Choosing the Best Mini PC for Small Business
When small business needs to happen in small physical spaces, get more power and flexibility with mini PCs.
Mini PCs: Power for Your Business with Space to Spare
For many small businesses, managing growth also means managing space. If you need a powerful computer but don’t have room for a traditional desktop, a mini PC may be the right fit. Not only can a small business mini PC hide away behind a monitor, but its lightweight design also offers flexibility to easily reconfigure your office or store—sometimes in ways that are more flexible than comparably sized laptops. With a design that’s as smart as it is compact and power efficient, mini PCs are a great option to power your employees’ productivity and creativity.
What to Look for in a Small Business Mini PC
Performance to Maximize Productivity
The processor, or central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the small business mini PC. The more powerful the processor, the more simultaneous applications you can run without impacting the responsiveness of your computer, helping you to get more done and get the information you need to help customers and make business decisions faster. The latest Intel® Core™ processors provide the reliability and power you and your team need to succeed—whether multitasking, videoconferencing, or creating a new design for your business or customer.
Intel® processors inside of mini PCs are specifically designed with efficiency as a priority since they require less energy and produce less heat in order to operate inside of a smaller form factor. Additionally, small business mini PCs built on the Intel vPro® Essentials platform offer integrated security features at the hardware level to provide an added layer of protection against cyberattacks that software alone can’t address without interrupting productivity or reducing performance.
Memory and Storage That Align with Work Requirements
In the small business world, a mini PC’s versatility may make the difference for smaller teams getting more done. Small business mini PCs generally provide more scalability for the most memory-intensive tasks—like storing and accessing large files or using multiple, demanding applications at the same time.
A mini PC’s random access memory (RAM) stores data that its CPU can call up almost instantly. When users turn off the computer, the data is cleared from RAM. Most mini PCs come with 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, although it’s possible to buy a 32 GB system or add memory if applications need it.
Storage is your mini PC’s data bank, holding your operating system and all your programs and files. Turn off the mini PC and the data persists. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are more commonly found as the default or sole storage options in mini PCs, as they take up less physical space than hard disk drives (HDDs). Modern SSDs typically offer less storage capacity for equivalent HDD prices, though they still offer ample storage for everyday mini PC use cases.
Connectivity That Moves Business Forward
Small business mini PCs come with a variety of ports for connecting to monitors and other peripherals. These may include USB-C, HDMI, and Thunderbolt™ 4 ports. However, Ethernet remains the highest-performing connectivity option for a mini PC.
When Ethernet cables aren’t available when and where you need them, Intel® Wi-Fi 6E-enabled PCs give users fast wireless speeds, responsive performance, and enhanced security and reliability, especially in environments where more than 30 users are connected to the same Wi-Fi access point.
Small business mini PCs built on the latest Intel vPro® platform integrate Intel® Wi-Fi 6E capabilities into the chipset.
The Latest Operating System to Maximize Full Benefits
Windows 11 is Microsoft’s new perspective on the future of PC operating systems (OSs) for today’s businesses. It is the current Windows OS version that delivers a range of features designed for simplicity. The design is modern, clean, and intentional to inspire user creativity and productivity.
When considering a new small business mini PC, Windows 11 offers useful updates to the OS’s efficiency, functionality, design, and performance. Learn more about updates you can expect with Windows 11.
As it’s the latest Microsoft OS, manufacturers are prioritizing Windows 11 as the go-to operating system for new devices. Windows 11 has specific system requirements, so check before purchasing to be sure that your new small business mini PCs can use Windows 11 out of the box.
Ready for Upgrades Down the Line
Intel® Core™ processor-based mini PCs support crucial updates that might be necessary years after their first use. For smaller PC form factors, memory and storage are typically the easiest components to either swap or add, and external storage devices can be attached via high-speed connections like Thunderbolt 4™ or USB-C in order to back up and access additional important files.
Mini PC Benefits for Small Business
Mini PCs are captivating beyond their nimble design and agile ability. They offer great versatility, value, and innovative experiences, and they deliver privacy, security, and the latest technology for connectivity and collaboration. With a range of available mini PC products powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors, it’s now easier than ever to get great performance in a small form factor.
Space
Space is often at a premium for small businesses. A full desktop tower typically stands at least 22 inches high, with widths and depths of 8 and 24 inches. Comparatively, a mini PC commonly sits at less than 2 inches high, with a footprint of just over 4 x 4 inches. Many mini PCs weigh less than three pounds, enabling your business to more easily move PCs and reconfigure your space as you grow.
Versatility
Mini PCs can be set up in creative ways and places. Use a mini PC to support digital signage, interactive kiosks, conference room screens, or embedded Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Also ideal for a small office or desk space, your employees will benefit from this small form factor computer that easily powers daily productivity tasks, videoconferencing, and multimedia experiences.
Efficiency
Mini PCs require little energy compared to desktops, while still delivering much-needed performance to get important work done. Their low-power components don’t produce much heat, so you won’t need power-hungry fans to keep the machines cool in small spaces. If sustainability and energy savings are important to your business, you can choose an Energy Star–certified mini PC to ensure efficient power consumption.
Propel Your Business Forward with Mini PCs Built on the Intel vPro® Essentials Platform
With powerful performance and integrated security capabilities, small businesses without a dedicated IT team can get more right out of the box with mini PCs on the built-for-business Intel vPro® platform.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Small business mini PCs are a great match for a home office, particularly if physical space is at a premium. If you’ve had to convert any room or space in your home to better support a remote working environment, mini PCs can meet the demands of small business while fitting neatly into tight spaces, such as behind monitors or around built-in furniture. A typical mini PC sits at less than 2 inches high, with a footprint of just over 4 x 4 inches.
Some office environments, especially those favored by small businesses, may benefit from the unique qualities of small business mini PCs. A mini PC may be better suited to hide behind an object on a small desk or, because of its lightweight design, mounted to a wall to power digital signage. Their traditionally lower energy and heat footprints may also be ideal in environments where electricity is at a premium.
Small business mini PCs, even when combined with a standard flat-screen display, often take up less space than an average laptop form factor. Thanks to their generally lower size and weight, mini PCs can also be mounted or hidden in creative ways, which may be ideal for your small business’s limited size or specific aesthetics.