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 Minisforum AI X1 presents itself as a compact mini PC that offers impressive everyday performance despite its small dimensions. With the AMD Ryzen 7 255, fast DDR5 RAM and a PCIe 4.0 SSD, the system is equally suitable for productive tasks, multimedia and light gaming. The integrated Radeon graphics provide sufficient reserves for typical applications without claiming to replace a dedicated graphics card. The well-coordinated cooling is particularly positive, ensuring stable temperatures and pleasantly low noise levels even under continuous load. In addition, the AI X1 has modern connectivity with USB4, dual LAN and the ability to operate several screens simultaneously, making it flexible in use. Minor limitations such as the only average SSD performance or the limited expandability when using OCuLink hardly spoil the overall impression. All in all, the Minisforum AI X1 offers a well-balanced overall package that impresses primarily with its efficiency, versatility and an attractive price-performance ratio.

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 Sapphire Edge AI marks the manufacturer's re-entry into the mini PC market and impresses with modern Ryzen AI technology, a 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. USB4 expands the possibilities, for example for external GPUs, and the energy consumption remains low. The device shows weaknesses in the casing material and the audible cooling under load. Overall, however, the Edge AI offers a strong overall package for users looking for a small, efficient and AI-capable mini PC.

The 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 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 USB4, 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.