Portability and mobility are the two factors that are some of the basic needs that we require out of our gadgets. Same choices go for a PC/laptop as well. Today, we don’t see those huge monitors and equipment in a PC. Now, we are getting slim LEDs and everything is mostly wireless. This not only helps us to carry them around freely but also allows us to use them with ease. But, we are here to talk about something compact and mobile. The Mini-PCs are becoming popular but, many people are still unaware of it. Let us understand the pros and cons of using a Mini-PC.
Even though we have our smartphones, tablets, laptop, etc., we still choose our desktop or PC for performing some heavier tasks. The reasons are simple. PC provides us better upgrade facility, large screen, affordable, and easily replaceable if something goes wrong. Besides, everything is not made perfect. Huge PCs have disadvantages like electricity consumption is high, prone to dust and dirt, etc. But, with the help of Mini-PC, you can eliminate such issues and get a more compact companion.
What is a Mini-PC?
Before, heading to the pros and cons of using a Mini-PC, let us understand what actually is a Mini-PC. In simple language, it is a compact sized PC, that is cheap, consumes low power, and can perform all the basic tasks of a computer. The basic tasks involve web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video playback.
Many users thin that Mini-PC has a lot of disadvantages over a standard sized PC. It may be true for some cases but, the advantages are more in number. Moreover, with the development of technology, these Mini-PCs are getting cheaper and getting upgraded as well.
Let us now head straight into the pros and cons of using a Mini-PC.
Pros of Mini-PC
Let us understand the pros or the advantages of using a Mini-PC over a standard sized PC/Laptop;
1. Size
Of course, this is the major benefit you get for using the Mini-PC. As the name itself, the size of the Mini-PC is very small comparative to the standard PC. According to my research, the average size of a Mini-PC range about 120mmx120mm (height and length). Moreover, its small size helps you to reduce the unnecessary space usage by your standard PC. You can save space on your office desktop, save space on your study table, or else fix it up behind your monitor.
2. Portability
Mini-PCs are designed to be portable and be easy o carry around while traveling. You don’t need to worry about taking only important files on a pen drive or upload the files on a cloud server. You can just take the whole computer with you wherever you go. Moreover, these Mini-PCs are so convenient to carry that you can even put them in your trouser pocket and bring mobility to your work and life. In simpler word, Mini-PCs require a small space to be carried around.
3. Cost
One of the main factors that Mini-PCs are becoming popular is its cost-effectiveness as compared to standard PCs. According to my research and after reading and going through a lot of Mini-PCs on the e-commerce websites, you can get a Mini-PC for around INR 10,000-12,000. This price is considerably low if compared with the standard PC. Moreover, this is helpful for startups, students, or businesses who have a very tight budget. Not only it is cheaper in price, but it also helps you to cut down your electricity bills due to low power consumption. Besides, it also does not require any maintenance cost.
4. Green Computing
Today’s world even though requires us to fast paced but, also requires us to be aware of our environmental issues. Most of the companies are shifting towards Green-Technology and hence are using energy conserving devices. Standard PCs are the ones that have the highest share on the electricity bill of a company. Switching to Mini-PC not only will lower the cost, it will reduce their unnecessary expenses on electricity but, also lower the energy consumption. Average power consumption is around 50-60 watts.
5. Strong and Durable
Mini-PC does not have many mechanical pieces of equipment hence, they are strong and durable. These are also lesser prone to dust and dirt as it is also one of the main reasons for dysfunctioning of RAM or HDD. Everything is permanently fixed on the motherboard and hence, are not prone to dust and dirt.
Cons of Mini-PC
1. No Upgradation
As mentioned earlier, the Mini-PCs have quite a few cons as well. One of the first things you will notice is that it has very limited or no scope of upgradation. Everything is fixed on the motherboard permanently hence, there is not much space or slots available for upgradation. But, it is not much of a trade-off as you would buy a Mini-PC for performing some specific tasks.
2. Cannot Run Complex Applications
Now, this is probably the con of the Mini-PC, which is there but you are well aware of it as it is called a Mini-PC. It has the limited processing power and reduced specifications for portability and size. This prevents us from using resource-intensive applications or software on the Mini-PC. This is understood as it is made for performing general tasks and not made for heavy gaming or running heavy applications.
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3. No Graphics Card
You might have expected this. Due to the small size and no room for an air cooling system to be installed, the Mini-PCs do not sport graphics card. There is not much room for controlling the heat and therefore, many of the Mini-PCs come with integrated graphics instead of a dedicated one.
Conclusion
There you have it from my side in this article on the pros and cons of using a Mini-PC. The Mini-PCs are meant for those who want to carry out specific tasks and do not require much processing capabilities to accomplish their tasks. They are compact, mobile and easy to carry. Moreover, it is not a hidden fact that Mini-PCs also have their share of cons or disadvantages associated with them. But, according to me, they are called “Mini” because of the same reasons and since it is an evolving technology, you cannot rule away from the fact that they will sport more advanced specifications in the near future.
Please let us know in the comments if you liked this article or if you yourself, use any of the Mini-PCs available in the market.
