Work PC Replacement

[Amduseias]

Budget (including currency): ~$1000 USD

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Productivity applications (Outlook, Canva, Excel, Youtube with very minimal editing/uploading, multi tab browsing, etc.)

Other details: Not trying to do anything gaming wise, would prefer a small pc setup to minimize space needed as it will be used in a crowded desk environment.  Heaviest use game would be something browser based.  Nothing flashy.  Ideally Mini ITX and mATX if it just cannot be.

 

Hey All, coming back since I had what I would consider to be great tips on building my last PC.  This ones a little different since I'm going to be using it more for a work setting and need to get away with a smaller case.  My main worry is the size of the cooler versus the case restrictions.  With my current tower, I was able to cram a huge cooler in.  In order to get something smaller, should I focus on a AIO liquid cooler to reduce bulkiness of a fan style cooler?  This will not be something pushing major graphics needs, so "I believe" a chip with integrated should cover needs (max res need at 1080p).  If it had the option to later add a graphics card, sure, but that would be an after thought unless its truly believed it would be necessary or a chip without integrated gfx is recommended.

 

I was thinking something like : 

 

Pricewise its absolute overkill for what I'm looking to spend, even excluding the recommended GPU.  I know I could in theory reverse this down into cheaper components with a similar setup but I believe the collective mind of this community to be stronger than 1 video and my thoughts alone, :D.

 

As a side note are these mini's that are advertised worth anything or are they a paperweight in disguise to the tech savvy?  The size of them is a huge selling point for where this unit needs to be, but if its something people see last 1 year versus building a pc that will be mostly productive for 2-3 years, not sure I'll waste my money.  I feel like that's a solid timeframe vs dollars spent.  I wouldn't consider this an option normally, but again this is for email and a spreadsheet or two so working and handling a bunch of website tabs that aren't getting closed is likely the most effort this pc will ever see.

 

https://www.amazon.com/BOSGAME-5700U-Displays-Computers-Emulator/dp/B0CNPD2V3G/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1250OIENU33UN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IJ8UpuHWnEom_FNCZ4EwMMx2LgRQfsjEis1wzUX2nlbBTD_FVj7edUOJ95tzD4FLEcDvq3vWVl1q-XUOJJ9Nw83FOU3Hiz5UcPfwqc3wggoii7SWnYsh9W55B3SgDOuBkFZ9zOlbN93aoI6XWC8lKiww_KBPl1zVkjt1hQ0SqAkhd8Vrvm73PRFNepYAYPp6LJNKdmG7e_mEq1DHRIkr_9y4TGw1Ytl3L7UK7LtnOOk.rkuogRxSFKeoo-wyveuf30YJDe2b6VsENTIwKSibzag&dib_tag=se&keywords=mini%2Bpc&qid=1744381321&sprefix=mini%2Bp%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-4&th=1

 

Many thanks in advance for thoughts!

 

[Ha-Satan]

Mini-PCs like the one you linked can be very good, but I'd read some reviews to make sure you know what you're getting as there can be extremely variable quality in terms of cooling and build quality between different models. Specs-wise, the one you linked is more than enough for what you want to do and should easily last for well beyond 2-3 years in terms of software support and performance. Most mini-PCs (not sure about that one specifically) do allow you to replace the RAM and SSD, which makes them a little more repairable than your typical laptop (though replacing the CPU is impossible).

 

One thing to keep in mind with a lot of mini PCs is that they are often manufactured and sold by smaller Chinese companies (like Minisforum) and as such you shouldn't expect the same level of customer support as you would get from, say, Dell. So if having an extremely good warranty and strong customer support is important to you, I'd probably avoid them. But if you're confident you can handle some problems on your own, I actually think a mini-PC like the one you linked would be a perfect solution for you.

[jaslion]

Asrock deskmini x600 + whatever cpu you please + 32gb ram + ssd of size you wish + appropriate cooler (depending on your cpu pick stock is fine).

 

Should be like 600$ total.

 

Those laptop chip mini pcs can be a good option if you pick the correct one.

 

These days a zen 4 would be recommended. Not the zen 3 5700u. However price of that bosgame is GREAT as is. However do reinstall windows after buying as a precaution.