Mini PCs comparison
Compare mini PCs — CPU, RAM, storage, chassis volume, TDP, USB count, and Thunderbolt.
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Best mini pcs right now
What matters when comparing mini pcs
This mini pcs page covers 18 products and compares the measurable fields that most often separate one model from another: ram, storage, volume, tdp, thunderbolt. Use the filters to narrow the field, open a product page for the complete readout, and use a head-to-head page when two models are close enough that a category-wide rank is not enough.
How to read the ranking
Mars Score is a normalized category score, not a laboratory replacement and not a claim that the highest-ranked product is right for every buyer. A high score indicates broad strength across the weighted fields; a lower score can still be the better choice when one specific requirement matters more than the average.
Read the scoring methodology →Top of the current catalog
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Brands in mini pcs
How to choose a mini PC in 2026
Mini PCs went from hobbyist curiosity to genuine desktop replacement once Apple Silicon and AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 proved high performance fits in a 1-liter chassis. The Mars Score weights CPU/GPU, memory, storage, and I/O — with form factor and TDP scoring as constraints rather than primary axes.
Apple Silicon vs x86 mini PCs
The Mac mini M4 fits a desktop-grade chip into a 0.34 L chassis with a 65 W TDP and Thunderbolt 5. Beelink, Minisforum, and GMKtec ship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 boxes around 0.9 L with similar TDP and discrete-class iGPU performance. Native ARM software is the deciding factor; if your toolchain is mostly Electron + browser + Office, either platform works. If you depend on Windows-only x86 binaries, stay on AMD or Intel. See our Apple ecosystem coverage in Mars Labs.
Memory: soldered vs SO-DIMM
Apple solders RAM to the SoC — choose carefully at purchase. Most x86 mini PCs ship socketed DDR5 SO-DIMMs you can upgrade later. Pay for 32 GB up front if you cannot upgrade; tolerate 16 GB if you can.
Thunderbolt and USB4 unlock external GPUs and docks
Thunderbolt 5 (Mac mini M4) and USB4 v2 (newer AMD/Intel boxes) both support eGPU enclosures and dual 4K displays through a single dock cable. Without TB/USB4, a mini PC quickly becomes a dongle nest.
Fan noise under sustained load
Specs sheets list TDP but rarely acoustics. A 65 W chip in a 0.5 L chassis throttles or screams; the same chip in a 1 L box stays quiet at ~30 dBA. Our Mars Labs measures fan curves under sustained Cinebench loads.
Home-server and HTPC duty
Mini PCs do double duty as Plex/Jellyfin servers, Home Assistant hosts, and lightweight virtualization boxes. Look for boxes with 2.5 GbE NIC, dual NVMe slots, and AV1 decode for that use case.
How vsMars scores mini PCs
Each score combines CPU/iGPU performance, memory, storage, port density, and thermal headroom per the methodology. For build alternatives see gaming PCs and the Buyer's Guides.
Frequently asked
How many mini pcs are catalogued on vsMars?+
18 mini pcs from 9 brands are catalogued in this category, each with a complete spec sheet and a transparent Mars Score.
How are mini pcs ranked?+
Each mini pc is scored by the category-specific Mars Score formula — a weighted average of normalized specs with the weights published on the methodology page. No editorial hand-tuning.
Which mini pc has the highest Mars Score right now?+
Mind 2 leads the mini pcs category with a Mars Score of 74.0.
Can I compare two mini pcs side by side?+
Yes — pick any two mini pcs from the category list and the comparison page renders side-by-side specs, advantages on each side, and a Mars Score verdict.