If you’re looking for an affordable, powerful, and expandable desktop PC, you might be considering the Intel NUC. Its powerful processor and expandability make it the ideal choice for most people. The NUC 11 Extreme kit features two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports on the front, six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the back, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E wireless capabilities.
Beelink SER4
The Beelink SER4 mini PC is a solid choice for anyone looking for a fast, professional workstation PC. It sports an impressive amount of memory and ports, Windows 11 Pro, and plenty of storage. Its performance is far better than most other PCs in its price range, and the wide array of expansion options will keep you happy for years. Compared to the competition, the SER4 has Wi-Fi 6e and ample expansion potential. The Beelink is noisy, but the performance is great, and it offers a great deal of flexibility for future expansion.
The Beelink SER4 mini PC comes with Manjaro Linux pre-installed. It also features an AMD Ryzen 7 4800U processor. If you’re a newbie to Linux, you’ll want to determine what kind of hardware you need. You can also purchase a preloaded PC that has Windows, but be sure to check the specs to make sure they’re compatible with Linux.
Chuwi’s GBOX
The company Chuwi has unveiled its GBOX mini-PC, a low-power, ultra-compact PC that uses the Gemini Lake N4100 processor. This is a slight improvement over Apollo Lake, which introduced 4K UHD 10-bit support. The Gemini Lake N4100 chip has 55% better performance, and boasts hardware VP9 decoding. It is the ideal choice for those who need a low-power HTPC.
Another Intel Nuc alternative is the GMK NucBox K1, an ultra-compact mini PC designed for almost any location. It comes with a Gemini Lake Celeron J4125 CPU and an internal cooling ventilator, and it’s priced at just $209 USD (for early backers), although later this year, it’s expected to reach mass production. Chuwi may use different suppliers for the CPU, GPU, and other parts for the GBOX.
Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast kit
If you’re looking for a compact PC with powerful components, you might want to consider the Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast kit. This model pairs Tiger Lake processors with discrete RTX graphics to handle triple-A games with ease. It’s also available in two versions: a barebones kit and a pre-configured one. For around $100, you can purchase the enthusiast kit.
The Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast kit has a soldered-on 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. These components help you complete demanding tasks without any lag. You can also choose between up to 64GB of memory, two high-performance M.2 solid-state drives, and a Windows 10 operating system.
GEEKOM Mini IT8
The new GEEKOM Mini IT8 mini PC is an excellent alternative to an Intel NUC unit, with an i5 chip and a 4th generation Intel Core i5 processor. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 features 16GB of DDR3 memory, as well as an SSD drive for storage. Both of these models are easy to upgrade with new RAM and storage. The downside is that the ThinkCentre M93 does not have a front USB-C port, but it is still easily upgradeable.
The Mini PC is made to resemble a desktop computer. It has an aluminum body and open-air vents for cooling. While it is heavy and large, it screws behind any 21 or 40-inch monitor without problem. Another advantage of the Mini PC is its affordable price. You can get a model for just under $500, which makes it a great deal for most users. While it lacks the high-end features of a nuc, it is a fantastic budget option for home or office users.
