Small yet mighty, these mini PCs pack a surprising punch

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Young man sitting at his mini PC, playing computer games

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Its also great for docking and using an external display.

It offers powerful performance at the price of a gorgeous 7.4-inch OLED screen.

Battery life of between 3 and 12 hours sounds vague because it depends on the game you play.

Valve Steam Deck OLED.

PHOTO: Amazon

In reality, somewhere in between is about right.

Regular sales mean you wont need to consider a different method of acquiring your games.

While the Steam Deck OLED is a little bulky for smaller hands, its mostly reasonably comfortable.

ASUS ROG NUC 970 Full System Mini PC.

PHOTO: Amazon

Well-laid-out buttons and joysticks ensure you could quickly get to grips with whatever you play.

Its expensive, however.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card means itll play pretty much anything you throw at it.

Acemagician Gaming PC.

PHOTO: Amazon

Given the price, its excessive for some people.

Itll fit next to your TV or behind your desk while you work.

Just dont expect high performance.

Steam Deck OLED

Steam Deck OLED.Lifewire / Jennifer Allen

The Acemagician Gaming PC is an inexpensive mini PC best suited for fans of older games.

I also looked at how stylish each rig was and how easily it would fit into anyones lifestyle.

Buying a mini PC can be as expensive as buying any other PC.

The Lenovo Legion Go on the USB-C Dock.

Lenovo Legion Go.Lenovo

Because of that, consider these key factors before you buy.

What’s your budget?

Like with other PCs, spending a few hundred dollars or a few thousand is possible.

Work out how much you could afford and stick to that budget rigidly.

Lifewire / Jennifer Allen

What games do you plan on playing?

What games are your favorites?

You don’t necessarily need a demanding PC if you primarily play Fortnite or World of Warcraft.

However, you should aim for something high-performance to play all the latest titles.

It’s not just about the games but also where you get them.

For ease of use, you’d only want it if you have an extensive Steam library.

Convenience

Ask yourself how you plan on using your mini PC.

There are multiple different ways you may plan to use it.

Another option is a mini PC, which can easily fit behind your monitor.

These are best suited for working with it and gaming.

Some parts, such as graphics cards, may not fit the compact case.

It’s also important to note that some mini PCs might use something other than conventional components.