How capable are mini PCs: Are they any good for gaming?

Summary

• Windows is top OS for gaming on mini PCs due to driver support and upgradability. Gaming is easy!
• AMD beats Intel for mini PC gaming with superior APUs for integrated graphics performance.
• While mini PCs can't match full-fledged gaming PCs, they're great for esports and retro gaming. Exciting future ahead.

You may have the age-old question, wondering whether a computer can effectively play games. Well, most mini PCs won't be up to the task of running Crysis at max settings, but there are still loads of games they will be able to play. You will have to turn some settings (and your expectations) down a bit, but there is no reason why you can't play some of your favorite games on a mini PC.

In my experience, Windows is the best operating system for mini PCs hands down. It features much better driver support, is upgradable, and it makes gaming easy! Next, when it comes to AMD and Intel, which is best in terms of mini PCs? For gaming purposes, it is AMD as their APUs have the edge when it comes to integrated graphics.

The gaming experience on a mini PC will never compare to gaming on a full-fledged gaming PC, but you can still have loads of fun. A lot of games, including esports titles, will run just fine on a mini PC. Those who are into emulators or retro games may also be pleasantly surprised by the gaming performance of a mini PC.

Gaming on a mini PC

Better performance and more fun than I would've thought

I was honestly surprised when using a mini PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U with Radeon graphics. I was able to play PUBG, CS:GO 2, and Rocket League with ease. The frame rates weren't as good as what I am used to, but they were playable, and I could still perform fairly well. I made sure to game at 1080P and lower the graphics settings, which made a massive difference. In all honesty, the performance wasn't very far off what I can achieve on my Xbox One S.

I even loaded up a couple of my old favorites, Quake Live and Kingpin: Life of Crime. Both of these games are well past their prime, but I still love to play them from time to time. When they came out, you could originally just play them with a CPU and no need for a graphics card, so playing them on an APU was incredible. I was able to rocket jump and get 1-shot kills with the rail gun to my heart's content, and it looked just as good as it ever has.

Gaming is what you make of it, and because of the versatility and space-saving options that mini PCs offer, their gaming performance is worth the trade-off. As they become more popular, we expect to see mini PCs become even more powerful, especially with the new generations of CPUs that are being released. While AMD currently has the advantage with their APUs, don't count Intel out just yet.

Performance will vary, depending on which mini PC you have and its hardware specs. You will want a high-end CPU or, better yet, an APU with the best integrated GPU you can find. This will allow you to play more games with better performance. You will also want as much RAM as possible (at least 16GB) and an SSD. If you can, get one with an M.2 SSD as this will greatly improve load times and overall performance.

While most people won't be buying a mini PC to play the latest and great games, you definitely still can. To increase its capability, you could buy an external GPU and add the latest hardware. You can get an eGPU that features an RTX 4090 if you really want, unleashing the ultimate gaming performance. This would likely be overkill for most mini PCs due to their other hardware limitations, but it is an option if you want to play more games with better performance.

With new generations of components coming out all the time, mini PCs will only get more powerful in the near future. Whether you are looking to play some esports titles at lower settings, or prefer retro gaming on something that doesn't take up much desk space, a mini PC can be a viable option for your gaming needs in 2024.