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[Hemingwayoffbase]

I'm one of the many who is done with Sony. Our only way against their tyrannical control of the video game market is to seek alternatives and vote with our wallet.

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope, but I don't wanna get one until I hear some feedback from GAF.

 

[Guilty_AI]

They're usually either pretty weak (but doable for mid-low spec games), or super expensive.

Steam Machine is actually the perfect middle ground between power and affordability on that realm

 

[kikii]

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope,

u can always try



i think thats pretty dope

 

[damidu]

get that mortgage ready

 

[Zacfoldor]

You mean a mini PC or a microtower desktop PC?

Mini PC has heat issues and discreet GPU issues, I guess if you have one that can do that GPU over usb c bullshit...but no..

Skip the mini-PC and go with a microtower chassis. Instead of a prebuilt that is way too hot you can make your microtower just as good as a large PC.

I have ran Intel NUCs at work for years and then changed back to dell refurbs.

Mini PCs imho are best as workstations or headless units for managing software. Gabecube is closer to a microtower than a mini PC would be my guess without looking it up. With a miniPC any part they didn't advertise to you was probably outsources too the cheapest seller and also there are so few using them compared to desktops that you may run into major issues and have no pre-knowledge or recourse, especially if you are working with obscure software. Just anecdotally these miniPCs seem to freeze more frequently especially if they are passively cooled.

 

[FalconPunch]

I'm one of the many who is done with Sony. Our only way against their tyrannical control of the video game market is to seek alternatives and vote with our wallet.

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope, but I don't wanna get one until I hear some feedback from GAF.

Mini pcs can be quite good. You just have to find one that gives you good value for your money in terms of components.

 

[ValiantInstance]

In general it's not worth trying to go with a small case, give your pc room to breathe.

A mini pc is good for NAS. Personally I use the Ugreen one with a built in os.

 

[kevboard]

They're usually either pretty weak (but doable for mid-low spec games), or super expensive.

Steam Machine is actually the perfect middle ground between power and affordability on that realm

...what?
here's a Mini iTX build that's cheaper than the 2TB Steam Machine, far more powerful, and fully upgradable down the line.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rmqDjG

better CPU, far better GPU, 2x VRAM size, roughly the same RAM config, fits easily under a TV.

 

[RoboFu]

...what?
here's a Mini iTX build that's cheaper than the 2TB Steam Machine, far more powerful, and fully upgradable down the line.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rmqDjG

better CPU, far better GPU, 2x VRAM size, roughly the same RAM config, fits easily under a TV.

still not small enough.

 

[Rob_27]

I've been looking for something to try out while I am on the waitlist for steam machine.

Was thinking about the atomman minisforum g1 pro. But wanted to put bazzite on it but some say it can be laggy due to the rtx5060 and nvidia drivers in game mode on steam not up to it yet....? Or is this BS

Thats the only thing really thats putting me off. Dont want to get something I will regret.

But could just use windows it comes with.

 

[Guilty_AI]

...what?
here's a Mini iTX build that's cheaper than the 2TB Steam Machine, far more powerful, and fully upgradable down the line.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rmqDjG

better CPU, far better GPU, 2x VRAM size, roughly the same RAM config, fits easily under a TV.

This is a mini tower, not a mini pc. At least 7 times larger than a steam machine

 

[Three]

...what?
here's a Mini iTX build that's cheaper than the 2TB Steam Machine, far more powerful, and fully upgradable down the line.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rmqDjG

better CPU, far better GPU, 2x VRAM size, roughly the same RAM config, fits easily under a TV.

That's a microATX mini ITX is better if you're trying to build mini and you can still build it cheaper than a Steam machine.

 

[kevboard]

still not small enough.

it's absolutely small enough, especially if you lay it on its side.
the Steam Machine doesn't even have a practical shape for many TV cabinets to begin with. it is a cube, when many TV cabinets are designed for deep + wide + flat devices. like the PS5 fat is unironically easier to fit under a TV than the Steam Machine.

 

[March Climber]

You're better off buying a portable/handheld PC.

 

[riko]

How mini is mini? A 12-20L SFF PC? A very different animal than a sub 4L Steam Machine.

 

[kevboard]

That's a microATX mini ITX is better if you're trying to build mini and you can still build it cheaper than a Steam machine.

it's a mini iTX board and a case that fits both. I think mini iTX is not really needed. all you need is something that fits under your TV easil. once it is there it's practically irrelevant how big it is in practice

 

[RoboFu]

it's absolutely small enough, especially if you lay it on its side.
the Steam Machine doesn't even have a practical shape for many TV cabinets to begin with. it is a cube, when many TV cabinets are designed for deep + wide + flat devices. like the PS5 fat is unironically easier to fit under a TV than the Steam Machine.

You lay on your side!



lol I don't care about the steam machine itself. I just want smaller pcs that are not total crap. .

 

[Three]

it's a mini iTX board and a case that fits both. I think mini iTX is not really needed. all you need is something that fits under your TV easil. once it is there it's practically irrelevant how big it is in practice

Yes I'm talking about the case. No benefit of an ITX in an ATX case. Just get a miniITX case that's much smaller.

 

[kevboard]

You lay on your side!



lol I don't care about the steam machine itself. I just want smaller pcs that are not total crap. .

you can go smaller than the one I linked, but it eventually gets into the realm of impracticality and diminishing returns.

of you can fit a Steam Machine, you can fit that PC I linked, and at the end of the day that should be the only thing that counts.
making it smaller will only hinder you down the line when you wanna swap the GPU and you have to be overly cautious about size.

 

[kevboard]

Yes I'm talking about the case. No benefit of an ITX in an ATX case. Just get a miniITX case that's much smaller.

the benefit is that you'll have an easier time swapping the GPU down the line

 

[Buggy Loop]

u can always try



i think thats pretty dope

You can find hardware failures in all electronics
I know, memes and all, not fun thinking this through, but until I see a recurring failure, it's just par for the course for all console/pc hardware, ever.

 

[Revolutionary]

I tried building a small form PC a few years ago to fit under my TV but the size of modern GPUs are a real problem.

Having said that, if you're actually switching from PS5 to PC then I hope you actually have experience with PC gaming. I love PC gaming as much as the next guy but it's simply not the user-friendly experience that most console gamers are willing to deal with. Good luck.

 

[SScorpio]

I'm one of the many who is done with Sony. Our only way against their tyrannical control of the video game market is to seek alternatives and vote with our wallet.

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope, but I don't wanna get one until I hear some feedback from GAF.

I switched to one from my gaming PC for general day to day. It handles non-gaming tasks without breaking a sweat.

Gaming indies it has no issues. It can play some higher end, but you are lowering settings. They aren't a directly replacement for a PS5.


I discount option to check out is: https://www.amazon.com/BOSGAME-P3-Desktop-Computer-Display/dp/B0FPC7WM2P - It doesn't have the 780M graphics I recommend, but if budget is a concern it will work.

780M is ideal, though RAM prices screwed these over. None that include memory are dual channel, and they are ~$200 over the cheap option above: https://www.amazon.com/Getorli-Graphics-Desktop-Computer-Bluetooth/dp/B0GX8W99XQ


Without dual channel performance will be a little lower than in the video.



Edit: I didn't watch the video before I posted. I didn't know I found Joe for Gamesack's German doppelganger.

 

[Loomy]

I'm one of the many who is done with Sony. Our only way against their tyrannical control of the video game market is to seek alternatives and vote with our wallet.

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope, but I don't wanna get one until I hear some feedback from GAF.

I wanted to get one to run Minecraft at low settings before I came to my senses. That should give you an idea of what to expect performance wise. There's a lot of youtubers benchmarking those.

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

I'm one of the many who is done with Sony. Our only way against their tyrannical control of the video game market is to seek alternatives and vote with our wallet.

So anybody ever mess with these mini PCs? They seem kinda dope, but I don't wanna get one until I hear some feedback from GAF.

Build your own mini PC with a small MATX case.

Either the mini PCs are overpriced, underpowered or too noisy.

 

[deriks]

u can always try



i think thats pretty dope

Red light saber of death?

Gabe left Microsoft, but there's still a percentage on him

 

[simpatico]

I have a BeeLink that I love dearly for 2D stuff. It's basically my cable box. I use it for all my living room media. Hate smartTV apps and prefer the browser experience. Plus I store my music and personal movie collection on it too.

For about $330 you're getting part way into the PS4 gen of games and EVERYTHING before it.

https://a.co/d/0dLEV7Fw

Doesn't have to be this exact model. I didn't look very hard at it. But anything in the Ryzen 5000 series will get way more gaming than you expect. They offer higher end stuff, but I think the returns start to dimish after the 5000 series stuff. But it's out there if you want it. https://a.co/d/07qCFTys Basically a screenless ROG Ally

 

[Bonfires Down]

.

 

[ClosBSAS]

Yes, i use the beelink gt ultra 12 with external dock for gpu and its amazing

 

[GloveSlap]

I would just get a full size case. Small cases are too limiting to save an amount of space that really doesn't amount to much at the end of the day. Towers may be long, but they are thin. You can put them flush against a piece a furniture, lay them flat against a wall, etc.

I had the Meshify C before, which is a full-size "compact" case and even that was a pain sometimes. My new case is a chonker and it was a breath of fresh air going up in size.

 

[Seomel]

Why mini pc? Just get a normal pc or build sff pc. Also no. These things are bottlenecked by heating etc usually and best mini pc you can get will have built in graphics, so thats no way to properly game on big screen.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

any laptop with a 5060 or better will outperform a sm

 

[Ziglax]

I built a few high end PCs in mini ITX cases over the past decade, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you pick mid to lower end parts.
Can't beat physics, you'll have to cool the thing, it'll be noisy and hot.
Pick a "big" mini itx or a small micro atx if you want balanced small form factor vs power/noise.

 

[Dorago]

I got my brother and his kids a Beelink mini pc with a 4 core CPU and 8GB of RAM and put Retroarch and a few hundred games on it. It plays everything up to PS1 just fine. If you already have a wireless keyboard and some controllers you're all set.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

...what?
here's a Mini iTX build that's cheaper than the 2TB Steam Machine, far more powerful, and fully upgradable down the line.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rmqDjG

better CPU, far better GPU, 2x VRAM size, roughly the same RAM config, fits easily under a TV.

That's not a ITX build lol. The Lian Li is gigantic in comparison to the Steam Machine. Hell even an actual ITX case like the Fractal terra is nearly 3x bigger in volume.

Here's a size comparison of the case you posted, a Fractal Design Terra (amazing ITX case), and the Steam Machine

A3 vs Terra vs Steam Machine

comparesizes.com

Ignore the fact I never changed it was inches to mm. The comparison will be the same.

 

[rodrigolfp]

No. What is this obsession some people have with mini PCs??? Give me a gorgeous case. Do you people play PC games on a Japanese bathroom??

 

[hououinkyouma00]

No. What is this obsession some people have with mini PCs??? Give me a gorgeous case. Do you people play PC games on a Japanese bathroom??

I think the Steam Machine and it's disappointment for most people is why they have gotten so popular in this or similar forums at least.

I built my first ITX build a few years ago and I'll never go back to a mATX or ATX build ever again. I also find 95% of PC cases to be hideous especially the windows ones or the ones that look like a fucking fish tank.

The reason why I want a Steam Machine is partly because of how small it is (roughly 1/3 of the volume of my Fractal Terra), and if I was buying a non-gaming desktop the only one I would buy is a Mac mini.

 

[R6Rider]

any laptop with a 5060 or better will outperform a sm

Not if you put the mini PC into

 

[kevboard]

That's not a ITX build lol. The Lian Li is gigantic in comparison to the Steam Machine. Hell even an actual ITX case like the Fractal terra is nearly 3x bigger in volume.

Here's a size comparison of the case you posted, a Fractal Design Terra (amazing ITX case), and the Steam Machine

A3 vs Terra vs Steam Machine

comparesizes.com

Ignore the fact I never changed it was inches to mm. The comparison will be the same.

I'm repeating myself, but once again, that doesn't matter. if you can fit a Steam Machine, you can fit that case.

it doesn't need to be the exact same size as the Steam Machine.
a TV cabinet either has flat+wide storage spaces, or large rectangular ones.
the Steam Machine is too big to fit into most flat+wide spaces, and the larger rectangular ones fit both the Steam Machine, and any PC the size of that Lian Li case I linked.

so if you have one that only has the flat+wide ones you're out of luck anyway. if you have larger rectangular space, both machines would fit, and in practice it wouldn't make much of a difference.

here's an example I found with a quick google search.

notice that wide space in the center. that would fit a PS5 easily, but not a Steam Machine, even tho the Steam machine is smaller. the 2 half sized ones below would of course also not fit a Steam Machine. but it would fit into that larger rectangular spot on the left that is closed with a door in this image.
and the PC I linked would fit in that exact same spot too... and would in practice barely make a difference unless you wanna cram in multiple Steam Machines sized devices in there.



I deliberately didn't go full small form factor because those are not practical. having a case of the size I linked is perfect for a machine connected to a TV, while not limiting you too much once you want to upgrade the GPU down the line.