The Best Gaming Mini PCs of 2024
Don't let the size fool you; these computers pack serious productivity and gaming capabilities
Andy Zane
Andy Zane Andy Zahn is a writer specializing in technology. He reviews cameras, weather stations, noise-canceling headphones, and more for Lifewire. lifewire's Editorial Guidelines updated on February 27, 2024We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. We may receive compensation if you click on a link we provide. learn more.
Excellent price
Handles most games at stable frame rates
Easy to upgrade
Not the most powerful
New parts are needed to stay current
It's not the smallest or most powerful mini PC on the market, but the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop is affordable and powerful enough to play most modern games, albeit not at the highest settings. While it's a basic system, it's enough to make a reasonable entry into computer gaming.
It's important to remember that you can upgrade this system with more RAM, a more powerful graphics processing unit (GPU), or more storage. It's also an excellent system for photo or video editing and other creative tasks. Despite its low price, it has a pleasing appearance and a cool edge without being too over the top with its gaming-centric design.
CPU: Intel Core i5-10400F | Memory: 8GB | Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
Desktop performance in a small package
Expandable storage
Built-in battery
Desktop/portable hybrid
Excellent value for money
long waiting list
If you want Windows OS you have to install it
The base model only has 64GB of storage
On the surface, the Valve Steam Deck is a handheld gaming console, much like the Nintendo Switch. Under the hood, however, it's also a fully functional desktop computer crammed into a device not much larger than a smartphone.
While it's primarily intended as a mobile device, it can be connected to a USB-C hub, giving it all the functionality you'd get in a traditional desktop.
In addition to being compact and powerful, the Steam Deck is also very affordable. The base model outperforms any other PC or laptop in its price range in terms of processing power and graphics capabilities. Steam Deck is one of the first systems to completely ditch legacy DDR4 memory in favor of a single shared pool of DDR5 RAM for processing and graphics.
However, the base model only has 64GB of onboard storage on a relatively slow drive. If you want faster storage, you'll have to pay extra for the faster 256GB and 512GB models. The storage is expandable via a microSD card slot, and if you're using it as a desktop, you can easily add as much external storage as you need.
CPU : Custom AMD | Memory : 16GB | Storage : 64GB to 512GB SSD
When you buy any device, there are a few things you need to check. For a mini gaming PC, make sure you have enough storage, a great graphics card that can switch seamlessly between productivity and gaming, and enough memory (RAM) to handle power-hungry tasks.
Solid state drives (SSD) are better than hard disk drives (HDD). The higher read and write speeds of an SSD compared to an HDD will make a bigger difference in your computer's performance than almost any other upgrade. However, SSDs tend to have smaller capacities and are more expensive than HDDs. A common compromise is to have an SSD for the operating system and frequently used programs, and store photos, games, and other large data on a secondary HDD.
A dedicated graphics card (GPU) is essential for video gaming or graphics-intensive productivity tasks. Graphics cards in small PCs and laptops are generally not as powerful as those in full-size desktops. If you primarily browse the web, edit text documents, and perform other tasks that don't require a high-performance GPU, you can save money on a system with an integrated GPU that's part of the processor.
Most modern PCs use DDR4 RAM; you should consider 8GB as the minimum. If you plan on performing more power-hungry tasks, 16GB is usually enough for most people. 32GB would be handy for video editors and other creative-type programs that store large amounts of information in RAM. If you are used to opening a lot of tabs in your internet browser, having a lot of RAM will also help.
FAQYes, you can upgrade certain parts of your mini gaming PC just like any other desktop, but you need to pay special attention to the size of the components you use. Some components, such as graphics cards, may not fit in compact cases. It's also important to note that some mini PCs may use components other than traditional ones.
As the name suggests, a mini gaming PC will be much more compact than a typical desktop, allowing you to fit it into spaces that a regular computer might struggle to fit. Sometimes you can mount it on a wall or under a table, making it almost completely disappear.
