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There's this thought that a gaming PC is inherently a elephantine operation of metallic and integrative that takes up truthful overmuch abstraction that you request to person a dedicated table to grip it. These days, you don't request a monolithic hog of a operation to get unthinkable gaming performance. Instead, the champion mini PCs tin instrumentality up arsenic small abstraction arsenic a cablegram box.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Mini PCs for Gaming:
There are inevitably immoderate downsides erstwhile going with a mini gaming PC alternatively of a afloat tower. For one, the smaller signifier origin means there's simply little abstraction for high-end graphics cards and CPU coolers. As such, you astir apt won't find galore mini gaming PCs retired determination with an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, astatine slightest not astatine a terms that doesn't rival a down outgo connected your house. Instead, you're much apt to find thing similar the precocious announced GMKTec Evo-X, which uses a almighty APU, alternatively than discrete graphics.
Different PC manufacturers woody with the abstraction constraints successful antithetic ways. For instance, Asus bought retired the NUC (next portion of computing) marque from Intel to marque desktop PCs that usage mobile hardware to acceptable into highly tiny cases. Other companies, similar Zotac, volition find a mode to shove almighty desktop-class hardware into a tiny chassis. They'll beryllium inherently harder to work oregon upgrade than different towers, and besides overmuch much expensive, but hey, astatine slightest they're tiny.
Additional contributions by Kegan Mooney
1. Asus ROG NUC
Best Mini PC for Gaming
Asus ROG NUC
The Asus ROG NUC is astir arsenic mini arsenic a mini gaming PC tin get. Plus its amazingly strapped with a mobile-class RTX 4070.
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 7 – Intel Core Ultra 9
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 – Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (Mobile)
Storage
512GB – 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD
Ports
1 x SD Card Reader, 4 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x 3.mm Headphone, 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB-A 2.0, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x DisplayPort 1.4A, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x Power
Mobile-class hardware tin clasp it back
When I archetypal opened up the Asus ROG NUC, I was amazed by however tiny and airy it was. Sure, it's utilizing each mobile-class hardware, but for thing I'm hooking into my TV, it has amazingly small heft to it. Couple that with the information it looks precisely similar a cablegram box, and this is simply a mini gaming PC that's cleanable for blending into a surviving room. It's large for a media halfway PC already, but the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 means it's nary slouch erstwhile it comes to gaming – up to a constituent astatine least.
The partition I kept moving into again and again erstwhile I reviewed the Asus ROG NUC is that the mobile-class hardware is ever a limiting factor, particularly erstwhile it's connected to a 4K TV. Don't get maine wrong: The ROG NUC perfectly tin powerfulness done immoderate PC crippled connected the market, including demanding ones similar Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong... astatine 1080p. If you link this to a 4K TV, you volition person to crook down immoderate settings successful immoderate of the flashiest games if you privation to support a coagulated framerate.
It is inactive rather a spot much almighty than the PS5 adjacent with its limitations, and the Nvidia graphics bash let it to usage DLSS to constrictive the spread astatine 4K. Just support successful caput that you're not going to beryllium maxing retired Black Myth: Wukong with afloat ray tracing oregon anything, and you should beryllium fine. To beryllium clear, with however tiny the Asus ROG NUC is, there's nary mode a afloat desktop-class graphics paper would adjacent acceptable inside.
The Asus ROG NUC is astir apt 1 of the champion mini gaming PCs you're going to find anywhere, but conscionable similar immoderate mini gaming PC, you'll person to bash immoderate calculus astir whether oregon not it's worthy conscionable going with a gaming laptop instead.
2. MinisForum Venus Series UM773
Best Budget Mini PC for Gaming
MinisForum Venus Series UM773
A wallet-friendly mini PC with the show chops to excel successful esports games.
Ports
2 x HDMI, 1 x USB4 Type–C,1 x USB 3.2 Type-C, 4 x USB 3.2 Type-A,1 x RJ45,1 x DMIC port, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack
If you're connected the hunt for a wallet-friendly mini PC that doesn't skimp connected performance, past the MinisForum Venus Series UM773 is worthy considering. Despite its budget-friendly terms tag, the UM773 packs a punch with an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, with dedicated AMD graphics. There isn't a discrete GPU, but the integrated AMD Radeon 680M GPU tin rival immoderate lower-end dedicated graphics cards, particularly successful esports games.
Stepping into the adjacent generation, the UM773 features 16GB of speedy DDR5 RAM and a generous 512GB SSD. You whitethorn request to see an upgrade aboriginal down the line, but for now, it volition decidedly service you good for conscionable $450.
3. Zotac ZBox Magnus One
Best Mini PC with Desktop Graphics
Zotac ZBox Magnus One
Enjoy desktop level graphics with this gaming PC rocking a beefy RTX 3070 GPU for 1440p gaming.
Ports
1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a, Gigabit LAN, Ethernet; 4 x USB 3.1, 4 x USB 3.0 (1 Type-C)
Dedicated and almighty GPU
More RAM for the terms would beryllium nice
The Zotac Magnus One doesn't look similar much, but its tiny chassis is hiding a beefy RTX 3070 GPU. This graphics paper is simply a powerhouse, delivering coagulated 1440p gaming performance. While the CPU is rather old, it’s inactive a coagulated performer that won't bottleneck the GPU, ensuring you get the champion gaming acquisition possible. While 16GB of RAM mightiness look a spot humble compared to immoderate different mini PCs connected the market, it's much than capable for gaming and wide use.
In presumption of pricing, the Zotac Magnus One is connected the much costly side. You could arguably get a much almighty full-sized gaming PC for the aforesaid magnitude of money. However, if you're looking for a compact, space-saving solution without sacrificing gaming performance, the Magnus One is worthy each penny. Its sleek design, awesome specs, and coagulated gaming show marque it 1 of the champion mini PCs for gaming enthusiasts who worth signifier origin and functionality.
4. Mac mini M2
Best Mini PC for Mac
Apple Mac mini M2
The Mac mini M2 delivers a beardown show successful some enactment and play acknowledgment to the 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores.
CPU
Apple M2 spot (8-core)
RAM
Up to 24GB unified memory
Ports
2 x Thunderbolt 4 with enactment for DisplayPort, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 , 1 x USB 4, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s), 1 x Thunderbolt 2, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI, 2 x USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Very susceptible for the price
Performance summation implicit the M1
You mightiness not deliberation of gaming erstwhile you deliberation of the Mac mini M2, but it delivers amazingly bully performance, allowing you to play a wide scope of games astatine a decent framework rate. Given its cost, it’s hard not to see the Mac mini M2 arsenic a susceptible gaming mini PC. With a noticeable show summation implicit the M1 chip, the M2 spot comes with 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores, supporting beardown performance, whether you're playing games oregon getting enactment done.
Thanks to its galore ports, the Mac mini M2 supports up to 2 4K displays astatine 120Hz, and due to the fact that the M2 natively supports Thunderbolt, you tin adjacent backmost it up with an outer GPU aboriginal down the line. It besides comes with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, truthful you tin program to crippled online. For axenic gaming performance, a Windows PC is a amended option, but if you privation a Mac and conscionable privation to dabble with playing games present and there, it’s a coagulated option. See our roundup connected the champion monitors for Mac Mini erstwhile you're acceptable to prime a show to brace it with.
How to Pick the Best Mini PC for Gaming
Just similar with immoderate gaming PC, uncovering the champion mini PC for gaming is each astir what games you're looking to play, and astatine what resolution. Mini PCs are overmuch smaller compared to desktop PCs, and adjacent immoderate laptops, and size constraints people bounds the components included.
If you privation to play the latest titles without immoderate hiccups, you'll privation to purpose for a mini PC with a coagulated GPU. Look for models that travel equipped with modern graphics similar the Nvidia RTX bid oregon AMD Radeon cards alternatively than integrated graphics. However, if you’re connected a fund and you’re not fussed astir playing games that person conscionable been released, you could get distant with thing little powerful.
A bully CPU is important for gaming show and wide strategy responsiveness. Aim for mini PCs with mid-to-high-end CPUs, ideally with astir 4 cores, 8 threads, and a precocious clockspeed – astir 4.0GHz oregon higher – conscionable truthful your machine doesn't grind to a hault erstwhile you're trying to multitask. Similarly, you’ll request a decent magnitude of RAM (at slightest 16GB) and retention (at slightest 512GB SSD) to tally and store your games smoothly.
Once you’ve nailed down the specs, marque definite the mini PC has capable ports for your peripherals, arsenic good arsenic HDMI oregon DisplayPort outputs for connecting to outer monitors oregon TVs. Thunderbolt ports are besides a bully bonus if you program connected connecting high-speed outer retention oregon different devices.
Mini PC FAQ
Are mini PCs bully for gaming?
It benignant of depends connected what you mean by "good for gaming." It's improbable that you're going to find immoderate mini gaming PC that's going to beryllium large astatine 4K gaming, but little your expectations a spot and these tiny machines tin astonishment you. If you mostly play games astatine 1080p, particularly if you play a batch of indie games, adjacent mini gaming PCs with integrated graphics are bully capable these days to springiness you a coagulated gaming experience. We're entering an property of PC gaming wherever fundamentally immoderate PC tin play PC games to immoderate grade and mini gaming PCs are surely nary different.
What is better: mini PC oregon PC?
Again, this depends wholly connected what you're looking for. Because, yeah, a full-sized gaming PC with a Ryzen 9 processor and an RTX 5090 is going to hitch the level with each mini gaming PC connected the marketplace erstwhile it comes to axenic show numbers. But nary substance what you've heard connected Reddit, show isn't everything. Take it from idiosyncratic that lives successful a tiny NYC apartment: Sometimes having a tiny gaming PC is highly important and tin marque up for the deficiency of performance, particularly if you're pairing it with a lower-resolution gaming monitor.
What are the downsides to a mini PC?
When you're getting a mini gaming PC, you're going to person to marque compromises successful astatine slightest 1 of 3 categories: price, performance, and upgradability. There are immoderate tiny gaming PCs that battalion high-end desktop components, but you're going to person to fork implicit a immense wad of currency for them. On the different hand, determination are immoderate truly affordable mini gaming PCs retired there, but those are mostly utilizing integrated graphics and are truly lone bully for playing PC games astatine 1080p with medium-high settings. If you privation a PC with swappable components, you truly lone person a fewer options successful a tiny signifier factor, though these thin to beryllium much almighty (and expensive) than different mini gaming PCs.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor astatine IGN and the PC components queen. You tin travel her @Jackiecobra
Originally posted:
May 8, 2025 10:00 pm
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