How To Make A Mini PC With Your Own Hands? Mini Computers

Computers have firmly entered the life of every modern person. Without a PC, it is impossible to imagine surfing the Internet, watching videos, doing accounting or just doing paperwork. There are various forms of personal computers. Laptops are the most popular because of their compactness. Desktop PCs are increasingly used in offices or gamers due to the nature of the system unit design, which implies the possibility of almost endless upgrades to increase power. But there is another category of personal computers that can be a real replacement for a laptop or desktop device. Editorial material will tell you what a Windows mini-PC is, provide an overview of this generation of personal computers, dwell on the pros and cons,

Advantages

Why do you need to build a mini-PC with your own hands? Of course, in universal systems there are no problems with capacity, but there are a lot of other inconveniences. Mini PC attracts with its compact size, low noise level and excellent power reserve.

Of course, the performance of such a system directly depends on how much money you are willing to invest in it. Fortunately, many manufacturers have taken care of users: everyone can assemble a mini-PC for both work and play.

Material

Transparent one-piece computer cases and inserts on combined models are usually made of plexiglass, also known as colorless acrylic. This material is easy to process, inexpensive, durable. However, it is prone to scratches and scuffs. So such a body must be protected from the very beginning, at least to determine a place for it where we will not accidentally kick it with our feet.

There is an opinion that a transparent system unit smells bad. Like, plexiglass, when heated, due to the release of heat from PC components, spreads a pungent odor and synthetic fumes throughout the room that are harmful to the human body. This is not true. Plexiglas melts at 160°. This is much higher than the critical temperatures of the components, upon reaching which the computer in most cases will simply turn off due to the protection operation. In terms of unpleasant odor and fumes harmful to humans, there are much more questions, for example, to stretch ceilings made of Chinese low-quality film. Nevertheless, they can be found in many offices, apartments and houses with budget repairs.

Self assembly

Another important point: to assemble a mini-PC with your own hands, you need to control everything that gets into the system case. Many people think that it is much easier to buy a ready-made PC. Of course, to some extent it is. But if we talk about savings and further upgrades, then doubts will already arise whether this is so.

Self-assembly is beneficial in that you can find components at a discount or promotion in the store. It will be possible to vary the elements, and in the future to supplement them. For an upgrade, this is by far the most profitable option. So you will know what is inside you, understand what you can improve and replace with in the future.

Conclusion

In this article, we have selected components, it remains only to buy and assemble a mini PC.We will get an almost silent computer (an SSD is required for complete silence. You can read more about solid state drives in the article SSD drives), although you probably won’t hear a hard drive behind the monitor.

At the expense of fastening, it is desirable to clarify in the store

As a result, we got a configuration for $270, which will pull Windows 7, Office, Skype and provide comfortable viewing of FullHD video.

I wrote an article, and then got into YouTube to see what was interesting there. It’s scary what’s going to happen next

Another small computer.

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Assembly problems
Questions about how to make a mini PC are no different from those asked by a user with an all-in-one system. Problems can also be very similar and occur with almost every buyer.

So, the first thing you will have to face is the variety of platforms. It is very difficult to understand them, and especially in the future compatibility. At the time of assembling the PC, you will have to figure out the form factors of the elements, understand what a socket is and how to choose a processor for it. After that, you will need to think about the RAM and the capabilities that the motherboard provides.

There are many such details. They must be reckoned with, otherwise, after assembly, the system may produce errors or not turn on at all. But in the assembly of a mini-PC, the capacity of all the elements in the case remains important.

Buy mini-computers on Windows: advantages and disadvantages
When deciding to become the owner of a small PC, it should be understood that these devices have their own advantages and disadvantages. Weighing these parameters will allow you to make an informed choice in favor of a nettop or a single board system in the form of a USB token.

The complexity of a significant upgrade is the main disadvantage of compact models

The advantages of a mini PC are:

their size . Compact dimensions allow you to save space on the table, as well as expand the possibilities of mounting the system. Often small PCs are mounted on the back of a monitor (in a mini-iTX case);
reduced power consumption . It should be borne in mind that when using a mini-PC, there is a decrease in the amount of electrical energy consumed only from the side of the system unit, and the monitor will require its own power supply;
less heating even at maximum loads, which allows such devices to be equipped with a passive cooling system;
cost , which is significantly lower than the price of a full-fledged system unit or a laptop of similar power.
The disadvantages of nettops are the following factors:

lack of opportunities for upgrading due to the peculiarities of the form factor of the mini-PC case;
rapid accumulation of dust . Due to the small size and large crowding of internal parts, which reduces the amount of free space inside the case, there is a high probability of rapid accumulation of dust and further overheating of the computer;
low performance due to the use of smaller components than in traditional stationary PCs.

NOTE!

Some users call the ability to transport and quickly assemble a complete system in a convenient place as a plus. But in contrast to this, it can be noted that most of the tasks of paramount importance can be performed on a regular smartphone.

Components

So, if you decide to assemble a mini-PC with your own hands, you need to consider the tasks that it will perform. From here it will be easier to start from what components to purchase.

When it comes to mini PCs, it’s important to choose the right case first. After all, if this is a compact system, the chassis must also be compact. Next, select the motherboard. It should ideally fit into the selected case.

The “brain” of the system is considered the processor, so then you will need to select it. A PC will not be able to work without RAM, as well as a drive. Therefore, you need to choose the right size modules that would fit in a small “box”.

In theory, you can put a video card in a mini-PC. But if you decide to make the smallest system, you will have to get by with an integrated one. Also, do not forget about the power supply.

Optical drive (optional)

Consider the positive and negative points of having an optical drive in a mini computer

Ability to read and write optical discs
An increase in dimensions, which, in most cases, will not allow attaching the case to the back of the monitor.
Additional expenses
The selected enclosure does not provide for the installation of a drive. If this computer will be the only one in the house, then the drive is desirable. In our case, an external one is perfect or you can change the case.

Frame
So, as mentioned earlier, you have to start with the case. Typically, a mini PC is referred to as the mini-ITX form factor. But there is no such concept regarding the hulls.

Chassis are:

big-tower;
midi-tower;
mini-tower.
These options apply to vertical cases. In addition to them, there are also horizontal models – “desktops”. For a mini PC, you need a mini-tower. The dimensions of these boxes may vary. On average, their dimensions are 15 x 36 cm. But on the market you can find even more compact models.

Larger mini PC models can even fit a universal power supply with ease. But you will need to find the largest version of the mini-tower. If the case is very small, then the power supply in it will be external and built-in. It should be borne in mind that usually such options are designed for 60 watts.