They’re very small This benefit almost goes without saying, but it’s still worth asking: how small is a mini PC? Many are built on what’s known as a Mini-ITX (Information Technology eXtended) motherboard, which is 17cm² (6.7in2). Add in a little extra space for air circulation and the case itself, and you can expect a … Read more
MSI CUBI 3 review – WITH PERFORMANCE A LETDOWN, IT’S UP TO EXCELLENT DESIGN AND EASY CUSTOMISATION TO MAKE THE CUBI 3 SILENT WORTHWHILE Cubi is one of the most reliable sub- brands in the mini PC market; we particularly liked the original MSI Cubi for its low price and tiny form factor. Fast forward two … Read more
HP Pavilion Mini Desktop Review – HP bowl into the small media PC market with the Pavilion Mini Given the power they put in smart TVs these days, I do wonder if the classic media PC is redundant. Nevertheless, lots of hardware makers still produce them. The latest company to be inspired by Intel’s low-power chippery … Read more
Dell OptiPlex 7060 Micro Downsized worker Dell practically invented the business of making PCs and selling them directly to customers, and it’s still a company that puts as much ingenuity and innovation into its marketing as its hardware. In practical terms, that means its prices are competitive but confusing. The OptiPlex 7060 Micro is … Read more
Acer Chromebox CXI3 Pillarbox Google’s Chrome operating system is much less demanding than Windows, so PCs capable of running it can be built much more cheaply. That means we’re used to seeing Chromeboxes at the bottom end of the market, starting at a couple of hundred quid with a basic Celeron processor. If you use … Read more
Small computer, big price tag For more than a decade, the Mac mini has been the cheapest Mac. That’s still true, but now it costs eight hundred quid, which really sums up Apple’s direction of travel. Back in the day, the shiny plastic iMac was more fun than a mid range PC at a similar … Read more
ASUS VIVOMINI review – WITH DEDICATED GRAPHICS AND EXTENSIVE CONNECTIVITY, THIS IS AN ATTRACTIVELY VERSATILE MINI PC The VivoMini family has about as many different configurations as a Rubik’s Cube, starting with the Intel Celeron- based UN45 and scaling all the way up to i5 CPUs. This sits very close to the top of the line, … Read more
LENOVO IdeaCentre 620S Review – It’s hard to describe what the IdeaCentre 620s looks like. It could star in one of those films where mysterious aliens approach Earth and nobody knows what they want. Because it’s mounted on a foot, it even hovers slightly. This is the kind of PC you want to keep on your … Read more
Intel Hades Canyon NUC (NUC8i7HVK) – Intel’s Next Unit of Computing’ hardware platform has always showcased some of the chipmaker’s most interesting silicon concepts. This year, the Hades Canyon NUC represents a partnership between Intel and AMD we would have never expected — or even fathomed. [wpsm_ads2] It’s easily the smallest VR-capable PC that marries together … Read more