Big, hulking desktop towers still rule in raw horsepower, but you’re here because you want to do something smarter with your workspace—and your budget. A good mini desktop can be a quiet productivity champ, a compact business box, or even a mighty Apple Mac in miniature. These systems now span a wide range of shapes, prices, and performance levels, and we test dozens of them each year to see which truly deliver. After benchmarking their speed, scrutinizing their designs, and weighing their value, we’ve landed on clear favorites: the Apple Mac mini for most Mac users, and the Geekom A9 Max for most Windows shoppers. Beyond those two top options, read on to see our picks for every need, plus an in-depth spec chart and buying guidance to help you zero in on the perfect mini desktop.
Overview
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![Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Most Mac UsersApple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro)
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![Geekom A9 Max]()
Best Mini Desktop for Most Windows UsersGeekom A9 Max
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![Asus NUC 15 Pro+]()
Best Mini Desktop for BusinessAsus NUC 15 Pro+
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![Geekom A6 Mini]()
Best Budget Mini DesktopGeekom A6 Mini
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![Asus ROG NUC (2025)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Graphics PerformanceAsus ROG NUC (2025)
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![Apple Mac Studio (2025, M4 Max)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Media ProfessionalsApple Mac Studio (2025, M4 Max)
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![HP Z2 Mini G1a]()
Best Windows Compact WorkstationHP Z2 Mini G1a
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![Apple Mac Studio (2025, M3 Ultra)]()
Best macOS Compact WorkstationApple Mac Studio (2025, M3 Ultra)
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Most Mac UsersApple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Mac mini is an excellent all-around mini desktop, with a high power ceiling, configuration options for CPU, memory, and storage, and even a low starting price. This is the best general-use and productivity desktop for Apple fans, delivering fast performance in a sleek, small package. You can order this system with the M4 base chip or the superior M4 Pro processor, which is what we reviewed. Loaded with plenty of memory, our model was lightning quick, and it stacked up well even against larger machines. If you don't need M4 Pro-level power, the more modest M4 chip is available at a significantly lower price—making this mini a potential powerhouse in either price bracket.
Who It's For
Home-office shoppers: This is a perfect fit for Apple fans looking to buy a home desktop. For people who already own an iPhone or iPad, the Mac mini is a seamless and potentially affordable way to extend the Apple experience to an impressively potent desktop. Even for total Apple newcomers, a Mac mini with the base M4 chip is an unbeatable budget option for a home-office desktop.
MacBook Air owners: This is the ultimate desktop companion for shoppers who already own a less-powerful Apple laptop. Especially with the M4 Pro chip, the Mac mini can be configured as your high-performance option at home, while your MacBook Air (or even a lower-powered MacBook Pro) accompanies you on the road. The two systems will feel practically like one, thanks to Apple's cloud features.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Small Form Factor (SFF) Graphics Card Apple M4 Pro (20-core) Operating System Apple macOS Sequoia Processor Apple M4 Pro (14-core) RAM (as Tested) 48 Learn More Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro) Review -
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Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Geekom A9 Max]()
Best Mini Desktop for Most Windows UsersGeekom A9 Max
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Geekom's A9 Max is not a super-affordable option, but if we're looking for the best option for the most users, our recommendation comes with a few caveats. It mixes superior speed, a slick chassis, and plenty of connectivity options in a tiny, Mac mini-size Windows system. The A9 Max is the sort of premium mini desktop that can ace pretty much anything while also serving specific use cases, like a tiny game-emulation PC or a video and music player hooked up to the living-room TV. Yes, rivals to the A9 Max may run quieter under load, but this Geekom box is still a top-cut mini PC for sophisticated users looking for the most potent, petite Windows PC possible. All that earned it our Editors' Choice award.
Who It's For
The Mac-jealous Windows-faithful: This is the mini desktop to buy for a Mac mini-like hardware experience with Windows software. Geekom took great care in its hardware design to deliver a product as premium-feeling as the Mac mini, and it shows throughout the A9 Max chassis and feature set.
High-end PC users: People who need top-end performance from a tiny system should consider this Geekom model. The A9 Max crams robust Ryzen processing power into a small chassis. It's a high-power Mac mini lookalike, but with unfettered access to every Windows PC app and game.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 2 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Small Form Factor (SFF) Graphics Card AMD Radeon 890M Operating System Windows 11 Processor AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 RAM (as Tested) 32 Learn More Geekom A9 Max Review -
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Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Asus NUC 15 Pro+]()
Best Mini Desktop for BusinessAsus NUC 15 Pro+
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Asus did well by the NUC brand (which it picked up from Intel) with the NUC 15 Pro+. It's the next top mini PC for independent contractors and small organizations. This potent little 'puter is ready for almost any office desk, with a shocking amount of punch crammed within. Our configuration's Intel Core Ultra 9 285H chip is up to most work, supported by 32GB of memory and 1TB SSD. With its vast connectivity for its size, user expandability, a VESA mount for simple hooking on the back of a monitor, a three-year warranty, and support for Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7, this NUC is prepared to get work done.
Who It's For
SMB IT buyers: This mini PC is a no-brainer for equipping a small office, call center, or retail store with small yet powerful PCs that can handle basic productivity tasks. The H-series Core Ultra chip, supported by ample memory and storage, all but locks in that scenario.
Windows fans with Mac envy: This mini PC is a fine fit for Windows fans who also like Apple's compact desktop but prefer Microsoft's operating system. Our Core Ultra 9 model's performance is impressive, too.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Small Form Factor (SFF) Graphics Card Intel Arc 140T Operating System Windows 11 Processor Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Processor Speed 2.9 RAM (as Tested) 32 Learn More Asus NUC 15 Pro+ Review -
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![Geekom A6 Mini]()
Best Budget Mini DesktopGeekom A6 Mini
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Geekom A6 Mini is a near-ideal budget mini desktop. Despite its super-affordable price and small size, it's a plenty capable performer. We tested its AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor and were pleased with the overall speed—the Geekom A6 is, in fact, one of the quickest budget compact desktops, meaning you don't have to compromise on a home-office or secondary business PC. The desktop's 32GB of memory, 1TB SSD, and solid connectivity options make for an appealing little package.
Who It's For
Independent professionals on a budget: This mini PC is a fit for contractors and entrepreneurs who don't require enterprise-level features but need a compact PC to meet their personal and professional needs. The Geekom A6 is a capable home-office desktop, often faster than other like-priced space-saving PCs, making it a smart choice for freelancers and entrepreneurs looking to minimize business expenses.
Casual PC shoppers on a budget: This mini desktop is ideal for anyone seeking a compact PC that can handle day-to-day tasks such as web browsing and entertainment. Why spend more when less will do just fine on this system? The Geekom A6 can even drive multiple monitors and make other useful connections, which is quite a lot of utility at this bargain price.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Small Form Factor (SFF) Graphics Card AMD Radeon 680M Operating System Windows 11 Pro Processor AMD Ryzen 7 6800H RAM (as Tested) 32 Learn More Geekom A6 Mini Review -
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Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Asus ROG NUC (2025)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Graphics PerformanceAsus ROG NUC (2025)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Asus' Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand is for enthusiast gamers, while the NUC line refers to compact PCs. The two lines combine here for an unusual compact PC with real graphics muscle. Its silicon mix delivers gaming laptop-like performance in a tiny desktop form. Asus made this product for gamers, but any graphically demanding workload can benefit. It's expensive to configure up, and its upgrades are limited, but this relatively niche solution could solve your graphics needs.
Who It's For
Gamers seeking a compact design: The ROG brand does what it says on the tin, presenting machines with graphics muscle for those looking to play the latest titles. This one won't match traditional towers on performance, but it is still more than fast enough for modern gaming; if you are exceedingly short on space or love the small design, it can do the job.
Windows users with visual workloads: This mini PC is a fine match for professionals with graphics-oriented jobs that need a discrete GPU. The mobile GeForce RTX chip isn't as powerful as a desktop graphics card, but since you're looking at mini PCs, you'll have to expect some compromises.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 2 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Gaming Graphics Card Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU Operating System Windows 11 Processor Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Processor Speed 2.7 RAM (as Tested) 32 Learn More Asus ROG NUC (2025) Review -
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![Apple Mac Studio (2025, M4 Max)]()
Best Mini Desktop for Media ProfessionalsApple Mac Studio (2025, M4 Max)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
This is one of the Mac Studio's two different processor flavors, based on the M4 Max (instead of the M3 Ultra), and it's our favorite. In our tests, this machine turned in powerful performance across productivity, graphics, and workstation tasks, confirming the Mac Studio as a dream desktop for media editors and content creators. It's also small and quiet despite its power, and offers a load of ports (particularly around the rear). Given that it's a Mac, internal upgrades aren't in the cards, but it will give you a lot of performance for a long time to come. This desktop can handle almost anything you throw its way.
Who It's For
Media editors and content creators: This is the ultimate mini desktop for anyone in media production or content creation. The Mac Studio is well-suited for editing photos or video, animation, and other demanding 3D work—delivering super-fast speeds and packing the connectivity media pros need to support their workflows. And, with its potent Neural Engine, the Mac Studio is well-prepared for any advances in AI workflow optimization.
Amateur and professional power users: This mini desktop is a fine fit for demanding home and professional users alike. Whether it's for multimedia, engineering, or large data sets, demanding users of all types can make use of this blisteringly fast machine. It's also small and quiet for any office scenario, where most desktops this potent take up much more space.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Workstation Graphics Card Apple M4 Max (40‑core) Operating System Apple macOS Sequoia Processor Apple M4 Max RAM (as Tested) 128 Learn More Apple Mac Studio (2025, M4 Max) Review -
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Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![HP Z2 Mini G1a]()
Best Windows Compact WorkstationHP Z2 Mini G1a
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
For work environments that require the utmost potency from a compact Windows machine, the HP Z2 Mini G1a should be your first choice. Its AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor and unified memory are a rare but speedy approach to intense workloads. This system is an answer to the Mac Studio, with a chip that can leverage the PC's 128GB of memory for visual and AI workloads, while the CPU is blazing-fast on its own. The Z2 Mini blew past workstation-level benchmarks that we don't even bother trying on regular mini desktops. All that, plus work-focused additions and lots of connectivity, make this a fantastic choice.
Who It's For
Space-strapped pros: If you run the most intense professional Windows workloads today and also need a small-form-factor PC, this is the mini desktop you should go to first. It's mega-fast, VESA mountable, and deeply connected.
Cutting-edge computing professionals: The Z2 Mini works best for pros in current and forward-looking computing areas, namely AI development, thanks to its oodles of memory for large AI models. This desktop is relatively portable and highly powerful, with enough muscle for high-end computing, graphics, and AI inferencing.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Graphics Card AMD Radeon 8060S Operating System Windows 11 Pro Processor AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ Pro 395 Processor Speed 3 RAM (as Tested) 128 Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Secondary Drive Type SSD Learn More HP Z2 Mini G1a Review -
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![Apple Mac Studio (2025, M3 Ultra)]()
Best macOS Compact WorkstationApple Mac Studio (2025, M3 Ultra)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
While the M4 Max variant of the Mac Studio provides more than enough muscle for even the most demanding power users, the M3 Ultra model takes it a step further. Apple's staggered conventions mean that an M4 Ultra hasn't been released yet, but even so, this M3-generation Ultra chip sits at the top of its class for desktops. It tore through our benchmark tests, delivering unmatched performance on high-end professional workloads, and it has the connectivity and feature set to support workstation-grade computing tasks. The M4 Max is perhaps a better value for most scenarios, but the technically superior M3 Ultra model gets the nod as an office and studio workstation beast.
Who It's For
Power-hungry workstation users: This top-end Mac mini desktop is for the most demanding workstation shoppers with the most intense workloads, delivering far more performance (at a far higher price) than you'll need for casual or even moderate office use. Only professionals who need all the silicon muscle possible in a small package should consider this machine—like those developing AI models and features for machine-learning research-and-development work.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 4 Boot Drive Type SSD Desktop Class Workstation Graphics Card Apple M3 Ultra (80-core) Operating System Apple macOS Sequoia Processor Apple M3 Ultra RAM (as Tested) 256 Learn More Apple Mac Studio (2025, M3 Ultra) Review -
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Best For | Best Mini Desktop for Most Mac Users | Best Mini Desktop for Most Windows Users | Best Mini Desktop for Business | Best Budget Mini Desktop | Best Mini Desktop for Graphics Performance | Best Mini Desktop for Media Professionals | Best Windows Compact Workstation | Best macOS Compact Workstation | Best Mini Desktop for Most Mac Users | Best Mini Desktop for Most Windows Users | Best Mini Desktop for Business |
Desktop Class | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Gaming | Workstation | Workstation | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Small Form Factor (SFF) | Small Form Factor (SFF) | |
Processor | Apple M4 Pro (14-core) | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Apple M4 Max | AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ Pro 395 | Apple M3 Ultra | Apple M4 Pro (14-core) | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H |
Processor Speed | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3 | 2.9 | |||||||
RAM (as Tested) | 48 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 128 | 128 | 256 | 48 | 32 | 32 |
Boot Drive Type | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD |
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Secondary Drive Type | SSD | ||||||||||
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 | ||||||||||
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Graphics Card | Apple M4 Pro (20-core) | AMD Radeon 890M | Intel Arc 140T | AMD Radeon 680M | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU | Apple M4 Max (40‑core) | AMD Radeon 8060S | Apple M3 Ultra (80-core) | Apple M4 Pro (20-core) | AMD Radeon 890M | Intel Arc 140T |
Operating System | Apple macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 | Windows 11 | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 | Apple macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Pro | Apple macOS Sequoia | Apple macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
Buying Guide: The Best Mini Desktops for 2026
The Mini Desktop Basics
Size is the name of the game when it comes to mini desktops; after all, why else consider this category? Modern systems can pack more performance into compact frames than ever, some even surpassing full-size machines from the past.
Most of these desktops are simple squares or rectangles, just a few inches tall. They roughly fit in the palm of your hand, and can sit comfortably on a crowded desk, slip into a kiosk, or squeeze behind a monitor. This applies to most desktops here, including Apple's Mac models and PCs like those from Asus, MSI, and Lenovo, and more specialist brands like ECS, Geekom, Shuttle, and Zotac.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)You'll find some exceptions to these compact box designs. We sometimes see tiny versions of traditional towers, like the Framework Desktop, and then there are the once-popular stick PCs (now a rarity). These are both more specialized examples, situated at opposite ends of the power spectrum. The smallest mini desktops are designed for simple tasks (such as digital signage and kiosks) and lack significant processing power; however, even some of the more modest-looking boxes deliver respectable performance these days.
One consistent model name you’ll see is NUC—short for "Next Unit of Computing"—which (confusingly) runs across brands. This was an initiative launched by Intel in 2013 to promote this compact desktop category using its mobile-centric processors. A series of NUC-branded mini-PC kits followed over the next decade—the forerunners of most of the 5- or 6-inch boxes we see today, as Intel intended.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Intel ended the NUC program in 2023, but you’ll still see NUC models in 2025. Why? Asus initially claimed the NUC brand and support responsibilities, and now other PC makers, like Acer, Asrock, and MSI, are producing NUC products, which benefits the mini-desktop category as a whole.
Another positive to these diminutive desktops? Affordability. With such compact chassis, minis have a limited ceiling on both power and feature sets—even if they are impressive for their size—which means lower pricing: Many of these desktops start at less than $1,000, particularly those meant for simple everyday use. Business desktops scale higher with their professional-focused features and IT-ready designs, while less common workstation-grade mini desktops are much pricier. Apple, for its part, has a two-pronged approach with its entry-level Mac mini and mighty Mac Studio.
(Credit: Brian Westover)Despite their physical limitations, the component options in mini desktops vary quite a bit. That starts at the most basic level for PCs: You can order some systems as “bare bones” kits, which means you receive the small case with a motherboard (including basics like wireless connectivity) preinstalled, but the rest of the components are not included. This is a low-cost entry point, but naturally, you need the desire, know-how, and necessary parts to complete the builds yourself.
You’ll need to bring a storage drive, RAM modules, and an operating system to the party to complete one of these desktops. That will add to the expense, of course, but perhaps you already have these parts on hand from an existing system. If this doesn't sound remotely up your alley, fear not. Most desktops are sold as complete packages, or at least let you upgrade to a whole desktop from the bare-bones starting model. Just read carefully to see what’s included in your configuration.
What Processor Should I Expect In a Mini Desktop?
Whether bare-bones or fully equipped, given the category's size constraints, most mini desktops operate within the same range of component options. We’ll get to the Apple side next, but in the PC space, this means processors almost exclusively from AMD and Intel (with Qualcomm catching up). Most (but not all) will use laptop processors due to thermal limitations, which still provide sufficient performance for the category's intended use cases.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)This means you’ll mostly see processors from the AMD Ryzen, Intel Core, and Intel Core Ultra lines. Core Ultra is Intel’s latest processor line, focusing on efficiency and, in some cases, AI readiness. The latter are becoming increasingly popular in the mini-desktop space, along with traditional Core “i” processors; our picks represent a mix.
The most powerful among these desktops currently run on 13th- and 14th-generation Intel Core processors or Intel Core Ultra H-class chips. As for AMD, you’ll (less often) see equivalent H-class chips. H- and HX-class chips from AMD and Intel are their top performers, but you'll also see U- and V-class CPUs in these mini desktops, which are focused on efficiency. These are all more than quick enough for daily use, productivity, and moderate office work.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Whichever brand or generation you’re picking from, in general, you can do light work on a Core/Ultra 3 or Ryzen 3-tier processor, but if you want more capable productivity, look for at least a 5-tier CPU. The higher-end chips, such as the H-class we've discussed, can handle more demanding workloads, which isn't always the goal of every mini-desktop user. If that is your aim, 7- and 9-tier CPUs, even in a mini desktop, are ready to rumble.
One standout processor is AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395. This mobile CPU is a sweet fit for mini desktops, since it allows the system to address general memory (RAM) as video memory (VRAM) for graphics and AI tasks in addition to handling processor workloads. (We first tested this CPU inside a desktop with the Framework Desktop and saw it again in the HP Z2 Mini G1a.) This is just one cutting-edge option; for even more in-depth details on choosing PC-specific processors and components, see our guide for the best Windows mini PCs.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)As for Apple, since 2020, the company has only sold machines with its in-house M-series processors, now advanced to the M4 generation in desktops. These chips include CPU and GPU cores, and (like the Ryzen AI Max option), unified system memory that can handle both workloads.
Apple sells its processors in multiple tiers beyond the base chip: Pro, Max, and Ultra. The first two are options for the Mac mini, while the Max and Ultra are pro-grade chips for the Mac Studio. (Apple launches these powerful chips in a somewhat staggered fashion, mixing generations somewhat confusingly: Currently, the options for the Mac Studio are the M4 Max and the M3 Ultra, with no M4 Ultra as of yet.) The Mac mini is a fine fit for everyday home-office workers who prefer the Apple ecosystem, while the Mac Studio is for demanding creative professionals—we reviewed blistering M4 Max and M3 Ultra Mac Studio options.
Graphics, Memory, and Storage: What to Look for in a Small PC
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and Apple’s M-series Max and Ultra chips venture into a more pricey and power-hungry tier than most mini desktops. They are impressive pieces of silicon, and sensible solutions for achieving legitimate graphics performance inside a mini desktop. Mac systems aside, though, shoppers just aren’t turning to this category for serious graphics muscle, since full-size desktop graphics cards are a far better fit for professional use cases.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Without these chips, or a discrete GPU from Nvidia or AMD, the majority of mini desktops just rely on a traditional processor’s integrated graphics. These provide modest 3D and gaming capabilities at best, due to the thermal constraints mini desktops must contend with.
You'll always find exceptions, such as the Framework and the Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra, the latter of which provides the rare combination of a full desktop processor and an Nvidia laptop GPU. A mobile GPU is more common than a desktop-style CPU, but we’re still talking edge cases here—you’ll largely see integrated graphics in mini desktops.
Storage and memory capacities vary, but they usually fall within a standard range comparable to that of laptops. You can expect to find 256GB to 1TB of SSD storage in most cases (likely an M.2 SSD). Lower capacities are fine for everyday home use, but anyone working with media (such as large video files) or significant amounts of data should consider a machine with more storage, or open M.2 slots to add storage.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)You can expect 8GB to 32GB of memory in most of these systems; more mini desktops than you’d expect opt for 32GB to boost performance. Pro-grade mini desktops—an uncommon tier—are often armed with unified memory, and may run as much as 128GB of memory, since that RAM can work toward multiple scenarios. (We'd expect PC makers to dial back on the RAM, though: Read our guides on how much RAM you really need and how to build or buy a PC amid today's memory shortage.)
What Connections Do You Need In a Mini Desktop?
USB ports are the most obvious connections you’ll look for. On the PC side, the types and variety of these ports will depend on the mini desktop, but even on cheaper models, you can expect a mix of USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports. (Consider which of these ports are front-facing or back-facing when setting up the desktop in a constrained space.)
(Credit: Brian Westover)Mac systems are a bit different. Apple prioritizes USB-C over those old-fashioned USB Type-A ports; the current Mac mini has no USB-A ports at all. The Mac Studio, however, does include a pair of them, alongside a veritable host of Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports. Regardless, bring your necessary peripherals and adapters.
Video outputs are the next-most-essential connections, as you’ll want to hook up monitors, and in some cases, digital signs and business displays. So check for multi-monitor support if you'll need it. HDMI is the most common video-out connection you’ll find on mini desktops, while USB-C ports also work. For media work and camera transfers, consider a system with an SD card slot, as well, but note that these slots aren't always standard. Finally, you will almost always find an audio jack on these systems.
Virtually all mini desktops support a form of Wi-Fi wireless networking, even if they also include wired Ethernet connections (fairly common in this category). For PCs, double-check that you don’t need a Wi-Fi card; Apple systems always support wireless connectivity. Bluetooth capability is usually bundled with the Wi-Fi radio.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)While not "connectivity" in the same sense, one related feature common in mini desktops is mountability. Some include kits that let you attach them to the back of a monitor or to a rack in a small space. The VESA mounting standard is the most common, though there are other formats; check the back of your monitor for the matching mounting holes.
Ready to Buy the Right Mini Desktop?
Armed with that component-and-feature rundown, our full spec chart, and our list of the best products, you’re ready to choose a mini desktop. If you're less concerned with size and more focused on an inexpensive system, read our list of the best cheap desktops. For more general-use systems, see our favorite overall desktops. Professional users should check out our best business desktops and consider an all-in-one desktop as well.