Buying Guide
The Best Smallest Mini PCs for a Cleaner, More Useful Desk
We looked at 5 smallest mini PCs side by side, with the trade-offs that separate them and who each one suits.
By Jamie Cole, Lead Product Researcher
9 min read5 products evaluated
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Actual measured chassis volume plus the external power brick and cable clearance determine installed footprint, worth calculating this complete picture rather than trusting marketing dimensions for the bare unit alone, since a tiny chassis with a bulky external power brick doesn't save as much space as it first appears.
The smallest mini PCs often trade repairability, port count, and thermal headroom for compact size, worth checking these specific tradeoffs rather than assuming a smaller chassis is a strictly better version of a larger one.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Best Smallest Mini PC Overall
Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus, Intel Celeron J3355 (Up to 2.5GHz), 6GB RAM 128GB eMMC
Buyers prioritizing the smallest possible footprint for the lightest everyday computing tasks
Our take Check price for Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus, Intel Celeron J3355 (Up to 2.5GHz), 6GB RAM 128GB eMMC (opens in a new tab)
Best Small Mini PC with Genuine Ryzen Performance
origimagic C5 Mini PC, Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD
Buyers wanting genuine Ryzen processing capability in a compact chassis
Our take Check price for origimagic C5 Mini PC, Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD (opens in a new tab)
Best Value Small Mini PC Pick
BOSGAME E4 Air Mini PC, Mini Computers with AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 256GB SATA SSD
Buyers wanting a well-reviewed, compact everyday computer with solid Ryzen performance
Our take Check price for BOSGAME E4 Air Mini PC, Mini Computers with AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 256GB SATA SSD (opens in a new tab)
Best Small Mini PC with More RAM
Getorli Mini PC AMD Ryzen 5 3500U (4C/8T, Max 3.7GHz) Small Desktop Computer 16GB DDR4 RAM
Buyers wanting more RAM headroom in a compact mini PC chassis
Our take Check price for Getorli Mini PC AMD Ryzen 5 3500U (4C/8T, Max 3.7GHz) Small Desktop Computer 16GB DDR4 RAM (opens in a new tab)
Best Small Mini PC with Fast NVMe Storage
BOSGAME E2 Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 16GB DDR4 RAM 512GB NVMe SSD
Buyers wanting the most generous RAM and storage specs among compact mini PCs
Our take Check price for BOSGAME E2 Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 16GB DDR4 RAM 512GB NVMe SSD (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Best Smallest Mini PC Overall1 of 5
Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus, Intel Celeron J3355 (Up to 2.5GHz), 6GB RAM 128GB eMMC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
A tiny, low-cost chassis appropriate for buyers prioritizing the smallest possible footprint over raw performance.
Best for
- Buyers prioritizing the smallest possible footprint for the lightest everyday computing tasks
Why we like it
Tiny chassis footprint among the smallest available. On price, it comes in below origimagic C5 Mini PC, which is worth weighing if cost is your deciding factor between the two.
On the other side, Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint.
Key dimensions & specs
- Intel Celeron J3355 (Up to 2.5GHz)
- 6GB RAM, 128GB EMMC storage
- Very compact chassis
Pros
- tiny chassis footprint among the smallest available
- Very low-cost price
- Good entry point for the lightest everyday computing tasks
Cons
- Entry-level Celeron processor and EMMC storage suit only very light tasks
- 6GB RAM is limited for demanding multitasking
- Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint
Best Small Mini PC with Genuine Ryzen Performance2 of 5
origimagic C5 Mini PC, Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
A genuine Ryzen 5 3500U in a compact chassis, appropriate for buyers wanting more processing capability than entry-level Celeron alternatives while staying small.
Best for
- Buyers wanting genuine Ryzen processing capability in a compact chassis
Why we like it
On the other side, Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint.
Key dimensions & specs
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
- 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 256GB NVMe SSD
- Compact chassis
Pros
- Genuine Ryzen processor tier above entry-level Celeron alternatives
- Fast NVMe storage in a compact form factor
- Good balance of small size and real processing capability
Cons
- 8GB RAM may feel tight for heavier multitasking
- Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint
Best Value Small Mini PC Pick3 of 5
BOSGAME E4 Air Mini PC, Mini Computers with AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 8GB DDR4 256GB SATA SSD on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
0-star rating, verify current reviews for reliability reports.
Best for
- Buyers wanting a well-reviewed, compact everyday computer with solid Ryzen performance
Why we like it
On the other side, Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint.
Key dimensions & specs
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
- 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 256GB SATA SSD
Pros
- Genuine Ryzen processor tier for solid everyday performance
- Compact chassis for a small desk footprint
- Reasonable price for the spec combination
Cons
- SATA SSD is slower than NVMe alternatives at a similar price
- Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint
Best Small Mini PC with More RAM4 of 5
Getorli Mini PC AMD Ryzen 5 3500U (4C/8T, Max 3.7GHz) Small Desktop Computer 16GB DDR4 RAM on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
A small chassis with 16GB RAM, more headroom than most compact mini PCs at this size and price point offer.
Best for
- Buyers wanting more RAM headroom in a compact mini PC chassis
Why we like it
On the other side, Verify current reviews for long-term build quality reports.
Key dimensions & specs
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 4C/8T
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Small desktop form factor
- low-cost price
Pros
- 16GB RAM gives more headroom than typical compact mini PCs at this size
- Genuine Ryzen processor tier for solid everyday performance
- low-cost price for the RAM configuration offered
- Compact form factor for a small desk footprint
Cons
- Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint
- Verify current reviews for long-term build quality reports
Best Small Mini PC with Fast NVMe Storage5 of 5
BOSGAME E2 Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 16GB DDR4 RAM 512GB NVMe SSD on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
16GB RAM and 512GB fast NVMe storage in a compact chassis, appropriate for buyers wanting the most generous specs among the small-footprint picks in this guide.
Best for
- Buyers wanting the most generous RAM and storage specs among compact mini PCs
Why we like it
On the other side, Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint.
Key dimensions & specs
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
- 512GB NVMe SSD
- Compact chassis
Pros
- Most generous RAM and storage combination among the compact picks
- Fast NVMe storage for genuine responsiveness
- Genuine Ryzen processor tier for solid everyday performance
- Compact form factor for a small desk footprint
Cons
- Higher price than the most budget-focused compact picks
- Verify the power brick size when calculating true installed footprint
How We Chose These Smallest Mini PCs
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Complete installed footprint calculated beyond bare chassis dimensions
- Calculated actual measured chassis volume plus the external power brick and cable clearance, not just marketing dimensions for the bare unit.
- Tradeoffs of extreme compactness assessed honestly
- Assessed honestly that the smallest mini PCs often trade repairability, port count, and thermal headroom for compact size.
- Processor tier weighted against genuine everyday performance needs
- Weighted processor tier against realistic everyday performance needs, from the lightest tasks to more capable Ryzen-based use.
What to Look for in a Smallest Mini PC
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Match RAM and storage to your actual workload, not just the headline spec
Mini PC listings often lead with a large RAM number like 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB, but the amount you actually need depends heavily on what you're running: basic web browsing and office work is comfortable at 8 to 16GB, while running multiple virtual machines, a Plex transcoding server, or memory-hungry emulation benefits from 32GB or more.
Buying far more RAM than your workload needs is simply wasted money, while buying too little means the system will lean on slower disk-based swap memory under load, causing real stuttering that a spec sheet number won't warn you about.
Check whether the RAM is soldered (fixed at purchase) or user-upgradeable via SO-DIMM slots, since a soldered configuration means you're locked into whatever capacity you buy today with no future upgrade path.
Understand what the CPU generation and core count actually mean for your use case
A mini PC's processor model number (like an Intel N100, N150, or a specific AMD Ryzen model) tells you its generation and general performance tier, but raw core count and clock speed matter less than how well that specific chip handles your actual workload, since a low-power efficiency chip like the N100 is fine for a home server or media player but will bottleneck video editing or modern gaming badly.
This distinction matters because two mini PCs can list similar-sounding specs while being built around completely different design goals, one optimized for low power draw and silence, the other for sustained performance under load.
Look up independent benchmark results for the exact CPU model rather than trusting a generic "powerful" or "fast" marketing description, since chip model numbers are the one spec that translates directly to comparable real-world performance data.
Check whether the mini PC includes dedicated graphics or relies on integrated graphics alone
Most mini PCs rely on integrated graphics built into the CPU itself, which handles everyday desktop use, video playback, and light gaming fine, but a genuine dedicated GPU or officially supported external GPU (EGPU) connection is a meaningfully different tier needed for serious gaming or GPU-accelerated video editing work.
This is a real distinguishing feature worth checking specifically, since "mini PC" as a category spans everything from a fanless office box with no gaming capability at all to a compact system that can be paired with an external GPU enclosure for near-desktop gaming performance.
If your use case involves gaming or GPU-accelerated tasks, check explicitly for a dedicated GPU or a confirmed Oculink/Thunderbolt EGPU connection rather than assuming any mini PC can be upgraded that way.
Confirm the exact port selection matches your real peripherals, not just the port count
A mini PC's small size means its port selection is fixed at purchase with essentially no room for internal expansion the way a desktop tower allows, so the specific mix of USB versions, display outputs, and networking ports listed matters far more here than on a full-size computer.
Check specifically for the number and type of display outputs if you run multiple monitors, since some budget mini PCs only support two displays despite having enough physical ports to suggest otherwise, and check for dual Ethernet ports specifically if you're planning a home server, router, or NAS build that benefits from network redundancy or link aggregation.
Count your actual peripherals and required display outputs against the listed ports before buying, since there's no expansion card slot to add what's missing later on most mini PC designs.
Weigh fanless passive cooling against active cooling for your noise and thermal tolerance
Mini PCs use either active cooling (an internal fan that spins up under load) or fully passive fanless cooling (relying entirely on the metal chassis itself to dissipate heat), and this choice is a genuine tradeoff rather than one being strictly better: fanless designs run completely silent and have no moving parts to fail, but they also throttle performance under sustained heavy load once the passive heatsink reaches its thermal limit, something an actively cooled system with a fan can sustain longer.
This matters concretely for anyone running a 24/7 home server or media server in a bedroom or living room, where fan noise is a real annoyance, versus anyone running sustained CPU-heavy workloads like video transcoding, where a fanless design may throttle noticeably during long jobs.
Check whether cooling is explicitly described as fanless/passive or fan-cooled/active, and match that to whether silence or sustained performance matters more for where this mini PC will actually live.
How to Choose a Smallest Mini PC
| Recommended pick in this comparison | |
|---|---|
| Light everyday or office use | Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus |
| Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus | |
| Getorli Mini PC AMD Ryzen 5 3500U | |
| No firm budget ceiling, prioritizing CPU or RAM |
Fanless (Passive) vs Actively Cooled
- Completely silent with no moving parts, at the cost of throttling under sustained heavy load. In this comparison: check each listing's cooling design directly.
- Sustains heavier workloads longer without throttling, at the cost of some fan noise under load. In this comparison: Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus, origimagic C5 Mini PC, BOSGAME E4 Air Mini PC.
Default to a fanless pick like Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus for a quiet home office or media setup, and step up to active cooling if you're running sustained CPU-heavy work.
By RAM and Storage Headroom
| Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus | |
| Maximum RAM and storage headroom |
For GPU-Accelerated Work or Gaming Specifically
- A dedicated GPU or a confirmed Oculink/Thunderbolt EGPU connection explicitly stated in the listing, not just a generic "gaming capable" claim.
- No pick in this specific comparison explicitly confirms dedicated or external GPU support; check our EGPU-focused mini PC roundup if that's a hard requirement.
- You want what BOSGAME E2 Mini PC offers: Most generous RAM and storage combination among the compact picks. That's a real functional upgrade over the budget picks here, not just a brand markup.
- Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus already covers the essentials: tiny chassis footprint among the smallest available. The main thing you'd be paying extra for elsewhere in this list is headroom you may not need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a tiny mini PC actually save desk space?
It depends, calculate the complete installed footprint including the external power brick, not just the bare chassis dimensions.
What do the smallest mini PCs give up for their size?
Often repairability, port count, and thermal headroom, these are real tradeoffs for extreme compactness.
Are the smallest mini PCs powerful enough for everyday use?
It depends on the specific chip, entry-level Celeron chips suit only light tasks, genuine Ryzen tiers handle more demanding everyday use.
Not necessarily a red flag, but it does mean less data to rely on, weigh this appropriately when comparing picks.
Bottom Line
Best overall: Bmax Mini PC B1 Plus, Intel Celeron J3355 (Up to 2.5GHz), 6GB RAM 128GB eMMC — best smallest mini pc overall pick in this roundup. See the full verdicts above for every pick, with pros, cons and who each one suits.
Browse all smallest mini pcs on Amazon — Prime-eligible options with current pricing.