Mini PC

A mini PC is a desktop computer built into a chassis substantially smaller than a standard tower, typically the size of a book or a TV streaming box. The term “mini personal computer” covers two quite different types of machine. The first is the NUC-style mini personal computer, a palm-sized unit that uses laptop-class components and integrated graphics, ideal for office work, media playback, and digital signage. The second is the small form factor PC, which uses a compact Mini-ITX motherboard, but accepts full desktop processors and full-size graphics cards, making it capable of the same performance as a tower PC - but a fraction of the size. Our MNML range falls into the second category, while our MSI Cubi mini PCs cover the first.

A mini computer suits you best if desk space, appearance, or portability matters just as much as performance to you, and if you don’t require the internal expansion room of a full-sized tower PC. Choose a mini personal computer if you want genuine desktop gaming or creative performance from a machine that sits neatly on a desk rather than under it, or if you tend to move your PC setup between multiple rooms or events. Choose a NUC-style mini personal computer instead if your workload is browsing, office applications, and video, where the integrated graphics are completely sufficient and the lower price makes more sense. A mini PC is the wrong choice, however, if you plan to run multiple hard drives, several expansion cards, or the very largest air coolers, since compact chassis trade internal volume for footprint. If you are unsure on what PC is best for you, our PC buying guide gives a full walkthrough to assist your decision.

The best mini PCs for gaming are small form factor systems that accept a full-size desktop graphics card, as this is the component that determines whether a compact machine has the closest gaming experience of a full-sized gaming PC or gaming laptop. NUC-style mini personal computers rely on integrated graphics, which could handle titles such as Valorant, CS2, and Fortnite at 1080p, but would struggle in modern releases. A small form factor build using a current AMD Radeon or NVIDIA GeForce RTX card would deliver the full 1440p performance, and chassis such as the Fractal Ridge accommodate cards up to 335 mm in a 12.6-litre footprint. Compact builds can also work well as streaming and capture machines, since a modern GPU handles game encoding without a second PC. Our Sigil Elite SFF Mini Gaming PC and Ion Elite SFF Mini Gaming PC are both built for this.

A small form factor mini PC will outperform a gaming laptop at the same price, because desktop processors and graphics cards run at higher sustained power limits than their mobile equivalents. Desktop components also have more room to dissipate heat, so a mini PC holds its clock speeds through long sessions where a thin laptop throttles and gets loud. The trade-off is portability: a laptop includes its own screen, keyboard, and battery, which makes it the better choice if you genuinely need to game away from a desk. Mini PCs are also far easier to upgrade, since the graphics card, storage, and memory can be replaced rather than being soldered in place. If portability is the deciding factor, our gaming laptop range covers MSI, ASUS, Acer, Gigabyte, and Razer.

The best components for a DIY mini PC are first chosen around clearance and thermals, and then performance, as a Mini-ITX build is constrained by physical space in ways a full-sized tower isn’t. It is recommended to start with the case, as the GPU length, cooler height, and power supply format within your selected case give limitations to every other choice. After that, select a Mini-ITX motherboard on the correct socket, a CPU with a sensible power draw paired with a low-profile or compact cooler, an SFX or SFX-L power supply with enough headroom, and DDR5 memory in a low-profile kit that clears the cooler. Use M.2 NVMe storage rather than 2.5-inch drives to save cable clutter and space. However, if you would rather not source and assemble all of that yourself, the custom mini PCs can be fully reconfigured, allowing you to choose the components you want. From there, our team builds, tests, and cable-manages the mini personal computer for you.

CyberPowerPC UK builds and tests every mini PC system before shipping, which matters more in a small form factor build than in a full-sized tower, as cable routing, cooler clearance, and airflow in a compact case are very unforgiving of shortcuts. Our MNML range is built around premium Fractal chassis, including the Terra, which has ventilated aluminium panels, the 12.6-litre Ridge for a full size graphics card, the tool-free Mood, and the anodised aluminium ERA2 ITX. Every system carries our standard desktop warranty of 5 years' labour, 2 years' parts, and 12 months' collect and return, as well as lifetime technical support from our UK team. Additionally, we proudly hold a 4.8-star Trustpilot rating from over 12,400 reviews, recognised for our quality, attention to detail and customer service.