a Celeron-based system, but it ensures you won’t hit memory bandwidth bottlenecks when multitasking.

Where the HP Pro 400 falls short is in the processor department. The Celeron G6900T is a dual-core chip with no hyperthreading, so it’s fine for email, Office apps, and web browsing but struggles with anything more demanding. The 256GB SSD also fills up fast in a business environment.

Who should buy the HP Pro 400 G9 Mini

Business buyers who need reliable support, driver stability, and quiet operation. IT departments that already work with HP will appreciate the familiar management tools and warranty options.

Who should skip the HP Pro 400 G9 Mini

Power users will find the Celeron chip limiting. If you need to run demanding applications, look at the GEEKOM A6 or GMKtec M6 Ultra instead. The 256GB storage is also a constraint for most home users.

7. KAMRUI AK1PLUS – Budget Pick

At under $280, the KAMRUI AK1PLUS is the cheapest mini PC on this list, and one of the most popular on Amazon with over 2,300 reviews. I bought one to use as a dedicated streaming box for my parents’ living room, and it has performed flawlessly for two months.

The Celeron N5095 is not a fast chip by any stretch, but it handles 4K video playback through Plex, web browsing, and light Office work without complaint. The dual 4K display support is genuinely useful for productivity setups where you want a cheap second or third monitor.

The 2.5 inch SSD expansion bay is a feature I didn’t expect at this price. I added a 2TB hard drive for media storage, turning this into a capable home theater PC. Total cost with storage was still under $350.

The plastic chassis feels light and gets warm under sustained load. I measured CPU temperatures around 78°C during a 4K video stream, which is normal but on the higher side. The fan ramped up noticeably during long sessions.

Who should buy the KAMRUI AK1PLUS

Anyone who needs a functional mini PC for under $300. It’s perfect for digital signage, a home theater PC, a basic family computer, or a child’s first PC. The 2,300+ reviews give you confidence that you’re not buying a lemon.

Who should skip the KAMRUI AK1PLUS

If you need to run anything beyond basic computing tasks, step up to the KAMRUI Pinova P2 or GEEKOM A5. The Celeron chip will frustrate anyone trying to do real work, and 256GB of storage fills up immediately.

8. GMKtec M6 Ultra – Premium Pick

The GMKtec M6 Ultra is the most powerful mini PC I tested, and it earns the premium pick for good reason. With a Ryzen 5 7640HS and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, it handled everything I threw at it, from compiling code to running virtual machines to light video editing.

I used it as my primary work machine for two weeks. Running Docker containers, a local database, VS Code, and Chrome with 20+ tabs, the M6 Ultra never felt slow. The Zen 4 architecture brings genuine IPC improvements over Zen 3, which shows in benchmarks and real-world use.

The dual 2.5GbE LAN ports make this a fantastic choice for home lab enthusiasts. I configured pfSense in a VM with one port as WAN and the other as LAN, getting full gigabit-plus throughput. If you’re setting up a home network or running server workloads, this is a versatile machine.

The integrated Radeon 760M graphics are the best IGP AMD has shipped in a mini PC, capable of running modern games at 1080p with reasonable settings. I averaged 45 FPS in Spider-Man Remastered on medium, which is genuinely impressive for a chip with no discrete GPU.

Who should buy the GMKtec M6 Ultra

Power users, developers, and home lab enthusiasts who need the most performance possible in a compact form factor. The 32GB of RAM means you won’t run out of memory for years, and the dual 2.5GbE LAN is a rare feature at this price.

Who should skip the GMKtec M6 Ultra

If your needs are simpler, you’re paying for performance you won’t use. The GEEKOM A6 offers similar CPU power at a lower price, though with half the RAM. Budget-conscious buyers should look elsewhere.

How to Choose the Best Mini PC for Your Needs?

Picking the best mini PC comes down to matching the hardware to your actual workload. After testing all eight units, I found that the differences between AMD and Intel chips matter less than RAM capacity and cooling design. Here’s what to focus on.

Processor Guide: AMD vs Intel

AMD’s Ryzen chips generally offer better multi-core performance and integrated graphics, which matters for video work and casual gaming. The Ryzen 7 6800H and Ryzen 5 7640HS both outperformed their Intel equivalents in multi-threaded benchmarks during my testing.

Intel chips still hold an edge in single-core performance and features like Quick Sync, which speeds up certain video encoding tasks. The i7-1185G7 in the GMKtec beat AMD in single-threaded benchmarks, though the gap has narrowed with Zen 4.

For most buyers in 2026, I recommend AMD unless you have a specific Intel-dependent workflow. The Ryzen 5 7640HS and Ryzen 7 6800H hit the sweet spot of price, performance, and efficiency.

RAM and Storage Considerations

16GB is the minimum for a Windows 11 mini PC in 2026. Anything less and you’ll feel the squeeze when running modern browsers with multiple tabs. If you can stretch to 32GB, do it, especially for video editing or running virtual machines.

Storage is easier to upgrade later, so don’t overpay for a bigger SSD upfront. Most of these mini PCs have user-accessible M.2 slots that you can swap in about 10 minutes. Budget for a 1TB NVMe drive as an upgrade if 256GB or 512GB feels limiting.

The GMKtec M6 Ultra stands out with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, while most competitors stick to 16GB. If you can afford it, that extra memory future-proofs your purchase significantly.

Connectivity and Ports

USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are the most important port features to look for. They let you connect a single dock for monitors, storage, and peripherals, dramatically reducing cable clutter. The GEEKOM A6 and GMKtec models both include USB4.

Dual LAN ports, like those on the BOSGAME P4 Ultra and GMKtec M6 Ultra, are a niche feature but essential for home servers and network-attached storage setups. If you’re not running a home server, a single gigabit or 2.5G port is fine.

Display output matters if you want a multi-monitor setup. Triple 4K support is becoming standard, but check the specific port configuration. HDMI 2.1 supports higher refresh rates than HDMI 2.0, which matters for gaming.

Cooling and Noise

This is where many mini PCs fail. Compact cases mean limited airflow, and high-performance Ryzen chips can throttle badly in poorly designed systems. From my testing, the GEEKOM A6’s aluminium chassis and the BOSGAME P4 Ultra’s vented design both managed thermals well.

Noise levels varied significantly. The HP Pro 400 G9 was the quietest at under 30 dB, while the KAMRUI AK1PLUS got noticeably loud under sustained load. If you’re putting a PC in a bedroom or quiet office, prioritize cooling design over raw specs.

Warranty and Customer Support

This is where lesser-known brands struggle. Community forums are full of complaints about warranty denials and unresponsive support from budget AliExpress brands. GEEKOM stands out with a 3-year warranty on the A5, and HP’s commercial support network is unmatched for business buyers.

For peace of mind, stick with brands that have established US-based support operations. GMKtec, GEEKOM, and HP all have decent reputations here. Budget brands without clear warranty terms are a risk.

Linux Compatibility

Most AMD-based mini PCs run Linux excellently. I tested Ubuntu 24.04 on the GEEKOM A6 and GMKtec M6 Ultra with no driver issues, full hardware acceleration, and working suspend/resume. The Ryzen 7000-series chips have excellent Linux support out of the box.

Intel-based systems also work well, though older 11th-gen chips occasionally need manual driver installation for Wi-Fi. The GMKtec i7 Mini PC required a firmware update to get the audio jack working correctly under Fedora.

If you want to build a compact home server or run Linux as your primary OS, any of the AMD options on this list will work well. If you’re pairing a mini PC with studio peripherals for content creation, our guide to audio interfaces for podcasters covers compatible gear.

FAQs

Final Verdict on the Best Mini PCs

After 90 days of testing, the GEEKOM A6 stands as my top pick for the best mini PCs in 2026. It balances performance, build quality, and value better than any other unit on this list, and the USB4 port plus Wi-Fi 6E keep it relevant for years to come. The GMKtec M6 Ultra is the right choice if you need 32GB of RAM out of the box, and the KAMRUI AK1PLUS is the best budget mini PC for basic computing.

For gamers, the BOSGAME P4 Ultra with its dual 2.5G LAN is a standout, while business buyers should look at the HP Pro 400 G9 for its quiet operation and tier-1 support. If you’re considering a portable alternative, our laptops for screenwriters guide covers compact productivity machines worth comparing.

Whatever you pick, all eight of these mini PCs deliver genuine desktop-class performance in a package small enough to fit in your hand. The era of choosing between size and power is over.