(Part 2) Best mini computers according to redditors

The Intel NUCs that have Iris graphics are supposed to be pretty decent. There'd only be one fan/moving part too.

Edit: because I'm a bit of a NUC fanboy, here are the two top of the line options. Note: these are barebones PCs, so bring your own OS, RAM, and M.2 SSD.

The gaming focused option, with a Discrete graphics card, an option of which was news to me.

The general option, with integrated graphics, which is the normal general focused form factor.

• Azule Access Plus
  
• AOC USB Monitor
  
• Paxcess 150-wh all-in-one
  
• iClever folding keyboard
  
• Uhuru mouse
  
  Nice setup. I have 2 of those AOC monitors and they are awesome. Here is a higher resolution one which I have on my wish list. I assume it would use more power. The AOCs I have came with the double USB cable, and some ports supply enough power with just 1, other times I need to plug into a second port. I have a couple ancient external USB CD drives that are the same way.
  
  

Building the PC yourself would not be a bad option.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Yxf8V6 it's not as difficult as you may think. The list I provided in the link gives you much higher quality parts than you would find in any prebuilt for a similar price. And would be significantly faster because of the SSD.

However if you insist on a prebuilt something like this would probably meet your needs. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CYF9YGF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jlHQCbRM4Z0VM

$120. Plus a hard drive and ram which maybe you can salvage or find cheap enough to stay under $200.

Gigabyte Intel Celeron J1900 Mini PC Barebone Components GB-BXBT-1900 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VBNSO8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WYviybDRX31D2

Yeah, I hear you. I would have probably gone for the nano had I heard about it 2 weeks ago. But omv is important for me. So I was just throwing out a similar SBC with a great Nas os that is roughly similar in price and specs.

Edit* are you sure we are talking about the same board? Mine was $35 + $5 shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/Libre-Computer-ROC-RK3328-CC-Renegade-Ethernet/dp/B078RSK46T

Best bet for around 100.

https://www.amazon.com/ACEPC-T8-x5-Z8350-Graphics-Computer/dp/B07D9YX3W6

Couple reviews mention putting ubuntu on it.

Have you thought about a NUC?

https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Celeron-Barebone-Components-GB-BXBT-1900/dp/B00VBNSO8U/ref=sr_1_14?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1465927569&sr=1-14&keywords=nuc&refinements=p_n_feature_four_browse-bin%3A1264444011.

With your build you could save some more, you picked an itx board for a microatx case, you could get a cheaper microatx board.

This should handle it. https://www.amazon.com/Firewall-Micro-Appliance-Gigabit-Intel/dp/B01H2QJTM4/ref=pd_sim_147_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01H2QJTM4&pd_rd_r=JJRHT65P6GQHAB05D1MS&pd_rd_w=1HkIJ&pd_rd_wg=nMaSX&psc=1&refRID=JJRHT65P6GQHAB05D1MS

MAYBE if you overclock it and give a fan for cooling, you might have better results but honestly, RPis, even 3B+, probably arent strong enough to transcode videos in acceptable qualities. If you want something in the form factor, you're better off looking into something like a NUC or something similar. You can even set up an old laptop or desktop computer. My first plex server was on a low powered Celeron and worked fine but an that arm processor just won't cut the mustard.

EDIT: As an side, that Pi is still useful for secondary services such as Sonarr, Radarr, Tautulli etc, just so the main PMS can focus on simply transcodes.

the first link isn't bad, but don't get the second link. The fx processors are old tech and not worth investing in. Stick with ryzen or intel processors.

this one has a better cpu and better gpu for the same price

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-i5675-A933BLU-PUS-Inspiron-Processor-Graphics/dp/B071ZZF7FY/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537987331&sr=1-3&keywords=desktop+ryzen+5

also, you should definitely get an SSD. Either purchase one separately and install windows 10 onto it, or buy a prebuilt that already has one.


this cpu is similar to the ryzen 5 1400, but also has 16gb of RAM and an SSD. It has less graphical power, but is still plenty good for running league of legends. Note -- it's a very small pc.

https://www.amazon.com/Desktop-Radeon-3000MHz-Windows-Computer/dp/B07665SPGW/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537987476&sr=1-11&keywords=desktop+ryzen+5+16gb+ram

similar to the above, but in a larger enclosure and only 8gb RAM. Would be easier to swap out parts in the future, given the larger case.

https://www.amazon.com/iBUYPOWER-Pro-Gaming-Desktop-PC/dp/B07CLMX2WP/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537987035&sr=8-6&keywords=desktop+ryzen+2400g

league of legends on vega 11 (ryzen 5 2400g CPUs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS4gmaOApT0

This is what I do. . .

I bought an Intel NUC 7, then put a 500GB SSD and 8GB of memory in it for a total of ~$250. Installed Fedora Linux and a docker instance of GitLab Community Server on it. I opened the ports on my router to access over the internet and signed up for and setup a Dynamic DNS service to be able to access it from anywhere.

I use this server as my main repository for anything important. . .development projects, photo albums, important documents, etc.. . and can now access those things from anywhere.

Most of the repositories without personal information are mirrored to GitLab as an offsite backup. Additionally, every night at midnight, the server archives and compresses everything and stores a backup on my NAS and on a 1TB external USB hard drive. Whenever I leave the house, the external hard drive goes with me. That was, should something happen to the house (fire, theft, or natural disaster). . .I still have everything that is important to me.

I may have about $400 into this whole system. . .and I use it for more than just this repository. (Media Server and long-running jobs)

Something like this might fit your requirements. It's a bit older/slower CPU than others have suggested, but is still a quad-core celeron, has 4x intel NICs, and only draws about 11 watts:

with ram/msata ssd - $359

without ram/ssd - $200

You're right, if you wanted to build a PC similar to [this very low-end gaming PC] (https://www.amazon.com/Lineage-Desktop-Pentium-GeForce-Computer/dp/B07665SPGW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1518282253&sr=1-1&keywords=gtx+1050+pc), priced at $529.99, you could go on PC part picker and pick the CHEAPEST component that matches that PC's specs

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel - Pentium G4400 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor | $53.19 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI - H110M PRO-VD PLUS Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $44.99 @ Amazon
Memory | Crucial - 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory | $83.89 @ OutletPC
Storage | Hitachi - Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $39.99 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB Video Card | $134.88 @ OutletPC
Case | DIYPC - Zondda-O ATX Mid Tower Case | $19.98 @ Newegg
Power Supply | CoolMax - 400W ATX Power Supply | $15.59 @ SuperBiiz
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $89.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $514.40
| Mail-in rebates | -$32.00
| Total | $482.40
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-02-10 12:06 EST-0500 |

AFTER mail-in rebate, and that's NOT including shipping, which some of those suppliers will charge. The only items on here that are prime eligible, are the hdd and motherboard, and the case is free shipping from newegg.

For completion's sake, I went ahead and calculated the shipping. OutletPC is charging 8.95 for all of it (super saver), and Superbiz is charging me 9.99 for UPS ground. Both are the cheapest options. That puts it at around $19, totaling at ~$501 after mail-in rebate, or ~$533 without mail-in rebate. The rest are from Superbiiz, or OutletPC. The PC, however, has a 3 year warranty, and free shipping. The parts I picked were the LOWEST priced items on pcpartpicker, which doesn't give me much confidence in it. Specially the PSU. Also, I'm quite sure if OP wants a processor like the G4400, though.

If you go one step higher though, a GTX 1050 TI (Just one step higher than a 1050), the cheapest one right now is around $214, and to buy a prebuilt is around $549. THAT i'm not sure if you could beat.


So yeah, if OP wants to get the lowest end entry gaming GPUs (rx 550, gtx 1050, gt 1030 if you want to count that), lowest end modern CPUs, and the absolute cheapest parts, then sure, he can build a cheaper one, IF he does the mail-in rebates. Anything above that though, good luck.

As far as just running shadow goes, I'm using a $150 fanless microcomputer and I've been using it fine for months, now. It works just fine.

You can get a full Windows 10 computer in a "stick" format.

https://www.amazon.com/Azulle-1063-AAP-1-Access-Cherry-storage/dp/B01MA52B9L/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1511164352&sr=8-9&keywords=windows+stick

I picked up an atom based micro PC that runs Linux decently well for $80 the other day.

it's as small as my android-tv box's and a lot easier to get Linux on.

apparently it can come in an Android version as well.

Fanless Mini PC,Intel x5-Z8350 HD...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9YX3W6


it took a few tweaks to get WiFi working.

for the total costs, it was cheaper than a Pi4 setup.

I would look at a newer/better version however.

I'm in the same boat as you, minus the already subbed. I've been looking around for cheap mini PCs that I couod slap to the back of a TV/monitor. I've been scouring the threads about what the minimum standards are CPU/RAM wise so I don't buy a cheap pc that's too cheap. The ghost won't be out for another 3 weeks, and since you've already subbed, wasting that time/money ain't the best strat.

My findings are something like this:

For $130 - Mini PC,ACEPC T11 Windows 10 Pro Mini Desktop Computer,Intel Atom Z8350,4GB Ram/32GB ROM,Support 4K/Dual WiFi

Or for $120

It has the gigabit ethernet port. It has dual band wifi. Enough ram to handle basic shit. Enough power to output 4k comfortably. 2 or 3 USB 2.0 ports, a 3.0 port, VGA, HDMI, microSD and, what made me pick this one over the other ones like it, support for a 2.5" drive caddy. That plus a $30 180GB SSD, makes it a perfect TV box.

This is essentially what I'm going to do. I'm also going to look at touch screen portable monitors (170 for a 15 inch), powerbank with AC outlet (100 bucks) and a mobile wifi Hotspot (60 bucks). That would give me a 15 inch tablet (albeit clunky af) with the power of a $2000 gaming rig literally anywhere for around 600 bucks.

Strem.io supports iOS and Android. cfbstreams appears to use acestreams which supports Android.

You could get something with a J4105 processor. Like the Gigabyte ultra compact PC. That should have 4k video support, I don't know how acestream nor strem.io might handle it. Other than the 4k support the processor is a little more powerful than your ZOTAC box. It's also available in a lot of barebones boxes on amazon and elsewhere.

The Intel g4560 is around twice as powerful. It also has 4k video support with one addition video feature of 10 bit hevc decoding. If you can get the barebones box and cpu (do these ship with coolers) at the prices /u/NycAlex estimates then it costs more; ram is the same on either box and you have everything else. This box also supports twice as many 2.5" drives with room for two. The downside is that this box will use roughly twice as much power; 110 watt psu vs 40 watt psu (for the gigabyte box I linked). It's not that big of a downside, the power consumption is very low with either of these devices.

4k video support on either of these devices will be software dependent. They don't have the power to decode 4k without utilizing their hardware acceleration so software must support it to decode 4k video. The hardware acceleration is called Intel Quick Sync Video.

As an IT professional, I highly disagree. This machine, at 13 years old, shouldn't be in use and should be trashed. This looks like a work computer. A business should swap to new computers every 4-5 years.

>it's still faster than a lot of the Black Friday Specials with Atoms or Celerons and passive cooling.

No one uses Atom processors in PCs anymore. I looked into your statement.

Here's one of the cheapest Celeron PCs on Amazon; https://www.amazon.com/AK1-Windows-Processor-Computer-Ethernet/dp/B07D77W8CZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1541530153&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=intel+celeron+desktop&psc=1

​

This modern Celeron processor processor is 187% faster than a Pentium D. Do you honestly think a Pentium D processor, from 13 years ago, would be better than any modern processor?

https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-D-266GHz-vs-Intel-Celeron-J3455/m4781vsm200485

​

Edit, the Pentium D I reference is from 2014. Imagine a processor from 2005.

That's what I would do. LOL. Actually, it is in fact what I did. And the cost is nominal. Well, as compared to the cost of the DP itself, it was just $130 more for Pianoteq STAGE. I got the Steingraeber pack as an extra item because I liked the sound, but you don't need that - Pianoteq already comes with a soundpack when you get the base software. Downside is that in my case, I use it all the time, so it is inconvenient to run on my MacBook the Pianoteq software, so I got a mini-PC to dedicate to it that I refer to as my 'piano PC'. Since my 'piano PC' has a monitor & wireless keyboard, I use it for showing scores too, instead of using my tablet. So I have a permanent inexpensive Win10 PC dedicated to my piano for various purposes including score showing scores, instructional videos, watching Youtube demos, etc. I also have some speakers and headphone I use for my Pianoteq. However, I've heard of people putting the Pianoteq sound back into the FP30 to go out via the FP30's internal speakers. I am not interested in that so I never bother to follow up on how to do that. The FP30 internal speakers are cheesy compared to the ones I am using now for Pianoteq. You'll also need one standard printer cable (normal USB connector on one end, printer connector on the other end) to use for MIDI and then everything just works.

EDIT: BTW, I'm discussing my specific setup with someone else on another thread here.

I do have the Plex Pass, so HW transcodes are doable. Unfortunately I use my server also as my main client, so I do need video output. I've considered splitting off the two and just using the new HTPC as the server, but one reason I want to replace the Mini is because the client is even loading slow sometimes (a 9-year old 5400 rpm drive and a 2ghz core2duo will do that...), posters slow to come in, menu scrolling is not as smooth as I'd like, etc.

Would this 8i7 fit the bill perhaps? https://www.amazon.com/Intel-BOXNUC8i7BEH1-Canyon-Components-Other/dp/B07GX69JQP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540926247&sr=8-2&keywords=8th+generation+intel+nuc

For the Plex db alongside installs and software installs, would 128GB be enough for an ssd? Or 256 a better option? The Mini has the original 120GB HDD and I'm nowhere near full, So I'd think 128 is good. I've used Samsung evos in the past, could put a m.2 nvme drive in that NUC I linked.

It’s this one

Fanless Mini PC,Intel x5-Z8350 HD Graphics Mini Computer,Windows 10 64-bit,DDR3L 2GB/32GB eMMC/4K/2.4G/5G WiFi/BT 4.2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9YX3W6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EOkVDbADE9QZE

Not going to get much for that price but here goes
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M24W77N/ref=psdc_13896591011_t1_B017J20D8U
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WWKDT2/ref=psdc_13896591011_t1_B01M24W77N

Well without knowing the rest of your required specs you could try something like this

I would def reiterate that he is getting ripped off, tell him he can get a much faster PC for the same price or even longer sub to RD

or if he is deadset on a prebuilt save almost 50% for something beefier

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WWKDT2//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=apc2017-20&linkId=71b17bff2d36b47be532928c40b90fb0&sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1

There are a few. I have a few of these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MA52B9L/
IIRC, the Ethernet is only 100Mbit but should be more than enough for Shadow. I haven’t tried it but the fact you can pick a bitrate, you should have no issue.

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC-Mainstream-Kit-NUC8i5BEK/dp/B07GX4X4PW

I use the ChromeBox (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CLQZHF9/) flashed with UEFI (https://mrchromebox.tech/#devices). I then use the FLIRC (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MS2V7GM/) to get IR for the remote (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X16D9YJ/). On the actual ChromeBox, I run LibreeELEC (https://libreelec.tv). You can then access the box via SSH.
It is also possible to install a full-blown OS (Linux, Windows, whatever) if you like the added bloat! With just LibreEELEC, it boots (UEFI) in a couple of seconds!

I ended up purchasing one of these: Firewall Appliance from Protectli

I'm supposed to have 1GB from Spectrum but have never seen speeds over 850MB even when directly connected.

I have 39 clients on my network at present moment.

Packages installed: Darkstat, pfBlockerng (Dev), Suricata (only inspecting at this time), ntopng, Syslog-ng, and arpwatch.

I'm extremely happy with my purchase as there seems to be plenty of power when I need it (4K streaming from Plex server) and can handle multiple services (vSphere/Docker homelabs).

Firewall Info

​

​

Sorry for my delayed response too - this got lost in the pile so to speak. I loaded my Amazon cart up with $4,200 worth of goodies to save so I can link some options for you. Now, you're not going to get around having both the AGA cable and a TB3 cable going to your laptop. What you can do, however, is combine the electronics of the TB3 enclosure and the AGA into a small to mid size tower chassis if you don't want two separate boxes on your desk. There's pros and cons to that and it's a lot of work and takes a bit of skill but it's been done.

​

I'll break these down into two categories: enclosures that support a GPU and those that do not. The main difference is a) size and b) PSU capacity. If you went the route of hacking both the AGA and TB3 into the same enclosure you'd negate both of those and gain some extra flexibility.

​

GPU Capable:

1. HP Omen Accelerator. This is a fantastic device with unique styling. Not only does it support a larger than typical GPU but it has a slot for a 2.5" SATA drive, onboard gigabit NIC, 4x USB 3.1 Type A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 500W power supply. This is a personal favorite of mine but tends to be pricy - currently on sale for $230 from $300 HP Omen Accelerator
   
2. Asus ROG XG Station 2. This also has unique styling but has a smaller footprint than the HP Offering. 600W power supply, onboard gigabit NIC, 4x USB 3.0. Way overprice at current listing for $549 Amazon
   
3. Razer Core X. 650W PSU, No extra connectivity $299 on Amazon
   
4. Akitio Node Pro- Compact size designed for portability - it has a carry handle on top. 500W PSU, Display Port for adding an extra monitor, and extra TB3 port for daisy chaining. $321 on Amazon
   
   Not GPU Capable - these are all much smaller in size
   
   
5. Akitio Node Lite - Display Port for adding an extra monitor, and extra TB3 port for daisy chaining $210 on Amazon
   
6. Startech TB3 Expansion Chassis - Display Port for adding an extra monitor, and extra TB3 port for daisy chaining $237 Amazon
   
7. OWC Mercury Helios 3 - Display Port for adding an extra monitor, and extra TB3 port for daisy chaining $199 Amazon plus 15% off coupon
   
8. Sonnet Echo Express - extra TB3 for daisy chaining, $199 Amazon
   
9. Sonnet Echo Express-III-D - This is a beast! It has 3 PCIe 3.0 slots which offers some pretty interesting possibilities especially for someone that works with lots of large video files. This one might also support a GPU. Has extra TB3 for daisy chaining, $899 on Amazon
   
10. Magma ExpressBox 3T - This also has 3 PCIe slots $999 OneStopSystems or $1099 Amazon
    
    ​
    
    I don't have any of these but I sure wish I did. Hope this helps...took a while to put together this list! The expensive units with the 3 extra PCI slots would allow you to add in extra NVME drives - either Intel's PCIe slot based drives or standard M.2 PCIe drives on a riser card. EIther would do the trick. I don't know how much data you work with but this would also allow you to add in 10gig ethernet to high speed data transfer to network attached storage or to add in a SAS / SATA controller and have an external storage array. This would allow you to have dozens of terabytes of high speed and data redundant storage.

Based on your later posts -

I currently use a mid-2012 Mac Mini does perfectly fine. I do not really push it though, and most of my streaming is local.

I also use a NUC (one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GX69JQP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) and use it to stream remotely. Works very well. I just streamed a 1080p movie remotely over the weekend to a Firestick and it looked like we were at home. I don ;t think the machine broke a sweat.

Occasionally, the Akitio Node Pro pops back in stock on Amazon. It might be a good enclosure to drop your 1070 in.

As for a laptop, you'll want to pick one out with Thunderbolt 3 as a necessity. What other uses do you want to use your laptop for besides gaming? Have you checked out or asked on /r/SuggestALaptop/?

Um I'm not sure I am following I don't think the nuc comes with 4 GB of ram. The one I recommended was:

• Intel NUC 8 Mainstream Kit (NUC8i3BEH) - Core i3, Tall, Add't Components Needed for $315.00
  
• [Crucial 8GB Single DDR4 2400 MT/S (PC4-19200) SR x8 SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT8G4SFS824A] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BIWKP58/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1) for $29.95
  
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus Series - 250GB PCIe NVMe - M.2 Internal SSD (MZ-V7S250B/AM) This is a 250GB NVMe m.2 SSD that would be used as the boot drive to install windows and any other software including Office 365 etc. (Recommended because it will make the system run fast as well as the 250GB is more cost effective vs. 128GB model at cost/GB) for $72.99
  
• WD Blue 1TB Mobile Hard Drive - 5400 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 128 MB Cache, 2.5" - WD10SPZX to be used as an internal storage drive for all of your files (docs, photos, music, videos, etc) that are currently on the 3.5" drive. for $47.42
  These are the main components since you have a bluetooth mouse/keyboard already. for a system cost of $465.36
  
  Then the accessories would include:
  
  
• Sabrent USB 3.0 to SATA I/II/III Dual Bay External Hard Drive Docking Station for 2.5 or 3.5in HDD, SSD with Hard Drive Duplicator/Cloner Function for $35.00
  
• If you go with cables for your current monitors you can get 1x VGA to HDMI cable, 1x USB-C to DisplayPort connector dongle and 1x DP to DVI cable
  
  or if you decide to go with monitors with current connections either DP or HDMI in which scenario you'd need 1x USB-C to DP cable and 1x HDMI cable
  
  Or if you went with just 1 34" Ultrawide you'd only need either 1x USB-C to DisplayPort or HDMI cable or 1x HDMI cable.
  
  The only thing I recommend if you go with new monitors is to invest in IPS panels over TN or VA panels because they are higher quality and last longer.
  
  Does that clarify things a bit for you?

Good to here you have to a plan for emergencies.

I have proxmox 5.4 running, planing to upgrade in the next weeks to version 6. The browser UI could be better and initially you only have a root account are my two negative points about it. Other than that it just works and I'm really enjoying that. I can focus more on the vm's and use my time to learn something new.

The CI549 is more expensive than the NUC counterpart (i5-7300u CPU) https://www.digitec.ch/de/s1/product/intel-nuc-dawson-canyon-nuc7i5dnk2e-intel-core-i5-7300u-hdmi-usb-30-typ-a-barebone-7007960

And due to the passive cooling you will see more throttling from the cpu. However the Zotac is more than capable of running what you plan and even more.

I could not meet my requirements with a NUC when I got the Zotac.

These were

• passive cooling (can be achieved with a different case https://www.digitec.ch/de/s1/product/akasa-plato-x-ucff-intel-nuc-ucff-pc-gehaeuse-5715901)
  
  
• dual NICs (possible with a usb3 adapter, not really my taste)
  
  
• thunderbolt (I had a stupid idea back then)
  
  I also looked at devices like this https://www.amazon.com/Firewall-Appliance-Gigabit-Celeron-AES-NI/dp/B07G9NHRGQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=pfsense&qid=1566940069&s=gateway&sprefix=pfsen&sr=8-1
  
  My next device will most probably be a custom build 1U tiny server with dual NICs, Raid1 SSDs but that is still far in the future.

I'm talking about something like these two when you search minipcs on Amazon.

PEPPER JOBS GLK-UC2X Unlocked Intel N4100 Mini PC with Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) [Upgradeable/4GB/64GB/Dual-Band Wi-Fi/Gigabit Ethernet/Triple 4K 60Hz outputs/Dual USB-C]. Sold Directly by Pepper Jobs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MZS2QNN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mvzsDbNBSY9FJ

ACEPC AK1 Mini PC, Windows 10 (64-bit) Intel Celeron Apollo Lake J3455 Processor(up to 2.3GHz) Desktop Computer,4GB DDR3/64GB eMMC,2.4G+5G Dual WiFi,Gigabit Ethernet,BT 4.2,4K https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D77W8CZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2DzsDb7ZDGZT6

Why don’t you search on amazon for “mini pc” and put your max range. Just one example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CJFZ1NL/

I've been looking into more pc stuff for vanlife, I'm considering getting this pc stick and this usb monitor. Total price about $260. From what I can gather, they both run off 5 volts, with the pc stick using 3-5 watts and the monitor using 8 watts. With my power supply outputting 5v/3a it should have no problem.. but I'm a little wary of it not working. I haven't been able to find anyone online using those 2 in combo, so I might have to be the first to test it.

If it does work though, it'll be great! Then I can have an energy efficient Windows 10 station, which will let me do Unity Game dev on it (can't do this on Android)!

Stick/Fan-Less PC for PSX & PSP Emulation

Hello all, I am looking for a Stick PC to emulate PSX & PSP gaming.

My stick of choice is the Azulle A-1063-AAP-1 Access Plus. However, the feedback I received is that it has a low-end chip set and is therefore unsuitable for my scope.

Having said so, I understand that probably no stick pc is capable to go all out as explained in Simply Austin's PlayStation 1 Ultimate Emulator Guide - MAX SETTINGS! video.

So, what is your take on this?
What hardware would I require in order to avoid building a good gaming rig? If need be I would also consider fan-less (box-type) sets.

I borrowed the idea from Toasty Bros' Azulle-sponsored video.

The Operating Systems of choice are either Lakka (as per sponsored video linked above) or DietPi with Retroarch layered on top.

Thank you all for your input.

We use these quite a little bit. Usually running large displays but it should work for your purpose.

I use this one for a HTPC and it does 4K under Kodi without breaking a sweat:

https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-Compact-Graphics-Component-GB-BLCE-4105/dp/B07DMM7Z7N

Even when adding RAM+SSD, you can be staying sub-$200 or at least not much over if you shop around.

From your tasks, the only time you'll notice it's not an Intel-Core-i will be during compiling but unless you're building your own kernels this, too, will be fine.

No transcoding video streams on this machine either (at least I wouldn't count on it, haven't tried it).

for that price, just get a barebones mini PC from Amazon.

Here's one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MZS2QNN/ref=psdc_13896591011_t3_B07SNRRL1J

EDIT: here's an even better deal: https://www.amazon.com/NUC6CAYH-Quad-Core-Bluetooth-Support-Professional/dp/B07C82Q2T5

https://www.amazon.com/Desktop-Radeon-3000MHz-Windows-Computer/dp/B07665SPGW


I highly recommend buying this. This itself is cheaper than most diy builds in this thread, and I only recommend 32GB for a workstation. You should really stick with 16GB.

Something with an Apollo Lake Celeron has an IGP and are pretty cheap.

ACEPC AK1 Mini PC, Windows 10 (64-bit) Intel Celeron Apollo Lake J3455 Processor(up to 2.3GHz) Desktop Computer,4GB DDR3/64GB eMMC,2.4G+5G Dual WiFi,Gigabit Ethernet,BT 4.2,4K https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D77W8CZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CZzCCb3QMYHWC

And if you don't want to run it on the pc since it takes to much power. You can buy a small computer and setup Xampp on it. https://www.amazon.com/Z83-F-Fanless-Silent-Desktop-1-92GHz/dp/B07CJFZ1NL?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_6

I've been sitting here for a few minutes now considering this, and I genuinely don't know what the best way to do this is.

​

First thought: You'd need to build a full HTPC with a pretty good video card to drive 5 TVs. That seems pretty expensive. Probably min $600-800. So let's go to idea 2.

​

Second thought: Streaming sticks. In theory, with enough streaming services and and HDHomeRun, you could handle this really easily... except depending on your wifi you may start saturating things pretty quickly.

​

Third idea: Raspberry Pis. As long as you are only using HDHomeRun and PSVue, you could run Kodi on all those Pis, plug each one into a gigabit switch, and everything would work great. If you are depending on services not available in Kodi though, this wouldn't work.

​

Fourth idea: Cheap wintel boxes! https://www.amazon.com/ACEPC-T8-x5-Z8350-Graphics-Computer/dp/B07D9YX3W6?keywords=windows+stick+ethernet&qid=1540840765&sr=8-18&ref=sr_1_18 Each one of these is about $100 and already comes with Windows and can theoretically play 4k content. They also have ethernet. Plug them all into a gigabit switch. Install Synergy (a mouse and keyboard sharing program) on all the devices, so a single mouse can control them all. Profit.

​

You can also accomplish the same thing with Fire TV Cubes (current version with ethernet). Except there you'll need 5 different remotes. It's also slightly more expensive. https://www.amazon.com/Fire-TV-Cube-hands-free-with-Alexa-and-4K-Ultra-HD-and-All-New-Alexa-Voice-Remote/dp/B0791T9CV7?keywords=fire+tv&qid=1540841484&sr=8-5&ref=sr_1_5

​

Each of these ways would probably be pretty fun and impressive for friends.

​

Edit: Just saw the goal of being able to also stream audio to a receiver. No problem. Grab the audio out from either the TV or device depending on what you are using. Pull it all into a 5 channel mixer. Send that to your receiver. For e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M68UK38/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01M68UK38&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=YMRFG6VP060T8G9TPEZT&pd_rd_wg=o8OkC&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=VothI&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=f5532ae8-dbb2-11e8-9a6a-33a8eee8b3d9

​

At this point, you could probably start charging for beer and popcorn.

Amazing listing: https://www.amazon.com/Intel-BOXNUC8i7BEH1-Canyon-Components-Other/dp/B07GX69JQP/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540160019&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=nuc8i7beh&dpPl=1&dpID=31B3TRtWvbL&ref=plSrch

Bought mine from Newegg about a month ago.

Amazon.

I bought one of these last year and haven't looked back.

Firewall Micro Appliance With 4x Gigabit Intel LAN Ports, 8GB RAM / 120GB mSATA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2QJTM4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rIQnzbRNH0ECR

Why not put together something like this?


https://www.amazon.com/Fanless-Desktop-Computer-x5-Z8350-Processor/dp/B07F1MM92S/ref=zg_bs_13896591011_17?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KWRZWRVQA6JC6D195RW0

​

Just slap whatever SSD you want in it. Its fanless so no moving parts the PC should last years for the low low cost.

​

Slap some double sided velcro to it and attach it to the bottom of a switch, wall or right to a small rack. Simple and easy. Just test and make sure you can turn it on remotely or your cleint's have access to push the power button should it lose power.

I'd probably recommend getting an Intel NUC8i7HNK or if you can afford the extra, the Intel NUC8i7HVK if you truly want something in the same size range as a Mac Mini.

Intel NUC8i7HNK @ $998.17 or Intel NUC8i7HVK @ $1153.35

Crucial 16GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM @ $173.00

Crucial 500GB MX500 M.2 SATA SSD @ $108.99

Total : $1280.16 for the NUC8i7HNK, $1435.34 for the NUC8i7HVK.

The Mac Mini has a volume of 1.38L, the Intel NUCs have a volume of 1.22L (technically smaller than a Mac Mini). If you take the other suggestions here, the In-Win Chopin has a volume of 4.45L^1, the Silverstone SG13 has a volume of 11.45L, the Raijintek Metis Plus has a volume of 13.37L, and the Raijintek Ophion EVO has a volume of 18.92L. It should also be noted that the In-Win Chopin cannot take a GPU, as it has no space for any PCIe cards.

1. In-Win inexplicably advertises this chassis as 3.3L, but the dimensions are 244x84x217mm, which is 4.45L.

your requirements are very low these days. if you build your pc yourself you can save money because some prebuilts will be far more powerful than you need in some areas and lacking in others. you might save a lot of money on a prebuilt that has a for example decent processor and memory but end up with some not-so-good components like PSU, case, motherboard, cooling and upgradability. down the line you might regret not building your own

here's a parts list that will exceed your requirements by about 30%: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2hvmBb EDIT: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/JPPdfH - edit info at the bottom of this post

you can get 80fps in borderlands 2 with a gt 1030 so if you want to cut about 30-40 bucks off this list don't hesitate to go with a GT 1030 GDDR5 video card (NOT DDR4)

you could find a 366USD prebuilt acer with an i3-8100 and similar specs in it (how do they even make profit), but the case it comes with has such bad cooling that i would never recommend putting a graphics card above 65 watts in it. plus, it'll be an absolute pain to work with when removing/adding components and its PSU wattage is a little low. not sure about PSU brand quality so that's another unsure thing. lastly the motherboard BIOS will limit you if you ever want to tinker with things in the future. it also comes with no SSD: https://www.amazon.com/Acer-TC-885-ACCFLi3-Desktop-i3-8100-802-11ac/dp/B07CYF9YGF

this is probably a similar situation: https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-Business-Quad-Core-Bluetooth/dp/B07GVJK6FH

remember, these have no video cards

here's one with great specs though for a price lower than my parts list: https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-580-023w-i5-7400-Graphics/dp/B077S27YLP

again i'll be wondering if the cooling on this thing will throttle the gpu a bit. note this has no ssd

​

EDIT: changed B360 to H370, adds more PCIe lanes and more than one system fan header. if you go with the B360 you'll need to buy a PWM fan splitter cable: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/pQPzK8/silverstone-technology-all-black-sleeved-1-to-2-sleeved-pwm-fan-splitter-cable-cpf01

Is this the i7 version of it? Is the i7 version worth it? I don't mind spending an extra 100$ or around 500$-700$ total as long as it can be used as a normal desktop. For comparison, I have a 750ti and an i5-4670. As long as it is better than the current setup, I don't mind spending a bit more. Does it also support dual monitor?

Edit: woops, I replied before seeing your edit. So is the i7 not worth it for the price? Or do you mean that it is not a necessary upgraded if not needed?

Those are motherboards that output usb type C.

I'm looking for a mini PC powered by USB type C PD.

For example: PEPPER JOBS GLK-UC2X Unlocked Intel N4100 Mini PC with Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) [Upgradeable/4GB/64GB/Dual-Band Wi-Fi/Gigabit Ethernet/Triple 4K 60Hz outputs/Dual USB-C]. Sold Directly by Pepper Jobs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MZS2QNN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fEg5CbSYXSDFD

That does it. But looking for faster system.

other mini pc choice from Intel

Intel NUC 8 Performance-G Kit (NUC8i7HNK) - Core i7 65W

8th Gen Intel Core i7-8705G with Radeon RX Vega M graphics

Intel's smallest NUC that is powerful enough for extreme content creation & AAA gameplay

Radeon RX Vega M GL graphics, 931 MHz – 1011 MHz

Supports up to 6 displays with fantastic expansion

And connectivity; front and rear HDMI ports, 2 mini DisplayPorts, 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and 7 USB ports

https://www.amazon.ca/Intel-NUC8-Core-Gaming-BOXNUC8i7HNK1/dp/B07BR3HCZ3

Price only CAD 1,016

I would get a Chromebox for that purpose (https://www.amazon.com/CHROMEBOX-3-N017U-Intel-Celeron-Graphics/dp/B07CLQZHF9/) and put it in the lectern with a small preview monitor, keyboard, mouse, and USB extender that users can plug into. It will let you open most file types and get to web pages, but since it's on the Chrome image, it'll be far less susceptible to viruses and need less upkeep.

Amazon prebuilts with good cpu (for desktop stuff) , good ram (hell, I have 4gb and it allows me to open a lot of tabs, they will love the ammount of stuff they can have open at a time), and enough HDD. Wifi too. Windows installed. 370 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-TC-885-ACCFLi3-Desktop-i3-8100-802-11ac/dp/B07CYF9YGF/

Monitor, 1080p 60hz (those sweet 1080p 60 fps YT videos). 80 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009POS0GS/

Overall 450 dollars.

Much better value than the Mac Mini:

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-BOXNUC8i3BEH1-Canyon-Components-Other/dp/B07GX4X4PW/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540934195&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=8th+gen+i3+nuc

​

Pop in 1x8GB RAM with room for 8GB more possibly later and a Samsung 860 or 970 EVO depending on how fast you want it to be and your budget. The 7th Gen i3 is also fine. MacOS is not worth the premium. Linux Mint is excellent.

It's easier than you think.

Hardware:


Motherboard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078RSK46T/ref=twister_B078RMNJJD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Hard drives: 2x Western Digital 8tb usb 3

Power supply and case are for raspberry pi

Software:


I mostly followed this guy's video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY5PSAhjD2s I never had to plug a monitor directly into the server. I access it through a web browser, navigating to its local IP address.

Here ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/openmediavault/files/OMV%204.x%20for%20Single%20Board%20Computers/ ) are the iso's for various motherboards that you write directly to a microSD card with this program: https://etcher.io. I used OMV_4_Renegade.img.xz for this board.

rsnapshot is a plugin that works out of the box with the default OMV installation. I have my primary drive hooked up to usb 3 and the backup usb 2. You can choose how many backups to store simultaneously. I have hourly up to 24, then daily up to 1 week, then weekly up to 1 month, etc. The nice part is that it only physically stores 1 copy of each file per version so it quickly fill up the backup drive with files that are the same hour to hour.

I get 60-100 megabytes per second transfer rate on my gigabit LAN and the system with 2 drives consumes about 32 watts.

Maybe get a cheap mini computer that runs windows or hell even chrome. You can get a simple Android device with built in HDMI and hook it to the TV. I know that's extra cost up front though but it may be worth it to you especially in the long run.

Here is a 100 dollar windows based mini PC on Amazon.

ACEPC T8 Fanless Mini PC,Intel x5-Z8350 HD Graphics Desktop Computer,Windows 10 64-bit,DDR3L 2GB/32GB eMMC/4K/Built-in WiFi/BT 4.0 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9YX3W6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_j92zCbWQVFG64

This next one is Android based and with the contour app you can watch any channel you subscribe to as long as you are on your home Internet. Also all free on demand options you can access through the app as well.

NextD Android Mini PC with Top Specs [4K, Android 7.1, S912 Octa-Core, 3GB/32GB, 2.4/5G WiFi+BT] + Unique NextD Remote App Enabling Mouse/Keyboard, MultiTouch, Motion Inputs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CLDGZ3Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7.2zCbGWMSPKR


No idea if either of these are good, I just searched Amazon and shared the link here for the first 100 dollar ones I saw. So if you buy one of these two I posted and it's garbage don't blame me. I searched mini Windows computer and mini Android computer.

Hi, I'm looking to start writing again and I move between the office, my condo, and family quite often. Each place I have a TV, and a monitor set up, and rarely find myself sitting in a cafe anymore to do any writing so I was thinking about getting a pocket/mini PC in the 100$ range. I would also be able to find local librariers and plug in there if I wanted.

I have so far narrowed it down to these two items:
Mini portable PC that plugs directly into HDMI
Mini PC that has an expandable SSD/HDD slot

They are also both 4k and capable of doing some streaming which would be a nice addition. Any suggestions would be helpful on lifespan, or any suggestions on better devices in the same price range.

https://smile.amazon.com/Intel-Machine-NUC8i7HVK-Radeon-Graphics/dp/B07BR3HCZ3/
or
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07BR5GK1V/

2 x https://smile.amazon.com/Crucial-Single-PC4-21300-SODIMM-260-Pin/dp/B071KNKBQ1/

https://smile.amazon.com/Crucial-MX500-500GB-2280SS-Internal/dp/B077SQ8J1V/

or you can get inwin chopin and put amd 2400g in it

I actually didn't even know about a shortage mate.

Intel NUC7 Pentium Mini PC Kit (BOXNUC7PJYH1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C9GF256/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZJIRDbQXMAZ1F

Here is the source

I use this for remote users to host pfSense and create an openVPN tunnel. Works well. https://www.amazon.com/Firewall-Appliance-Gigabit-Celeron-AES-NI/dp/B07G9NHRGQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=protectili&qid=1573162367&sr=8-1-spell

Was looking at this one wondering if thus would be good for two maybe three streams. 1080p quality. Maybe 4K?

I wish I did that before I purchased this. It still randomly disconnects, so I'm going to return it. I highly recommend this site and I ended up settling on this eGPU enclosure which is $40 cheaper than the Lenovo Graphics Dock and will accommodate my 980TI nicely.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VBNSO8U

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YG8X9Y

This should do the trick. You have to buy the RAM and HDD, but it should still be below 200, and can go as far as running Gamecube games poorly, so N64 shouldn't give you any problems. If you're going to do PSX, you'll probably wanna stick with like Mednafen so the games run smoothly. I don't use Retroarch, but I imagine there are tutorials for booting directly to that if you wanted to use this as a plug-n-play kind of device, and I know Kodi supports Launchbox and there are definitely ways to boot to Kodi.

If that one runs out of stock and you're impatient, you could also get this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KR0QHXW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YG8X9Y

Same story as the other one.

I purchased this for my clients needing a vpn solution. It gets hot tho but no issues other than that.

https://www.amazon.com/Firewall-Appliance-Gigabit-Celeron-AES-NI/dp/B07G9NHRGQ/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-cGZzZW5zZQ%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&crid=DCLRNPRDYC3H&keywords=pfsense&pd_rd_i=B07G9NHRGQ&pd_rd_r=54179ad1-2f75-4b8d-9ace-6a5365cee683&pd_rd_w=1ulEO&pd_rd_wg=cjndg&pf_rd_p=2938a786-9bec-4d37-8c06-456e3edce5d1&pf_rd_r=JX9AXG2VPSH0HNPVYARB&psc=1&qid=1570047059&s=gateway&sprefix=pfsense%2Caps%2C135

This Mini PC runs it perfectly but I'm sure there are lower spec ones that will also work.

> Their most rigorous use consists of four chrome tabs consisting of banking, email, and two youtube

If that's true, then they don't need a Windows PC with all of the associated headaches related to updates, viruses, etc. All they need is a $260 Chromebox. Yeah, building a SFF PC would be cooler for you, but that's not what they actually need.

Good luck, I'm running on one of these if the VM idea doesn't fix your NIC issue.

It does, thank you. When I looked at the specs on the link you sent it seemed to have HDD and RAM included, but that would be waaaay too cheap for what's listed on it (HERE). It just seems like it may incorrect?

Something like a Gigabyte BXBT might be an option : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00VBNSO8U

Here was my shopping list,

-PCIe eGPU enclosure for the WiGig card

-Thunderbolt3 (active) cable

-Vive Wireless Adapter with Vive Pro addon

-Spare battery with 20000mAh Qualcomm QC 3.0


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077YCR5LC

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H5QF1GO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0X3NL5

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GKHNBCT

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GY7JZP4



I read about 2 dozen posts around the internet covering the topic of using the wireless adapter with external configurations for laptops. Many people had mixed results and I was hesitant to try it myself but I needed to figure out if it was possible regardless since there wasn't any clear answers.


I ordered the items that made the most sense to me in terms of price and quality. The eGPU enclosure I got was the most attractive and had a carry handle which I liked considering my intended use for this setup was going to be mobile. I went with an active Thunderbolt 3 cable due to the fact that it "should" in theory provide a better signal from the eGPU to the laptop. Finally, I got a spare battery based on the reviews that said the included HTC battery didn't last long and took forever to recharge. The battery I got was recommended by others in the reviews who said they had a Vive Wireless kit.


Once I got all the items I did the setup and fired up the Vive. Right off the bat it worked perfectly. With that said, some of the mixed reviews I was seeing from others trying the eGPU setup had commented on FPS stuttering/lag when moving your head and I did experience this slightly although it was intermittent at times. I also had a brief random moment where everything pixelated pretty bad as if the graphics suddenly got toggled to 1990 Nintendo mode.


In the end I was able to determine the following,

1. It is possible to run the Vive Wireless Adapter on a laptop.
   
   
2. The hardware of the laptop is an important factor in having a smooth experience with this setup.
   
   
3. Some tweaking and configuration work will need to be done to get a smooth FPS. Still a WIP for me to get the level I'm happy with.
   
   
4. Some games may not be optimized enough to offer crisp visuals.
   
   
   My testing of this setup was with an Alienware M15 and M17 both with i9 CPU, 2080 RTX, 32GB RAM, and x2 NVME M.2 SSD. I have an older Alienware 17 R5 I plan to test with soon to compare results.
   
   
   Most importantly, what I noticed in my testing was that there's some graphical loads that will bog down the FPS and cause slight stuttering and it's not yet fully clear why. For example, while in SteamVR home room area there was a few key spots that when I looked directly at them it would cause stutter if I moved my head left and right slowly but if I opened the Steam menu which added a transparent overlay on top of what I was looking at the stutter would go away completely even though I could still see the same thing behind the overlay. I read a lot of people tweaking SteamVR settings to smooth out the FPS and I have yet to get the time to fully dive into that part but I suspect it will likely work out to resolve the issue.
   
   
   The alternative setup I was wanting to test was getting the Alienware AGA enclosure and testing to see if that provided a better out of the box solution without tweaking settings. I found some people saying it didn't work at all and others saying it did. Considering the cable connection is different it still has me curious, as I believe the cable connection over the AGA is using an identical pipeline/bandwidth as Dell docking stations.

Can you compare/contrast the SG-2220 with this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H2QJTM4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Movies and office ?

Besides my desktop gaming rig i have a mini PC for doing all small tasks like you mentioned,

The mini PC i bought (Gigabyte Ultra Compact Mini PC/Intel UHD Graphics 600/ M.2 SSD/HDMI (2.0A)/ DP1.2A Component- GB-BLCE-4105):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DMM7Z7N/

ofcourse this comes without ram and hdd/ssd, it has room for 1x 2.5" ssd/hdd sata drive and 1x 2280 M.2 SSD

​

i ordered 2x8gb ram:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BIWMWVS/

for your purpose, 8gb would be more then enough, i bought more because i multitask and program software

so you need so-dimm 260pin ddr4 memory

M.2 SSD i bought for boot device and windows install:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D9C2WPV/

​

and i had a 2TB SATA ssd already at home as extra storage drive.

​

This thing boots like a rocket and is pretty fast for movies and office jobs.

The Gigabyte Brix it's relatively cheap, and the MSI Cubi is also a great deal. I would look at both to see if they are cheaper than the Intel NUC. For example, you may be able to get the Core i3 versions of the Brix or Cubi cheaper than the NUC.

I don't know, this one was bought from Amazon's Black Friday 2018

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GX69JQP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I installed the latest 2.5 snapshot (09-APR-2019) and it is very unstable. My gateway conx has bad packet loss and the entire pfSense box will freeze up after a couple hours, requiring a restart.

​

I'm running it on a Protectli quad core 1.8 ghz celeron with AES-NI enabled. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G9NHRGQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I'm going to go back to 2.4 I guess.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-TC-885-ACCFLi3-Desktop-i3-8100-802-11ac/dp/B07CYF9YGF/ref=pd_sim_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07CYF9YGF&pd_rd_r=e5390a7b-2b96-11e9-90b8-2bc8cef3038b&pd_rd_w=2g2HP&pd_rd_wg=xSr00&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=96T21Q644Q9CAYZHNH84&psc=1&refRID=96T21Q644Q9CAYZHNH84 hows this pc


nvm just read the reviews. says its not very compatible for gaming.