it begins... the DEATH of the DESKTOP

[@tamalchakraborty5346]

Impractical at best. A mini PC is a desktop. Change my mind!!

[@yohanchristian2988]

if the grapichs chip broken you have to buy the whole thing desktop you only swap out the graphics card

[@tamalchakraborty5346]

@@yohanchristian2988 Right. I don't think most of them will have a GPU to begin with. Internal graphic have come a long way since 2016.

[@cubeskywalker4953]

It's really quite sad, but I totally agree with you. Portability is the whole point of a laptop! When I am using my laptop, I am almost always doing something lightweight that doesn't require a beast of a PC (anything that needs that kind of power can wait until I get home to my tower). And if I really wanted an upgrade-able/easily repairable laptop, I would just get something like a framework laptop.

[@DeepInsideZettaiRyouiki]

Gaming Laptop. I gave Lenovo Legion 7 Pro from 2023, 13980HX, 4080 mobile, 64GB of ram and 2x4TB Lexar SSD with 7,5GB/s of read ...for me eat beats it all... and it's still not the best from what's out there.

[@fatuminterfectorem1699]

@@yohanchristian2988 nah, my friend build a mini PC completely from ordinary desktop part. From h270 mini itx motherboard, kabylake core i5 to RTX 2070. Only 3x bigger than mini Mac. It's all completely modular ordinary desktop part that you can replace one by one. Now, my friend was building a gaming desktop. Without a chunky GPU, you could build even smaller desktop than my friend was. Completely with ordinary replaceable, modular desktop part.

[@MrKar18]

The coffee shop be like - For the 5$ coffee, dude uses 1000W of electricity 😭 Customers - Is that a bill counter there?

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself. I had to do the math. Given the average cost of power where I live, $5 gets you about 40kWh.

[@nameless_stranger]

1000W here is like $0.50 lol

[@AlmightyPyro]

1kwh is like 10 cents

[@icerink239]

no, the consumption would be similar to plugging in a laptop with a dead battery

[@icerink239]

@claytonpellow4767 i was responding to the original comment, didn't see yours lol

[@LukeAvedon]

lol setting that up at that coffee shop.

[@AZisk]

Nobody even asked me anything about it, I was hoping they would. People just don't care

[@LukeAvedon]

@@AZisk lol! Love it! Great video!

[@CalmDinosaur-jz9ej]

@@AZiskIn today’s society we would just silently say ‘who’s this crazy dude’ for two seconds and keep walking.

[@nowornever23]

I remember seeing a lot of people here in Santiago de Chile using those HUGE macbooks with 17 inch screens back in 2011-2012 in metro stations, taxis and even in public transport...go figure!

[@pham3383]

nobody works at a cafe,beside who begging for attention.Brains cannot function well in noisy environment

[@dansanger5340]

I don't know about mini-PCs replacing laptops, but they do make good replacements for tower PCs.

[@АлексейПешков-г8ь]

Desktops are for gamers. Laptops for mobility. This small boxes are useless for me.

[@akin242002]

Exactly! Mini-PCs are great if you are a casual console gamer, want something with more freedom than Apple Ecosystem for a home setup, or small business office. You can even game with some of them at 1080p resolution settings. Tower desktops are only good for extreme engineering workloads or hardcore/professional gamers. Most people do not need this much power. It also shoots up your electricity bill (65-100 TDP vs 300-600 TDP).

[@tommydong8070]

​@@АлексейПешков-г8ь I wouldn't call it useless as it isn't meant for gaming. And it isn't meant to be portable either as this YTer make it out to be.

[@VOVOPERADOR]

@@АлексейПешков-г8ь the irony is right there: you assume there are only 2 cases, either you're a gamer, or you want mobility. Maybe there are use-cases where these boxes could be useful? But ok, you said "for me", so that's a pass.

[@samandarkhan2431]

@@tommydong8070 mini pcs r portable compared to a towwwwer pc,,,there is power everywhere,and monitors too.....but less portable compared to a laptop,,but more upgradable than a laptop

[@drewm7071]

I'm not disagreeing, but people have been saying desktops are dead for at least 15 years.

[@y_ra83]

@@drewm7071 15 years? Noooo

[@rfs54]

while driving truck i had numerous laptops i have 2 now but i finally realized that doing what i now do online i needed a desktop computer, the laptops just could not handle the workload so my concern with these would be overheating.

[@DeepInsideZettaiRyouiki]

@@rfs54 Did you heard about Gaming Laptops? I gave Lenovo Legion 7 Pro from 2023, 13980HX CPU, 4080 mobile, 64GB of ram and 2x4TB Lexar SSD with 7,5GB/s of read ...for me eat beats both desktop and normal laptops ...and there are better models than this.

[@RipMinner]

@@rfs54 What's your work load. I can help if you tell me everything your wanting to do. There really is not much need for all the big fat hardware of a desktop anymore for most work or games.

[@rfs54]

@@RipMinner well the print on demand designs i do have to be huge minimum of 4000 pixels and both laptops really struggled after only 10 designs or so but i got a refurbished Deesktop that is working great i had the chance to order some upgrades to it and did so it only upped the price by $150 so not bad but thanks for getting back to me.

[@sergiarguimbau]

WHAT IF... The Mini PC would be able to be charged with an integrated battery, like a laptop!

[@A_lil_bitter_yk]

than thats a laptop...minus the screen, trackpad, keyboard, speakers, built-in camera and microphone. that wouldnt really work

[@DomainObject]

@@A_lil_bitter_yk It would for me!

[@rustyroy5385]

It has a barrel jack so must be DC input. So you could probably tape a battery to it and pretend it's integrated. I know with the Mac minis they do actually have enough space inside they can be modded to use an integrated battery.

[@racecarjonny8460]

I'd really love that.

[@nowornever23]

you can use a ARM based mini pc with a powerbank...

[@CybersecPat]

not gonna lie, novel idea, but totally impractical.

[@MMABeijing]

I need to charge my laptop computer wherever I go. I don't think his set up is impractical. If u r travelling this is great

[@AZisk]

depends where you go and what you’re doing. if you’re on a short train ride, then laptop wins. if you’re in a hotel room, then this wins.

[@haploid2k]

No it's not. It takes 90 seconds to set up. Been doing this for a year now, all gear in a pelican case instead of a backpack.

[@xgui4-studios]

@@haploid2k not until holoscreen are invented ... i dont find having to bring both the ac cord, keybaord, mouse and monitor + the mini tower itself conveninent at all...

[@aytviewer2421]

Much merit to the idea --I am thinking about. I already have a portable 17" USB-C monitor that I use for travel when consulting away from home. Except it doubles as an extra screen for the laptop. I type much faster with a real keyboard too.

[@EnterpriseKnight]

What if they bundled this together with a keyboard, a screen and something that can emulate a mouse with the touch of a finger? They could even add hinges and fold this contraption on itself to both protect the screen and the keyboard

[@AZisk]

that would be amazing. We’d probably even be able to put it on our laps.

[@icerink239]

@@AZisk missed opportunity to say "put in on the top of our laps"

[@stinger4712]

I think we can call it laptop .. 🤯

[@themarcarts]

If someone could design such a device I think they'd be set to make a lot of money

[@fidelisitor8953]

@@themarcarts Uhh... that's basically a laptop

[@chetan_naik]

Biggest problem in most countries is availability of power outlet and risk of power outage. You need to carry an UPS with battery, that is a huge safety risk.

[@ivanschekoldin7315]

Really? I see short power outages maybe twice a year

[@ko2610]

This video should be labeled as an ad...

[@jirikral1052]

Why? 8:06

[@LuisJunior]

This is portable, not a laptop, not even comparable.

[@loens2]

As the owner of a Framework Laptop 16, half the video almost breaks apart, because I've probably got more upgradability and repairability than the mini pc while having more power than the mini pc. I know that Framework laptops aren't cheap, but they are worth the premium, if you think about taking a whole mini pc setup with you.

[@Parker8752]

Even with the 13, which I was finally able to get hold of a few months ago, I would still rather have that than a mini PC if I could only have one machine. The keyboard is actually pretty decent as laptop keyboards go, the touchpad is decent (though I prefer a trackball that I can always carry separately), and most importantly, I don't necessarily need a power outlet to get things done.

[@Parker8752]

@@kiillabytez On the one hand, yeah; laptops are expensive compared with desktops. On the other, if you need portability and only have enough money for one computer, it's going to be a laptop. That said, this isn't really a comparison of laptop vs desktop, but laptop vs mini pc; a machine type that has the worst aspects of both desktop (requiring a bunch of separate pieces and multiple power outlets to run) and a laptop (being so small that it can only use laptop internals and has similarly crap thermals). The framework laptop is arguably the least bad laptop just by virtue of being easily upgradeable.

[@立花たくや]

​@@Parker8752 Though this specific mini pc has internals that far exceed pretty much any laptop at the price range. I recently bought it to replace my tower, and performs tasks such as video rendering and playing Cyberpunk 2077 better than what I had. Granted I had a 5800X and a GTX 1070. I got the PC for around 500 USD from sales.

[@vahidyaghini3913]

Mini PCs are not comparable to laptops. Upgradability is not enough argument to justify the inconvenience IMO.

[@UltraaViolet99]

Coffee shop final boss 😅 great video anyways

[@AZisk]

Thanks 😅

[@zaicol850]

Mini boss

[@teyemanon1970]

It's a bit late in the year for an April Fools'.

[@mikeaaa6308]

Imagine if there is a power outage. Goodbye to all work done if there is no autosave feature.

[@midnightblue3285]

Carry a battary with you just in case

[@tegathemenace]

​@@midnightblue3285 why not stuff your PC in your bag😂

[@thesombral1505]

@@midnightblue3285 And this adds one more thing to carry, just use a laptop, the mini computer is not very useful, it just combine flaws of both Desktop and Laptop

[@shaikhhar6911]

That is exactly what is holding most people back from buying a mini-PC. Mini-PC with integrated battery ( even 1 hour backup ) would make mini-PC a more preferable option

[@datriaxsondor590]

This entire situation boils down to simple real estate. MiniPC, laptop, or any variation of either, will never, ever compete with desktops. You will never have the GPU or CPU, die size of a desktop, in a laptop. You could possible fit the die, but you could never fit the cooling. This is to say nothing of the power delivery for a portable device. If you are on battery, again, you will never reach the performance of a desktop. Any improvements they make in miniaturization for portable devices, are translated to the desktop in future iterations, and given the far more real estate a desktop has to work with, the yields will always be better. So, until we have some evolutionary breakthrough in either cooling, or the generation of heat from processing, I'll continue to get a giggle out of anyone who thinks you can replace a desktop, with a smaller device.

[@minhtrannhat3322]

Instead of bringing a laptop, now you bring nearly your home inside your package 😂😂

[@jivexero]

That espresso display is $800.00…. Ridiculous.

[@akarna69]

Insanity. 😂

[@BurntOrangeHorn78]

Yet Effective.

[@jivexero]

@@BurntOrangeHorn78 there are alot more cheaper portable displays that are equally effective.

[@Yes-cd2rq]

I doubt desktops are going anywhere. I'm a computer science major in university and mostly use a laptop for everything I do but desktops can always outperform a laptop/mini pc. The chips inside laptops/mini pc are not full desktop power. Another thing people care about with desktops is gaming and a desktop pc gives the best price to performance. Amazing video as always. Love your content

[@Pravculear]

yeah i'd rather have the laptop over the mini pc. it's simply more convenient to carry around and there's less risk of breaking that portable monitor.

[@panagiotispagonis6856]

Well in my opinion the minis replacing desktops is a little stupid for 3 reasons: 1) they are small and portable but as you said we need peripherals. There is no point carrying and assembling every time you wanna use your pc (and it’s heavier). 2) even if at a point they have top stats (beefy gpus etc) they are not upgradable so they won’t be as cost effective as a pc. 3) they can’t be customised so they look how they look and that can get boring af pretty fast

[@velvetvideo]

we need portable modularity

[@-eternal]

I got a laptop that converts to a tablet, has a 4070 Laptop gpu running at 140w. Cpu is an i9 13900h and there's two slots of upgradable ram. I'm pretty happy with this. I don't need 4090 performance, but when needed there's always thunderbolt which can be used for an egpu.

[@nickthaskater]

This would have a point if the hardware in the mini PC could be easily upgraded with a socketed CPU, slotted RAM, and an MXM graphics card. As it stands, it can't (upgrading RAM as you suggest is not the same thing and is rarely the limiting factor at this point). If you're going to go through all of this trouble, just build a true SFF ITX desktop that's actually upgradable. They aren't much bigger than mini PCs like this - you can get to around 5L and still have proper upgradability and desktop hardware.

[@fidellivino]

You forgot that laptops have batteries

[@pixelrancher]

Can't wait to see you do this with the new Mac mini. Would be a great setup inside a flight case with the monitor fixed to the lid.

[@DarkBloodyFoxy]

Looks weird but I also prefer buying a PC separated from monitor and input devices. And I also have no issues bringing similar setup with me, however I found out gaming handhelds may be a better mini PC to take with you.

[@The4.0Guy]

Interesting, but can you browse web with chrome from the gamer?

[@DarkBloodyFoxy]

@@The4.0Guy I use Edge. Legion Go ships with Windows. I won't install Linux yet as I want to play Xbox games.

[@laughingvampire7555]

there are two types of mechanical keyboards that matter, thocky and clicky

[@gerald1964]

Since it is not likely that you will have a power outlet nearby, you will need to install a power outlet at most places that you would like to work. It’s not a major limitation however. You could install one in a few hours which includes any drywall work.

[@cbbcbb6803]

My "laptop" is never on my lap. It is always on a desk or table. My laptop is my desktop!

[@tegathemenace]

Nobody puts laptops on their lap in 2024

[@StupidusMaximusTheFirst]

If your caffe is not too far from your home, you could use a power cord extension. If it is, there are some portable not too chunky power stations / batteries you could carry, and you could charge them on the road if you connect your bicycle dynamo to your power station, you could also add a solar panel on your back and you could wear a not too big solar panel hat. It's not too crazy, I'd wanna see that video, especially the solar panel hat.

[@Syzygy2048]

This improves on the portability of a desktop, while I guess improving on the performance of a notebook. In otherwords it's less powerful than a desktop and less portable than a notebook and I don't think it fills a niche that exists. For most purposes a notebook is powerful enough. If it isn't, set up a remote session between your notebook and your desktop. But why stop there? Replace your notebook with your phone or tablet (and a keyboard). Perfectly adequate and plenty powerful for most tasks. For anything more, do the remote session or carry a Raspberry Pi around and use that (as a remote host). That way you can even code as well (which you can also do with VS Code's web client - but requires you to have a host PC as well). If your phone's screen is too small, try a VR headset, which can do the same things as your phone, including remote sessions to hour desktop or raspberry pi, and coding via vs code web, but with infinite screen real estate (for the record, I believe with VR an App or browser based approach works a lot better than screen sharing at the moment).

[@codyrap95]

I had to check the calendar if it's April's fools lol 😂

[@arhumaalhor6152]

The real death is in Windows OS , i see huge community migration from windows to Mac OS and Linux .

[@pqsk]

Very interesting. I hate cords except if I setup and use for hours and hours, because it's always better than wireless. So I see this as good in some scenarios.

[@pqsk]

Man what monster was that? 😹

[@corvinyt]

Have you considered the Framework laptop?

[@andrewhussey2002]

@@corvinyt my thoughts exactly. I have a light plastic plate that sits over my laptop, resting around the edge of the keys and I put my mechanical keyboard on top of that. Voila!

[@And-vx6ry]

@@corvinyt overrated

[@macgyverswissarmykni]

For me, a full desktop with remote connectivity hits the sweet spot. I get the power of a desktop processor, the flexibility to build to spec with great headroom, and better price points than a mobile-based build. Coupled with an easy way to connect to it, I can then carry a low-powered laptop to use as a dummy terminal. It does pose some challenges (e.g. what happens if connectivity is bad), but also benefits (physical security at home > possibility of having mobile device lost or stolen).

[@LarryStrawson]

I like it! The ability to select peripherals over laptop portability is the deal breaker plus the added benefits of ability to upgrade.

[@mornnb]

One machine? Desktop. Because no system that has to fit in the low power of a mini-PC will be competitive with a high end desktop.

[@Ktulhu5000]

So, what you actually want is 17" non-slim laptop with good cooling and mechanical keyboard, which is not technically impossible, just hasn't been marketingly justified yet

[@lord_haven1114]

Yeah I totally love all the separate components and wires that I have to set up and break down every time for my on the go needs. /s.

[@enriqueflimberger]

I´ve only had one desktop in my life, from 2003 to 2010. Then I've only bought notebooks ever since. The desktop has been dead for years except for corporate use.

[@netsudro]

Replaced my laptop with a Fujitsu ESPRIMO Q556 mini pc (I was using my laptop connected to a monitor anyway). I paid 50 euro for the mini pc and works great with Linux Mint. Now I use it for work with no problems. Processor: i5-6500T. Idle power 9W.

[@chriswinslow]

For a minute there, I thought you were going to 3D print something to combine everything: the monitor, PC, keyboard and portable power bank!

[@xgui4-studios]

that exist allready , it is called a laptop pc with desktop part !

[@rubenahg]

Search for cyberdeck

[@chriswinslow]

@@xgui4-studios Do you know what else also exists? Spelling and Grammar checkers! Also, laptops have very little to no options for customisations.

[@utsavgoswami5263]

well batteries will really take mini PCs to the next level where they have a clear shot at being the dominant form factor. without that these are kind of bricky

[@heraclito3114]

Laptop+USB dock+Decent keyboard+mouse+monitor=desktop That's what many people are using. You can use a laptop anywhere. That's not true fr a mini PC.

[@MiguelOrtega-e2j]

Great video. I'm curious, is it possible to use a laptop as the monitor/mouse/keyboard for the mini PC? Let's say I have an older basic laptop but purchased one of the new Mini Pcs which is more powerful. Is there a way to use my older laptop as the monitor/keyboard to run my MINI Pc?

[@jeremystanley9395]

Dude, I could not stand setting that up everyday in a coffee shop and would prefer a laptop with a batter lol

[@JoseReyesuruboz4l]

I think it will be the end of the mobile GPU and more slim laptops will come

[@kratafila]

When I was at uni and proudly bought my first Mac computer, the Mac Mini Intel Core Solo, I brought it in a luggage back and forth from uni to home and even to places where I need to do presentation. Because I did not have the money for the MacBook Pro/ iBook.

[@beragis3]

Interesting that I saw this. One thing I considering when I bought my M1 Macbook Pro while is how practical it would be to create a "portable" workstation using a Mac Mini, a portable display, keyboard and mouse. Many of the same issues that were mentioned here are why I didn't. One thing I was looking for were 21 inch or higher portable monitors, but most were 1080P, and I would want at least 1440P, and to get that the prices were $350 or higher. It just didn't seem practical but you never know in the future it might be. For instance, about five years ago one hotel I stayed at was geared towards business travelers, and each room had a 24 inch monitor attached to the desk. I did take advantage of that, this very is rare. Although, I have occasionally used a hotel's TV as a monitor, more often than not it is very impractical.

[@williamlouie569]

One thing great about this setup. If any components beak you replace them. Don't have to throw the whole system away!

[@egarcia1360]

This could actually be quite nice for more infrequent travel, such as seasonal moves to and from a dorm, vacations or business trips where you can get set up in your hotel room, and/or the occasional LAN party. But for daily commuting, it's doing way too much IMO. You can still get laptops with plenty of I/O as well as replaceable memory and storage (just avoid ultra thin-and-light devices), or a Framework if you really want every component to be separately upgradeable. A couple of brands (Aorus and Alienware based on a quick search, maybe more) even have built-in mechanical keyboards if that's what you're craving. An interesting experiment nonetheless :)

[@infectedmushroom3488]

got myself a GMKtec NucBox k9 as my first PC in years to replace my Thinkpad T14. and now with WSL I don't have to miss out on anything. Had to replace the noisy fan with a Notcua.

[@caiocutrim3596]

nah, instead I prefer a macbook pro

[@malfaro3l]

Another benefit is that when anything breaks, especially when you are out and about, its easy to replace.

[@robhunt8378]

Nop. Thought about it many times because I really only need the portability of a laptop once in a while but it the end I see no real downsides to a laptop over this solution. I always choose decently upgradable laptops though. Two SSD slots, two SODIMM and I'm good to go.

[@minimayhem1996]

Unless that has the cooling capacity to run 4090s and the new 50s that are coming out, desktops aren't dying anytime soon. I like the mini PCs, don't get me wrong, but they just don't have the capability of the cooling capacity needed for such a high GPU And frankly, unless we figure out a way to downsize GPUs and have liquid cooling with dry ice, it's never going to happen.Like, maybe if you want a miniature portable PC to bring with you places that doesn't run that high end of games, that'd be one thing. But, I mean, at that point, you might as well just get a laptop because there's some laptops that are able to run, like, 4080s and up. So, that kind of renders that thing moot.

[@minimayhem1996]

Cool concept, don't get me wrong, but if I'm going to get a portable PC, I might as well just get a laptop, because it already comes with a screen, and then I don't have to carry a monitor around on top of it. Because it's got a built-in monitor. I don't know, it just seems kind of convoluted. It's like having a laptop, but with extra steps. Unnecessary extra steps, mind you.

The real problem here is - laptops are not upgradable as used to be, I will not use mini PC, I will use some old laptop or real desktop.

[@АлексейПешков-г8ь]

Smartphones also are not upgradable. Is it a problem? Hardly so.

[@Holycurative9610]

Most laptops are still upgradeable if you buy the right ones. My new laptop from Acer has lots of parts I can replace like ram, wifi card, 2 different types of storage and a couple of smaller bits. You can go mad and replace the screen and keyboard/touchpad as well as the frame and a couple of other bigger parts.

[@akin242002]

Mini-PCs are great if you don't work a professional job or work from home primarily. I like them even in professionals setting with low GPU needs (accounting, financial analysts, Python programmer, or low-end IT Support). Laptops are far better if you are on the go frequently. More costly, but invaluable for the lifestyle.

[@midnightblue3285]

@@Holycurative9610 Some older versions of Hp laptops are fully custumizable back then the older versions.. you can able to upgrade the cpu and gpu back then

[@RexRecon]

This is great information! Thank you.

[@OggVorbis69]

This is just a laptop in a box with better cooling. Keyboard is ok, but try filco magestouch 3. 5 devices and customisable. Can even swap esc with tilda or caps lock with control key. Comes with the keycaps for that too. Not to mention properly key if you are excel user. Try it.Japanese quality more than a decade ago. It is much better power instead of laptop,

[@YogurtBuah]

The laptop tends to heat up above 70-80 degrees, I will not work at the coffee shop or outdoor all day long with it, and there are too many distractions in my opinion.

[@nth256]

Honestly, as someone who loves mini pcs... Something akin to a MS Surface or an Ipad with a decent typecover would probably be better. 1) more portable; 2) integrated screen, battery, and a touch interface; 3) peripheral friendly, via Bluetooth or dongles. Admittedly, tablet form factor does lack the about to do major component upgrades, but i could see something like a laptop with the screen where the keyboard goes, that has the capability of being upgradable at the sacrifice of the thin ness of a tablet.

[@crvcode]

Can I recommend using a tablet instead of a portable monitor as the display, that way if you are on a short trip or not going to be somewhere for long all you would need to do is pull out the tablet and use it separately.

[@jupiterapollo4985]

This guy will setup anything in a coffee shop. Love this guy 😂

[@The4.0Guy]

Step into my office😂😂😂

[@krasy8]

I have a dream where the only thing you need to move from your home setup (which most likely is stationary) to your office setup (which is most likely stationary) is something that you already have, in fact something you have been accustom to for a while now - your phone. When you're at home you plug it into some sort of docking station and it powers your setup there, and you have the similar situation in the office. I believe the technology is already there but it 'the marketing gods' would not allow it as it would probably kill or at least significantly decrease the need for the computers in a different form factor. No one can stop me from dreaming though...

[@ivanmalinovski7807]

My brother in Christ, look up Samsung Dex. What you're describing has existed for a decade, and it's available on any S-series Samsung device. Google Pixel has something similar in their newest betas.

[@robhunt8378]

Ten years ago I thought that's where it would all be going. With things like Linux on Samsung Dex I thought it was a matter of time. But no, not to be.

[@The4.0Guy]

YES!!! i also want this. Why can't my phone just also provide me with a desktop experience when plugged into a monitor?

[@ivanmalinovski7807]

@@The4.0Guy That's Samsung Dex.

[@sergeda_dev]

Nice. Just replace monitor with AR glasses and that would be a perfect solution

[@JAHDUBProductions]

That's what I do. Steam Deck and XR Elite. It's actually pretty cool. Plus I prefer VR environments, even with productivity. But I want to add to it.

[@ronenen]

Noisy keyboards may be fin for you, but they are distracting for your fellow "office" mates.

[@AZisk]

come on it’s starbucks, not the library. people come there for noise.

[@JAHDUBProductions]

Yea, I don't like loud keyboards.

[@Dave102693]

Nah. Laptops are the best for on the go

[@yvs6663]

the only way this make sense is if you are playing some sort of esports gaming and an APU is capable of running the game at a high refresh rate. finding a mini PC with that APU and adding gaming peripherals is probably gonna cost less than a laptop with a high refreshrate monitor. it does have a major problem: it took two wall plugs for everything to run. my current portable solution is a MS surface go 2 and the advantage is it can either be used wo any peripherals, with a mouse(and keyboard if needed) or be fully docked with an external display. it can also run on either the built in battery or be powered via anything with 25W PD USB C port. that includes a 25€ powerbank and the phone charging adapter in my car. the only problem is that its kinda slow and won't run much in terms of gaming.

[@njnjco]

I don't know, a set up like this is a bit much for me to consider it truly portable. It's less bulky than a desktop tower and I would say that it's good for setting up in a hotel or something, but for a coffee shop, it's a bit too bulky and takes too long to set up. With a laptop, the form factor is the real selling point. It's light weight, small, and the set up is as simple and quick as pulling it out of your bag and opening the screen. Nothing is stopping you from using a mechanical keyboard and mouse with a laptop either. Sure, a laptop is pricier and cannot be upgraded, but a laptop is also way more convenient and fits more use cases. If you are sharing a table at a coffee shop, you might not want to take up so much of the table space with your set up and you might not have enough outlets to plug in your mini PC and monitor, while leaving a plug open for your table partner. If you prefer clicky or other loud mechanical switches in your keybaord, you shouldn't use it at a cafe any way, as it's inconsiderate of other guests. This also isn't going to fly (pun very much intended) on a plane or in an uber/taxi. It might be great for some people's use case, but it's a bit much for most. The laptop is the king of portable productivity.

[@illiasukonnik9966]

Nice thing, but there are mini itx motherboards. With some small factor case, you can build pretty decent pc with great cooling

[@Brendan2Alexander]

Good vid. Tho I am a windows guy, I bought a mac mini and forced myself to only use the mac mini on a month-long trip. Not sure if pros outweigh the cons. But it is certainly a doable approach.

[@LanceBryantGrigg]

The only reason to use MINI Pc's are if. - You need to control the amount of physical desktop space you have because your office is small. - You want to run a mini server environment and you don't want a case and you want modern hardware for that kind of an environment rather then just pulling full servers out of the local recycling company. - You embrace a lan lifestyle and for some reason don't like a laptop.

[@shregfrugg]

Sff + 18" portable screen and 60-70% keyboard is the way. You can build 9700x with 4070 super and only in 5L case with a good thermal .

[@mickmoon6887]

In my opinion Xreal AR glasses are the better portable display for the mobile desktop display than physical portable monitor only issue are eye dizziness and near sightness problem which should be fixed in the future

[@yvs6663]

AR glasses, samsing phone(or another phone that has desktop mode when connected to an external screen) and a bluetooth version of the keyboard at 4:55(tho personally i would bring a mouse unless i need to type a lot of text) . the true minimalist laptop replacement.

[@mickmoon6887]

@@yvs6663 Didn't Samsung claim to stop supporting or updating their Dex mode? Samsung Dex mode is for casual users not for serious laptop replacement for gaming and high load work

[@mtr2192]

Limited storage capability, limited upgradability (soldered CPU, probably soldered RAM too depending on the models), no dGPU unless you count the giant eGPU you have to bring along which requires its own power source and bracket, which defeats the entire point. Terrible thermal -> shorter life span. Compact, cramped build, lack of modularity -> hard to clean, maintain and replace components. Limited power due to limited power source of the wall charger. No battery like a laptop. No all-in-one package like a laptop. Seriously, these mini PC/x86 SBCs are at best a niche hobby. It's the middle ground between a proper desktop PC and a laptop. I can only imagine myself using one of these as a NAS/Plex home server because of the lower power draw, not even a CCTV server, because who has that kind of money for multiple 4TB + NVME drives? Or as a backup PC when the main desktop one doesn't work. And if I'm far away from home and on the move constantly, I'd rather take a laptop, which has a screen, speakers, mouse, keyboard, wifi + bluetooth, webcam, battery, dGPU, all in a single compact package without too much extra cables. The only death worth talking about is these kinds of videos.

[@Dattobayo]

A mini pc that comes with everything needed to carry around (keyboard, mouse, monitor) and be practical (all integrated, slim, power-supply) would just be a laptop.

[@junechevalier]

You can get a Nuphy low profile mechanical keyboard and put it on top of your macbook if you want portability WHILE typing on a good keyboard

[@OggVorbis69]

Oh yes. I did that already. My condition desktop parts. Itx board 64gb ram! Ryzon 8700g 2tb nvmi. 250w build in power supply . I anyway carry mechanical keyboard and mouse.

[@georgeshafik3281]

Cool episode Alex, extraordinary l was thinking of a similar setup a few months ago. 👍

[@satellitelazarus]

With the Beelink minipc I have been thinking of getting one and having Windows 11 be on one of the NVME and Linux on the second NVME. Have you tried doing a set up like that before? I wouldn't want to do a dual boot on the same HDD, but want to try the 2 NVMEs. I also read that you can access files on both harddrives, but haven't been able to confirm that.

[@erics7004]

This is great for companies who need lots of computers in a small space or for a homelab

[@tom79623]

i have a feeling that once the glasses with integrated screens like the AR technology gets more affordable this would be a solid option but bringing a whole monitor with me is just nuts to me.

[@user-ey6nr1wm6y]

Add a batterypack and some long cables then you´ll join my club Been rocking a setup similar to this for just under a year now, mini itx pc with a batterypack packed inside my backpack with still room to spare, perforated backpack backrest as intake and a funnel with a 140mm fan uptop as exhaust. Pumps out loads of heat under load and so far been great with the desktop power in a portable setting. Use with one monitor aswell have to have two usb c’s like in the video but just one cable to charge the batterypack (which doesnt get that hot either) might try liquid cooling next but so far my "pc in a backpack" pc has been doing great laptop for other easy tasks and then bagpc ready to go if there is a monitor around. Wonder why minipc’s/itx arent used more as a replacement for laptops for heavy tasks as there is just a need for a battery and some efficient components and you have a much more capable portable pc.

[@astayandablinkisastink9980]

I love my mini pc. Just not nice when I have to work in very uncomfortable locations (on the floor, a small space in a tabletop, while waiting for boarding the plane, etc). I have set up RDP connection though. Kinda sucks when the internet is slow. Please remember that if you need to constantly move and is subject to unconventional spaces to work, just get a laptop if you have the budget.

[@dongogucci]

Exactly the idea I was a bit obsessed too! But somehow most of these small boxes can't be powered by USB-C, so you'll have hard time powering them from swappable power banks. In the end I stick with Lenovo Legion Go as a base for this setup, though it's not that powerful, mostly due to limited RAM, and I never bothered going beyound adding keyboard and mouse to it, might probably wait for 2nd edition of Go if they keep this formfactor.

[@mikicoffeesquad3181]

No upgradability (RAM doesn't improve computing ability if you didn't know). No system of standards for parts, which complicates repairability, and requires a specialist to replace something trivial in the PC for well...standards. Also power. Also portability was never a feature of a regular PC. Although even that can be achieved using a special micro ITX parts standard that fits into cases you can slip into a backpack. It will be more powerful, fully repairable and fully upgradeable. So it's not a PC replacement. It's just a tween option that will have its own audience. Comparing it to neither laptops nor PCs makes no sense.

[@Egor9090]

Heh that car is like second-worst manifestation of middle life crisis. The worst one is getting a motorcycle. Idea is unusable btw, you should dig into rooted Android phones and chroot Linux installs, that's rad, you can have a Linux machine in your pocket (even without root).

[@No-no-no-no-nope]

This idea of all-in-one devices sounds good at first, but in the end it is better to have a separate device for each application. I've tried Surface Pro devices twice and both times the screen was too small for a laptop and the battery was far too weak for a tablet. Now I use an MBP with an external monitor at work and an iPad for drawing. At home I also have a PC with a workstation GPU for Blender. I'm in the home office 99% of the time anyway, but it's still nice to be able to take the MBP or iPad somewhere else. However, I will probably really do without the desktop PC in the future, because in terms of performance, a Mac Mini would be enough for me, but I won't be lugging it anywhere.

[@capitalpi9014]

or you could just buy a nice laptop and plug in a keyboard and mouse. If you get a 2 in one you can just flip the keyboard back so your external keyboard can be close to the screen. The flow x16 may be good for that purpose but idk. This seems excessive.

[@Dave102693]

Exactly

[@JAHDUBProductions]

I have a nice laptop and a 2 in 1. And I still want a smaller setup for, whenever. I like that my steam deck runs Blender and Krita. I can hold it in my hands. If I need a bigger screen, I use my headset. I love laptops, but smaller, more powerful rigs are really cool. And not excessive.

[@skelious]

That was awesome ty for going out into the wild and survived. :)

[@MangoPanic]

I mean, at the end of the day, a setup like this is only mildly less convenient than a gaming handheld PC. But I think even those aren't _really_ portable for serious desktop usage. The biggest advantage to mini PCs is simply the compact form factor and often low prices. I can see businesses and schools absolutely switching to these in the near future. The best use I can think of tho is in cases where people move around a lot between home and office. It'd be great to have a setup in both locations and just have to plug the PC in, while keeping all your files on one PC.

[@benjamintollison]

Being an aerospace student who writes ML and other numerical methods to solve homework questions. I have to always plug in my laptop as is, pull out a notebook for hand solving numerical schemes first, and always bring a mouse because I have never found a touch pad that feels good. I have to "setup" anytime I want to do work and laptops are not a good solution.

[@dmh20002]

I’ve been doing that for a while. I have a cheap 27 monitor in a separate monitor carry case. Not quite as convenient but way cheaper than the espresso. I also have a sleeve for my full size keyboard

[@JoeTourist]

The smaller, less capable Beelink miniPCs are designed to be mounted on the back of a monitor. For portability, that would make a bit more sense assuming there is a nearby power plug.

[@shaikhhar6911]

Mini-PC with integrated battery , albeit very small that powers on device for about 1 hour would make most people prefer mini-PC over laptop because it would be cheaper and powerful than equivalent laptop even with a separate portable monitor, bluetooth KB & mouse. And more repairable and upgradable. Basically laptop without screen, kb & mouse . Saves lot of space and with integrated battery, no worries of unsaved work during power cut or accidental power cable pull

[@mendodsoregonbackroads6632]

I had a Mac Mini for years and I mostly liked it. It’s true that you can mix and match components individually and there is some benefit to that, but eventually the amount of cables was starting to get to me. They were everywhere. Once the Mini went officially unsupported for upgrades I bought the M1 iMac. That’s the whole setup, end of story. My portable was an iPad Pro with keyboard. More recently I got an M2 Air 15”. It’s too big for a portable and too small for a desktop, but it runs desktop software so it works when I go out of town. I don’t really do work at coffee shops though, although it has been done. I find it distracting. So I kind of still like the iMac with the iPad portable solution. I just wish the iMac came with a Pro chip and the extra Ram that comes with that.

[@SkullStrife]

I believe that the only thing that can kill a notebook and maybe desktop pc are DOCKING stations for Phones.... You just carry your own pc in your pocket and then just plug into whatever station is there or you carry the peripherals with you

[@butterfinger4393]

Very useful, especially with a ryzen cpu, but to take it to the coffee shop, I think a surface pro is probably the best option if you wanna use a regular keyboard and mouse.