There is no doubt that in the world of technology, smaller is better, something that became evident in the modern computer industry. This is why there is no shortage of super compact computers that are made to be used anywhere and everywhere, making computing virtually ubiquitous. However, these machines are not really computers, although they can be duplicated as such, at least for educational purposes. Although you can buy a high-end Raspberry Pi for less than $100, you wouldn’t normally use it to replace your desktop computer. However, what if you’re tired of the bulky tower you have for your home (or business) computing? This is where mini computers come in.
Minicomputers are high-tech devices that use laptop technology to deliver the performance of a desktop computer, in a significantly smaller footprint and with a fraction of the power consumption of a tower machine. This makes them the greenest option out there. Minicomputers feature relatively large RAM, good graphics, and high-speed web connectivity (both wired and Wi-Fi), while also having fast processors to go along with it all. They usually come equipped with high-end SSD hard drives and plenty of USB 3.0 ports. The best component is that they are very light, compact and relatively silent (the latest generation comes with the latest generation heatsinks that allow them to be completely silent).
Of course, these machines may not have room for a DVD or Blue-Ray drive, but let’s be honest, when was the last time you used one of these? Also, nowadays you can buy an external device to play your discs at a very affordable price. Speaking of price, minicomputers are generally not that cheap, as they use state-of-the-art technology to fit their small size. However, their cost has come down significantly over the past year, and they’re generally as cheap, if not cheaper, than a lower-end laptop with the same computing power.
When would you use these high-end PCs? Well, luckily they come with a variety of use cases. The most important are the following:
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Multimedia machines: Mini PCs can usually suit your multimedia needs as they come with a pretty good graphics card, audio card, and HDMI connectivity. Also, the fact that they are quiet makes them better for this purpose. Some models even support Ultra High Definition (4K) displays.
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Home computing: If you use your PC to surf the Internet, work in an office suite, and do some minimalist data processing (eg, image enhancement, scripting, sound engineering, etc.), this type of machine has it. covered.
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Servers/Personal Cloud Solutions: Today, data often lives on the Internet. If Dropbox, One Drive, and the other cloud alternatives feel insecure or too expensive for your data needs, minicomputers can help. As a bonus, you can also host your site on such a machine, until it becomes very popular, in which case you can look for a more scalable solution.
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Gaming: Unless you’re a pro gamer and need a supercomputer for your hobby, a minicomputer may do the trick. As an added bonus, it’s highly portable, making it easy to take with you on a trip or to a friend’s house. Also, the fact that it can support more than one monitor makes it very useful for more elaborate games.
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Other: With a machine like that, your imagination is the only limit. Maybe you are an advanced user and want to create a (reliable) cluster to mine BitCoins or process Big Data. Get a few of these machines and you’re done! Maybe you want to perform scientific tests or find the next largest prime number, without risking burning out your laptop. This type of PC could do the trick!
We mentioned earlier that these machines are high-end and often quite high-priced. However, it is possible to get such a machine without spending all your savings and without having to compromise on performance. See the resource box for more information.