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mini PC to replace notebook?

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I bet this has been asked before, but I can't find any previous so I'll ask anew. About mini-PCs.

First, are they any good at all or just a throwaway?

I ask because my 10-year-old battle-scarred Dell XPS is at end-of-life – it''s not viable to repair any of the bits that are not falling off. And I wonder if I could replace it with such a mini, given I have no shortage of keyboards, a mouse, etc., and have no use for dragging it around with me cos I no longer need to go anywhere.

But the XPS does have a functioning screen and it's very good (4K) so I wonder if I could use that (at least pro tem) perhaps via a HDMI from the mini to avoid having to buy a new monitor – I do not want anything big. Anyone know if that would work? What about sound? And what about the touchscreen?

This will be for the basics – writing, some graphic design and watching stored movies. No games.

Do these mini-PCs come ready to roll, or would I have to build it (soundboards, graphics cards and stuff I don't want to know about)?

Bluetooth?

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

You'll gather I have no idea about all this, so any polite advice would be appreciated.

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  • The Oracle
    The Oracle

    I have had several mini-pcs over the last eight years. Some have been dual-boot (android and Windows/Linux) but the most recent (purchased 2023) is installed with Windows 11. They have all had: curren

  • fredwiggy
    fredwiggy

    This explains them a little. Most newer ones come with Bluetooth installed. Many come ready to go. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-windows-mini-pcs What is a Mini PC? Unlike large traditional de

  • I think you would be lucky to find one with Win 10. Saying that I am not sure if you can go backwards but if you can and want to maybe have a read of this - https://www.theregister.com/software/2025/0

Posted Images

This explains them a little. Most newer ones come with Bluetooth installed. Many come ready to go. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-windows-mini-pcs

What is a Mini PC?

Unlike large traditional desktop towers, mini PCs are small enough to sit unobtrusively on a desk or mount directly behind a monitor using a VESA mounting plate. They operate like laptops without built-in screens, keyboards, or batteries, using mobile or low-power desktop parts to deliver high efficiency.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:

    • Space-saving: Reduces physical clutter and frees up desk space.

    • Energy-efficient: Consumes much less power than full-sized towers.

    • Quiet operation: Many models run silently or feature fanless designs.

  • Cons:

    • Limited Upgradability: Restricted space limits internal component expansion mostly to RAM and SSD storage.

    • Graphics Limits: Most rely on integrated graphics, making high-end AAA gaming difficult without an external GPU.

    • Support Hurdles: Lesser-known brands may present challenges for warranty service or hardware stability. ..........https://www.geekompc.com/what-is-mini-pc/

  • Popular Post
2 minutes ago, BaronHardup said:

I bet this has been asked before, but I can't find any previous so I'll ask anew. About mini-PCs.

First, are they any good at all or just a throwaway?

I ask because my 10-year-old battle-scarred Dell XPS is at end-of-life – it''s not viable to repair any of the bits that are not falling off. And I wonder if I could replace it with such a mini, given I have no shortage of keyboards, a mouse, etc., and have no use for dragging it around with me cos I no longer need to go anywhere.

But the XPS does have a functioning screen and it's very good (4K) so I wonder if I could use that (at least pro tem) perhaps via a HDMI from the mini to avoid having to buy a new monitor – I do not want anything big. Anyone know if that would work? What about sound? And what about the touchscreen?

This will be for the basics – writing, some graphic design and watching stored movies. No games.

Do these mini-PCs come ready to roll, or would I have to build it (soundboards, graphics cards and stuff I don't want to know about)?

Bluetooth?

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

You'll gather I have no idea about all this, so any polite advice would be appreciated.

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I have had several mini-pcs over the last eight years.
Some have been dual-boot (android and Windows/Linux) but the most recent (purchased 2023) is installed with Windows 11.

They have all had:

current-generation Bluetooth

1000mps (1Gbs) ethernet port

Wi-Fi (but only to n,, not ax)

two USB2.0 ports and two USB3.0 ports (current one has 3.1)
a 3.5mm headphone jack; and

HDMI


There isn't the full punch of high end Intel chips but they operate perfectly well running movies (up to 4k) Microsoft Office, and YouTube, Music Apps, and streaming.

To the best of my knowledge, you can't use your latops screen for it. Howevere, you can go to one of the larger Lotuses or Big Cs and get yourself a 32"4k TV for next to nothing.

I travel with mine overseas and domestically. It's lighter than a notebook but, obviously, requires you to take your own wireless keyboard and mouse - and HDMI cable for plugging into the TVs in hotels.

They are also considerably cheaper - on account they don't have a screen, optical drive or battery.

Problems that arise come from the vendor; mostly saying it has Window installed but it's not registered.
Easy to fix; just change the registered device for your Windows Licence to your new device through your Microsoft account.

Things to check for so it lasts:

At least 16Gb RAM;
At least 512gb SSD
4k video

HDMI 2.1 or above (and buy a proper HDMI cablle)
USB 3,1 or above (USB 2.0 ports are for your kb/mouse wireless pickup)

double-check those system minimums, while Win12 isn't released yet, I think these are the minimum specs.

My main machine is a tower that I bought and built myself . I over-specced the bayjayzus out of it, but still the little box does its job in the bedroom, streaming from my NAS to my 43" 4k TV.

I bought all my miniPCs through Lazada.

EDIT: I didn't use AI.

Edited by The Oracle
I didn't use AI

17 minutes ago, The Oracle said:


I have had several mini-pcs over the last eight years.
Some have been dual-boot (android and Windows/Linux) but the most recent (purchased 2023) is installed with Windows 11.

They have all had:

current-generation Bluetooth

1000mps (1Gbs) ethernet port

Wi-Fi (but only to n,, not ax)

two USB2.0 ports and two USB3.0 ports (current one has 3.1)
a 3.5mm headphone jack; and

HDMI


There isn't the full punch of high end Intel chips but they operate perfectly well running movies (up to 4k) Microsoft Office, and YouTube, Music Apps, and streaming.

To the best of my knowledge, you can't use your latops screen for it. Howevere, you can go to one of the larger Lotuses or Big Cs and get yourself a 32"4k TV for next to nothing.

I travel with mine overseas and domestically. It's lighter than a notebook but, obviously, requires you to take your own wireless keyboard and mouse - and HDMI cable for plugging into the TVs in hotels.

They are also considerably cheaper - on account they don't have a screen, optical drive or battery.

Problems that arise come from the vendor; mostly saying it has Window installed but it's not registered.
Easy to fix; just change the registered device for your Windows Licence to your new device through your Microsoft account.

Things to check for so it lasts:

At least 16Gb RAM;
At least 512gb SSD
4k video

HDMI 2.1 or above (and buy a proper HDMI cablle)
USB 3,1 or above (USB 2.0 ports are for your kb/mouse wireless pickup)

double-check those system minimums, while Win12 isn't released yet, I think these are the minimum specs.

My main machine is a tower that I bought and built myself . I over-specced the bayjayzus out of it, but still the little box does its job in the bedroom, streaming from my NAS to my 43" 4k TV.

I bought all my miniPCs through Lazada.

EDIT: I didn't use AI.

Agreed. They really should clamp down on those low value cut and pastes from AI. Anyone can do that. How is that useful?

Personally, I purchased a 2 litre ex business box, as I didn't need it to be mobile and use my 55" 4K TV as a monitor.

When working with docs, I may have a 4-way split screen open. Try doing that with a tiny laptop screen.

If they are thinking of graphic design then they should get one with a CPU that can handle it. No Celery processors. I guess if they have an XPS, they won't be going to the cheapest box anyway. Though they should be aware of relatively pricey RAM and storage these days.

56 minutes ago, BaronHardup said:

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

I think you would be lucky to find one with Win 10. Saying that I am not sure if you can go backwards but if you can and want to maybe have a read of this -

https://www.theregister.com/software/2025/04/22/windows-10-ltsc-the-version-that-wont-expire-for-years/1250901

Will give you Win 10 for the next 5 years with no changes other than security updates. Works great for me.

5 minutes ago, Mr Hands said:

Agreed. They really should clamp down on those low value cut and pastes from AI. Anyone can do that. How is that useful?

Personally, I purchased a 2 litre ex business box, as I didn't need it to be mobile and use my 55" 4K TV as a monitor.

When working with docs, I may have a 4-way split screen open. Try doing that with a tiny laptop screen.

If they are thinking of graphic design then they should get one with a CPU that can handle it. No Celery processors. I guess if they have an XPS, they won't be going to the cheapest box anyway. Though they should be aware of relatively pricey RAM and storage these days.

Spot on.
I used to do 1080p CCTV video editing years ago. What are now called "mini PCs" couldn't draw enough power through its AC adapter to run just the video card on that.
However, even with my current main PC, I'd struggle with 4k editing.
I have read a few posts about prices of RAM gong up recently, but as I'm fully fitted for my needs, it isn't an issue.

However, I didn't know storage prices were on the rise. I'm looking to replace my 4Tb HDD with a SSD. The lifespan over here on magnetic drives is half than in temperate climates.
Thanks for the tip. I'll have to bring forward my NAS upgrade before all the anuses running AI data centres make everything except a phone too expensive to buy.

One possible downside of a mini pc compared to a laptop is the absence of a battery. If there's a power cut (very common where I live) you could lose any unsaved docs, and not shutting down properly can cause issues, especially if there's one of MS's endless updates running.

I connect my PC via a UPS to give me time to save docs in case of a power cut.

8 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

One possible downside of a mini pc compared to a laptop is the absence of a battery. If there's a power cut (very common where I live) you could lose any unsaved docs, and not shutting down properly can cause issues, especially if there's one of MS's endless updates running.

I connect my PC via a UPS to give me time to save docs in case of a power cut.

Once again, good advice.
I have UPSes attached to all my devices. The lowest powered ones (900vA) for my modem/router, and for my two wifi APs. A 2000VA for my main machine, with the TV attached to it has its own 1200VA. The Mini PC in my bedroom has an old 700VA(?) UPS that gets the old batteries when I replace the ones in those that mean something. It and the TV (no UPS) inside also go through a power filter. If the power dies when I'm watching TV in bed - which is rare - it gives me time to just do a 3-second power down with the power button. My printer is also in the room. Which I use for Immigration printouts.

3 hours ago, BaronHardup said:

But the XPS does have a functioning screen and it's very good (4K) so I wonder if I could use that (at least pro tem) perhaps via a HDMI from the mini to avoid having to buy

I don't know of any way to use a laptop display with an external computer. It's connected to the internal motherboard with no connectors available. Better to use a TV via a hdmi cable.

  • Author
19 minutes ago, gargamon said:

I don't know of any way to use a laptop display with an external computer. It's connected to the internal motherboard with no connectors available. Better to use a TV via a hdmi cable.

But if the XPS was seeing the mini (output on HDMI) as an external monitor? I thought that might work?

I don't have TV and I'm not getting one now just for this!

  • Author
2 hours ago, Kinnock said:

One possible downside of a mini pc compared to a laptop is the absence of a battery. If there's a power cut (very common where I live) you could lose any unsaved docs, and not shutting down properly can cause issues, especially if there's one of MS's endless updates running.

I connect my PC via a UPS to give me time to save docs in case of a power cut.

Well, the XPS battery has been dead for 4 years and I disabled MS updates the day I bought it. All my important software backs up every 10 minutes or so anyway because otherwise, power cuts are a nuisance, you are right..

  • Author
2 hours ago, Mr Hands said:

Try doing that with a tiny laptop screen.

maybe, but I have used a lapto screen for so long it would never occur to me as a problem. I am happy watching the footy on the XPS.

  • Author
2 hours ago, topt said:

I think you would be lucky to find one with Win 10. Saying that I am not sure if you can go backwards but if you can and want to maybe have a read of this -

https://www.theregister.com/software/2025/04/22/windows-10-ltsc-the-version-that-wont-expire-for-years/1250901

Will give you Win 10 for the next 5 years with no changes other than security updates. Works great for me.

Thanks, I was resigned to the odious win11, but I will take a look at this.

23 minutes ago, BaronHardup said:

maybe, but I have used a lapto screen for so long it would never occur to me as a problem. I am happy watching the footy on the XPS.

Even though you are happy to watch the footy of a tiny screen, you'd be even happier watching it on the big screen. That includes your movies and extends to graphic design. You can easily have four windows open on a single screen.

36 minutes ago, BaronHardup said:

But if the XPS was seeing the mini (output on HDMI) as an external monitor? I thought that might work?

I don't have TV and I'm not getting one now just for this!

So buy another laptop.

My ex business box cost me 2500 baht. I connected up an SSD drive that I had lying around. That leaves a lot in the budget for a 4K TV or monitor.

39 minutes ago, BaronHardup said:

But if the XPS was seeing the mini (output on HDMI) as an external monitor? I thought that might work?

I don't have TV and I'm not getting one now just for this!

I think the signal is out only, not in.

15 hours ago, BaronHardup said:

I bet this has been asked before, but I can't find any previous so I'll ask anew. About mini-PCs.

First, are they any good at all or just a throwaway?

I ask because my 10-year-old battle-scarred Dell XPS is at end-of-life – it''s not viable to repair any of the bits that are not falling off. And I wonder if I could replace it with such a mini, given I have no shortage of keyboards, a mouse, etc., and have no use for dragging it around with me cos I no longer need to go anywhere.

But the XPS does have a functioning screen and it's very good (4K) so I wonder if I could use that (at least pro tem) perhaps via a HDMI from the mini to avoid having to buy a new monitor – I do not want anything big. Anyone know if that would work? What about sound? And what about the touchscreen?

This will be for the basics – writing, some graphic design and watching stored movies. No games.

Do these mini-PCs come ready to roll, or would I have to build it (soundboards, graphics cards and stuff I don't want to know about)?

Bluetooth?

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

You'll gather I have no idea about all this, so any polite advice would be appreciated.

Advertisement

Mini PCs are great.

Coincidentally, I have an old Dell XPS too but it's currently not being used.

I've recently purchased two secondhand reconditioned Dell Optiplex mini-PCs, a 3070 and 7000. The 3070 is fast. The 7000 is very fast (i7-12700 processor, with 12 cores) and has 32Gb of RAM and a 512GB SSD, all for 18,300 baht.

To give you a performance comparison, the 7000 is approximately 20 times faster on the same jobs as the Dell XPS. I have mine running Linux but they both came with Windows 11 before I converted them.

There are plenty of adverts on Lazada and Shopee for reconditioned units if you want to go the same route and save lots of money. Mine came with a no-quibble warranty and I've been very pleased with them.

15 hours ago, BaronHardup said:

I bet this has been asked before, but I can't find any previous so I'll ask anew. About mini-PCs.

Advertisement

My mini PCs have DisplayPort connections, not HDMI. You can get DisplayPort to HDMI conversion cables.

There's no reason why a mini-PC shouldn't replace an XPS.

I'm using GMKTec and Beelink mini PCs with AMD Ryzen7 and RyzenAI CPUs for a software test lab for our team. They are on around the clock and are very fast even when running several virtual machines at the same time.

They are tiny, quiet, fast and don't have any battery to replace after a few years. You can attach a 4k monitor to them, in my case also KVM switch, and off you go. In my case, all have HDMI, but they also have Oculink, where you can connect a proper high end graphics card to them externally with a dock.

They easily replace boxes 30x bigger.

I also use kind of the original mini PC, the Mac Mini, which is also a very capable machine, but despite that I'm moving over to a slightly bigger Mac Studio in 2 weeks when new one is out. Not because of performance. But because of the stupid location Apple put power button in. Even there, having power button at the back is significantly inconvenient. But having to lift the whole box up to press button that's at the bottom.... Geez, I hope Apple never makes a car. Can you imagine having to lift the whole car up to turn the engine on?

Then again... shouldn't be surprised. See where the charging port on their "magic" mouse is...

17 hours ago, BaronHardup said:

Do these mini-PCs come ready to roll, or would I have to build it (soundboards, graphics cards and stuff I don't want to know about)?

Bluetooth?

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

You'll gather I have no idea about all this, so any polite advice would be appreciated.

For your reading pleasure and model comparison <https://www.advice.co.th/product/compare>

18 hours ago, BaronHardup said:

I would be ok with windows 10, a devil I at least know, but do I have a choice any more – or is it Win 11 regardless?

I bought a refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 from a local IT shop about 2 years ago for 3500 baht. It's about the same age as your Dell.

It runs on Intel i5 and came with W10 installed on a (very slow!) 1Tb SATA HDD, minimal RAM and no wi-fi hardware. The hardware doesn't support W11. I cloned the boot from the 1Tb HDD to a spare 250Gb SSD, and I spent a further 4500 baht on a 1Tb M.2 NVMe, maxed out the RAM to 32Mb and added third-party wif-fi hardware.

Small footprint, quiet, and It happily drives a couple of 27" flat screens while the onboard audio sounds great on my legacy Monsoon 2.1 system.

There used to a few resellers on Lazada around the time I bought it but can only find this one at the moment.

No image preview

Mini PC Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 i5-6400T RAM 4GB HDD 500G...

💻 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Mini PC (สินค้ามือสอง สภาพเกรด A)คอมพิวเตอร์ตั้งโต๊ะขนาดจิ๋ว ดีไซน์กะทัดรัด ประหยัดพื้นที่จัดวาง เหมาะสำหรับใช้งานในออฟฟิศ, Work from Home, พิมพ์งานเอกสาร, ดูหนังฟังเพลง หรื
2 hours ago, IsaanT said:

My mini PCs have DisplayPort connections, not HDMI. You can get DisplayPort to HDMI conversion cables.

My experience with these combo conversion cables is to NOT go with the cheap ones. My solution was to get some quality DP/HDMI converters and then use my existing spare HDMI cables.

8 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

My experience with these combo conversion cables is to NOT go with the cheap ones. My solution was to get some quality DP/HDMI converters and then use my existing spare HDMI cables.

I'm sure that's good advice.

In my case my monitor has HDMI and DisplayPort connections but, after the Linux conversion, I now run the 3070 and 7000 headless for my own purposes so it no longer matters.

54 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I bought a refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 from a local IT shop about 2 years ago for 3500 baht. It's about the same age as your Dell.

It runs on Intel i5 and came with W10 installed on a (very slow!) 1Tb SATA HDD, minimal RAM and no wi-fi hardware. The hardware doesn't support W11. I cloned the boot from the 1Tb HDD to a spare 250Gb SSD, and I spent a further 4500 baht on a 1Tb M.2 NVMe, maxed out the RAM to 32Mb and added third-party wif-fi hardware.

Small footprint, quiet, and It happily drives a couple of 27" flat screens while the onboard audio sounds great on my legacy Monsoon 2.1 system.

There used to a few resellers on Lazada around the time I bought it but can only find this one at the moment.

No image preview

Mini PC Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 i5-6400T RAM 4GB HDD 500G...

💻 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Mini PC (สินค้ามือสอง สภาพเกรด A)คอมพิวเตอร์ตั้งโต๊ะขนาดจิ๋ว ดีไซน์กะทัดรัด ประหยัดพื้นที่จัดวาง เหมาะสำหรับใช้งานในออฟฟิศ, Work from Home, พิมพ์งานเอกสาร, ดูหนังฟังเพลง หรื

Better off buying one with hardware that does support Windows 11.

Example:

https://shopee.co.th/Dell-OptiPlex-3070-mini-PC-core-i3-gen-9-แรม-8-GB-SSD-256-GB-มือสอง-พร้อมใช้งาน-i.2565748.29435117921

Whether it's any good for graphic design I couldn't tell you.

Of course yours supports Windows 11 too and will happily run it, fully supported by updates until at least October '27. Some might suggest the added 'requirements' are there for the purpose of identifying you more accurately.

4 hours ago, IsaanT said:

all for 18,300 baht.

Was that for one or both?

Would you mind linking the specific seller?

24 minutes ago, topt said:

Was that for one or both?

Would you mind linking the specific seller?

This was my 7000, with discount. It had 16Gb of RAM but I paid the seller to supply it with another 16GB RAM.

Screenshot_20260910-130942.png

55 minutes ago, Mr Hands said:

Better off buying one with hardware that does support Windows 11.

Example:

https://shopee.co.th/Dell-OptiPlex-3070-mini-PC-core-i3-gen-9-แรม-8-GB-SSD-256-GB-มือสอง-พร้อมใช้งาน-i.2565748.29435117921

Whether it's any good for graphic design I couldn't tell you.

Of course yours supports Windows 11 too and will happily run it, fully supported by updates until at least October '27. Some might suggest the added 'requirements' are there for the purpose of identifying you more accurately.

Good recommendation for some. Personally, I am Dell-averse. It happens to some who discovered their lamentable support for the corporate laptop user working overseas. Other brands are available.

Can you share a link on the best way to make my W10 'cripple' run W11 without too much faffing about? I am aware that it's possible, but there are far too many YouTubes on the subject these days to easily sort the wheat from the chaff. I am reasonably computer savvy, but as I get older, I am increasingly averse to wasting precious time righting the wrongs of Microsoft products.

Thanks

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Can you share a link on the best way to make my W10 'cripple' run W11 without too much faffing about?

Do you really want to run Win 11? Which will probably change to 12 in the not to distant future. If so up to you thumbsup

If you are happyish then I can recommend changing to Win 10 IOT LTSC as reported in an earlier link although you lose access to a couple of things which was a bonus as far as I was concerned. Also gives you monthly security updates up to EOL which is January 2032

Actual instructions here - https://massgrave.dev/windows10_eol

There are also a couple of easy to follow You Tube vids on doing it which I also used.

Edited by topt

13 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Good recommendation for some. Personally, I am Dell-averse. It happens to some who discovered their lamentable support for the corporate laptop user working overseas. Other brands are available.

Can you share a link on the best way to make my W10 'cripple' run W11 without too much faffing about? I am aware that it's possible, but there are far too many YouTubes on the subject these days to easily sort the wheat from the chaff. I am reasonably computer savvy, but as I get older, I am increasingly averse to wasting precious time righting the wrongs of Microsoft products.

Thanks

One word, Rufus.

It will create the installation media for you and allow to set the conditions. e.g. To remove the need for a Microsoft account in so you can continue with a local account. You can use the media to run an upgrade install if you don't wish to do a clean install, by simply plugging in the installation media and running Setup.exe and running an in-place upgrade. No need to boot from it.

Once complete, you can use something like https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 to disable the tracking and telemetry or continue to follow the video guide.

1 hour ago, topt said:

Do you really want to run Win 11? Which will probably change to 12 in the not to distant future. If so up to you thumbsup

If you are happyish then I can recommend changing to Win 10 IOT LTSC as reported in an earlier link although you lose access to a couple of things which was a bonus as far as I was concerned. Also gives you monthly security updates up to EOL which is January 2032

Actual instructions here - https://massgrave.dev/windows10_eol

There are also a couple of easy to follow You Tube vids on doing it which I also used.

Good link there, thanks. My desktop has W10 Pro so is a candidate for "life extension".

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