Intel offers two high-performance mini PCs—the NUC 9 Extreme, which has a picture of a skull on the side, and the NUC 9 Pro, which is bereft of skulls. We listened to the fan’s volume during these tests and tracked the power consumption of each mini PC with a Kill A Watt EZ monitor while the computer was idle on the Windows desktop and while it ran the CPU- and GPU-intensive benchmarks. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M920 Tiny is a version of the M720 Tiny that offers the eight-core Intel Core i7-9700T as an upgrade option; the M720 tops out at six-core processors. HP’s ProDesk 600 G5 is small, quiet, and attractive. Dell’s OptiPlex 3080 Micro, OptiPlex 5080 Micro, and OptiPlex 7080 Micro are Dell’s answer to the new Lenovo and HP models. But if you need only an SD card reader and you’ll use it only occasionally, a USB card reader will work fine. Options. Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M70q, M80q, and M90q are all the same basic computer with small differences in price, port layout, and configuration options. desktops and all in ones :: thinkcentre m series desktops :: thinkcentre m720scontentdetail - Lenovo Support US Almost any SSD you can buy today is great, but the Seagate BarraCuda 510 has the best combination of price, performance, and capacity of any solid-state drive. It was running full speed in order for the headset to work. Intel sells a version of the NUC (the NUC10i5FNKPA) that’s a half-inch shorter and omits the room for the 2.5-inch drive, but we’d prefer to have the option to add more storage later on. What I saw on display was a .5m Thunderbolt … We dug into the specs on more than 80 mini PCs, but only a handful met our requirement of at least an eighth-generation Intel processor with a solid-state drive (or the option to add one) for under $800. Lenovo Inc. View View. We looked at a 1GbE transfer and 10GbE transfer in Blackmagic. HP has also made all of its ProDesk and EliteDesk models easy to upgrade (though Dell Optiplex Micro models, Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny desktops, and Intel NUC units are all pretty easy to open up too). They also include an SD card reader, a total of six USB Type-A ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a pair of Gigabit Ethernet ports. In this case, the Xeon and Core processors are basically the same, except that the Xeon processor has a slightly higher clock speed and supports special error-correcting (or ECC) memory. Consider adding some extra memory to maximize its speed. What I saw on display was a .5m Thunderbolt 3 cable. You can build a substantially faster and fully loaded Mini-ITX PC for less than that. Chrome OS also offers experimental support for Linux apps, but their performance isn’t great, and many of the complex high-quality desktop apps missing from Chrome OS are also missing from Linux anyway. Good Afternoon, does anyone know what I need to connect an Apply Thunderbolt Display to my current M Series ThinkCentre? If you don’t want the extra internal drive space, the shorter NUC10i5FNKPA is otherwise identical. The version we recommend is easy to upgrade, includes both a 256 GB M.2 SSD for quick performance and a 2.5-inch 1 TB SATA hard drive (or SSD) for extra storage, and has a three-year warranty. In fact, the app you use for almost everything on a Chrome OS device is the Chrome web browser, and you have to be connected to the internet for most tasks. On the built-to-order version of the ProDesk 600 G5, you can have one of those DisplayPorts switched out; options include HDMI, VGA, or USB-C. Chrome OS simply runs better on low-end processors and less memory, and because Chrome OS relies primarily on cloud storage, a tiny SSD for storage isn’t a problem, either. © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, can’t be powered with a USB-C power adapter or USB-C monitor, cheapest quad-core version of the NUC 9 Extreme, Maintenance and Service Guide: HP ProDesk 600 G5 Desktop Mini (PDF), User Guide: NUC10i7FNH, NUC10i5FNH, NUC10i3FNH (PDF), Mac mini Late 2018 Memory (RAM) Replacement, Two USB 3.1 Type-A, one USB 3.1 Type-C, headphones, line-in, Four USB 3.1 Type-A, three DisplayPort 1.2, Gigabit Ethernet, Two DDR4 RAM slots, two NVMe/SATA M.2 slots, M.2 Wi-Fi card, optional 2.5-inch SATA drive bay, One USB 3.1 Type-C, one USB 3.1 Type-A, headphones, SD card reader (left side), Two USB 3.1 Type-A, one Thunderbolt 3, one HDMI 1.4, Gigabit Ethernet, Two DDR4 RAM slots, one SATA/NVMe M.2 slot, one 2.5-inch SATA drive bay, Two USB 3.1 Type-A, microSD card reader, headphones, Two USB 2.0 Type-A, one USB 3.1 Type-A, one USB 3.1 Type-C, HDMI 1.4, Gigabit Ethernet, Two DDR4 RAM slots, one SATA-only M.2 slot, M.2 Wi-Fi card, Four Thunderbolt 3, two USB 3.1 Type-A, one HDMI 1.4, headphones, Gigabit Ethernet. But the dedicated GPU represents a substantial step up over integrated graphics and might be good enough for casual gaming or professional 3D work. But its Vega 11 integrated GPU fared a bit better in games—Intel’s UHD 630 could barely handle Fortnite at low settings, but the Vega 11 could play it comfortably at medium settings. Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny review: Security, ports, and performance in a compact PC ... As a bit of future-proofing, it would be nice to see a Thunderbolt 3 port amongst the otherwise … Impressive as it is to see all of this expandability fit into a 9.4-by-8.5-by-3.8-inch box—a bit larger than three Mac Minis stacked on top of one another—a custom-built Mini-ITX computer is probably still a better option for most people. The model we recommend doesn’t include the bracket or cable necessary to install a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive or SSD, but you can have it added to the built-to-order model, making this the only one of the mini PCs we tested that can fit three drives (not that this is a feature most people need). 2 Thinkvision P27q-10 displays. Keep that in mind when deciding what you need. ThinkCentre M75q Tiny PSREF Product Specifications Reference ThinkCentre M75q Tiny - December 28 2020 1 of 7. We tested the i5-9500T against the i5-10210U, but Core i7 models may compare differently. If you’re willing to install a few parts and install an operating system yourself, consider a barebones mini PC. PART: 10YM0034US UPC: 193386748564 01AJ968, THUNDERBOLT CARD, Lenovo Parts and Accessories, Lenovo Computer Parts and Accessories, Lenovo Card Parts and Accessories . Intel’s just-released 10th-generation desktop processors aren’t a huge improvement over the eighth- or ninth-generation models in most of our recommended mini PCs, but they have prompted most PC manufacturers to release new models. Lenovo ThinkCentre M720s 10ST0025US Desktop Computer Intel Core i3 8th Gen i3-8100 3.60 GHz - 8 GB RAM DDR4 SDRAM - 1 TB HDD - Small Form Factor - Raven Black - Windows 10 Pro 64-bit - DVD-Writer - English (US) Keyboard - Max 5 Units MFG. Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q Tiny Rear View We also have four USB 3 … It also lacks VESA mounting options, so it needs room on a desk unless you want to try out a third-party mount. The OptiPlex and ThinkCentre can fit a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD instead of a second M.2 SSD, but there’s a case to be made for both of those options. If anything does overheat or break, HP’s three-year warranty has you covered. Thanks to Google’s Chrome OS, the CTL Chromebox CBX1C is faster than a similarly priced, $250 Windows PC at browsing the web, basic word processing, and playing movies. A mini PC combines the performance of a good laptop with the upgradability of a full-size desktop computer together in a package the size of a paperback book. HP includes more preinstalled software with the ProDesk 600 G5 than we saw on the other Windows PCs we looked at. But it was actually almost exactly as fast in our benchmarks, our video encoding test, and the games we tried (though like most mini PCs, the NUC isn’t equipped to play anything much more demanding than Minecraft).1 This means that, like the ProDesk 600 G5, the NUC is great for basic browsing and document editing, as well as photo and video editing tasks that don’t require dedicated graphics. Intel’s NUC is even smaller than the ProDesk 600 G5, and it was just as fast in our testing, but we like it a bit less because it has fewer ports and a louder fan. Gaming mini PCs promise PC gaming in a package smaller than most game consoles, but they don’t make sense for most people. But unlike ultrabooks, they’re easy to upgrade if you want to add more memory or storage, and they have all the ports you need to connect two or three monitors and your favorite keyboard, mouse, and webcam. CDN$830.39. It’s up to you to provide the storage, RAM, and operating system. Apple’s one-year limited warranty is shorter than Intel’s three-year warranty, but Apple’s warranty coverage is excellent and tends to have quick turnarounds for most repairs; you can also get in-person support at Apple Stores if you need it. Thinkpad Thunderbolt 3 Dock Gen 2. Also called “barebones” systems or “mini PC kits,” such models can save you some money and allow you to customize what components go inside based on how much memory and storage you need. Lenovo PC Support Home – learn about your PC device, troubleshoot, check warranty, order or repair status, upgrade software or contact us The mini PCs we recommend in this guide couldn’t handle gaming beyond simple titles such as Minecraft or Hearthstone. The Core i3 version is only a little less expensive, and it uses a 1 TB hard drive (instead of an SSD) and a dual-core processor, which together make it substantially slower than the NUC10i5FNHCA we recommend. Although Chromeboxes can run Android apps and offer “experimental” support for some Linux apps, that software can’t close the app gap between Windows/macOS and Chrome OS. 01-01-2012. The Mac mini is almost twice the size of an Intel NUC at 7.7 inches wide by 7.7 inches long by 1.4 inches high. The Core i7 version offers a six-core Core i7-10710U processor, but the Core i5 version is fast enough that we don’t think the Core i7 NUC is worth the extra $200-ish for most people. Quick, secure access to your purchase history for warranty validation or insurance claims. If you need more power, we suggest buying the six-core i5 model that includes 512 GB of storage and starts at $1,100. The NUC’s small size means it can’t fit as many ports on the front or back, and during our tests, in both regular and heavy use, its fan noise was higher-pitched and more noticeable. Lenovo didn’t specify the length of the included Thunderbolt 3 cable. If you have lots of accessories to connect and three monitors to use, the ProDesk 600 G5 is better; if you’re using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and have only one or two monitors you want to connect, the NUC is probably fine. On the back, you’ll find two more USB 3.1 Type-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and a Thunderbolt 3 port. He has been writing about technology for over a decade, with an emphasis on learning by doing—which is to say, breaking things as often as possible to see how they work. After a new round of testing hard drives in 2020, we found that the 2 TB Seagate Backup Plus Slim is still the best portable hard drive for most people. Slickdeals Forums Hot Deals Lenovo ThinkCentre M75q Tiny Gen 2: Ryzen 5 Pro 4650GE, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD, Wi-Fi 6, Win10 Pro @ $587.95 + F/S It’s not the best option for everyone, but putting it together is easy if you’ve ever built or upgraded a PC before. From that perspective, the dock is a … The NUC’s fan is higher-pitched than the one in the ProDesk 600 G5, and it spins up more frequently in the course of day-to-day work. The maximum resolution for the other display is only 1920x1080. Next. Lenovo Product Is Only Used With Lenovo … The problem is that I cannot get the maximum resolution (2560x1440) for both displays but instead for only one of the two. It’s the only Windows mini PC we tested, however, that includes a Thunderbolt 3 port and a micro SD card reader. Unlike the Windows PCs we tested, the Mac mini doesn’t have an external power brick, so it’s easier to set up discreetly. Apple has released a new version of the Mac mini that includes an Apple-designed processor like the ones included in iPhones and iPads, instead of the Intel chips used in previous Mac minis and other PCs. If you want to pick your own storage, memory, and operating system, the barebones Intel NUC saves you money. New product announcement updates and exclusive online offers, desktops and all in ones :: thinkcentre m series desktops :: thinkcentre m720scontentdetail - Lenovo Support CA, >  desktops-and-all-in-ones Most people don’t need ECC memory, but it is useful for file servers and some professional settings where even tiny errors can’t be tolerated. It’s used as the primary tool to differentiate the configurations in models of current and withdrawn Lenovo products. 01AJ968, THUNDERBOLT CARD, Lenovo Parts and Accessories, Lenovo Computer Parts and Accessories, Lenovo Card Parts and Accessories. Lenovo connected this eGPU dock to one of its new VR headsets. The M900 boasts Intel® vPro™ technology for efficient enterprise-level manageability. Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny VESA Mount II (4XF0N03161) 4.7 out of 5 stars 123. Although its boxy, black plastic exterior isn’t eye-catching, the CTL Chromebox’s utilitarian design will be good enough for anyone who just wants a computer that works. The configuration we recommend usually costs around $800 and will feel plenty fast for anything other than high-end games; it has a six-core Intel processor, 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of solid-state storage. We’d expect its performance to be similar to that of the HP EliteDesk 705 G5 we tested—it may be a good option for casual gaming if you can buy it for much less than $700, but overall we still prefer the better processor performance of the Intel models. Lenovo connected this eGPU dock to one of its new VR headsets. Our Windows picks come with generous three-year warranties, but CTL provides only a one-year warranty for its Chromebox. On the front, you get a headphone jack, two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and a microSD card reader; on the back, you get one more USB 3.1 Type-A port, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a USB-C port, and a power jack.