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Having tested and reviewed some great mini machines this year, I've tracked down some of my favorite models with big discounts ahead of Black Friday
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(Image credit: Apple // Geekom // GMKtec // Future)
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Over the last year, mini PCs have taken a huge leap forward in design and power. The new range of CPUs with integrated GPU and, of course, the advent of AI potential have made these small machines a viable alternative to desktop PCS and even laptops.
In my experiencing testing the best mini PCs (and a few of the worst), I find them to be ideally pitched between larger, unwieldy desktop PCs and laptops. The small size means that you can not only free up valuable desk space, but also floor space, and with expansion options, such as RAM, SSD and eGPUs for more intensive tasks, there's a mini PC to fit any budget and profession. They're also far more flexible than other machines, as I have found in both the studio and workshop. The small design means that they fix to the back of the monitor, so no lost workspace, and in the van, they give me an on-site go anywhere workstation always ready to go.
My top deal for Black Friday
Save 33% (US$200)GMKTec K12: was US$610 now US$410 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼The GMKtec NucBox K12 impressed during my test and review earlier in the year and proved to be a Mini PC with plenty of room to grow depending on your needs. The AMD Ryzen 7 CPU with Radeon 780M graphics forms a great base with super-fast NVMe storage and support for up to 128GB RAM and three M.2 drives. There's also USB4, Oculink for an eGPU and dual 2.5GbE enabling fast networking. These specs highlighted this machine as one of the most versatile on the market, ideal for developers and content creators who want a compact box with serious upgrade potential.
View DealTop deals on a budget
Save 19% (US$71)GMKtec M5 Plus: was US$380 now US$309 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼The top pick budget mini PC in our guide, you get some good specs here for the price, with a AMD Ryzen 7 5825U chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. Performance is better than you might think for the price. Loads of other configurations available here, including a barebones model.
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GMKtec NucBox G3 Plus (Intel N150): US$126 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼Sitting at the entry level of Mini PC's, this ultra-cheap machine is an ideal option for browsing the internet, using office applications and basic workflow. While it may not be the greatest option for everyday work, it still has the potential to work well as a media or print server, or a lightweight media server or slicer machine.
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Save 18% (US$80)Geekom A5: was US$449 now US$369 at Geekom USRead moreRead less▼If you need a cheap machine for the office for word processing, browsing the internet and general office administration, then this machine comes equipped with a pretty decent Ryzen 7 5825U. It also offers plenty of RAM and the ability to boost the internal SSD storage, making it an ideal option for the home office as well as for students or anyone looking for a solid and relatively cheap PC.
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Save 42% (US$190)Geekom Air12 (Intel N95): was US$449 now US$259 at Geekom USRead moreRead less▼Another lightweight mini PC offering easy access to PC computing on a budget. This machine is ideal for word processing and browsing the internet; it will even enable you to stream media content. The CPU on this machine won't enable you to play many games or be used for content creation, but if you just need it for office work, then it makes a great budget solution.
View DealTop deals for the office
Save 20% (US$120)Apple Mac mini (M4): was US$599 now US$479 at AmazonRead moreRead less▼The Apple Mac mini is one of the most powerful compact machines on the market, and has serious potential for the office. You are restricted to the Mac OS and ecosystem, although these days compatibility with PC's is far better than it has been in the past. If you need a machine for office work as well as some content creation, then this Apple M4 is an ideal choice, and there are plenty of deals going on.
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Save 25% (US$100)GMKtec NucBox M6 Ultra: was US$400 now US$300 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼This is a no-fuss compact mini PC that has been refined from GMKtec's extensive experience in the market. The Ryzen 5 7640HS offers plenty of processing power for the office, and the dual-LAN, Wi-Fi 6E means that it offers good connectivity options in both an office and home office environment. Upgrade options are also well-catered for, so even if you don't have IT support, boosting the internal storage is a simple process.
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Save 23% (US$270)Beelink SER 9 Pro: was US$1,169 now US$899 at bee-link.comRead moreRead less▼This is one of the higher-powered mini PC's, but it manages to perfectly balance that power with stylish aesthetics that will match any modern office. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, plenty of RAM and SSD, built-in mic and speakers, alongside USB4 make it a perfect replacement for a desktop PC, and there's plenty of upgrade and expansion options if needed. However, it's the AI potential that makes this an ideal fit for any office.
View DealTop deals for creators
Save 35% (US$600)Geekom IT15 AI: was US$1,699 now US$1,099 at Geekom USRead moreRead less▼Once again, a decent all-rounder from Geekom, but this one stood out to me for the creative sector. The powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 just gives it the processing boost it needs to handle high-resolution video and images, and with USB4, there's plenty of potential to hook up additional storage, including with the dual 2.5G Ethernet high-end NAS. The display outputs with the GPU are able to support 8K displays, which again makes this a good choice for content creators and professionals.
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Save 10% (US$79)Khadas Mind 2s: was US$799 now US$720 at khadas.comRead moreRead less▼The Khadas is one of the most stylish mini PCs that I've looked at this year, with a powerful Intel Core Ultra CPU and one of the most extensive expansion systems of any mini PC on the market. This makes it an ideal choice for more creative environments, with the ability to upgrade to a powerful external GPU and storage depending on the needs.
View DealTop deals for crafting and 3D printing
Save 40% (US$200)GMKtec NucBox M3 Ultra: was US$500 now US$300 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼The M3 Ultra packs in a significant amount of power that has been balanced with price and design. The small box is easy to position, and the design, while simple, is an ideal option for use in the workshop, able to handle slicing software such as PrusaSlicer, Orca, and Bambu Studio with ease. What I like about this machine is its small size, which makes it easy to tuck away behind the monitor, giving more space for a vast collection of maker machines.
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Save 20% (US$120)GMKtec NucBox K11: was US$600 now US$480 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼The GMKtec NucBox K11 adds a bit more power to the equation, so if you want to carry out some blender modelling alongside slicing, or need to adjust some paths for the laser, then the extra processing boost afforded by the Ryzen 9 8945HS and Radeon 780M will be very useful. However, it's the OCuLink and the option to boost the RAM and SSD that will give you a little more scope with this workshop-ready machine.
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Save 18% (US$180)Geekom A8 Max: was US$1,019 now US$839 at Geekom USRead moreRead less▼Kit in the workshop needs to be able to withstand a knock or two, and the solid metal design of the Geekom A8 Max seems to be a perfect fit. The small machine also offers a good level of processing power with the AMD R9-8945HS with 39 TOPS AI, and if you want to get on with some modelling, then there's the tried and tested Radeon 780M. This machine also comes AI-ready, making it a good future-proofed solution.
View DealTop deals for gaming
Save 32% (US$411)GMKtec EVO X1: was US$1,300 now US$889 at gmktec.comRead moreRead less▼This is GMKtec's flagship range, and with the AMD AI 9 HX 370 offering 12cores and 24 threads when coupled with the integrated Radeon 890M, you have a game-ready machine out of the box. However, this machine also comes equipped with OCuLink, enabling you to connect seamlessly to an eGPU, vastly boosting the gaming performance and enabling smooth play at up to 1440 for most top-rated games.
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Save 17% (US$200)Geekom A9 Max: was US$1,199 now US$999 at Geekom USRead moreRead less▼Another Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with Radeon 890M equipped mini PC with plenty of potential to upgrade. The machine comes well equipped to cope with many top-rated games, and with the ability to connect to four 8K monitors, it packs the power that few other mini PC's are able to match and all for less than $1000 at present.
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Save 33% (US$320)Acemagic F3A: was US$959 now US$639 at acemagic.comRead moreRead less▼The AceMagic F3A impressed me across the board, and while it may not go to the extremes of specifications of the EVO X1 or A9 Max for the vast majority of games, this small machine will suit most people's needs and budgets. It also packs plenty of power for content creation and use around the office.
View Deal- Shop all mini PC deals at Amazon
- Save up to $300 in Geekom's full Black Friday sale
- Up to $500 off in GMKtec Black Friday sale
- Up to 32% off in Beelink's Black Friday sales
- Up to 60% discounts in the Acemagic Black Friday sale
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