But that doesn’t mean that these workstation PCs are for the average consumer now, far from it. In fact, most of these are overkill for the average joe. These machines can handle music production, film making, CAD design, and more. If you’re someone who’ll benefit from raw horsepower, you’ll need a powerful build to get you by. With that said, there are a lot of options to pick from, and it’s hard to pinpoint the right computer for you.

There’s no need to worry, as we’re here to help. After a lot of extensive research, we were able to locate some of the best PCs for a diverse audience. Your line of work doesn’t matter, as you’ll hopefully find something suitable in this list. With all of that out of the way, here are five of the best workstation PCs available in 2022.

1. CPU Solution CEV-6715 Video Editing PC

Best For Video Editors

Pros

• Perfect for rendering
• High airflow case
• Powerful Quadro GPU
• Lots of ports
• Fast card reader

Cons

• No integrated graphics

Processor: Intel Core i9 9900KF (8 cores at up to 5GHz) | RAM: 32GB DDR4 2666MHz | GPU: Quadro RTX 4000 | Storage: 512GB + 1Tb Intel M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

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Our first pick for workstation PCs is aimed at video editors. However, that doesn’t mean this powerful machine is limited to video editing. A PC like this can handle most things you’ll throw at it. It’s a great combination of price, raw performance, and speed. The CPU solutions CEV-6715 PC is versatile and, as you can probably guess, an absolute powerhouse.

This workhorse product uses an Intel Core i9 9900KF. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, a base frequency of 3.6GHz, and it can turbo up to 5.0GHz. You also get 16Mb of Intel Smart Cache. The cooling is much better than the predecessors, and the chip performs well thermally inside the Fractal Design Focus G case. It’s a great performer in both single-core and multi-core tasks.

The CEV-6715 uses an ASUS Prime Z390-P desktop motherboard. This motherboard provides two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports and four 3.1 Gen 1 ports. You get one Displayport and one HDMI port, along with Realtek gigabit ethernet. The PC utilizes 32GB of memory, an Intel 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, and another Intel SSD with 1TB of storage.

You even get an optical drive bay, which is very surprising to see. It also has a multi-card reader with UHS-II support. Video editors will appreciate this addition, as this gets rid of the need for an external card reader. Finally, the icing on the cake is the Quadro RTX 4000 with 9 gigs of GDDR6 VRAM.

Nvidia’s Turing architecture is perfect for both video editors and streamers. If you’re a streamer, you can also take advantage of the excellent Nvidia NVENC encoder. Both the CPU and GPU combine to give rendering performance that will blow you away. The GPU works well with Adobe software, as they have a lot of support for RTX.

The numbers speak for themselves. Blender, Premiere, Illustrator, and DaVinci Resolve all perform incredibly well. One minor downside is the lack of integrated graphics, which help sometimes in troubleshooting issues.

2. Supermicro AS-E301-9D-8CN4 IoT Computing PC

AMD Epyc Powered Workstation

Pros

• Impressive form factor
• Powerful SOC
• Great performance in benchmarks
• Great cooling efficiency

Cons

• No 10 Gigabit Ethernet

Processor: AMD Epyc 3521 Embedded (8 cores at up to 3.1GHz) | RAM: 4 x DDR4 2666MHz DIMM slots (Up to 512GB) | GPU: N/A | Storage: 2 x 2.5-inch bays, 1 x M.2 NVMe Slot, PCIe 3.0 x16 slot

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The Supermciro AS-E301-9D-8CN4 doesn’t have the easiest to understand model name, does it? Well for people who need server PCs probably face this problem every day. In all seriousness, this Supermicro PC is one of the best-embedded servers available today.

First off, the form factor is quite impressive. This chassis comes in at 1.5U rack units. At the back, we have two USB 3.0 ports, a management IPMI port, four Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a VGA port. We would have liked to see 10 Gigabit Ethernet instead. The DC power input is lockable, which ensures secure power.

You can access storage by removing the four screws on top. You can use this PC for IoT (Internet of things) computing. It is powered by the AMD Epyc 3521, which is an extremely powerful SOC. Like most embedded servers, you’ll have to install the memory and storage yourself. So we can’t provide accurate numbers as to how this performs.

Out of band management is standard on server builds. Supermicro sets the industry standard here, as they include a WebGUI for traditional management. In benchmarks, the Supermicro PC performs incredibly well in C-ray thanks to the clock speeds and high core count. 7zip compression is also much faster than Intel’s Xeon processors. As for server related benchmarks, both OpenSSL and Whetstone showed great results.

This powerful server build uses three fans, so it draws more power than other configs. The Supermicro AS-E301-9D-8CN4 performs well and at a lower power consumption than many Intel Xeon builds. Overall, this is a great test platform. We just wish it had 10 Gigabit Ethernet.

3. Adamant Custom 32-Core Workstation Computer

Top Of The Line Workstation

Pros

• Extremely high-end processor
• Lots of storage bays
• 240mm liquid cooler
• Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0

Cons

• Faster RAM would have been better
• A custom build will cost you less

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Processor: AMD Threadripper 3970X (32 cores at up to 4.5GHz) | RAM: 64 GB DDR4 2666MHz | GPU: Nvidia GeForce Titan RTX | Storage: 10TB HDD + 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD

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The next workstation on our list is arguably the most top of the line PC you can get right now. At least, in the consumer market range. If you’re just planning to do some light video editing and gaming, turn away, this thing is absolutely overkill. However, if you are a CAD designer or a proper filmmaker you might just benefit from this PC.

The Adamant Custom workstation is a thing of absolute beauty. This 32 core monster workstation will destroy anything you throw at it. It uses a Threadripper 3970X. With 32 cores and 64 threads, this processor is incredibly powerful at multi-core performance. However, the numbers don’t end there.

The Ryzen processor is cooled by a 240mm liquid cooler. This is great if you want to overclock it. Apart from that, we are happy to see abundant storage space here. A 10TB HDD storage drive and 4 terabytes of Intel M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD are both included. You just might get away by not deleting all those video files.

As for GPU horsepower, you’ll be pleased to see a Titan RTX here. This GPU uses 24Gb of VRAM and has a boost clock of 1770MHz. It has a 7000MHz (1400MHz effective) memory frequency. While this GPU is great for heavy workloads, we would have liked to see a Quadro GPU instead. The newer Ampere graphics cards from Nvidia will outperform this as well.

We also 802.11 ac Dual-Band Wi-Fi, a 12X SATA Blu-Ray, and Bluetooth 5.0. This PC does have it all. However, it is very expensive. Now that might not be an issue if you look at this as an investment for your career but stay with us a moment.

You could build this same system with the same specs and save considerable money. However, you won’t get a warranty (at least for the whole unit), service, or customer support. That will come down to what you prefer.

4. Empowered PC Grandia Workstation Desktop Computer

Hybrid Workstation

Pros

• Tremoundously versatile
• Small form factor
• Decent cooling for GPU

Cons

• Hard drives can heat up at times
• Poor cable management

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 3950X (16 cores at up to 4.7GHz) | RAM: 128GB DDR4 3200MHz | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080Ti | Storage: 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD + 8TB HDD

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The Empowered PC Grandia is the most versatile PC on this list. It’s neither the most powerful, nor does it specialize in any specific category. However, the small form factor paired with the high-end specs makes it a jack of all trades. Let’s quickly go over what type of people can benefit from this portable powerhouse.

When we say the words portable powerhouse, we mean it with this workstation. This PC is built inside the Silverstone Grandia PC case. It has the form factor of an HTPC. However, it’s quite a powerful machine just to use as an HTPC.

It uses an AMD 3950X at its core. Also, it has 16 cores and 32 threads. On top of that, it has a base clock speed of 3.5GHz and turbos up to 4.7GHz. Not bad for a high core count CPU. You also get an RTX 2080Ti, 128 gigs of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and 8 terabytes of HDD storage. The power supply is 750W, which is enough to power this beast safely.

For such a small case, the airflow is quite good. It has positive air pressure, which means it is quiet and prevents dust. You also get an 802.11 ac Wi-Fi USB adapter, a backlit gaming keyboard, and a gaming mouse. The included accessories aren’t anything impressive. The included cable management could use a lot of work as well.

While cooling is quite good, the hard drives can heat up quickly. That’s not great for the long term. This small PC can be used as a gaming computer, an HTPC, a portable tool for developers, and much more. Other than that, if you need a portable PC that can handle anything you throw at it, look no further.

5. New Apple iMac with Retina 5K Display (2020)

Best iMac

Pros

• Nanotexture matte display
• Updated SSDs
• Radeon Pro 5000 graphics
• Updated Face time camera

Cons

• Outdated design
• Expensive
• Huge bezels

Processor: Intel 10th Gen Core i5 (6 cores at up to 4.8GHz | RAM: 8GB-16GB DDR4 2666MHz | GPU: Radeon Pro 5300 | Storage: 256GB-8TB SSD

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It’s interesting how this works, but if you are a professional worker in the digital space, you know when you need an iMac. Maybe you want to work with XCode, or you prefer Final Cut Pro over Adobe Premiere. Also, there is the fact iMacs have seamless integration with the entire Apple ecosystem.

Regardless of all that, as we said, you know when you need an iMac as a workstation. Unfortunately, they can end up being quite expensive, and sometimes even underpowered. However, the 2020 iMac is one of the better updates we’ve seen to this lineup. It also happens to be the last Intel iMac, as Apple will move to its own ARM architecture in the coming years.

However, you don’t need to worry about that update. If you need a tool right now for creativity or productivity, you should not hesitate. The 5K screen on here still looks incredible. It does feel outdated due to the large bezels, but a new nanotexture matte glass does make it look good. This helps in dramatically reducing glare.

Furthermore, are various configurations available with this 2020 27″ iMac. The processor ranges from a six-core 10th gen core i5, all the way up to the ten-core i9 processors. Graphics are also updated thanks to the Radeon 5000 series. Hard drives are long gone, and Apple has replaced them with SSDs. So, you can go from 256 all the way up to 8TB of fast SSD storage.

As usual, you get four USB-A ports at the back and two Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports. Fortunately, the Facetime camera has been updated to 1080p, which was long overdue. As much as we love this iMac, there is one big issue.

Compared to all the fast screens, versatile designs, and competitive prices available today, the 27-inch iMac feels very dated. As a result, just know what you are sacrificing when buying this 27-inch iMac, especially compared to a Windows machine. The Magic Mouse needs to go away as well, as it’s not really the most comfortable thing in the world.

The post The 5 Best Workstations: Ultimate Pre-Built Performance PCs For Professionals appeared first on Appuals.

While you don’t need high-end gear when starting out, the need will come up sooner or later. Maybe you’re already a well-established individual and need an upgrade to boost your productivity. A great computer is a graphic designer’s best friend. Some individuals prefer Macs while others prefer Windows PCs. Gaming computers are a good option as well, as they have high-end specs.

More Like this: The 5 Best Workstations In 2022

#	Preview	Model	Award	Details
1		Apple iMac Pro	Best Overall Choice	Check Price
2		Lenovo Yoga A940	Best Value Pick	Check Price
3		Microsoft Surface Studio 2	Best For Artists	Check Price
4		Corsair One Pro i80	Best Compact Option	Check Price
5		Acer Aspire S 24	Best Budget Pick	Check Price

#	1
Preview
Model	Apple iMac Pro
Award	Best Overall Choice
Details	Check Price

#	2
Preview
Model	Lenovo Yoga A940
Award	Best Value Pick
Details	Check Price

#	3
Preview
Model	Microsoft Surface Studio 2
Award	Best For Artists
Details	Check Price

#	4
Preview
Model	Corsair One Pro i80
Award	Best Compact Option
Details	Check Price

#	5
Preview
Model	Acer Aspire S 24
Award	Best Budget Pick
Details	Check Price

Last Update on 2024-04-25 at 20:50 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Speaking of specs, they are important if you want future-proofing and want to work without hiccups. A powerful GPU, a processor with a higher core count, and a fast SSD can all improve the overall experience. But whatever your requirement may be, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up some of the best computers for graphic design. Let’s have a look at what made the list.

1. Best Overall Choice - Apple iMac Pro

The Ultimate All-in-One

Pros

• Iconic And Pleasing Design
• Incredibly Powerful
• Accurate Color Reproduction
• Impressive Build Quality
• Surprisingly Good Speakers

Cons

• Heavy Price Tag
• No Touch Screen

Processor: Intel Xeon W (8/10/14/18 cores) | RAM: 32 - 256GB DDR4 | GPU: Radeon Pro Vega 64 | Screen: 27-inch 5K Retina Display | Storage: 1-4TB SSD

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The inclusion of the much-hyped Apple iMac Pro shouldn’t serve as a surprise to anyone. This is Apple’s return to form, especially in the area of high-end professional workstations. While the cheaper iMac is a good option for most people, and the newly released Mac Pro is a bit overkill for some, this iMac Pro is perhaps the best option when it comes to a high-end workstation.

The design is still mostly the same. The iconic slim design of the iMac is still present, and it looks as good as ever. There’s just something beautiful about cramming all that power in such a thin all-in-one desktop. The ports are still at the back. The screen is astonishingly near perfect. The 5K display paired with Apple’s Retina technology brings it to life. It’s an IPS panel so viewing angles are great too. For color-accurate work, the screen is incredible.

As for connectivity, you get four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C, 4 USB A 3.0, 10Gb Ethernet, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card slot. This time around, they changed the color to Space Grey, and the matching peripherals look great paired with it.

But the iMac Pro excels in the performance department. If you want to go all out, you can get an 18 core Xeon processor, 256GB of DDR4 memory, a 4TB SSD, and a Radeon Pro Vega 64X. Unsurprisingly, it chews through video editing and is a beast at productivity. All that power also makes it incredibly versatile. Photo editing, video editing, audio production, you name it. The iMac Pro can handle most of what you throw at it.

Of course, there’s the heavy Apple price tag. I’d say the best value is with the 10 core processor, paired with Vega 64 and 64GB of memory. That configuration should last you a long while. Sure, it’s expensive but if you’ll use it for 5+ years (potentially), it’s worth it. All in all, the iMac Pro is still a solid contender for the best computer for graphics design in 2022.

2. Best Value Pick - Lenovo Yoga A940

Most Versatile

Pros

• Incredible Bang For Your Buck
• Solid Build Quality
• Impressive Color Accurate Screen
• Attention To Detail In Design
• Exceptional Speaker Setup

Cons

• Painfully Slow Hard Drive
• Slightly Underpowered GPU

Processor: Intel Core i7 9700 | RAM: 32GB DDR4 | GPU: Radeon RX 560 | Screen: 27-inch 4K IPS multi-touch | Storage: 1TB Hard drive, 256GB SSD

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When the Surface Studio launched, I was immediately on board with it. A large desktop screen with a hinge that you can angle to your desire? And you can draw on top of it? Sign me up. Sadly, the first iteration of the Surface Studio was too expensive and lacked powerful hardware. The Lenovo Yoga A940 is a fearsome competitor and does a lot of things better too.

The best thing about the Yoga A940 is its ingenious design. Some might argue that it looks a bit bland at first, but once you start noticing the little details, it’s quite impressive. It comes with a content creation dial, which you can use in Photoshop to change colors, the stroke of your brush, and much more. It works with a lot of apps, and you can use it to change the volume in Spotify.

At the bottom, we have a 3D soundbar with Dolby Atmos Audio. As expected, it sounds exceptionally good and is very accurate. It even has a wireless charger for your phone on the right side, which is a quick charger in fact. The content creation dial I mentioned previously can be plugged either into the left or right side depending on your preference. This is immaculate attention to detail.

The processor is a Core i7 9700, paired with 32GB of DDR4 memory, a fast 256GB SSD, and a Radeon RX 560. So, it might not be the most powerful machine out there, but it does cut the competition price-wise. The RX 560 lets you get some light gaming done as well. The major downside is the painfully slow 5400RPM hard drive. This is a disappointment as it does slow down the system at times.

The screen is also superb, covering 100% Adobe RGB coverage and 100% sRGB coverage. Digital artists will fall in love with this display. The included pen works well and is of great quality for drawing and retouching in Photoshop. You can even use this just as a monitor (albeit an expensive one), as it does have HDMI in and out. Truly, this is an extremely versatile workhorse machine and offers a lot for the price.

3. Best For Artists - Microsoft Surface Studio 2

Best For Digital Artists

Pros

• Perfect For Digital Artists
• Eyecatching Design
• One Of The Best Pens In The Game
• Top Notch Build Quality

Cons

• Overpriced
• Mobile Processor Falls Short
• Not Very Versatile

Processor: Intel Core i7 7820HQ | RAM: 32GB DDR4 | GPU: GTX 1070 or GTX 1060 | Screen: 28-inch 4500 X 3000 IPS Display | Storage: 1-2TB SSD

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When the Microsoft Surface Studio was first unveiled, digital artists and pen screen display enthusiasts were the first who noticed. It’s been a long-time dream for many people to draw on a large display, and use it as a regular monitor when needed. The Surface Studio 2 makes some incremental improvements to the first one, but does it live up to the title of the best computer for graphic design?

You can’t talk about the Surface Studio 2 without talking about its aesthetically pleasing design. It is pure eye-candy and is an absolute pleasure to gawk at. The slim bezels, the robust hinge, and the clever base all combine to give it a sleek yet elegant look. All of the internals are housed in the base, and that’s genuinely clever engineering.

The display is great for drawing, as you’d expect. It has a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is great for photo editors and people who prefer drawing on screens. The display is vibrant, color-accurate, and just an overall joy to use. The Surface dial is extremely versatile and can be used in Photoshop to change colors, the size of brushes, go through layers, etc.

The included keyboard is also good enough for even professional writers. Although the mouse isn’t exactly as comfortable as I had hoped. The pen is a joy to use, however. It’s accurate, reliable, and has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Despite all that, the Surface Studio 2 is extremely expensive. You know you’re in trouble when Apple’s iMac Pro looks like a better value. I say this because of the mobile processor, which will show its age rather quickly. Of course, the Studio 2 has that incredible pen display, which might be a major selling point for some.

4. Best Compact Option - Corsair One Pro i80

Best Compact PC

Pros

• Silent Operation
• Great Thermals Despite Compact Size
• Versatility Of a PC
• Loaded with Power

Cons

• Very Expensive
• Limited Upgrade Potential
• Slow 5400RPM HDD

Processor: Intel Core i9 9920X | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | GPU: Geforce RTX 2080Ti | Storage: 960GB NVMe SSD, 2TB HDD

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I’ve heard the same argument over and over again. People always say Pre-built PCs aren’t the greatest value, and I tend to agree. You can build a PC for yourself for much better value, and it will get the job done. But I’d be hard-pressed to build a compact, silent, and good-looking PC like the Corsair One Pro. That’s where its hefty price tag starts to make sense.

The Corsair One Pro i80 is nothing short of a technical marvel. It looks absolutely incredible, for starters. Its compact frame means you can put it on a small desk, yet it makes its presence known with great tasteful RGB lighting. From any angle, this is a total knockout in terms of aesthetics. The insides are also completely liquid-cooled. Both the GPU and CPU, which are impressive on their own.

The processor here is the Core i9 9920X and the GPU is the GeForce RTX 2080Ti. These are power-hungry components, yet with the great liquid cooling I mentioned, this PC performs silently. It doesn’t get annoyingly loud at full load either. 16GB of DDR4 memory is included, though you can upgrade that to 32 or more. The 960GB NVMe SSD is blazing fast and helps a lot in video editing.

With those specs, you’d want to play some games as well. The One Pro i80 is an FPS crushing machine and can handle any game you throw at it. It’s just as good a gaming PC as it is a workstation. Yet, the slow 5400RPM hard drive, the limited upgrade potential, and the price tag are all valid things to consider before buying. Still, this is the best compact workstation on the market.

5. Best Budget Pick - Acer Aspire S 24

Budget All-In-One

Pros

• Slim and Beautiful Display
• Wireless Charging Pad
• Great Value

Cons

• No Touch Screen Option
• Slow Hard Drive
• Included Peripherals are Substandard
• Lack Of Dedicated GPU

Processor: Intel Core i5 8250U | RAM: 12GB DDR4 | GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620 | Storage: 1TB Hard Drive

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Let’s say you absolutely adore all-in-one PCs. You also happen to be a graphic designer who needs an accurate, vibrant, and sharp display for your work. Well, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend, the Acer Aspire S 24 might be a good option. I realize it’s for a very niche audience, but it’s worth considering.

The last in our best computers for graphic design list, Aspire S 24 does look quite premium despite the low price. The display has thin bezels, and the golden chin at the bottom does make it stand out. All the internals are housed inside the base of the display, which makes things quiet and clean. It works quite silently, which is a bonus attribute. It even has a wireless charging pad, which is a neat thing to have.

Photo editors and graphic designers will appreciate the color-accurate and vibrant display. It might be only 1080p, but for the price, it’s an understandable trade-off. Keep in mind, the Core i5 8250U isn’t the most powerful chip in the world. The lack of dedicated graphics is also disappointing. However, if you are just photo editing, you should get by fine.

The peripherals are substandard but that was to be expected. There is no touch screen option either, which could be a dealbreaker for some people. Overall, the Aspire S 24 might not be powerful, but it’s a decent entry-level AIO system that can handle photo editing and lightweight graphic design. However, it can be a tough sell for some unless you absolutely need an all-in-one PC. A separate 2K or 4K monitor with a powerful standalone PC can also be a solid alternative to this option.

Factors To Consider While Buying

Just like with any purchase decision, there are several factors to consider when buying a dedicated machine for graphics design. Being a productivity-focused computer, you should be even more mindful of these buying factors in the purchase process since the computer is to be used for professional applications. Graphics Design depends heavily on the machine itself, so a wrong decision in this department can be detrimental down the line.

The Screen

Arguably the most important component to consider in the purchase decision for the best computer for graphic design when it comes to your particular use case, the monitor or screen of your computer needs to be ready for the tasks ahead. In terms of graphics design, one should look for prime color accuracy and viewing angles since these factors affect the work directly. Moreover, touch input also helps a lot in productivity applications, especially if you are a digital artist in this field.

The Internals

Most of the professional applications for graphic design are quite heavy and require some good internals to run smoothly. For this reason, it is important that you spec out your computer with heavy applications and future-proofing in mind. Since this is a machine that would/can be used to make money in the long run, it makes sense to invest in components that would last a long time and would still be powerful enough to run these heavy applications for years down the line. This was Appuals Guide for the best computers for graphic design In 2022. Let us know in comments if you have any questions.

The post These are the 5 Best Computers For Graphics Designing appeared first on Appuals.

With an increase in the number of add-ons for Kodi, it is better to get a device with high-end specifications which can not only be used for streaming high-quality videos but also for many other features that it provides. Also, the quality of videos can be greatly improved by the use of assorted demanding algorithms which require high-end hardware. Therefore, we will be discussing the most high-end mini PCs that won’t take much space on your desk but will be powerful enough to run Kodi at its brightest.

1. Zotac ZBox EN1080K

Our Rating: 10/10

Pros

• Comes with a very high-end graphics card
• Processor's performance is also good
• Liquid Cooling

Cons

• Power supply is not durable
• Uses a lot of power

Processor: Core i7 7700 | Max Ram: 32GB | Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1080 8GB

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Zotac has been releasing computer products for a long time but its recent products have stirred up the market. Zotac ZBox EN1080K is among the best Mini PCs in the market hosting 7th generation Intel Core-i7 processor, which is a high-end quad-core processor. Two DIMM slots are available in this PC which is sufficient for most users as the latest RAM sticks are comprised of large memory.

One of the crucial features of this PC is that Nvidia GTX 1080 is installed in this it, a robust graphics card, providing tremendous graphical experience. ZBox provides a 2.5″ drive bay and an M.2 slot for storage devices which is acceptable at this size. The ZBox uses a liquid cooling solution for efficiently dissipating the heat since compact PCs are unable to perform well with air cooling.

The Zotac ZBox EN1080K comes with two AC adapters of 180-watt each as the graphics card alone has a TDP of 180-watts. It includes lots of latest ports including USB 3.1 Type-C which is getting a lot of popularity as most of the recent products use this port. People who use wireless products can rest assured, this PC provides marvelous wireless experience thanks to Dual-Antenna Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2.

As for the real-time performance, we observed that this PC handled everything very smoothly showing no signs of stuttering and the temperatures of the components were way under the limit due to liquid cooling.

The ZBox weighs around 7.5-lbs which makes it quite mobile, in case users need portability. It is a perfect choice for people who want the best performance in the category of Mini PCs, regardless of the price.

2. MSI Trident 3

Our Rating: 9/10

Pros

• Comes VR-ready
• Hexacore processor supported
• Can perform graphical tasks on Kodi very well

Cons

• Temperatures are a bit high
•  Opening the case voids the warranty

Processor: Up to Core-i7 8700 | Max Ram: 32GB | Graphics Card: Up to Nvidia GTX 1070 8GB

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Micro-Star International (MSI) is one of the top brands when it comes to gaming products. MSI Trident 3 is a splendid Mini PC which uses latest generation components along with nifty looks. This PC can be customized with a lot of graphics cards making it an alluring product, as graphics cards are one of the primary components consuming almost half the budget. It hosts an H310 motherboard supporting 8th generation processors and is equipped with both M.2 slot and 2.5″ bay for storage devices.

As for the cooling solution is concerned, a blower-style fan is used for the processor through which the hot air flows directly out of the case. MSI has used its Aero-ITX design for the graphics card, which is known for mini size although it runs a little hotter.

With a slightly lower ranked graphics card than the ZBox Magnus, this PC covered the loss with improved CPU performance in the tested benchmarks. However, the temperatures were a lot higher than the ZBox.

MSI Trident 3 does not incorporate a PSU inside the case and an AC adapter of either 230-watts or 330-watts powers it, depending on the chosen graphics card. This PC comes VR-Ready with front HDMI port being used for VR headsets. It weighs around 7-lbs, though unlike the ZBox it uses a tower form, which looks more desirable. It offers quite a competition to ZBox Magnus and is targeted towards people who care less about graphical performance.

3. Intel Hades Canyon NUC

Our Rating: 10/10

Pros

• High Performance/Power ratio
• Unique design
• RAID-1 configuration
•  two Thunderbolt 3 ports

Cons

• Cooling solution could have been better

Processor: Up to Core-i7 8809G | Max Ram: 32GB | Graphics Card: AMD RX Vega M GH

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Intel does not manufacture any desktop PCs or laptops, however, among the compact PCs, Intel is unparalleled. Intel Hades Canyon NUC is one of the most-selling compact PCs in the market due to its high reliability and features. NUC stands for “Next Unit of Computing” and this series has provided us with the fastest Mini PCs using a single combined chip. It supports Intel 8th generation of mobile processors up to Core-i7 8809G along with 32-GB memory.

AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH is the fastest graphics card that can be used with this laptop which provides great functionality, thanks to its High-Bandwidth-Memory. This PC also has the fastest RAM frequencies in this category of PCs with up to 3200-MHz, though overall capacity remains the same. On the other hand, it provides only a single M.2 slot for storage drives confining the storage capacity to a maximum of 2-TB which can be deal-breaker for some people.

Since this PC uses a mobile chipset, its benchmark results were a little lower than those we previously mentioned, though the performance was more than sufficient for Kodi applications. Also, it provided a lot of I/O ports for ease of use.

Intel Hades Canyon NUC comes with a 390-watt AC adapter to power it, which is much higher than most of the compact PCs. With the availability of a large number of I/O ports in this PC, users can use up to six monitors. It is also available in the bare-bone configuration i.e. without storage and RAM, allowing the user a lot of customization. This PC might not provide an exquisite graphical experience but due to high processing power, it’s a spectacular product nonetheless.

4. Asus ROG GR8-II

Our Rating: 8/10

Pros

• Astonishing aesthetics
• Enough performance to handle most of KODI tasks
• Ultra-quiet thermal chamber design
• SupremeFX HD Audio

Cons

• A bit noisy under load

Processor: Up to Core-i7 7700 | Max Ram: 32GB | Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1060 3G/6G

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Asus ROG (Republic Of Gamers) is an enthusiast-class series which has been designing a lot of innovative products. Asus ROG GR8-II is a compact PC designed to save space on the desk while providing high-end specifications. It features 7th generation Intel processors and supports up to 32-GB of DDR4 RAM. With an H110 motherboard at hand, the BIOS features of this PC are very limited and might not provide a gratifying experience.

Unfortunately, there are no high-end graphics cards available with this product and users are confined to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3G and 6G. As for the storage capacity, there are two variants of this product where one provides a supplementary 2.5″ bay for SATA drives while the other one supports only a single M.2 slot. The PC looks astounding and gives a premium feel thanks to unique casing design and Aura Sync supported RGB lightning.

Asus ROG GR8-II comes with a 230-watt AC adapter which is adequate for a high-end processor along with GTX 1060. Even though this PC utilizes a blower-style cooling fan, it is efficient enough as the PC is not power hungry.

We observed that the processor and the graphics card were matched very well in this PC and showed no signs of bottleneck. Although the fans were a bit noisy during the test session which was expected as the blower-style fans are known for their noise. We recommend this product to users who want great performance along with pleasant aesthetics as its looks are unrivaled against other products in our list.

5. HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini

Our Rating: 9/10

Pros

• Ultra-low power usage
• Have great storage capability
• Very compact design

Cons

• No dedicated graphics card supported
• Pricey in terms of performance

Processor: Up to Core-i5 8500 | Max Ram: 32GB | Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 630

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HP EliteDesk series has provided us with brilliant products consistently with EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini being their latest model. This series is designed to provide compact solutions for people who don’t need graphical performance. As for the processor, it supports 8th generation Intel processors up to Core-i5 8500, a hexacore processor with six threads.

Even at such a remarkably small size, it can pack 32-GB of DDR4 memory and provides ample storage capacities by using two M.2 slots and a 2.5″ bay. However, there is no space for a dedicated graphics card crippling the graphical capabilities of the PC.

Testing this PC was not a hectic task as it does not include a dedicated graphics card. The CPU performance was satisfactory and temperatures stayed under the limit. With highly efficient power supply and ultra-low-power processors at hand, this product is absolute beauty for people who want to enjoy a sweet experience while keeping their bills under control.

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