Anyone have experience with modern Mini Computers?

[schlidm1]

Another Vote for PC Stick form factor.

Just as Alex the Great notes his use of a stick PC, I too have been using one for the last 2 years almost to the day as I now just looked back in Amazon order history.... After researching and comparing several brands of these, I settled on what I deemed to be the best performer based on reviews and my own experience in the computing for decades.... wound up with an older version of this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LYRQZ59/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

While you are not upgrading internals on this in any way of course, you do have the bonus of portability for travel.... simply plug it into any HDMI capable display/TV and you have your PC with you wherever you go! It has dual band wireless and bluetooth for all your wireless connectivity and device needs. I found it helpful to purchase a keyboard/mouse wireless combo that runs off one single transmitter USB dongle, so it only takes one USB. That leaves me a spare port for whatever else( sometimes I connect external SSD for backups. It is capable of very nice 4K streaming which I use with an inexpensive 4K 27" monitor that I purchased. And it is so small that it drapes nicely directly behind my monitor on the monitor extension mount that I use. Mine also is fanless, so no noise at all, it is silent.

You just want to be sure you get one that ships with Win11. Mine was Win10 vintage and will not run the latest Win11, although I am running the Insider Preview eval version of Win11 on mine as I got into the testing prior to Win11's initial release and it has done surprisingly well for all my needs.

I spent a career in building/upgrading/tinkering with all sorts of PC equipment, and don't at all feel as if compromising with the Mele Stick. I would highly recommend it to someone that wants a basic office work capable device that is only slightly larger than a roku stick or amazon fire tv stick.

 

[ychuck46]

Threw me with the "Mini Computer" Title

Seeing as how I worked for DEC and SUN in the "older days" you initially threw me with the MiniComputer title; thought I was going to be viewing one of the guys/gals who still work on PDPs or VAXes. That being said, that is a neat little unit you are looking at. I thought about a MiniPC when I needed to replace an older laptop on my desk but instead opted to go with a Lenovo refurbed desktop unit with 16GB of memory, 1TB SSD drive, plenty of slots, AND a DVD drive (I have an external DVD drive if any of the other computers in the house ever need it). It is very quiet and efficient due to the SSD drive, I stand it on its side so it takes up little space, and I have had great luck with refurb units at sites like TigerDirect. Price is attractive as well.

For what it is worth, I put Linux on older laptops if they have good hardware still, and play with them now and then.

 

[skyking1]

this has turned into a regular geekfest
Very brave of you to post up a picture, rmcelwee. Those were the days of the KVM. I brought extra power down to my room of addiction, so the laserjet warming up would not dim the lights.

 

[jim584672]

Windows 11 is hot garbage, don't even worry about getting it.

 

[ychuck46]

Great price

I bought an HP Prodesk 600 G3 with an I7-7700 with 16GB ram, 256 SSD and Win11 Pro in SFF on Ebay for $88 shipped.t

Phenomenal price. Refurbed is the only way to go, as long as they seller is fairly reputable. My wife refuses to buy anything but new in the way of PCs for her use, but since she only trades up when the unit is on its last legs after years of use, she doesn't mind.

 

[indiajust]

now on my second refurb macmini

A no frills Apple mac mini would be my preference and they are less than $500.

I bought a used refurb online in 2010 ish and used it until 18 months ago when I updated with the M1 version when the latest OS would no longer run.

I describe the form factor as a 2X4 stack of card decks. The form is mostly empty space if you open it.

I was drawn to the ability to run native Linux shells and apps.

I have a 50 year old antique design-ish secretary that was in the family. The macmini is so tiny I could hide it invisibly. With a wireless keyboard/mouse combo and a secret ish cord caddy spot to locally backup my phone and ipad, this is the most unobtrusive setup I can do.

I am looking for a smaller flat monitor with a custom mount that I can drive via a tiny USB C serial port to complete and clean up the look. Its an odd request to find an undersized monitor to fit custom furniture, yet with modern drivers and interface.

I would like to build folded horn speakers into the furniture with hidden wireless data/power as well as a stealth mic input.

My desired output is all the latest and greatest, hidden away in a classy non obvious fashion so that when the fold top is closed, so is my office.

 

[zl55lz]

Just bought a new Geekom Mini Air 11 with Windows 11 Pro, up to 2.9Ghz, 8gb RAM, 256gb SSD, Celeron N5105 11th gen for $129.99 (at Amazon after $20 voucher coupon). So far it is running great, smoothly, quickly, quietly, no problems with heat.

Can mount to monitor. Couldn't pass up that price as Geekom is well respected and I wanted to see what it can do. My experience and opinion so far.

 

[ERhoosier]

IMHO Apple Mac minis are the next best thing to being bullet proof. I would not have an issue buying a refurbished or renewed Mac mini. I've been a Mac mini user since 2014 and just recently bought a new bare bone model ($599) to replace my 10 year old model (which I still use for some photo storage). I like using my own peripherals and not a fan of Apple keyboards or mice. External HD, monitors, keyboards, etc. are pretty cheap and a personal presence type of thing. I pretty much went all Apple back around 2014 or so after getting fed up with the IBM standard of computers with all their associated problems, constant virus/malware updating, Windows bugs, blue screens of death, etc. Apple products are just so much more intuitive and compatible with iPhones, iPads, Notebooks. Just my opinion though.

I used to feel the same way. But as a 30+yr Mac user, both desktops and Macbooks, I am giving up on Macs. That "bullet proof" reliability is a thing of the past, as illustrated by my current iMac which has been a slow PITA with no solutions help from Apple. And user- upgrading lower-end macs has become VERY difficult (basically impossible) so IF you get one buy all the RAM & HD capacity up front. In contrast my 2 Windows laptops have been "bullet proof" with easily upgradable RAM/HD......and I have grown to find the full touchscreen very useful. And Windows now plays very nicely with my iPhone & iCloud. So my Mac replacement will be a Windows machine.



Note that $599 entry-level mini has only 8G of RAM, which is what my current iMac has. That is REALLY limiting unless you are a light user (only 1 or 2 basic programs open at once, no audio or AV work, etc.). Older (now used/refurb) minis were limited to 8G, and new ones go up in price quick as you add RAM & HD (SSD) capacity.

For the OP a new mac mini (same 16G/500SSD configuration) would be over FOUR TIMES the cost of the Beelink ($879 vs $189), albeit the mac M processor is faster than the Beelink's N-100. Even a used 5 year old mini (MacSales price, which I have bought from in the past-good outfit BTW) would be over double the Beelink's cost.


IMHO- No reason for OP to spend the $$$ on a mac unless already deeply committed to the that operating system.

 

[target2019]

ERhoosier, in some ways I agree with you. Since I was once a zealot for Apple Mac in the 80's, I know many of the ways in which one can deflect criticism about the platform. So we do need to look at comparable systems.

Another thing that is important, is that the OP has mentioned that spouse does not want to replace his failed PC. So the full cost of the initial buy is very important.

I personally know that as I grow older I just want to sit down at a semi-powerful machine and do stuff. Since I worked from the Windows environment since 2005, I have such a large library of software and experience, that I see no reason to change. I'm very familiar with OSX, and supported others in their use for a very long time. So I am not anti-Apple. Just realistic about what I need.

YMMV.

 

[ERhoosier]

target2019-


Spot on. With OP's budget and already using Windows IMHO a Mac mini would NOT be the best choice (due to both $$$ & switching operating systems).


FWIW- I also do not consider myself anti-Apple (I like my iPhone & iCloud). But after being 'Macs-only' for 10+ years & later becoming 'bilingual' (& using Windows only at w@rk) I think that Apple has sadly let the Mac platform slip to being a horribly overpriced second fiddle to Windows PCs. Each new macOS roll out seems to have more bugs to fix than the last (especially compatibility issues). And even some Apple services are now better integrated with Windows than Macs these days

 

[target2019]

target2019-

Spot on. With OP's budget and already using Windows IMHO a Mac mini would NOT be the best choice (due to both $$$ & switching operating systems).

FWIW- I also do not consider myself anti-Apple (I like my iPhone & iCloud). But after being 'Macs-only' for 10+ years & later becoming 'bilingual' (& using Windows only at w@rk) I think that Apple has sadly let the Mac platform slip to being a horribly overpriced second fiddle to Windows PCs. Each new macOS roll out seems to have more bugs to fix than the last (especially compatibility issues). And even some Apple services are now better integrated with Windows than Macs these days

I think in some cases they may be worth the extra dollars. For example, I supported small graphics shops in the previous century. Software that they used (Quark Xpress) was not available for Windows yet. I was very involved with Apple user groups, and knew every nook and cranny about purchasing, the software, and the users. In my consulting business I started getting referrals to help professionals with their Mac's, so easy to use but difficult to troubleshoot (like PC's).

It always bugged me that an all-in-one was so difficult to repair. I thought it should be simpler, but it held you captive to the Apple store for repair and parts. YMMV.

One thing I've learned is that it's better to focus on what the client says, rather than what you want them to do. As I recall, the OP wants to replace Windows. IMO, he should stick with Windows.

If simple and easy and cheap is in the requirements, Chromebook may be an even-better solution. The best use of a forum like E-R is to sound out your requirements, and listen to how others have solved similar problems. A lesson I've learned is that a significant number of responses always sound to me like, "Do what I did. I haven't really listened to you, but feel good talking about my choice(s)"

YMMV.

 

[skyking1]

I still have a windows laptop but it's win7 so it will not likely make the jump to 10 or better.
I did the Chromebook detour for browsing, but clearly it does not support much in the way of software. I think of it as a big phone with a keyboard in that regard Many apps are not tailored to the big screen and don't work. I can browse content and use it for zoom and those kinds of things, and very basic photo editing. I do all my online banking with it as well.
This thread has been very informative, thank you. I will be getting a refurb 10 or 11 machine, they are very inexpensive.

 

[segfault]

I've been using a laptop plugged into a larger monitor with a wireless keyboard and mouse since 2016. Since I still use it about eight hours a day on weekdays, I decided to upgrade to a model which is compatible with Windows 11. I'm still working through the irritations of Windows 11 a few weeks in, but it's nice to have a laptop that will charge via USB-C and also fully supports my generic USB-C docking station which has an HDMI port.

The old laptop is an i3. I don't plan to force the Windows 11 upgrade on it. It runs ChromeOS Flex from a USB stick very well, and when Windows 10 support ends in 2025, I intend to just do a full install of ChromeOS Flex and continue using it for web browsing and media consumption.