How Much Should You Spend On A Mini PC?

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Today I'm going to go over exactly what you get for your money when you buy a Mini PC at different prices!
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- GMKTEC M5 ($280 with coupon): amzn.to/3Ujc4Oa
- The GMKTEC K8 I showed in the video isn't on sale anymore, but check back if you want it because it goes on sale often: amzn.to/4aUR6fw
- GMKTEC K8 ALTERNATIVE ($630, similar performance): amzn.to/3QmH8v4
4TB CRUCIAL X10 PORTABLE SSD: amzn.to/3xVVZ9v
2TB VERSION: amzn.to/3JDhvT8
BUY ALL THESE AND MORE DIRECTLY FROM GMKTEC: www.gmktec.com/
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Intro: Captive Portal - Intro For A Nonexisting Video Game
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Background: Background Track by Bryan Fletcher ( / bryanfletchermusic )
- CHAPTERS -
00:00 How much should you spend?
01:27 Test subjects
03:04 Desktop/Productivity
04:45 Gaming
05:42 Old games
06:43 "Nord" VPN
08:09 AAA Games
09:46 Emulation
11:27 Summary
13:24 Wrap up
DISCLAIMER: Product was sent to me for the purpose of review. No company had any say in the video content, and did not get the chance to see the video before it was published. No money exchanged hands and all opinions are my own.

[@TechDweeb]

Get 4 months extra on a 2-year plan 👉 nordvpn.com/TechDweeb. It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee.

[@polarvortex6601]

how much does it cost your external ssd? you didnt provided a link to it. bought one on ebay and it was a fake one lol

[@Dracossaint]

I understand you need to take sponsorships. please not nordvpn though, they've had data breaches in the past and hid it from their customers. Data breaches are fine, hiding it/lying to customers is not.

[@JQueasy]

Fully watched the ad. Who hasn't had a necromancer attempt to steal your personal data.

[@RetroBreezeYT]

"Lots of mini PCs oouht there"

[@TechDweeb]

No doot aboot it!

[@nicklong27]

That segway into the advert.... smooth. What a nerd.

[@KFJordan]

Babe wake up, new techdweeb video is out!

[@jasonjayalap]

AI Waifu: Thank you for waking me up, Jordan. I, too, love tech tweet.

[@FallenAngel850]

Recently ordered a Palmshell SLiM X2L with 8GB. Can´t wait to get my Hands on it.

[@digitizer3627]

Great video. 110% agree. I choose the mid ground too but expanded it with Crucial m.2 SSD's. Awesome shoutout to Crucial I love their external harddrives❤

[@conza1989]

Really nice video - especially positive impact from the ad spot, few people on KZbin who I like the ads for, that now includes, TechDweeb :)

[@lloydmilton9808]

For a gift, I recently bought my wife the GMKtec K6 based off of a certain Dweeb's recommendations and she loves it so far. It was a bit more pc than she needed, but it had enough power to leave her some legs to grow on so I was happy to spend a little extra. Thanks again for everything you do for us, Mr. Dweeb! On a side note, did you get some extra Patrons signing up? If so, congratulations, that is awesome! You deserve the extra support!

[@wizzel22]

Beelink SER5 5800H is my main Mini-PC. It caps out on 55W, but you can cut it at 45W. Playing Retro Games is enough for me (RAZE, GZDOOM, Force Engine). It's the perfect Mid-Range Machine.

[@KingKalos5th]

Great content as always! Pleasure to watch all the way through, you deserve way more subs!

[@rhythmandblues9302]

When’s your Skate 3 tutorial coming out? Mad skillz, bro…

[@Rayanaminge]

I’d like to see the M5 with Batocera cooking. Any chance we can get something on that a bit?

[@rw-pj6dl]

I have little interest in many of the devices you review but your videos are excellent! Thanks for what you do!

[@crystal_is_cozy]

Ooh thanks for this, I think the $140 one would be perfect for putting in an arcade cabinet and running pico-8 on. I wonder if I should just go with that and forgo poking at a raspberry pi.

[@joshsadowski8869]

Definitely

[@fredericmanson441]

With that rig, you will have a powerful PICO-8 machine. For the Pi, if you go up to 3d games, you will need the Pi 5, with a beefy cooling system--it gets really warm!!

[@crystal_is_cozy]

@@fredericmanson441 You had me at powerful pico-8 machine lol. I don't really like a lot of 3D games, which is great because I can get a much cheaper device to run my favorite retro systems ^^

[@ASAN2042]

A pico8 arcade cab? 🤩🤩🤩🤩😍

[@crystal_is_cozy]

@@ASAN2042 Doesn't it sound fantastic? I want one so badly.

[@thomasmccormack4796]

I have been gaming with the Minisforum um790 Playing lots of Forza Horizon 5 and Civilization VI. Just amazing you can game on something so small and quiet.

[@Lastjustice]

I been building retrogaming cabinets with Rasberry Pi4s in them, but I knew I'd someday want to replace them with mini pcs, so i figured I'd start learning about them a bit. This video was a good starting point.

[@grantschilb8019]

Still vibing with the M1 Mac Mini. Way pricier, but it got the apple polish. Impressed that the M5 mini PC has close specs to my Mac at the fraction of the cost. Mine is the 16 gigglebite model with 512 gigglebites of storage and a 10 gb ethernet port. It was bundled with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Total was $1600. Although, I do think the M1 has a somewhat better GPU and faster internal SSD. I'm able to play games like rocket league at 1080p 100 fps (and this has to all be emulated in real time via Rosetta). And rendering is super great on the M1 Mac. Great video TechDweeb!!!

[@numberoneappgames]

Great video! Loved the breakdown.

[@bryans8656]

I picked up the Nucbox G3 (16/512) a while ago. It's surprisingly capable at handling basic tasks, and I was even able to play some of my old Steam games like Half Life.

[@tim7392]

Dweeby, you make our lives more meaningful. Love the vids!

[@dmann1982]

I have wondered about getting a Mini PC or similar to attach Hard Drives and the like to, because more storage for gaming, for a while, considering I have a laptop and space is a premium to me, and this video might help with it maybe...

[@mjdf122]

Good topic of discussion Tech King

[@-Astro--]

Great video prof dweeb, just what i needed 😃👍

[@Smelliott0]

After your nucbox k6 video, I almost pulled the trigger on it but man... all im going to use it for is a little portable gaming pc paired with my xreal glasses. I have my oled steam deck and im having trouble making myself need it lol

[@CHA0SBLEEDS]

The G3 has an intel iGPU which has quick sync which is why it's able to handle video editing really well. People use these as plex servers and using it for encoding/decoding.

[@Deadmare]

Thanks for the info I'm thinking of picking up a mini pc for more advanced emulation. At the moment I just have a cube x3 but I want to play ps2 and ps3 Era stuff. I'm curious about the external hard drive you showed do those come in bigger sizes?

[@Retrofire-47]

Eagerly awaiting the day that a modern computer can fit onto a grain of rice.

[@sky0kast0]

And then you could daisy chain your sushi to make fish

[@Heru3005]

My son gave me what would be the equivalent of the M5, but from Beelink, for christmas. Specs are identical. I installed Fedora Linux on it, and it's been my daily driver ever since. It's shockingly capable at most things. It performs pretty much on par with my Steam Deck in most games. I wouldn't go trying to play competitive counter strike on it or anything, but for slower paced or single player games its solid and doesn't need a nuclear reactor to power it like my main gaming machine does.

[@omarguerrero6417]

Just wish there was gamepad for these devices to be easily usable, I been playing call of duty 2 and modern warefare 2 2009 on my beelink mini pc

[@danandtab7463]

that mid range has the same specs as this desktop I bought in 2018 for $500 more which has gotten a lot of use since. Only difference is this mini doesn't have a DVD drive, but I already have a portable one I can use. I just think that's kinda neat.

[@Deadmare]

>_> my laptop has a built in DVD drive and I don't think I have ever used it once 😅

[@KevsBatoceraBuilds]

I’ve been testing n100 mini pcs and they can comfortably play ps2 GameCube and anything below! The n100 mini pcs can be as cheap as 89$! The 100$ mini pc I’m testing now can even run most Nintendo switch titles 😱

[@SNKev411]

Just a video I need thanks td

[@TechDweeb]

Solid!

[@SNKev411]

@@TechDweeb I might consider getting the $280 one and use it with my external GPU

[@rodneyabrett]

Some of these can get a significant boost with an eGPU or Occulink GPU setup.

[@sw1tchpoint]

I personally love my mini PC It's great for a small work space area like I have myself. Sure you have to temper your expectations, but it works well when you know what you can get away with

[@simonwl]

Do you think emulation performance (specifically GameCube and above) would be improved by installing a Linux disto on theses PCs?

[@tommertruong]

for those that can do without gaming n just want to focus on productivity and video editing I would recommend m2 mac mini for its price

[@simonwl]

Right on cue Mr Dweeb! I've just been looking into mini PCs to satisfy my retro emulation addiction. And now the Dweebmeister comes up with this. It's dweeb fate I tell ya. 😅

[@saysbadman]

I bet with faster ram the igpu in the k8 would perform better.

[@JP.710]

Was just thinking bout buying one too

[@T0TALLYAWESOMEGUY]

What happened to the custom DOS setup guide video you were going to make? I'm still waiting for

[@TechDweeb]

Working on it now!

[@DangerDuck83]

For sure the best Nordvpn ad ever! 😄

[@GlitchSystem-xf7jb]

I been thinking about getting a Steam Deck but I would never use it as a handheld because i have a Nintendo switch and it's mostly been setting in it dock since I've had it. I was wanting something with more horsepower that the Switch has problems with when I'm trying to play something like Minecraft.

[@Saved-by-Grace]

I don't know when Zach Hadel decided to make tech vids but I'm here for it!

[@JonCrs10]

How would something like the Crash and Spyro remakes or Another Crab's Treasure run on each? Mostly because they're not what people think of as "Modern AAA" but thats the architecture they were made around.

[@ezcompane]

What are your thoughts of getting one of these and running an eGPU for extra performance on some of the newer games??

[@TechDweeb]

Amazing idea. Although in that case I'd probably go for an intel variant to get better CPU performance for the price since an external GPU would handle the graphics processing.

[@thenoiceguy1799]

bruh, i thought skyrim on nucbox g3 was suuper laggy, turns out it was just my laptop lagging. Thanks for another great video

[@thenoiceguy1799]

also, we need to get this man to 100k subs and beyond. he deserves it

[@OvniDawn]

What’s the best mini pc for a dual pc setup to stream at 1080p

[@kylespevak6781]

I'm crossing my fingers that Xbox with allow Steam soon. It'd become the most affordable Steam box

[@gamingguru2k6]

I got a windows handheld instead. I can't imagine traveling with a mini PC. I don't think I would need one for other purposes. A handheld just made the most sense for me.

[@rometherevenant8749]

The aoostar god57 us my favorite and i only discovered it thanks to your awesome channel.

[@TechDweeb]

Yeah that one is pretty great. Great price, and it's the quietest Mini PC I've ever tested!

[@ToyKeeper]

Great video, and at the perfect time. I was literally just shopping for a mini PC for The Mom, like 5 minutes ago... and it looks like a N100 model will probably handle everything she wants it to do. Hell, it'll be nicer than what I'm using right now.

[@nate6000]

Get the N97 over the N100.

[@ToyKeeper]

​@@nate6000 Sounds nice, kind of. It looks like it has a somewhat better GPU, but it runs hotter and costs more and is harder to find.

[@nate6000]

@@ToyKeeper GMKTec g5. N97 with 12gb ddr5 and 256 or 512 gm hd. Amazon changes up the discount codes constantly. I'm still waiting for mine to arrive, 512gb hd for $165 plus tax.

[@ToyKeeper]

@@nate6000 I love how cheap these are now. I found a Beelink N100 w/ 16 GiB + 500 GB for $160, but the GMKTec's extra GPU performance might be worth sacrificing some RAM.

[@-Jamie]

I have the g3 it's fine for what I want I use it for emulation up to ps2

[@Autotrope]

Presumably the m5 should have roughly the performance of a steam deck, which is likely going to be a target spec that current game developers will be optimising for at least in their low/medium settings

[@erichansen9669]

Got a link to that Crucial external?

[@CRYPTiCEXiLE]

CA$889.21 for k8 with 32gb of memory + 1tb nvme not 690 in canada

[@UltimateChocoWy1]

How about building small itx mini pc? Vs thid?

[@MarillMau5]

It's like if you read my mind I've been looking for the best cheapest GameCube PS2 mini PC. I'll be buying the second tier model.

[@enemigo-zeros.p.m6833]

can i use one of these for the 12tb hyperspin to a tv or monitor without a gaming pc

[@TechDweeb]

Yup!

[@jonathont5570]

I paid about $700 on my GR model but all AMS with 64gb ram.. crushes NES emulation

[@thehaymaker3660]

First- to say I love your channel! ❤

[@TechDweeb]

Thanks for saying so!

[@Rayu25Demon]

no one hates TechDweeb

[@edtuckerartist]

Wonders how a low end desktop pc would fare in comparison to the high end mini pc?

[@lexlopez15]

I wouldn't pay more than $400 for a mini pc. As such, I can currently get a barebones um780 by minisforum for $330 or so and just transfer my ram and storage from my beelink ser4 mini... I barely play games on pc's anyway so not being able to boost framerates past 100 is not a deal breaker... I'm an old cat that was used to seeing frames drop to their teens because of limited pixel count on the nes back in the day and enjoyed every minute since it made hard games easier to play. 😄... I know kids today are spoiled and refuse to play anything below 60 frames. They don't know how good they got it these days. 😄

[@LexLuthor0719]

No link to the crucial ssd?

[@tigrewulph]

Of all the mini PCs you've reviewed which do you think would be best to pair with that 12tb emulation drive you reviewed?

[@kylespevak6781]

That 12tb emulation drive was part of a mini PC set up. Theoretically, it would just have all the games in files that you could extract and use wherever. They may not be named accurately though

[@tigrewulph]

@kylespevak6781 I have the drive it has to be hooked into a windows machine. I'm only really worried about up to ps3 level for emulation purposes with ps2 tier being a must (but ill take the best i can get in that form factor). I know he reviewed one a week or so ago he said was great and the highest tier one in this video as well, but I'm curious which he thinks would be best.

[@kylespevak6781]

@@tigrewulph PS2 is super easy to emulate. My old phone (Pixel 3A) could run it decent. PS3/360/Switch I have little experience with. Wii U and 3DS are fairly easy to emulate as well

[@tigrewulph]

@kylespevak6781 yes I'm aware, I specifically want to know which of the mini pcs he has reviewed that he thinks would work best with that drive. I've been emulating off and on for 20 years now, back to Super Mario on my TI-83 when I was in high school. Being a moderate old-fart at this point I liked the plug-and-play ability of the ready-to-go drive and it works great on my desktop... but I want to hook it to my main TV in the living room for couch retro time with the progeny, so I want to use the mini pc form factor.

[@kylespevak6781]

@@tigrewulph The drive is just storage. This video shows the performance of each PC with emulation. All the info is there

[@Rspsand07]

Wtf I couldn't even tell that was Shadow of the Tomb raider, lol. I thought that was some sort of n64 era inspired pixel art game.

[@alphaomega154]

i think that could be answered by logic . for example, when you talk about gaming, then the treshold should abide to the well known price for a proprietary gaming device that actually a gaming device, no not the windows handhelds those are a fad, the PS5 and xbox series x. so if those proprietary gaming device comes in around 500 bucks, since mini PC should be able to do other things than gaming, let say its make sense if they add another 200 bucks. so, around 700 bucks should be the sensible price. or with larger storage its around 800 bucks. similar to the price of those mediocre handheld fads. but wait, since the comparison is a true gaming device like the PS5, then configuration of that gaming purpose mini PC should comes with DISCRETE GPU. if you say "PS5 use iGPU", of course, but they use GDDR6 memory for both system and VRAM. those mediocre handheld fads only use DDR memory. so, if its something with also GDDRxX level of vram then, its DISCRETE GPU. this means, the sensible price for a gaming oriented mini PC WITH A DISCRETE GPU should be around 800 bucks. and that pricing should make sense, say if coming with a radeon 7600m XT for example. since laptop with the similar config could comes in around 1000 to 1200 bucks. the extra 200-400 bucks make sense for the laptop extra expenses for SCREEN, ARGB mechanical keyboard, built in touchpad, battery, large metal laptop chassis, on board camera and microphone and other stuff like spyware and such. this means, without all those unnecessary extra, a gaming mini PC with a radeon 7600m XT inside should sensibly come in 800 bucks. this is the HONEST product version. but you know how companies are in doing business. so if you see those mediocre handheld fads comes in 800 bucks WITHOUT a discrete GPU, that only make sense due to it comes with a screen, albeit its tiny, but the price should also pays for its CONTROLLER sets. something mini PC dont come out of the box with. but an iGPU with a mere DDR memory for VRAM is not how you want to game with. you can use the similar logic with any other category of usage purposes. just go check what those laptop parts PRiCES are normally for laptops manufacturing. since all those components you find in mini PC are all LAPTOPS components. the moral for this : dont let industry dictate your spending. would you pay over 1000 bucks for mediocre gaming in 30 fps at low setting? man, just go get a PS5.

[@bookerman]

What about the wii and wiiU emulation ?

[@Rowsell98]

Man.... now I want a mini pc lol

[@runnerup15]

How do these minipcs stack up against something like a steam deck?

[@TechDweeb]

The 5800u is a bit weaker than the Steam Deck (but in the same ballpark). The high end offering here is a lot better than the Deck.

[@jasonjayalap]

Dont be fooled: He's wearing nothing but sleeves.

[@pdj672]

I would love to see OG Monster hunter footage (ps2) and MH tri (wii) in emulation… hint hint… 😀

[@vdgjolly]

1:22 😂

[@WhisperWorksMC]

Thank you for sharing your banana poem 😊

[@michaelbenny659]

Knocked out 3 mini pcs from the tower in a single video, smart

[@AlistairBrugsch]

All these mini PCs and none jave USB-A holes...

[@untouchable360x]

That is a question you should ask “Chy-na.”

[@ryanfowlow8034]

Mini PCs are cool and all, but i prefer my full tower monster. Just so much more presence in my dweeb den.

[@yissnakklives8866]

found out that for most of what I play anymore (another old guy) a Mini PC will run them just fine and it uses a TON less power than my 5700x3d+6800XT tower with entirely too many fans....so I now have two mini's stacked on top of it....

[@rhythmandblues9302]

NordVPN sponsorship. Big-time, baby.

[@Sadtiric]

I love this idea! ^_^ 💚

[@Xanduur]

What what have we learned? Do you get what you paid for.

[@Lycan3303]

Steam Deck 😢

[@leelee7334]

Nothing like slapping people in the name of TechDweeb.

[@leutnant1010]

❤️

[@garystinten9339]

What did i learn?? Shredding with jesus is not your forte.

[@meylopes476]

is it okay for you to be making videos so often? dont overwhelm yourself

[@CRYPTiCEXiLE]

A canadian giving american only prices... what about canadian prices eh ?? ? how this video good for us canadians.

[@CheapOneLiners]

BananaPoemBananaPoemBananaPoemBananaPoem. BananaPoem.

[@gordanbabic8028]

zero. that’s how much.

[@Skobeloff...]

Would be a good video if you didn't talk.

[@AngelRivera-vn6zg]

Thank you @techdweeb, I'm just to buy a mini PC. This would help me.

I really need one of those! Pity I am brazilian and with taxes and inflation those minipcs would cost 4X more. 🥲