PC sales down 20% year-over-year due to the incredible escalation in prices due to the incredible hoarding of components used in PCs by the AI industry (namely, Nvidia).

What's your best memory? Mine is the Beelink GTR7 series mini PC I bought in 02/24. Ryzen 7 7840HS/Radeon 780M/32GB DDR5/stock internal 1TB SSD. Because it was used strictly for Steam games, I added an external 4TB WD Black in an OWC Express 1M2 case externally connected via Thunderbolt 3.

All for less than $850. The same damn 4TB bare drive I paid slightly less than $200 for just 2 years ago now sells on Best Buy for $700… ON SALE. The 32GB DDR5 RAM and the WD drive alone sold used could now easily pay for a much shittier mini PC with far less capability.

People with minds and memories that still work are not going to pay these prices. As proven by the actual numbers. I say, good for them.

https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/10/09/global-pc-shipments-crater-20-as-rising-prices-hammer-demand/5302264

Just bought this. Has anyone else got one? Or at least a similar one?

What are your thoughts? Was it a good purchase? Are there any tips you have for me?

In terms of gaming what are the latest games you have got running on it?

Just found a N100 mini pc for around 50 dollars. 16GB RAM, 512 NVMe, and it came with a 4TB WD external HDD.

I tested it and it works perfectly, and the HDD has around 96% health, which is amazing.

I was going to use this as a lightweight coding machine, but figured this could be my very first home server.

I was wondering; what OS should I install, and what services should I run? I’ve heard that Proxmox was a good idea, so I might do that mainly because it supports VMs and I want to experiment with some stuff like Windows XP, Windows 8.1, and maybe even beta Windows OSes. But I also want to host stuff, like is there anyway to take my DVDs and make it so I can watch them on my TV without needing to buy a DVD player or hook up my laptop to my TV and an external DVD player? Again, I’m completely new to this world.

I also heard of this thing called a NAS?? Might do that too.

If I go with Proxmox, how should i set it up, and how should I use it to its great use? I’ll do some research on it while I’m waiting for answers. :)

As I'm a bit of a newcomer when it comes to PC gaming I'll try my best to explain my situation. I bought a Minisforum HX99G not too long ago solely for gaming purposes and it's been running with seemingly no internal issues since I first booted it up. Specs below:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX with Radeon Graphics
RAM: 64GB 4800MHz
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6600M, 8GB of VRAM (Driver: AMD RADV 26.2.4)
Storage: 1TB SSD

Initially I had it running on SteamOS, mainly playing Elden Ring (the convergence mod) and Baldurs Gate 3. Elden Ring ran flawlessly, max settings at my monitor's resolution (1080p) and locked at 60fps no matter what I did. BG3 similarly ran fantastic but I ran into a power spike issue thats common with BG3 that caused the PC to restart itself constantly. Hoping to fix that (alongside just general SteamOS compatibility issues with a non-valve machine) I switched to Bazzite.

Since switching to Bazzite the BG3 issue has gone away entirely after just some tinkering with grahpical settings, now runs just fine. But the performance in Elden Ring has tanked noticeably... Only a couple of days ago it ran at 60fps on maxed settings without breaking a sweat, now I'm dropping the graphics to High/Medium and barely averaging ~45fps and even lower during combat. I tested both the Convergence mod as well as the Vanilla game and both performed the exact same, so the mod doesn't appear to be the issue. I have heard that Elden Ring's performance can be inconsistent at times but I feel like I should have more than enough power to get good performance regardless of my OS

The GPU and CPU usage according to MangoHud looks incredibly normal as well, all but identical to when I was using SteamOS and getting strong performance out of it

• GPU 65-70% / ~50°c / ~5gb vram
• CPU <30% / ~60°c / 8.5gb ram

I just can't seem to figure out for the life of me why the FPS has dropped so noticeably whilst everything else is seemingly performing at the exact same level. I'm no doubt missing something so if theres anymore info I should look for to help figure this out let me know, but any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

Very new to this world so I need some advice. I wanna run a little always-on home server, something to connect to my TV and download/stream movies, and also thinking of running some homebrew Spotify alternative off it.

Trying to keep this low cost, 2nd hand or aliexpress is fine with me. Any models or specs I should look out for?

Hey everyone!

First off, I want to preface this by saying I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to home servers. I've never set one up before and honestly don't even know where to start, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm looking to buy a mini PC to use as a dedicated home server, primarily for hosting modded Minecraft and potentially other games like Palworld in the future.

Right now, my main goal is to host an All the Mods 10 (ATM10) Minecraft server. Most of the time, it'll just be a friend and me, but I'd like it to comfortably support up to 5 players. Ideally, I'd want the server to run smoothly even as we progress further into the modpack and start building more automated farms, machines, and other resource-intensive setups.

My current budget is around $300, though I'm flexible if spending a little more would significantly improve performance or longevity.

Since I'm completely new to this, I'm not really sure what hardware I should look for or which specifications actually matter for hosting a modded Minecraft server. From the little research I've done, it seems like CPU performance and RAM are pretty important, but I'm not sure how much I'd realistically need for my use case.

I'd also prefer something relatively power-efficient that I could leave running 24/7, with the option to upgrade RAM or storage down the line. I'm open to buying used or refurbished mini PCs if they offer better value.

I'd love to hear what mini PCs or hardware configurations you guys would recommend for my budget. I'm also curious about how difficult it would be for someone with no experience to set up and manage a server like this. If anyone has beginner-friendly guides or resources they'd recommend, that would be awesome too.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Can pick this up for around €250 bare bones. Considering it for my home lab to initially host my home automation (Home Assistant) and some other bits and pieces.

I've been hunting for an N100/N150, but it's either impossible to find, or and available stock is pretty much at the same price point, perhaps slightly cheaper but not by much (EU, Ireland).

Any reason how this doesn't make sense?

I know the pre-loved market is probably better bang for buck, but let's park that for a second.

The aoostar maco ryzen 7 8845 barebone costs 280 euro
16gb ddr5 ram + 512gb ssd costs 150 eur, so total 430euro

I currently have a thinkpad l15 ryzen 7 pro 5850u, 16gb ram, 512 gb ssd

The thinkpad is enough for me, but the aoostar is more future proof in case prices keep increasing. So ive been thinking of selling the thinkpad and buying the aoostar, what do you think?

I would like to check the fan but unsure how to remove MB from case. I see 2 screws below the SSD. Are those the screws to remove?

Soldered ram usually has 6400mhz, while sodimm has 5600mhz. But if the ram fails then the whole pc is garabge. Is it better to buy barebone mini pcs?

Also what are your thoughts on buying from aliexpress? There are cheap brands like soyo. But the ram is soldered.

Im currently thinking of buying a barebone from either aoostar or minisforum.

But I could wait around half a year to a year before buying, but if the prices even for the barebones could increase, i would buy now. Do you think with new ryzen zen 7 cpus coming out, will prices for mini pcs decrease?

HI! i have a full PC on my desk currently and it taking up so much space, I want to see if I can buy one of those small square-looking ones similar to the mac book pro sqaures. these are my specs now and the only thing i do on my pc is light homework and sims, minecraft, and valorant. no video editing or photoshop.

RTX 3060 , ryzen 7 58000X , RM 750 X from Corsair , Samsung one terabyte PCI , Corsair vengeance 16 GB , cooler master ML240L , Asus prime B 55OMA Wifi amd am 4,

I’m wanting to help out my partners parents with a new computer and am thinking that a mini pc os the way to go to be able to get them a larger monitor than I can find on a laptop. I know the absolute bare minimum about computers and not how to build them. I’d like an amount of RAM that will be more than the need for now but enough to make it a long term machine for them. Processing wise they’ll be mostly using the web but insist on a Microsoft office suite so nothing intense. Just want browsing to feel zippy, big monitor and something simple without a lot of extra to break if that makes sense. Thank you all and appreciate the help

I understand how to compare the different specs between the two when considering performance. But I am curious about reliability? This mini PC will be left on 24hours a day 365 days a year as a home assistant "box".

Where I live the prices are:

Bosgame E3 NEO is 234 CAD ( 164 usd)

BEElink Mini S12 is 329Cad ( 230 usd)

Is it worth the extra 100 ( 70usd) bucks for the beelink? The bosgame has double the ram and double the storage........ but I dont really need it. I just want the most reliable choice.

Thoughts comments?

I'm 17 and I want to become a software engineer.

I need a pc to start but I can't afford a full PC because of the ram shortage so I'm thinking of purchasing a mini PC but they are kind of expensive so I thought of thin clients which one should I buy

PS. I'm thinking of install Linux mint XFCE so low spec recommendations are welcome. :)

Thanks 😊

I am currently using bios version 1.06 on my Reatan Alloy 9, downloaded from the Reatan drivers section back in June 2026. I looked today, and the Reatan drivers section has changed. now they list drivers for "A9" , and neither Alloy 9 or A9 show up on the Reatan shop anymore. I was directed to the "Hub-union" website, apparently the parent company for Reatan. They offer drivers for "A9" as well, but their shop lists an identical model to the Alloy 9, as "R9".

Anyways, I get that A9 can mean Alloy 9, and R9 can mean Alloy 9, and all of these are describing the same mini pc.

My question is, when i downloaded the "new" drivers from the Reatan site for the A9, it has a version 1.09 (CTO) bios updated in August 2025. I have in the past, just for fun and education, looked at the minisforum um790pro bios revision history, which is 1.09. Since both the Alloy 9 and the Um790 pro both use the same Um790pro motherboard, just a different case, it seems logical they would use the same bios, but i never tried to do that. Now the Reatan driver download has a 1.09 (cto) bios and the revision history follows the minisforum bios revision history, not the Reatan bios revision history in the 1.06. However, the Reatan 1.09 (CTO) revision history does list as the last revision that:

"BIOS Description:

1.Modify DMI MANUFACTURER to Shanghai Hongnian Industrial Co.,Ltd.

2.Modify DMI SKU to ALLOY9-7940HS-1

3.Add REATAN logo"

So does this mean that I can safely install this 1.09 (CTO) bios on my Reatan Alloy 9? If I install this bios, and turns out to be incorrect, is there a way to install the older 1.06 Reatan bios, that i do have the zip file backed up? Should I worry about the users that got a black screen after updating to 1.09 3 years ago? Is there even anything to be gained from "updating" my bios?

Here is a quick recap of what is in the new 1.09 (CTO) bios and the previously available 1.06 version

1.09(CTO)

*****************************************

* BIOS Release Notice *

*****************************************

Release Date:

2025/08/12

BIOS Version:

1.09 (CTO)

BIOS Checksum:

3155

BIOS Description:

1.Modify DMI MANUFACTURER to Shanghai Hongnian Industrial Co.,Ltd.

2.Modify DMI SKU to ALLOY9-7940HS-1

3.Add REATAN logo

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Release Date:

2023/11/20

BIOS Version:

1.09

BIOS Checksum:

84f7

BIOS Description:

1.Update PI 1.1.0.1a

2.Add UMA size of 16G selection

3.Fixup 5200 memory Can't use issue

4.Fixup IPU item control fail after PI 1.1.0.1a

-----------------------------------------------------------------

1.06

*****************************************

* BIOS Release Notice *

*****************************************

Release Date:

2024/01/09

BIOS Version:

1.06

BIOS Checksum:

08A5

BIOS Description:

1.Update PI 1.1.0.1a

2.Add UMA size of 16G selection

3.Fixup 5200 memory Can't use issue

4.Fixup IPU item control fail after PI 1.1.0.1a

5.Update new secure boot key

-----------------------------------------------------

Hey there,

I'm considering these two mini-PCs for a 24/7 home hub running Linux Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, Home Assistant (VM), local/offline voice control, Kodi/Jellyfin, and some other lightweight services.

Both have 16GB RAM, and I'm prioritizing reliability, quiet operation (I live in a small apartment), power efficiency, and Linux compatibility over raw performance.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's used either model, especially under Linux:

* Any stability issues, random shutdowns, overheating, or excessive fan noise?

* How's Linux compatibility (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, hardware acceleration, virtualization)?

* What RAM/SSD brands came installed, and have they been reliable?

* Would you recommend yours for continuous 24/7 operation?

I’m currently leaning towards the EQ14 as it’s cheaper, but I've read some people have had stability issues. The A5 is more expensive, so I'm wondering whether it's worth the premium price.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Hello,

I've been having issues with powering on my Minisforum UM773 Mini PC. PC Model

The power adapter's green light is coming on just fine when plugged in, but the blue light on the PC is not. No matter what I try. So far, I have unplugged everything from the PC and held down the power button for about 30-60 seconds, and did the same thing with the little reset button, inserting a safety pin. I suppose this is CMOS reset.

I have also tried different outlets around my house with no luck. So, lastly, I decided to open it up to check for burns, and any other abnormalities to the best of my ability.

I saw another post on here about a blemmish near the DC input. And I checked that as well. There seems to be something different, but my untrained eye cannot pick up very much. Maybe you guys can take a look at the pictures I have included?

I plan to take it in to a repair shop if necessary to get further advice. I'm afraid it's blown, but hopefully I can still retrieve my data, and I have heard that something could possibly be done with the PCB?

Anyways, I would appreciate the help!

I've got a Kamvan 13 for my daughters Christmas present what is the cheapest and best min pc that we could get her

I want to get a mini pc that doesn’t cost much more then £500 for gaming. I want to be able to play, Roblox, sims 4 & 2, Minecraft Java, maybe Fortnite and valorant and maybe be able to try out some other games. I want to find one that has 1tb of storage. I will only have one monitor. I’m not sure what mini pc to buy and if it even makes sense to buy a mini pc.

I don’t have enough space to have a normal pc this is why I want to buy a mini pc. Also I would most likely just use it for video games and streaming YouTube Netflix Disney. But mostly I would game on it and watch shows on my laptop or tablet.

I just got an external gpu (RTX 5060ti inside a razer core x 3 thinderbolt) but my mini pc (geekom a7 max) will not identify it under display adapters. Help pls