Playing Your favorite AAA titles on the best mini PC for gaming is not possible which is the wording you may have heard many times.
However, it’s not the case. I have built many small rigs and I must say “it all depends on the configurations”.
A small nature of a desktop has nothing to do with the performance.
I am a gaming enthusiast and getting my hands on snappy prebuilt PCs is my hobby. On the other hand, I am also good at photography and live game streaming.
So the right mini desktop that can keep my gaming performance fluent and does a photo editing job with smoothness shows me the correct path.
Whereas, what else can do a better job than the best mini PC for gaming for the jobs I am into?
I do not deny the fact that the tower desktop PCs are good and easy to upgrade. Whereas, mini PCs have plenty of advantages.
Apart from the fast performance, they don’t take up much of the space in my office.
My team and I can play some nice AAA games on them after a brutal day of editing my photos and videos small best gaming PCs.
So yes, these small desktops that I am about to mention are able to take on the titles of your dreams. Whereas, I have both options for you, the mini prebuilts, and a mini PC build that is legit and kicking on the gaming side and other stuff.
Best Prebuilt Mini PCs For Gaming
1. Razer Tomahawk: (Best Mini Gaming PC With RTX 3080 Founders Edition)
The Razer Tomahawk is probably the most reliable and brutally-performing mini PC that I have right now.
I am a hardcore gaming fan and photographer. Trying new PCs and laptops is the prior part of my life.
Whereas, the Tomahawk is the gaming PC that has beaten up all of my laptops and PCs collection so far.
Back in 2022, I was kind of done with almost using all the devices. I was thinking about starting my gaming desktop collection.
So I researched a bit about them and I just find out that desktop computers are no different than laptops except for the non-portable factor.
All in all, I started with the most expensive mini gaming PC option which is Razer Tomahawk.
I wasn’t happy with the price point at first but as soon as it arrived, I fell in love with this beast.
It ran smoothly for the most demanding tasks I threw at it.
Don’t take my word for it, let’s look at the hardware configurations and you can decide on your own that how powerful the mini PC is.
Hardware:
| CPU | Intel Core i9-9980HK |
| GPU | RTX 3080 Founders Edition |
| RAM | 16 GB gen 4 |
| HDD / SSD | 512 GB SSD, 2TB HDD |
| Weight | 19.05 pounds |
| Dimensions | 8.27 x 16.2 x 5.91 inches |
The Founders Edition RTX 3080 is the GPU my Tomahawk has. It’s enthusiastic towards heavy graphics handling that makes it credible for 4k gaming.
I ran some basic tests on this mini PC for gaming and the process was glitch-free no matter how fast the objects moved in the game.
i9-9980HK chip from intel with 16MB cache is sitting at the core of Tomahawk for a 5 GHz clocking speed delivery.
Whereas, the 16GB RAM alongside a 512GB SSD teams up for miraculous multitasking.
Apart from a 512GB SSD, the storage capacity gets hybrid with the 2TB HDD. That’s a lifetime of storing space for my videos, photos, and games libraries.
Design:
The Razer Tomahawk is designed more like the consoles. It resembles the Xbox X series but has a lot of hardware power for gaming.
Despite the compact design, it’s easy to upgrade and the exterior looks catchy on my office setup.
To be more specific, it weighs 19.05 pounds with a dimension of 8.27 x 16.2 x 5.91 inches.
Conclusion:
Not all mini gaming PCs can drag down the Tomahawk with their configuration. It’s a flagship level computer that cost me lots of money.
So far, it’s doing a great job for my photography and game streaming. I use it when I am not traveling to other countries for my photography job.
My team and I are more into streaming on the Tomahawk and if you’re my kind of guy, it’s a good option if you can afford it.
2. Intel NUC11BTMi9 Extreme: (Best Lightest Mini PC For Gaming)
I am a big fan of AAA games and at the same time, I don’t like any esports titles.
Games like Elden Ring and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are my favorites because of their storyline.
Although my Tomahawk from Razer was doing great for these titles. But I decided to get another mini gaming PC with a little lower price point.
Being around gaming enthusiasts because of my streaming career, I know the budget PCs that can do a lot of good in gaming.
So I asked one of my streamer friends to suggest me the best budget mini PC for gaming. He explained the Intel NUC11BTMi9 Extreme which was pretty convincing.
I could have built a better rig than this one but this prebuilt from intel is what I got by losing patience.
I don’t regret buying it and here’s why!
Hardware:
| CPU | Intel Core i9-11900KB |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
| RAM | 32 GB gen 4 |
| HDD / SSD | 256 GB SSD |
| Weight | 9.8 pounds |
| Dimensions | 14 x 4.75 x 7.68 inches |
RAM with 32GB capacity covers a wide range of tasks including the heaviest memory breaking desktop apps.
The Intel Extreme Mini PC didn’t even blink when I opened around 20 tabs, some demanding apps, and an online stream simultaneously.
Whereas, the 8-Core intel i9-11900KB CPU chip does move the needle as compared to the cheapest CPU choices that I had.
It gave me a max 5GHz of clocking speed.
Having a mini size on a PC means that the larger components can’t fit in there. That’s why the NUC 11 Extreme has integrated Intel UHD graphics.
Don’t get it wrong because it’s capable of many things and running games with smoothness at medium settings is one of them.
The storage is probably what I won’t admire the most because of the 256GB room. However, being the type SSD does a lot with multitasking.
Design:
The Intel Newest NUC 11 Extreme Mini is one of the lightest desktops with dimensions that don’t take much of your gaming setup space.
It follows a black color overall with some aesthetics added to it for a perfect.
If the overall design is taken into consideration, this mini-computer is following the concept of consoles.
However, the only difference is that you can upgrade it anytime.
Conclusion:
NUC 11 Extreme is a complete entertainment hub. I played some realistic games on it with 1080P settings and the results were jaw-dropping.
I am also a videographer and streamer!
So also tried some of the stuff from these sides too on this mini rig. As always this machine never hesitated and got the job done in less time.
I must say, anyone who is willing to pay a $1500 price for this beast will never have to buy another desktop for the upcoming 5 6 years.
It’s cool and rigged to make the impossible possible.
3. MSI MEG Trident: (Best Mini PC For Gaming With 64GB RAM)
I came to know the MSI MEG Trident when I was starting my live-streaming career.
You already know starting something new involves an interest and I had nothing else to gain that except the new PC.
My setup was small at that time so getting the best mini PC for gaming streams was the only one to opt for.
Asked my friends if they know any of the mini rigs but none of them were aware of any such computer.
A long story short, I searched for it myself on one of the online stores. The MSI MEG Trident was worth $4000 for the configurations that I was looking for.
Anyway, I made the purchase, and here are the details about my experience with the beast itself.
Hardware:
| CPU | Intel Core i9-10900K, Intel Z490 Chipset |
| GPU | RTX 2080 Ti |
| RAM | 64 GB gen 4 |
| HDD / SSD | 1 TB SSD, 1TB HDD |
| Weight | 20.9 pounds |
| Dimensions | 15.6 x 5.1 x 15.06 inches |
I got the Intel Core i9-10900K CPU alongside the Z490 Chipset for the lightening fast streams that I was about to start.
The clocking speed was touching the roof and no glitches were found.
RTX 2080 Ti is its companion for good FPS delivery.
Whereas, the RAM is undeniably powerful with the 64GB for crushing demanding apps and games.
The storage is hybrid with the 1TB SDD alongside a 1TB HDD. They gave me unlimited space and performance for the games I was wishing to play.
Design:
Looks like a console, I was happy that MSI made this mini gaming PC more ergonomic and attractive.
The best part was that I also receive a gaming keyboard and mouse that were glowing with some nice RGB lights.
Whereas, the computer itself has some mesh and transparent windows on the panels that illuminate some lights to add glamour to the design.
Overall, the MSI MEG Trident looks good and sturdy which made me live stream with enthusiasm.
Conclusion:
The fact Because most mini gaming PCs look extremely unattractive, the MSI MEG Trident changes the game.
It offers the configurations that any streamer would love to have. I am a gaming enthusiast and I know how this PC performed at 1080P setting.
It was smooth and stutter-free.
I’ll allow anyone in my audience to have the MEG Trident small form factor desktop because the advantages are limitless.
4. Corsair ONE i300: (Best Mid-Rang Tower With DDR5 RAM)
I am a game streamer and mostly I use gaming laptops because of my traveling routine.
However, I don’t back down from a perfect gaming PC either, and Corsair ONE i300 is one of them.
This mid-range tower PC gained popularity the day it was released and many people bought this beast.
I also joined the realm to find out what the Corsair ONE i300 is.
This rig was pretty convincing on the gaming and streaming side.
It delivered my desired FPS on the 1080P settings on the most realistic games like Elden Rings, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and a few others.
I also ran some heavy apps like android studio and Photoshop on it to test its limits. Either way, the performance was impressive.
Hardware:
| CPU | 12th gen Intel Core i9-12900K |
| GPU | RTX 3080 |
| RAM | 32 GB gen 5 |
| HDD / SSD | 2 TB SSD |
| Weight | 16.24 pounds |
| Dimensions | 7.87 x 6.79 x 14.96 inches |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is a GPU with a big memory that can abide modern games with demanding graphics.
It has Vengeance DDR5 RAM and on top of that, it actually has an above-ideal memory of 32GB.
Offers Thunderbolt 4 alongside other USB ports for fast incoming and outgoing data delivery.
An Intel Core i9-12900K chip from the 12th Gen sits inside this mid-range tower desktop and it’s clocked at 5.2 GHz.
Mostly, it delivers a good performance on 2k settings and kept my video editing tasks smooth.
Design:
Corsair ONE i300 is decent on the front with some RGB strips, its logo, and a power button. Whereas, it follows a matt black color overall.
The side panels are mesh with a little lighting factor added to it.
Moreover, the PC is compact to fit small gaming setups and is way lighter to carry around with one hand.
Conclusion:
One thing that I always expected from a PC is performance if I pay a good amount of money for it.
Luckily, the Corsair ONE i300 gets furious to tackle the games and video editing I throw at it.
I urge you to have to try this mini tower at least once if you’re a streamer or a videographer like me.
5. Skytech Chronos Mini PC: (Best Budget Mini Pc For Gaming)
Among all of these small desktops, my Chronos is the most stylish one.
It’s affordable and cost me only $1200 along with all the peripherals like a keyboard, mouse, and a gaming monitor that I got for it.
I actually got the Skytech Chronos Mini PC for casual gaming.
That’s because I need some entertainment after editing my streams to upload on youtube.
Although I have tons of laptops and PC options in my office the glamour of the Chronos was on another level.
With some nice configurations, I put this beast to work and played some lighter titles on it.
At medium settings, the PC deliver achieved a 60 FPS milestone, and here are the configurations manifested for casual entertainment.
Hardware:
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| GPU | GTX 1660 Super |
| RAM | 16 GB gen 4 3000 |
| HDD / SSD | 500 GB SSD |
| Weight | 25.7 pounds |
| Dimensions | 17 x 9 x 15 inches |
500GB of free space is acquired inside an SSD to store the games of my dreams. The SSD also keeps the performance fluent when multitasking.
Geforce GTX 1660 Super Graphics with 6GB memory are intended for ideal frame rates delivery.
16GB DDR4 3000 RAM keeps my games smooth no matter many background apps are running.
Based on the AMD CPU chip, the Chronos acquires the Ryzen 5 3600 for a top-notch processing speed.
Design:
The design of the Chronos Mini PC is special with most of its parts having RGB lights including fans.
Whereas the interior is exposed through the transparent and mesh panels.
The overall aesthetics made me a fan of this mid-level desktop PC. In my opinion, it even beats the design of the Corsair ONE i300.
Conclusion:
The best part about the Skytech Chronos Mini PC is that it didn’t cost me much and still has everything.
I use it for video editing and gaming. The configurations of make the performance on another level and everything was handled with smoothness by it.
Giving it a try if you don’t have a big budget is completely worth it.
If you don’t like any of these Mini gaming PCs, hope over to my Desktop PC Finder to search your desire PC for you.
Best Mini PC For Gaming Builds
Instead of just giving you one mini PC for gaming, let me give you all the options because some of you may have budget issues.
I am starting from the entry level and will end at a high level. Here are the mini PC builds that I am going to focus on today:
- Best Budget Mini PC For Gaming
- Best Mid-Range Mini PC For Gaming
- Best High-end Mini Gaming PC
Let’s start!
Best Budget Mini PC For Gaming (Build)
It’s not really hard to build an entry-level mini gaming PC if you have the knowledge and the parts to assemble it.
My this build cost me around $600 and I am happy with its entry-level settings results.
It’s based on an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G CPU chip having integrated graphics and other configuration that meets our $600-$800 budget.
More specifically, the 50FPS is achieved at 1080P settings on this PC for GTA V or similar titles.
However, for modern games like Elden Rings and Resident Evil 4 Remake, I have to reduce the resolutions to 720P because it gave me stutters and screen tears.
Here are the main components that go into my budget small-form-factor gaming PC:
| CPU: | AMD Ryzen 7 5700G |   |
| PSU: | Be Quiet BN306 650W |   |
| Cooling System: | Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 |   |
| RAM: | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB |   |
| MotherBoard: | Gigabyte A520I AC |   |
| SSD / HDD: | Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB |   |
| Case: | NZXT H210i – CA-H210i-B1 |   |
The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G delivered me the 3.6GHz processing speed. On max boost during playing demanding games, it was elevated to 4.6GHz.
Whereas, the mentioned RAM is from the gen 4 and has a 16GB capacity. Apart from gaming, I used it for my video editing job and it never complained whatsoever.
Besides that, around 15-20 tabs were handled by it without a single glitch.
The cooling system that I installed on this mini ITX PC is not the best one but it keeps my chip cool and calm.
The AMD chip has integrated graphics on it for smooth graphics coverage.
I chose the 2TB SSD for this build as I am always saving big files on my system like the recorded streams of hours, my games, and photo libraries.
A tight budget is no big issue for a mini PC for gaming and $600-$800 is all you need to build this system on your own.
Best Mid-Range Mini PC For Gaming (Build)
To eliminate the good low performance in the high graphical setting is to some extent is what my mid-range mini pc for gaming is built for.
It’s also based on the AMD CPU chip. However, I have added a better one plus the dedicated graphics card from Nvidia.
I have doubled the RAM and bought another case for it instead of using the one used in my budget mini PC build.
It’s a bit expensive but it gives me the performance of my dreams for all the modern graphics demanding games at 1080P.
Nonetheless, here’s what my medium-level min PC for gaming is assembled from:
| CPU: | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 8-core |   |
| GPU: | MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |   |
| MotherBoard: | Gigabyte A520I AC | |
| RAM: | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB | |
| SSD/HDD: | Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB | |
| Cooling System: | Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 | |
| Case: | Razer Tomahawk Mini-ITX Gaming Case |   |
| PSU: | Be Quiet BN306 650W | |
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D touches the 4.5 GHz mark on max, benefiting my games being smooth.
60 FPS mark is easily achievable and maintainable on modern titles at 1080P.
The RAM is fluent in handling tasks and games.
It remains cool during intense gameplay and stores tons of games in this 2TB SSD.
The Tomahawk case from Razer is the finest one for an attractive design and it has the space to fit all my hardware components.
A total of $1000-$1200 was spent on assembling this desktop and I am happy with it so far as compared to my budget mini desktop
Best High-end Mini Gaming PC (Build)
Let’s unleash the power of a flagship mini ITX gaming PC with this build.
I have used all the high-end components this time to achieve smoothness on all modern games at 2k settings.
It’s also based on the latest AMD chip named Ryzen 9 3900X with 12 cores to achieve the highest CPU speed.
The RAM used here is the same 16 GB used in the budget and mid-range mini rig.
Whereas, the graphics card is from the latest RTX 40 series for the ultimate gaming experience.
Here are my high-end mini PC components:
| CPU: | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X |   |
| GPU: | ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX4090 OC Edition Gaming |   |
| MotherBoard: | ASUS ROG Strix X570-I |   |
| PSU: | Be Quiet BN306 650W | |
| RAM: | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) |   |
| SSD/HDD: | Western Digital 2TB WD Blue SN550 |   |
| Case: | NZXT H210i – CA-H210i-B1 | |
There you have the 2k mini PC for gaming that may cost you more like me but it’s capable of miraculous performance.
I would recommend building this beast if you’re involved in many things like me.
I do streaming, video editing, and photo editing on this mini-build and the remarkable results are out of the world.
You must fix a budget of $5000 before going to get all the components because they are powerful and cost money.
Else, you can stick to my prebuilt collection.
FAQs
Some of you are confused about a few things regarding these Small PCs for gaming and here are the quick answers to your questions:
Yes, they are 100% legit for gaming if the configurations follow all the game’s expectations. Normally, their mini gaming PCs have different types and some of them are the ones that I explained to you above.
Yes, you can because these PCs are equipped with powerful components that can take on some graphical complex titles in a single blow. The performance can vary depending on the hardware of a small form factor PC.
It depends on you, if you have the required skills to assemble a gaming PC, it’s better to build one on your own. Else, the prebuilt mini desktop will minimize your headache of putting everything together to form a PC.
Conclusion
There have it guys, I have reviewed my mini gaming desktop for you and I hope to spend this money on PCs that provided you some value.
I have also built the finest small PCs for your budget-wise and if you know how to build one, I permit you to go for it.
Do let me know which best mini PC for gaming is your favorite. Which PC would you suggest I build for you, do let me know.
I hope you find your rig!
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