Laptop vs Desktop vs Small Form Factor

[ZLoth]

From XDA Developers:

Mini PCs - What are they and do you need one?
Mini PCs have come a long way and there is no reason why everyone shouldn't have one in 2024

A mini PC is essentially just a smaller version of a desk or office PC. Thanks to modern technology, in many cases, a mini PC can have specs that are very similar to a normal PC. The fact that such a powerful machine can come in such a small product opens up the possibilities. We are now seeing what they are truly capable of, and as the technology has advanced, they have become a viable option for a lot of users.

While they do come in some different shapes and sizes, most of them don't have a much bigger footprint than the latest iPhone or Android phones available. You can even get mini PCs that you can mount directly to the back of your monitor via the VESA mount. A mini PC is a great choice when you need something that takes up minimal space, for example, if you do not have a lot of room available on your desk. The good news is that you aren't necessarily sacrificing quality with less quantity.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

I've been quite tempted to get this little N100 computer as it is listing for $180 as of this posting. As far as I can determine, the N100 processor is a little less powerful than the i7-4790k I had for several years, but I want to blast everything away, configure it as a mini-test Web sever using ISPConfig, and stick it in my network closet.

[SSOWorld]

Using this 15 inch laptop when I'm lounging

Using the 2-foot tower when I'm serious AF

[ZLoth]

I've been quite tempted to get this little N100 computer as it is listing for $180 as of this posting. As far as I can determine, the N100 processor is a little less powerful than the i7-4790k I had for several years, but I want to blast everything away, configure it as a mini-test Web sever using ISPConfig, and stick it in my network closet.

Several months later...

So, I'm on the hunt for a cheap yet powerful mini PC with the specs of around 32GB of memory, about 1 TB storage, and a 2.5gigabit network interface, and the one that catches my eye is a Ryzen 6600H model. At $360, it's so tempting. And why? I want to build a Proof-of-Concept virtualization platform using the Proxmox platform. That way, I get some experience before repurposing a full-sized server for that purpose.

And, at that price, I may pick up two... one to serve as a secondary desktop computer when I don't really want to start up my main box.