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If you’re in the market for the best mini gaming PC then search no more. We’ve selected a range of top pint-sized picks, each in different categories so you can be sure there’ll be something for you here.
In the tech world, things have been shifting away from the bigger is better mentality, with an increased focus on compact design and portability. This has coincided with mini PC technology progressing fast, especially in relation to gaming. This means that a mini gaming PC can pack much of the power of full-sized desktops into a compact form factor. In turn, this frees up a tonne of desk real estate and even opens up the possibility of taking your gaming rig with you on the move, though, for that, you’ll want one of the best portable gaming monitors too.
The best mini gaming PC in 2024
As with all lists of the best gaming PCs, there is such a variety out there that it doesn’t make sense to limit our list to one outright winner. Instead, we have opted for a range of options, each of which excelled in a certain subcategory, including the best budget friendly pick. Let’s get into it.
1. MINISFORUM Venus UM790 Pro Mini PC – Best overall mini gaming PC
MINISFORUM Venus UM790 Pro Mini PC
GPU
AMD Radeon 780M
CPU
9 7940HS
RAM
32 GBDDR5
Storage
1TB SSD
- DDR5 RAM
- Good price for performance
- Superfast SSD storage
- No dedicated GPU
This mini gaming PC from Minisforum strikes a great balance between price and performance while maintaining that all-important small form factor. Minisforum packs an impressive amount of gaming power beneath this compact hood. You’ve got a Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, boasting 8 cores and 16 threads and clock speeds of up to 5.2GHz. On top of that, there is a gigantic 32GB of RAM and a terabyte of compact SSD storage. 32GB is easily enough for modern gaming and also makes the compact PC suitable for other intensive activities like video editing.
The Venus uses AMD Radeon graphics which boast a 1900MHz clock speed. However, this lack of a dedicated GPU is a drawback, though not one that is uncommon in the mini PC market. This is largely due to cooling. You might notice that the best gaming PCs can be bulky, but if you actually look inside the case there is a load of empty space. This is all to facilitate cooling, as each component uses the space to reduce its temperature, without heating the things around it.
The Miniforum Venus mitigates against this with its intelligent “coldwave” 2.0 cooling design. This utilises liquid metal cooling, in combination with a large heatsink and quiet fan. This ensures that each component is able to run efficiently without overheating itself or passing that heat onto other key parts of the computer.
2. Beelink Mini PC – Best budget mini gaming PC
Beelink R7-5700U Mini PC
GPU
AMD Radeon graphics
CPU
Ryzen 7 5700U
RAM
16GB DDR4
Storage
1TB SSD
- Very reasonable price
- High speed CPU
- Impressively compact
- No dedicated GPU
This compact computing device packs an impressive punch, especially considering its small stature and even smaller price tag.
At the centre of this Beelink PC is a Ryzen 7 5700U CPU. This is a formidable CPU from AMD and brings with it eight cores and 16 threads, which are capable of a 4.3GHz boosted clock speed. Again there is no dedicated GPU with the AMD Radeon graphics instead integrated into the CPU. While this is a limiting factor, the PC is still a capable 1080p gaming device.
The Beelink’s 1TB of SSD storage grants you not only the option to host a huge game library but also the ability to access it at speed. This is because an SSD is able to locate and record game data at much higher speeds than traditional HDDs. If you want to know more about the differences between SSD vs HDD drives, we’ve got you covered.
MINISFORUM NUCX I7 Mini Gaming PC
GPU
RTX 3070
CPU
Intel Core i7 11800H
RAM
32GB DDR4
Storage
1TB SSD
- Powerful RTX 3070 dedicated GPU
- Beautiful compact design
- Intel i7 CPU
- DDR4 RAM
The Minisforum NUCX I7 Mini PC is a true gaming beast. While maintaining its status as a mini PC it manages to pack in the kind of gaming hardware you’d expect from a full-size rig. This includes 32GB of DDR4, an Intel Core i7 11800H CPU and 1 terabyte of SSD storage. The CPU stands out especially, with a 24M cache and 4.6GHz turbo clock speed.
It is the GPU, however, which is the crowing achieving of this gaming PC. Not only is this the only mini PC on our list with a dedicated GPU, but it actually comes with one of the best GPUs for 1080p, the RTX 3070. This means DLSS 2, and advanced ray tracing abilities. Pair this up with one of the best gaming monitors, and you’ll be able to access decent speeds across even triple-A titles.
Its DDR4 RAM may not be as advanced as DDR5, but is still a compact and efficient source of memory, a whole 32GB of it in fact. And all of this in a compact form factor. The Miniforum NUCX I7 Mini Gaming PC is just 16.89 x 12.99 x 3.62 inches and its design is striking too, more resembling a games console than a traditional Gaming PC. Even with all these premium features and specs, it still managed to be one of the best gaming PCs under $1500 as well, offering great value for money.
4. AyaNeo Retro Mini PC AM01 – Best mini gaming PC for retro gaming
AyaNeo Retro Mini PC AM01
CPU
AMD Ryzen 3200U/5700U
GPU
AMD Radeon Vega 8
RAM
8GB/18GB/32GB
Storage
up to 1TB
- Eye catching design
- Good price for performance
- Lots of options
- limited to DDR4 and PCIe 3.0 compatibility
The AyaNeo Retro Mini PC AM01 most distinctive feature is, without a doubt, its design. Simply put it is cute as a button and is sure to elevate any desk set-up. It even ships with a range of magnets and stickers for added customisation.
It’s not just a pretty face either. Considering the relatively low price of this mini gaming PC, you can get up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. That said, if you’re looking to exclusively play the latest triple-A titles, this retro looking machine starts behaving more retro and will struggle under the intense workload. This is not helped by the fact that it is limited by DDR4 and PCIe 3.0 compatibility.
However, it will handle retro gaming just fine and offers a fun and cutesy way into the world of mini-PC gaming. It’s no surprise then that our AyaNeo Retro Mini PC AM01 review was so glowing.
5. ASUS ROG Ally – Best portable mini gaming PC
ASUS ROG Ally
Display
7in
Resolution
1080p
CPU
Ryzen Z1
RAM
16GB
Storage
512GB
- Built in controller and display
- Very portable
- Impressive performance
- Limited ports
You might be surprised to see the ASUS ROG Ally pop up on this list, but there is no denying that it is technically a mini gaming PC, and a powerful one at that. The ASUS ROG Ally price and specs have impressed since its release. You get A ZIPPY Ryzen Z1 CPU and 16GB of RAM. This is enough to offer decent performance on most games when at mid-settings.
What’s crucial here is that, unlike the Steam Deck the ROG Ally runs on Windows. It is this feature that makes it a gaming PC. You can download and run apps or just browse the web, just like on a more traditional PC. If you are, it’s likely you won’t want to be constricted to doing so in handheld mode, but fear not, you can easily dock your ASUS ROG allowing it to be hooked up to a monitor, keyboard and mouse with ease.
The handheld option is sure to come in handy too and let’s you take your whole gaming library on the go with you to boot.
Can a mini PC be good for gaming?
Yes, a mini PC with the right internal components can be great at gaming. All the picks on this list have suitable CPUs and RAM counts to be able to handle modern gaming’s intense requirements. That said, as a whole mini PCs tend to be less powerful than desktops and many are not able to handle games at the highest resolutions and frame rates.
Do mini gaming PCs overheat?
Mini gaming PCs can be at risk of overheating, thanks to how compact their components are. However, with a suitable cooling solution, this should not be an issue.
Can a mini gaming PC run Fortnite?
Yes, a mini PC that is geared towards gaming should be able to run Fortnite without any issues. Some of the picks on this list will even be able to access high frame rates which can help improve performance in the battle royal.
