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Win2000Fan Jan 12 @ 9:23pm
I see the future of computing and its called, Mini Computers.
Right before Christmas I was looking around on Amazon for something to buy with my Christmas present. I just about gave up and thought to save what money I had and then I caught this ad of a woman's hand tossing this small black box in the air. The Amazon ad said: complete computer system including Windows 11 Pro. At fist I thought it was a joke. After further reading I realized it was not a joke and it was then that I thought, oh how cute.

So I bought a mini computer. At first I bought it as a novelty/toy. But when I got it and plugged it in, it was then I realized it was no toy but in fact a full fledged very fast, power house of a desk top computer. I spent $320.00 (Christmas sale was still on) for a complete computer system. AMD Ryzen 7, 15 watt (that's right only 15 watts) mobile processor with Redeon graphics 5825u, 2 TB M2 SSD with 32 gigs of DDR4 RAM including, Windows 11 Pro.

It was after I bought this and looked deeper was when I realized that there is a whole new world of mini computers out there. I am not the only person who had to buy one to see for myself how powerful and fast they are. Amazon reviews are loaded with people who like me, thought of it more as a toy until they turned them on for the first time. These little things are right around the corner.

I predict they will take over from our big heavy, energy demanding rigs. Mine even does a nice job with just about any game published around 2017 or older. Mine is an average model. The newest ones support DDR 5 and can play AAA games. No I would not buy one of these just yet to play Cyber Punk 2077, or Hogwarts but they are very close. Anyway thought I would share that. Your thoughts please.
Last edited by Win2000Fan; Jan 12 @ 9:39pm
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Showing 1-15 of 45 comments
_I_ Jan 12 @ 9:26pm 
the intel nuc, and pi have been around for a long time

they are basically a laptop cpu or weaker pc
not for gaming, but can be used as remote play or cloud play clients
#1
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 12 @ 9:28pm 
Yea I don't know why these can't be more main-stream. It would mean alot less e-waste even when these need to be disposed of. As long as they can support DP over USB Type-C then they can support an E-GPU, which is how you would run the more demanding games in all their glory, ultra quality, 4K, 8K; etc.

But yes Mini-PC with Mobile APU is a very viable option. Especially for someone who is not looking to run their games maxed out or who plan to upgrade the CPU/GPU

Mini-PC is nothing new though. I remember the Mini-PCs from Zotac and Shuttle back in the day.
Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Jan 12 @ 9:29pm
#2
Win2000Fan Jan 12 @ 9:30pm 
Originally posted by _I_:
the intel nuc, and pi have been around for a long time

they are basically a laptop cpu or weaker pc
not for gaming, but can be used as remote play or cloud play clients

Let me ask you, have you tried one yourself? Mine starts as fast as my desk top no it can not play games as fast but it can play games. The newest ones are much faster than the older ones you are referring to.
#3
Electric Cupcake Jan 12 @ 9:32pm 
Paragraphs are your friend.

Anyway, small cube cases and thin client PCs are indeed great for business work and home theater stuff and "e-word" gaming setups.

I hope https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/new-120-16gb-raspberry-pi-5-is-for-the-people-who-use-it-like-an-everyday-pc/ gets handheld shell kits like the Model 4B did.
Last edited by Electric Cupcake; Jan 12 @ 9:41pm
#4
Win2000Fan Jan 12 @ 9:36pm 
Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:
Yea I don't know why these can't be more main-stream. It would mean alot less e-waste even when these need to be disposed of. As long as they can support DP over USB Type-C then they can support an E-GPU, which is how you would run the more demanding games in all their glory, ultra quality, 4K, 8K; etc.

But yes Mini-PC with Mobile APU is a very viable option. Especially for someone who is not looking to run their games maxed out or who plan to upgrade the CPU/GPU

Mini-PC is nothing new though. I remember the Mini-PCs from Zotac and Shuttle back in the day.

Like I said in my OP I thought it was more of a toy and bought it as a novelty. I was completely thrown as to how fast it was. It also uses only 15 watts of power. I know my 750 watt power supply in my big rig does not use the 750 but I know its using a lot more than 15 watts. Huge space saver.
#5
Win2000Fan Jan 12 @ 9:42pm 
Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:
Paragraphs are your friend.

Anyway, small cube cases and thin client PCs are indeed great for business work and home theater stuff and "e-word" gaming setups.


See I paid attention to my teachers in school. You do know that run on's are now excepted in texting?
#6
Win2000Fan Jan 12 @ 9:46pm 
Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:
Paragraphs are your friend.

Anyway, small cube cases and thin client PCs are indeed great for business work and home theater stuff and "e-word" gaming setups.

I hope https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/new-120-16gb-raspberry-pi-5-is-for-the-people-who-use-it-like-an-everyday-pc/ gets handheld shell kits like the Model 4B did.

My grandson was just telling me about these raspberry's last night when I told him about my mini computer. Thanks
#7
_I_ Jan 12 @ 9:54pm 
Originally posted by Win2000Fan:
Originally posted by _I_:
the intel nuc, and pi have been around for a long time

they are basically a laptop cpu or weaker pc
not for gaming, but can be used as remote play or cloud play clients

Let me ask you, have you tried one yourself? Mine starts as fast as my desk top no it can not play games as fast but it can play games. The newest ones are much faster than the older ones you are referring to.
yes, basically a laptop, but in a box without a display
they can have nvme ssd and boot in seconds
external power brick is required, you can put one on any tv and use wireless k/m and run it fine

they are fine for browser and office tasks
#8
Electric Cupcake Jan 12 @ 10:02pm 
Originally posted by _I_:
Originally posted by Win2000Fan:

Let me ask you, have you tried one yourself? Mine starts as fast as my desk top no it can not play games as fast but it can play games. The newest ones are much faster than the older ones you are referring to.
yes, basically a laptop, but in a box without a display
they can have nvme ssd and boot in seconds
external power brick is required, you can put one on any tv and use wireless k/m and run it fine

they are fine for browser and office tasks

And with RISC-V's completely open architecture, there's going to be a bit of a global shakeup, what with the US embargoes on proprietary microchip tech to China loosing much of it's impact.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/chip-war-chinese-scientists-vow-093000025.html

I just hope it eases tensions towards Taiwan, rather than increase the saber-rattling.
#9
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 12 @ 10:16pm 
Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:
Originally posted by _I_:
yes, basically a laptop, but in a box without a display
they can have nvme ssd and boot in seconds
external power brick is required, you can put one on any tv and use wireless k/m and run it fine

they are fine for browser and office tasks

And with RISC-V's completely open architecture, there's going to be a bit of a global shakeup, what with the US embargoes on proprietary microchip tech to China loosing much of it's impact.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/chip-war-chinese-scientists-vow-093000025.html

I just hope it eases tensions towards Taiwan, rather than increase the saber-rattling.

https://media.defense.gov/2025/Jan/07/2003625471/-1/-1/1/ENTITIES-IDENTIFIED-AS-CHINESE-MILITARY-COMPANIES-OPERATING-IN-THE-UNITED-STATES.PDF
#10
Masque Jan 12 @ 10:57pm 
Win2000Fan, I don't know if you know, but there's a website dedicated to these mini-PCs:

https://liliputing.com/
#11
Masque Jan 12 @ 10:58pm 
Also, have you been to a doctor's office lately? All the PCs in their offices are tiny NUCs, now.
#12
Masque Jan 12 @ 11:02pm 
Originally posted by Win2000Fan:
Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:
Paragraphs are your friend.

Anyway, small cube cases and thin client PCs are indeed great for business work and home theater stuff and "e-word" gaming setups.


See I paid attention to my teachers in school. You do know that run on's are now excepted in texting?
Don't get me started on the incorrectly-used apostrophe in your "on's", or the lack of a dash in between run and ons, which should be "run-ons". That's a plural and not a possessive.

:amadeus_happy:
#13
Quint Jan 12 @ 11:13pm 
Nah. The mini PCs are the close feature. The smartphones are the far feature.
#14
SHAZBOT Jan 13 @ 12:26am 
so so close. i was getting exciting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWc3s0ydq6E

so whats actually gonna happen is there isnt gonna be ram, motherboards, gpu, hd...

its going to be your keyboard connected to the monitor connected to the ethernet card connected to fibre optics connectwed to one big mainframe computer which we will call AIBOX running on AIOS 3.1

you will enjoy 5080 performance on any device no matter how small, even your watch.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2....

i will play on my watch....

10. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.....

ill play on my router directly....


i dont have anything clever to say



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Raqx9sFbo

damn someone already thought of it
#15
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All Discussions > Steam Forums > Hardware and Operating Systems > Topic Details
Date Posted: Jan 12 @ 9:23pm
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