Ranking: The best office mini-PCs reviewed by Notebookcheck

The M4 Pro-powered Mac Mini combines cutting-edge technology, energy efficiency and minimalist design in a compact PC. With the new M4 Pro chip, equipped with 12 CPU cores (8 performance and 4 efficiency cores) and a 16- or 20-core iGPU, it delivers impressive performance for demanding applications. Whether it's 4K or 8K video editing, software development or multitasking, the M4 Pro Mac Mini will handle it with ease. Thanks to the ARM-based CPU architecture, the system scores with exceptional energy efficiency. Energy consumption is minimal in idle mode and the Mini remains economical even under high load, making it ideal for continuous use. This is supported by an almost ingenious cooling system, which is not unpleasantly noticeable even during intensive use.

With up to 64 GB of unified memory and ultra-fast SSD storage options, this Mac offers outstanding working speed. The partially soldered components contribute to the compact design, but hardly allow for subsequent upgrades. Users should therefore plan for the future when selecting the specifications.

The compact housing made from recycled aluminum blends seamlessly into any working environment. In addition to three Thunderbolt 5 ports, the Mac Mini also offers HDMI, RJ45 and a 3.5 mm jack output, making it versatile enough.

The M4 chip-powered Mac Mini is the latest offering in Apple's compact desktop computer line, bringing significant performance improvements over the previous-gen Mini. The system can drive up to three 6K displays and is available with 16 GB to 64 GB of RAM. It is suitable for demanding creative applications, data analysis and modern gaming. It is also Apple's first CO₂-neutral Mac, made from recycled materials and developed with sustainable production and packaging. The base version starts at 699 euros, while the M4 Pro variant is available from 1,649 euros.

The Minisforum AI X1 Pro is a really powerful mini-PC with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, the Radeon 890M iGPU and an integrated 50 TOPS NPU. Thanks to its fast DDR5 RAM and PCIe SSD, it offers high system performance. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of OCuLink, the interface which lets you connect a dock with an external GPU to significantly increase graphics performance.

Its internal cooling solution consisting of two fans and heat pipes is quiet, yet efficient. The AI X1 Pro impresses with its ports; the list includes several USB 4 (Thunderbolt) ports, an HDMI, a DisplayPort and a 2.5 Gbit/s LAN port. The compact system looks modern and functional. Despite its high performance, it consumes far less energy than a conventional desktop. In contrast to most other mini-PCs, Minisforum has integrated the power supply unit directly into the device, and the built-in speakers are reasonably good.

The Geekom A9 Max is an even more powerful yet compact mini PC with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, based on the efficient Zen 5 architecture. With 12 cores, the fast AMD Radeon 890M iGPU, up to 128GB DDR5 RAM and a fast 2 TB SSD, it delivers excellent performance both in everyday use and for computing-intensive applications. The connectivity is impressive with six USB-A ports, two USB4 ports, two HDMI outputs and an SD card reader, making a multi-monitor setup effortless. In summary, the Geekom A9 Max is an excellent choice for anyone looking for maximum performance in a small space - whether for home office, multimedia or even light gaming.
The Geekom A9 Max is available either from Amazon or directly from the Geekom online store. Price: around 1,000 euros.

The Asus ExpertCenter PN54 with AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 proves to be a compact and versatile mini PC that offers a strong mix of performance and efficiency. Thanks to the Zen 5 architecture and integrated Radeon graphics unit, it handles everyday applications just as smoothly as more demanding tasks, while the new Ryzen AI unit opens up additional possibilities for AI-supported workflows. The workmanship is high-quality, the housing remains pleasantly quiet and cool despite the high performance, and the modular design means the PN54 can be flexibly adapted to individual requirements. The variety of connections is also impressive, allowing it to easily support multiple monitors and a wide range of peripheral devices. Overall, the Asus ExpertCenter PN54 presents itself as a powerful, future-proof solution for office, multimedia and productive work in the smallest of spaces, which is recommended for both professional and private users.

The Beelink GTI13 Ultra is a powerful mini-PC based on Intel's Core i9-13900HK. Thanks to the 14 cores and 20 threads, it offers strong multi-core performance for demanding applications. However, due to the weak iGPU, the mini-PC is not suitable for gaming on its own. For those who want to game, a proprietary PCIe x8 eGPU dock is supported, which can massively increase 3D performance by giving the user direct access to a full-size desktop graphics card. The internal cooling solution ensures efficient heat dissipation with little noise. The Beelink system scores further plus points due to its integrated power supply and a set of internal speakers (that admittedly could have been a little louder). This is a fairly upgrade-friendly system, too, as far as mini-PCs go.

The Geekom GT1 Mega is a powerful mini-PC. In our testing, we took a close look at the system and its Intel Core Ultra 9 185H. Predictably enough, the 16 CPU cores and 22 threads, supplemented by the powerful Intel Arc series iGPU, helped the small PC prove quickly that it offers plenty of grunt for most kinds of tasks. With 32 GB of DDR5 RAM and a 2 TB PCIe 4 SSD, the GT1 Mega offers sufficient resources for demanding tasks such as video editing, multitasking and light gaming. The device supports up to four 4K monitors or one 8K display; its modern connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, as well as two USB 4 (Thunderbolt) and dual 2.5 Gbit/s Ethernet ports future-proof the product, putting it ahead of many rival mini-computers.

The GMK NucBox K11 is a bit of an eye-catcher thanks to a bit of RGB lighting. With its AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, the compact powerhouse offers plenty of performance that is also throttling-free. The mini-PC offers sufficient performance for office, multimedia and demanding multitasking workloads. Despite the powerful hardware, the product tends to be pleasantly quiet and cool thanks to two two fans inside. This little computer offers a versatile enough set of ports and interfaces, including USB 3.2, HDMI, DisplayPort, 2.5 Gbit/s LAN and Wi-Fi 6, making it virtually ideal for flexible use in the home office or as a media center.

The Khadas Mind 2s is a particularly compact mini PC that combines high performance and flexible application options in an elegant housing. Equipped with a latest-generation Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, up to 64 GB of fast LPDDR5X memory and a PCIe 4.0 SSD with up to 2 TB, it offers sufficient reserves for demanding applications. The integrated Intel Arc graphics unit not only enables smooth display in multimedia and office environments, but also solid support for AI-supported workflows. Thanks to modern interfaces such as Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 and USB-A 3.2, it is versatile and, in combination with proprietary accessories such as the Mind Dock, the Mind 2s can show off its advantages in every respect. The modular concept is particularly noteworthy: extensions such as eGPU modules, docking stations or display units can be seamlessly connected via the Mind-Link interface.

The GMKtec NucBox M6 Ultra proves to be an extremely powerful mini PC that offers impressive computing power despite its compact format. The built-in AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS with integrated Radeon 760M ensures sufficient performance in everyday use, smooth multimedia playback and acceptable results for light image editing or moderate gaming. Thanks to the DDR5 RAM and NVMe SSD, the system responds very quickly, while modern connections such as USB4, dual LAN, HDMI and Wi-Fi 6E enable flexible use. The heat development remains controllable even under load, although the fan becomes audible under load. The integrated graphics are less suitable for demanding games, but deliver a solid result at low settings. Overall, the NucBox M6 Ultra impresses with an excellent ratio of size, price and performance and is particularly recommended for space-saving work or media environments.