Mini PC

The Acer AspireRevo nettop

A mini PC (or miniature PC, nettop, or Smart Micro PC) is a small-sized, inexpensive, low-power,[citation needed] legacy-free desktop computer designed for basic tasks such as web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video playback.[1][2][3]

The word nettop is a portmanteau of network and desktop. It is the desktop counterpart of the netbook. Modern (c. 2020) mini PCs or small form factor PCs can be much more powerful, being equipped with high-end laptop components or mid-range desktop components.[4][5]

Compared with ordinary desktop computers, nettops are not only smaller and less expensive,[6] but they also consume much less power. For example, CompuLab's fit-PC2 consumes no more than 8 watts of power[7] whereas a typical desktop would easily consume more than 100 watts of power; consequently, nettops require significantly less cooling and may even be completely fanless. Some do not have an optical disk drive and use a solid-state drive, making them completely silent. The tradeoff is that the hardware specifications and processing power are usually reduced[8] and hence make nettops less appropriate for running complex or resource-intensive applications.

  1. ^ http://techreport.com/articles.x/21556 Zotac's Zbox Nano AD10 Plus nettop – Zacate in the palm of your hand
  2. ^ 'Netbooks,' 'Nettops' target secondary PC users Archived 11 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ hexus.net: What is a nettop
  4. ^ "The Best Mini Desktop PCS". The New York Times. 7 June 2021.
  5. ^ "The Best Windows Mini PCS for 2021".
  6. ^ Intel Nettop is all about cost cutting
  7. ^ Fit-PC2 Specifications
  8. ^ "Is a Nettop Right for You?". Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2017.