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) as well as a 16-core or 20-core iGPU, the machine delivers impressive performance for demanding applications, whether it's 4K or 8K video editing, software development or heavy multitasking.

Thanks to the ARM-based CPU architecture, the system scores with exceptional energy efficiency. Energy consumption is minimal when idling and the Mini does not become power-hungry under higher load, either, making it ideal for continuous use. This is supported by an almost ingenious cooling system, which makes little noise no matter the use case.

With up to 64 GB of unified memory and ultra-fast SSD storage options, this Mac offers impressive grunt for anything. That being said, its mostly soldered-in components contribute to its compact design but take away user-upgradability. Users should therefore plan for the future when picking an SKU.

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, among other tasks. It is also Apple's first CO₂-neutral Mac, made from recycled materials and developed with sustainable production and packaging techniques in mind.

The base SKU starts at 699 euros in Germany, while the M4 Pro variant is available from 1,649 euros.

The AI X1 Pro is a really powerful mini-PC with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, the APU that brings to the table both the fast Radeon 890M iGPU and an integrated 50-TOPS NPU. Thanks to its fast DDR5 RAM and PCIe SSD, the machine 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 featuring two fans 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, with this model, Minisforum has integrated a power supply unit right into the device.

Built-in speakers are reasonably good here, too.

The A9 Max is a powerful, yet compact mini-PC with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 that's based on the efficient Zen 5 architecture. With 12 CPU cores, the fast Radeon 890M iGPU, up to 128-GB DDR5 RAM and a fast 2-TB SSD, as tested, it delivers excellent performance both in everyday use and computing-intensive applications, including games (at 1080p or less).

Connectivity is impressive with six USB-A ports, two USB 4 ports, two HDMI outputs and an SD card reader, making a multi-monitor workplace easy to set up.

Geekom's A9 Max is available either from Amazon.de or directly from the Geekom online store. Price: around 1,000 euros.

The AI X1 is a compact mini-PC featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 255, fast DDR5 RAM and a PCIe 4.0 SSD. The system is equally suitable for productivity work, media consumption and light casual gaming, with the integrated Radeon graphics providing sufficient grunt for typical applications and basic (or older) games.

The machine's well-designed cooling solution is particularly noteworthy, ensuring temperatures are kept at bay with pleasantly low noise levels even under continuous load. In addition, the AI X1 boasts modern connectivity with USB 4, dual LAN and the ability to drive several screens simultaneously. Minor issues such as average SSD performance hardly hurt the overall impression.

The ExpertCenter PN54 with AMD's Ryzen AI 7 350 proved to be a compact and versatile mini-PC in Notebookcheck tests. The Zen 5-architecture CPU and its Radeon 860M integrated graphics unit handle everyday applications as well as certain more demanding tasks well, while the integrated Ryzen AI NPU opens up additional possibilities for AI-supported workflows.

This is a well-made mini-PC, and its housing tends to be pleasantly quiet and cool despite packing plenty of performance. The range of ports is also impressive for multi-monitor setups with a wide range of peripherals connected.

Sapphire's Edge AI marks the brand's re-entry into the mini PC market, impressing with modern Ryzen chips, compact design and good everyday performance. Despite its small dimensions, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 delivers a lot of computing power, supported by a powerful iGPU and a fast NPU for AI tasks.

USB 4 expands the possibilities, making it possible to use external GPUs among other options, and the machine's energy consumption is relatively low. Its casing materials aren't very premium and cooling can be a bit loud when under computational load. Overall, however, the Edge AI is a nice system for users looking for a small, efficient and AI-enabled mini-PC.

The GTI13 Ultra is a powerful mini-PC based on Intel's Core i9-13900HK. Thanks to the chip's 14 cores and 20 threads, the machine offers strong multi-core performance for demanding applications. However, due to the rather 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.

Overall, this is an upgrade-friendly enough system, as far as mini-PCs go. Its internal cooling solution ensures efficient heat dissipation with little noise. The Beelink system scores further plus points with its integrated power supply, which saves space, and a set of internal speakers (that admittedly could be louder).

The A8 (2025 model) is a compact mini PC with AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS that delivers powerful everyday and multimedia performance despite its small-0.5 liter design. The combination of an efficient 8-core processor, fast DDR5 memory and NVMe SSD ensures smooth performance, with the integrated Radeon graphics also enabling light gaming and four-display setups.

Modern connections such as USB 4, Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5 GbE round off the package. However, the system becomes rather audible under high load.

Geekom's GT1 Mega is a powerful mini-PC. In Notebookcheck's tests, the Core Ultra 9 185H CPU with its 16 cores and 22 threads, supplemented by a powerful Intel Arc-series iGPU, helped the small PC offer 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.