Best Mini PCs
Mac mini vs Beelink vs the rest
Our #1 pick is the Apple Mac mini (2026, M6). Mini PCs give you a real desktop in a box smaller than a hardcover book. We compared Apple’s new Mac mini with the best Windows mini PCs on Amazon, from a $300 office box to a Ryzen 7 that can game.
How we picked: we shortlist by Amazon Best Seller rank and number of ratings, then compare published specs. We don't test these products hands-on.
By Jamilur Rahman, Founder & Editor · Updated October 12, 2026
- Owner reviews checked
- Features side by side
- Quick & easy compare
- Smarter purchase
The short answer
If you don’t need Windows, the Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) is the best mini PC you can buy. It is a five-by-five-inch box with the new M6 chip, Wi-Fi 7, 2.5Gb Ethernet, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, front USB-C ports and a headphone jack, and it drives up to three displays. It is quiet, very fast for photo and video work, and Apple supports its Macs with updates for many years.
For Windows, the Beelink SER8 is our pick: a Ryzen 7 8745HS, 32GB of DDR5, a 1TB SSD, USB4 and 2.5G Ethernet, with room for a second SSD. The ACEMAGICIAN S3A gives you a similar Ryzen 7 and Radeon 780M graphics for less money. For simple office work or a living-room PC, the Beelink EQmini with Intel’s N150 is a tidy budget box with a built-in power supply. For a Plex or home server, the Beelink MINI S12 Pro adds 2.5G Ethernet and four 10Gbps USB ports for drives.
Who should *not* buy the Mac mini? Anyone who needs Windows-only apps or games, or wants to upgrade RAM and storage later: Apple’s memory and storage are fixed at purchase, and the config we checked (24GB, 512GB) is the priciest box here. Home-labbers who want to run Linux, Proxmox or Docker on cheap hardware should look at the Beelink boxes instead.
Compare them side by side
Everything that matters, in one table. Swipe to see all 5.
| Product | Best Overall Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) macOS mini desktop |  Best Windows Mini PC Beelink SER8 Windows mini PC |  Best Value Ryzen ACEMAGICIAN S3A Windows mini PC |  Best Budget Beelink EQmini (N150) Budget Windows mini PC |  Best for Home Server Beelink MINI S12 Pro (N100) Budget mini PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeastScore | 93 / 100 | 90 / 100 | 87 / 100 | 85 / 100 | 84 / 100 |
| Best for | Creators and Mac users | Windows power users and light gaming | Ryzen 7 power on a smaller budget | Office work, kids and living-room PCs | Plex, Home Assistant and home labs |
| Typical price (checked October 12, 2026) | $1,200–$1,400 | $800–$880 | $480–$520 | $290–$320 | $320–$350 |
| Processor | Apple M6 | AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS (8C/16T) | AMD Ryzen 7 H 255 (8C/16T) | Intel N150 (4C/4T) | Intel N100 (4C/4T) |
| Memory / storage | 24GB / 512GB as checked (up to 32GB) | 32GB DDR5 / 1TB, two SSD slots | 16GB LPDDR5 / 512GB | 12GB LPDDR5 / 500GB | 16GB DDR4 / 500GB |
| Networking | 2.5Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | 2.5G Ethernet | Ethernet (see listing for speed) | Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 | 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Displays | Up to 3 external | 3 (HDMI, DP, USB4) | 3 x 4K (HDMI, DP, USB4) | 2 x 4K60 (HDMI) | 2 x 4K60 (HDMI) |
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BeastScore here is our overall rating out of 100, based on published specs and Amazon owner reviews. Prices change daily, so tap "View on Amazon" for today's price. We may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Why each one made the list
What each pick does best, where it falls short, and the typical Amazon price when we checked.
- 1. Best Overall
Apple Mac mini (2026, M6)
BeastScore 93 / 100Typically $1,200–$1,400 on Amazon (checked October 12, 2026)The Mac mini packs the most speed per square inch of anything here. The listing says the M6 chip brings a faster CPU and up to 4.8x faster AI performance, thanks to a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core. It supports up to 32GB of unified memory and up to 2x faster storage. Ports are generous: three Thunderbolt 4, HDMI and 2.5Gb Ethernet on the back, plus two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front, and it drives three displays. Apple’s N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. It is a new model, so owner reports are still few, and RAM and storage can’t be upgraded later.
Pros- Fastest and quietest box here
- Thunderbolt 4, 2.5Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7
- Three-display support
Cons- RAM and storage are fixed at purchase
- Priciest pick in the config we checked
- No Windows; some games and apps won’t run
- 2. Best Windows Mini PC
Beelink SER8
BeastScore 90 / 100Typically $800–$880 on Amazon (checked October 12, 2026)The SER8 is the Windows mini PC that feels like a full desktop. The listing pairs an 8-core Ryzen 7 8745HS (up to 4.9GHz) with 32GB of DDR5 and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Unlike the Mac, it is easy to grow: two SSD slots take up to 8TB in total, and the RAM slots go far beyond what most people need. Ports include USB4 at 40Gbps, two 10Gbps USB-A, HDMI and DisplayPort for three screens, and 2.5G Ethernet. Radeon 780M graphics handle esports games like Dota 2 and CS. Beelink offers 3 years of support. Like most small boxes, the fan can get audible under heavy loads.
Pros- 32GB DDR5 and 1TB in the box
- Two SSD slots and upgradeable RAM
- USB4 and three-display support
Cons- Pricey in this 32GB/1TB config
- Fan can get audible under heavy load
- Integrated graphics only
- 3. Best Value Ryzen
ACEMAGICIAN S3A
BeastScore 87 / 100Typically $480–$520 on Amazon (checked October 12, 2026)The S3A gets you most of the SER8’s muscle for a lot less. The listing pairs an 8-core Ryzen 7 H 255 (up to 4.9GHz) with Radeon 780M graphics, the same GPU class as the SER8, plus 16GB of fast LPDDR5 and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. It drives three 4K displays over HDMI, DisplayPort and USB4. Three power modes let you pick between a Silent mode as low as 35 dB and a 54W Performance mode. Storage swaps tool-free up to 4TB. It has a 2-year warranty. The trade-offs: half the RAM and storage of the SER8, and LPDDR5 memory is usually not upgradeable.
Pros- Ryzen 7 and 780M graphics for much less
- Silent mode as low as 35 dB
- Triple 4K display support
Cons- Only 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- Memory likely can’t be upgraded
- Lesser-known brand than Beelink
- 4. Best Budget
Beelink EQmini (N150)
BeastScore 85 / 100Typically $290–$320 on Amazon (checked October 12, 2026)The EQmini is a tidy, low-cost desktop for email, documents, video calls and streaming. The listing pairs Intel’s 4-core N150 (up to 3.6GHz) with 12GB of LPDDR5 and a 500GB SSD, in a 126 x 126 x 39mm box. A nice touch: the power supply is built in, so you plug in a plain cord instead of a bulky brick. You get two HDMI ports for two 4K screens, three 10Gbps USB-A ports, a 10Gbps USB-C port, Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit Ethernet. It also supports Wake on LAN and auto power-on. It is no gaming PC, and the memory is fixed.
Pros- Low price for a real Windows desktop
- Built-in power supply
- Dual 4K screens and Wi-Fi 6
Cons- Too slow for gaming or video editing
- Memory is fixed at 12GB
- Only Gigabit Ethernet
- 5. Best for Home Server
Beelink MINI S12 Pro (N100)
BeastScore 84 / 100Typically $320–$350 on Amazon (checked October 12, 2026)For a box that runs all day in a closet, the S12 Pro is a good fit. Intel’s N100 is a low-power 4-core chip, so it sips electricity while it serves files or runs Home Assistant. The listing pairs it with 16GB of DDR4 and a 500GB SSD, and it has 2.5G Ethernet, which matters when you stream big files around the house. Four 10Gbps USB ports take external drives, two HDMI ports drive two 4K screens, and it has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Intel’s Quick Sync video engine is popular with Plex users. It is no faster than the EQmini for desktop work.
Pros- 2.5G Ethernet for fast file serving
- Four 10Gbps USB ports for drives
- Low power draw for 24/7 use
Cons- Slow for heavy desktop work
- Uses an external power brick
- Older N100 chip
All 5 compared, in one look
See every pick on one chart, or tap one to put it head to head with Apple Mac mini (2026, M6). Ratings out of 10 are our estimates from published specs and Amazon owner reviews, not hands-on tests. Bigger shape = better.
- PerformanceApple Mac mini (2026, M6) · 9.6/10
- GraphicsApple Mac mini (2026, M6) · 9.2/10
- Ports & displaysTie
- UpgradeableBeelink SER8 · 9.4/10
- Quiet & efficientApple Mac mini (2026, M6) · 9.8/10
- ValueBeelink EQmini (N150) · 9.4/10
Apple Mac mini (2026, M6)
The fastest, quietest and best-connected tiny desktop, if you’re happy on macOS.
- M6 chip
- Wi-Fi 7 + 2.5GbE
- 3 displays
Quick tips before you buy
The Mac mini and boxes with LPDDR5 memory can’t be upgraded later. If you keep many apps open, get at least 16GB, ideally 24GB or more.
Many mini PCs include a VESA bracket for the back of a monitor. Leave a little room around the vents so the fan stays quiet.
Check how many displays each box supports and with which ports. You may need a USB-C to DisplayPort cable for the third screen.
For a box that runs 24/7, a low-power chip like the N100 or N150 saves real money on electricity over a year.
Quick answers
What is the best mini PC?+
The Apple Mac mini (M6) is the best mini PC overall if you can use macOS. For Windows, the Beelink SER8 is the best pick, and the Beelink EQmini is the best budget choice.
Is a mini PC as good as a desktop?+
For office work, browsing, coding and photo editing, yes. Mini PCs fall behind a tower for serious gaming and 3D work, because they use integrated graphics and smaller coolers.
Mac mini vs Windows mini PC: which should I buy?+
Buy the Mac mini if you use Apple devices and want the fastest, quietest box. Buy a Windows mini PC like the SER8 if you need Windows apps, PC games or upgradeable RAM and storage.
Can a mini PC play games?+
Ryzen mini PCs with Radeon 780M graphics, like the SER8 and S3A, can play esports titles and older games at modest settings. They are not a replacement for a gaming PC with a graphics card.
What is the best mini PC for a home server?+
A low-power Intel N100 or N150 box like the Beelink MINI S12 Pro. It sips power, and its 2.5G Ethernet and fast USB ports suit Plex, Home Assistant and file sharing.
Are Beelink mini PCs reliable?+
Beelink is one of the most popular mini PC brands on Amazon, and owners generally report good reliability. The SER8 lists 3 years of support and the EQmini lists a 3-year warranty, longer than many rivals.
