The device comes with a USB Type-C charger in the (rather premium) box. Ubuntu MATE on the Micro PC The AS 6 might only be a plastic build and have quite a noisy fan, but it's still of the best value ways to get a machine that's kitted out with USB 4.0 and two Gen 4 2280 M.2 NVMe slots (leaving enough space for a 2.5 inch SATA drive) in this form factor.

If a mini PC is best, consider how you'll be using your machine. In addition to general computer usage, Mini PCs have been used as media servers, games emulators, and much more. The models next up in size are a bit more dynamic, a bunch we might term the "NUC class." NUC stands for "Next Unit of Computing," a longtime initiative by Intel to spur the development of very small Windows-based desktop PCs using its mobile-centric processors. The chip giant has released a series of NUC-branded mini PC kits in its own line, and several of the traditional PC-component makers have followed suit with similar models (Asus with its VivoMini line, and Gigabyte with its Brix models, for example). This gets the same kind of 11.6-inch touchscreen display and the same convertible format, but slightly different hardware with a Mediatek processor, and a larger 42 Wh battery that allows it to last a little longer on each charge. If a given system is a bare-bones kit, you'll need to get more than a little hands-on with it to get it up and running. But a kit gives you maximum flexibility in terms of component selection. That said, one advantage of a pre-configured system, apart from the easier setup, is the fact that Windows or macOS comes installed; you won't need to install and update the OS and its drivers. Update: A follow-up OneMix 5 (also known as One Notebook 5) generation was recently announced, a slight refinement of the existing OneMix 4, with updated hardware and a interesting Convertible format. We discuss this further down.The highlights of this design are its metal case, easy access to the interior and relatively straightforward upgrades to memory and storage. It even has a spare M.2 2042 slot for adding additional space above that available through the main M.2 2280 slot. You need to factor those parts and a Windows license (unless you plan to use Linux) into the total cost. The parts you will need, mind you, will be small: the kind that you'd typically find in a laptop, not a desktop. Many small PCs like these make use of DDR4 SO-DIMMs—laptop-style RAM modules—for their main memory instead of full-size desktop DDR4 DIMMs. Thermal tinkering by GPD allows the CPU to draw up to 10W of power — more than other devices with this chip A mini laptop is ideal for those who do a lot of travelling. For example a construction worker that needs to visit multiple locations in a day, or an IT Technician who needs to move between offices to keep vital hardware up and running. These small laptops for office work provide ease of carrying in a hand while working or even while travelling. They have an all day battery life to ensure your tasks are completed without having to recharge. Lenovo also offer a more recent handheld product, called the Lenovo Legion Go. This is a larger and heavier device than the other options in this space, as it offers an 8.8inch 1600p display, a powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 hardware platform, and a 50 Wh battery.

Of course, since the laptop is a two-in-one, you can use it like a traditional laptop, a tablet with its touchscreen, rotated for showing presentations, or like a tent (pictured) when space is limited — such as on an airplane tray or when you just want to watch movies. The Z2 Mini G9 carries the independent software vendor (ISV) certifications of its bigger desktop brothers and HP's ZBook mobile workstations, making it a great choice for 2D and light 3D design and CGI rendering as well as video editing, dataset analysis, and scientific and engineering apps. Up to 64GB of memory and 8TB of storage give you plenty of headroom, while two "flex banks" can be configured with a dizzying array of ports. Apparently nobody told it it wasn't a tower. Today's best mini PCs are a great alternative to bulky full-size desktops and all-in-one systems for all kinds of uses: from administrative workers doing data entry, to customer service specialists and call center offices, to creative professionals and students learning at home. What is the best use of a mini PC?Moving up in screen size, with 12-inchers you’re mostly getting Windows tablets with 3:2 and 16:10 touchscreens, premium designs, and different kinds of hardware specs, based on your budget. The Microsoft Surface Pros and HP Envy X12 lineups come to mind as recommendations, and all of these are covered in this detailed separate article. Don’t dismiss the placement of the touchpad and mouse buttons: when this thing is in your hand, they feel perfectly placed. Micro PC Gaming The term microcomputer came into popular use after the introduction of the minicomputer, although Isaac Asimov used the term in his short story " The Dying Night" as early as 1956 (published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in July that year). [5] Most notably, the microcomputer replaced the many separate components that made up the minicomputer's CPU with one integrated microprocessor chip. With dual memory modules installed, the K1 is easily fast enough to blood the nose of the Intel NUC 13 Pro and trounce any Core i5 or Celeron-powered machines. Access for memory or storage changes is remarkably easy and doesn’t even require the removal of screws. Bad microphone drivers: If your microphone driver is bad or out of date, the microphone will fail to work properly.

The hardware inside this mini-laptop is an efficient Intel Core i7-1130G7 platform running at 7-15 W, paired with up to 16 GB of LPDDR4x memory and SSD storage. There’s room inside for an M.2 2280 drive, so the storage can be upgraded if you want to. There’s also a fan on this laptop, and a 38.5 Wh battery. That’s not bad for a 10-inch design, but don’t expect more than 4-6 hours of multitasking and 7+ of video here.

When I first heard about the GPD Micro PC, the 6-inch laptop crowdfunded into reality earlier this year, my overriding impression was one of confusion.

Mini laptops typically come with Windows installed on them, but there is a growing trend and desire for Linux. Many mini laptops support various flavours of Linux such as Ubuntu and Fedora. The GMKtec NucBox M2 is a prime example of a good quality mini PC that won't break the bank. Housed in an attractive metal case, its size makes it perfect for conferencing rooms, and it can be monitor-mounted for using office applications. The GPD Micro PC runs on a fast Intel® Celeron® N4120 Quad Core processor with a turbo frequency up to 2.6Ghz and 8GB of fast LPDDR4 RAM. There is a choice of having 256GB, 512GB or 1TB NGFF M.2 SATA SSD storage. This can be upgraded at a later date if you wish to.What could have been better was the USB ports that are all blue in colour, though one is a USB 2.0, and both USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports are on the front and both Type-A ports. That the only USB-C port is Gen 1 was a definite oversight. You're welcome to use the Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Ultra for Microsoft Word and Excel, but it's really overkill for office apps—in fact, it stands close to HP's Z2 Mini G9 as a potent mini workstation. Measuring 8.7 by 3.4 by 7.9 inches (HWD), it weighs less than four pounds but its slide-out internal frame holds up to a Core i9-12900 CPU, 64GB of RAM, two M.2 solid-state drives plus a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, and an Nvidia RTX A5000 graphics card. Who It's For A.O., Williman; Jelinek, H.J. (June 1976). "Special Tutorial: Introduction to LSI Microprocessor Developments". Computer. IEEE. 9 (Computer): 37. doi: 10.1109/C-M.1976.218612. S2CID 11184882. This device isn’t “super powerful” or “super sleek” or any other approbatory combination. But it is the most affordable and accessible sub-notebook GPD has released to date.