Don’t you just love a mini PC? Smaller than a laptop, shape smaller than a desktop computer and with specifications that often fall somewhere in between. I love the idea of having a full computer that fits inside my bag, but I have to admit that my mini PCs spent most of their life collecting dust on a shelf. What a waste.
The truth is that mini PCs can be much more useful than they end up being in most homes. In fact, if you own one, you should use it every day… not as your daily driver, but as a complete assistant for your main computer.
Your mini PC should not compete with your main computer
Give it tasks that your main PC doesn’t need to perform
I think the biggest misconception about mini PCs is the idea that since they are a computer without a screen, they are basically a desk. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Of course, some are surprisingly capable; Apple’s Mac mini is incredible, for example. But many of them aren’t beastly PCs, and that’s okay, because they were never meant to be. However, that doesn’t make them useless.
I’ve owned several mini PCs, both for my own purposes and for review, and I always tried to see them for what they were: dramatically scaled-down versions of a computer, in every respect. And that’s actually their biggest strength too, and it’s also why they pair so well with a full-size desktop computer (or laptop, if you prefer).
That’s why I think mini PCs make a lot more sense as a companion machine than as a main PC. Once you stop judging them as undersized desktops, their true usefulness comes to light.
7/10
- Storage
-
2TB SSD
- UPC
-
Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
Download background junk and free up your main PC
Let the partner take care of the annoying things
What changed my mind was the realization that a mini PC makes a lot more sense as a dedicated support machine, a small companion, than as an all-purpose desktop wannabe. I’ve never tried gaming on any of my mini PCs, although I know modern versions can handle some games very well. I used them for things that just clogged up my main PC, like downloads, backups, file syncing, or being available for remote access. Some of my colleagues use theirs to running a Plex server or virtual machines too.
That separation is the real value. Instead of cluttering your main PC with every mundane task, you give those tasks their own lane and keep your main machine focused on what you really need to do.
In my experience, that also makes my setup seem more organized and predictable. I already separate my workloads and files onto different storage media. I have, for example, something I call “abuse impulse” to handle all the crap my main SSDs shouldn’t bother with.
Well, a mini PC can be an upgraded version of such a unit, handling all the things in the background while you can focus on the things you are actively interested in on your main PC.
A mini PC is perfect for remote access and rescue tasks
This is one of my favorite things about a mini PC.
One of my favorite uses for a mini PC is to turn it into a machine that I can access when my main PC is off or busy. If you set yours up for remote access, it becomes a handy little gateway to your home network, allowing you to grab files, check downloads, restart apps, or manage shared folders without having to sit in front of your main computer.
I also like the idea of using a mini PC as a backup machine for when something goes wrong. It’s like an expanded version of a rescue campaign. Your mini PC can help you create a bootable USB, update your BIOS, get your drivers, or fix important problems.
Your mini PC doesn’t have to be just your assistant
You can share it with your whole family.
If your mini PC is useful to you, it can probably be even more useful to your entire family. We’ve all seen mini PCs used as home entertainment centers or gaming consoles in the living room, and of course, they’re fantastic for those uses. But equally, a mini PC can help an entire family.
It’s small, quiet, and easy to store near a router, TV, or printer. As such, it can handle all those little shared jobs that don’t really need to belong to anyone’s main computer, like sharing files over the network, hosting a shared media library, managing a printer, etc.
Many tasks can be centralized across the network, and as long as your main PCs can connect to the mini PC remotely, you’ll have a nice shared computer without sharing everything, which naturally most people wouldn’t want.
The real victory is not performance
It may help, but the value is greater than simply better benchmarks
Many of the tasks you can offload on a basic entry-level mini PC aren’t particularly taxing on a full desktop or laptop. Many mini PCs do not have a dedicated graphics card and are powered by mobile CPUs, so their capabilities are limited.
But that’s okay; You’re not looking to somehow gain a lot of performance for your main PC. It’s more about prioritizing the right workloads and keeping everything nice and tidy.
Don’t waste the potential of your mini PC
Mini PCs are often bought as something fun and then end up sitting wasted on a shelf somewhere. But there are a lot of things you can do with yours, and using it day to day alongside your main PC is a good way to get your money’s worth, keep your main PC clean, and optimize a lot of the boring stuff that happens in the background. In my opinion, that’s enough to justify having a mini PC.
- Brand
-
GEEKOM
- UPC
-
AMD Ryzen 5 7430U
If I’ve convinced you to get yourself a little assistant, the Geekom A5 is a great start. It’s not a beast of a PC, but it will eliminate all the annoying tasks while your main PC can focus on the big picture.
