Time runs fast. It seems that only the selection was made for February, and September is already approaching the end of the year. Even surprisingly few. But let’s not indulge in autumn boredom, let’s take a look at miniature PCs presented by manufacturers from different countries. Traditionally, the selection includes several models that are suitable for different tasks. Details below!

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MSI Cubi NUC 13MQ

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Let’s probably start with this model. It comes with processors up to Core i7-1365U vPro. Not bad, enough for many tasks for both developers and ordinary users. If such a chip is not needed, there is a simpler model — with Intel Core i5-1345U.

The size of the case is 136 x 133 x 50, it will not take up much space on the desktop, and you can simply hang it behind the monitor so that it does not take up anything at all. In addition, the device has two 2.5 GbE Ethernet and HDMI ports at once. There is an Intel AX211 wireless communication module with support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Plus two SODIMM slots for up to 64GB DDR5-5200 RAM. So you can upgrade as needed – nothing on the board, except the processor, is unsoldered. There is also a slot for microSD cards and an audio output for headphones.

List of ports and connectors

On the front panel:

• 2x USB 10 Gbps Type-A
• 1x combined microphone and headphone jack (Mic-in/Headphone-out)
• 1x Micro-SD card slot

On the back panel:

• 2x Thunderbolt 4 (with DP 1.4 and Power Delivery support)
• 2x USB 10 Gbps Type-A
• 2x HDMI (supporting resolution up to 4K at 60 Hz)
• 2x RJ45 (with 2.5G Ethernet support)

As for drives, that means M.2 2280 and M.2 2242 slots for solid-state drives and hard drives.

Zotac ZBOX MI6x3

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Zotac ZBOX MI6x3 is a compact mini PC with a powerful processor. It comes with an Intel Core i7-14700, making it a great choice for work tasks and home use. The processor has 20 cores and 28 threads, which is suitable for multitasking and complex calculations.

The body measuring 204 x 129 x 68 mm is slightly larger than the previous device, but also small. The device also supports two slots for SO-DIMM DDR4 memory (up to 64 GB) and the possibility of installing solid-state drives in the M.2 form factor.

List of ports and connectors

• 1 x HDMI 2.1
• 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
• 4 x USB 3.2 Type-A
• 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
• 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
• 1 x 3.5mm audio
• 1 x 3.5mm mic

This mini PC supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity. Connection to two 4K displays is also supported. Unfortunately, there is no USB-C port and Thunderbolt, OCuLink.

The company supplies only models without disks and RAM.

MINIX NEO Z300-dB

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Ultra-compact and silent mini-PC with a passive cooling system. It is equipped with the 12th generation Intel Alder Lake N300 processor, which makes it a powerful tool for everyday tasks.

Characteristics

• Processor: 8-core Intel Core i3-N300 with frequency up to 3.8 GHz and TDP 7 W.
• RAM: 8 or 16 GB DDR4-3200, expandable up to 32 GB.
• 256GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD expandable up to 4TB.
• Graphics: built-in Intel UHD Graphics, supports work with two 4K 60 Hz monitors at the same time.

List of ports and connectors

On the front panel:

• 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
• 1x USB-C port
• 1x Micro SD card slot
• 1x audio output (3.5 mm)

On the back panel:

• 2x HDMI 2.1 (up to 4K @ 60Hz)
• 2x USB 2.0
• 1x 2.5Gb RJ45 Ethernet

There is a wireless communication module with support for the new Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.2.

The device has passive cooling. Yes, thanks to the aluminum case and large radiators, the device works absolutely silently and efficiently dissipates heat. In addition, the device comes with Windows 11 Pro installed, but also supports other operating systems: Ubuntu and Debian.

MINIX NEO Z300-dB is suitable for users who value silence and performance without excessive energy costs and cooling system maintenance.

The device is sold for $216 and above, depending on the characteristics.

AOOSTAR GEM10 370

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A compact and at the same time powerful mini PC based on the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip with Zen 5 architecture. This processor has 12 cores and 24 threads, which provides a base frequency of 2.0 GHz with the possibility of overclocking up to 5.1 GHz. Thanks to the integrated Radeon 890M graphics with 16 computing units and a frequency of up to 2.9 GHz. The device does a great job with graphically demanding tasks such as rendering and light gaming applications. It’s great, isn’t it?

And that’s not all! With a processor supporting up to 50 TOPS of computing power for AI tasks, the device is suitable for data analysis and content creation.

Main characteristics

• Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with a frequency of up to 5.1 GHz.
• Graphics: integrated Radeon 890M with support for modern graphics computing.
• RAM: LPDDR5X support with a frequency of up to 7,500 MHz.
• Storage: Support for up to three PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, providing up to 24 TB of storage.
• OCuLink: interface for connecting external graphics or high-speed storage without NVMe slots.

List of ports and connectors

On the front panel:

• 2x USB 3.2 Gen2
• 1x USB4
• 1x audio output for headphones
• OCuLink for external devices

On the back panel:

• 2x 2.5G Ethernet
• 2x HDMI 2.1 (support for up to three displays with a resolution of 4K at 120 Hz)
• Additional USB 3.2 Gen2

The mini-PC has a Glacier 2.5 passive cooling system with adjustable TDP from 28 to 45 W, which ensures stable and quiet operation. The GEM10 370 is a great option for users who need a powerful yet compact solution. It is expected that the device will cost about $1,000 on the international market.

MOREFINE M11

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MOREFINE M11 is a compact mini-PC, a kind of hybrid of a tablet and a desktop PC, which is distinguished by the presence of a 7-inch touch screen. The device is equipped with Intel N100 or N200 processors, depending on the configuration, and supports 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory with a frequency of 4,800 MHz, which provides good performance for everyday tasks.

Characteristics

• Processor: Intel N100 or N200 (quad-core).
• Graphics: integrated Intel UHD Graphics.
• RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5-4800.
• Storage: Support SSD M.2 2242 capacity from 256GB to 2TB.

List of ports and connectors

• 3x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A.
• 1x USB-C (for data and power).
• 1x USB-C (for video and data).
• 1x HDMI 2.1.
• 1x RJ45 (Gigabit Ethernet).
• 1x 3.5 mm audio jack.

The device has a 7-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1,280×800 pixels, which may be useful for someone, although it is not very practical. Do you have a different opinion? Another feature is a 3,400 mAh battery. It provides up to 3.5 hours of battery life and 24 hours of standby time.

The model supports dual 4K output via HDMI and USB-C, making it suitable for connecting additional monitors to increase productivity. At the same time, the price of the device starts at $348 for a version with a 256 GB SSD and reaches $502 for a configuration with a 2 TB drive.

In general, the manufacturers were pleased. Moreover, most models support an upgrade, which is not bad. And what mini PC is on your desk? If, of course, you have a computer of exactly this format.