![]() ![]() ![]() (However, our Mac picks are not upgradable in this way.) Ease of upgrades: You should be able to upgrade the memory and storage on any mini PC without much technical know-how. ![]() Because mini PCs fit almost anywhere, many clever mounting options are available, and if a smaller mini PC model has a VESA mount (more on that below), you can tuck the PC behind a monitor or underneath a desk. Size: A mini PC should be small enough to hide behind or under a monitor, taking up no additional space on a desk.Each of our picks comes with the operating system preinstalled. Preinstalled operating system: We focus on computers that have either Windows or macOS.A mini PC should have at least two ports for connecting to monitors-any combination of HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C is workable for most people. The ports should be split between the PC’s front and back so that you can access at least a couple of them without messing around at the back of the computer. A great mini PC tosses in a USB Type-C and/or Thunderbolt port and an SD card reader. Ports: A good mini PC comes with at least four USB ports.Expect to pay between $600 and $800 for a mini PC capable enough to last you the next few years. Price: Mini PCs are smaller than desktop PCs, but their size doesn’t make them cheaper-on the contrary, cramming everything into a small box is an engineering feat that you pay a small premium for.Wireless features: Every mini PC should come with support for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) wireless networking, as well as Bluetooth, so you don’t have to waste USB ports by adding dongles for Wi-Fi or your wireless keyboards and mice.Budget picks usually come with less storage, but Chrome OS relies more on cloud storage than Windows and macOS do, so local storage isn’t as big a deal for a Chromebox. A 256 GB SSD should be available as a standard feature, and upgrading the storage or adding a second drive later should be easy. Storage: A spinning hard drive can bog down an otherwise speedy computer, so a solid-state drive is a requirement here.If you spend lots of time in heavy-duty apps such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Premiere, or if you regularly edit several large spreadsheets or databases at a time, you may benefit from 16 GB aside from the Mac mini, any of our picks allow you to upgrade the RAM if you decide that you need more. Memory: We recommend at least 8 GB of RAM for browsing the web and handling basic productivity tasks.With the exception of our budget contenders and the Mac mini, all the mini PCs in our test group have a midrange 12th-generation Intel processor. Processor: A mini PC needs a processor powerful enough to handle basic web browsing, light photo editing, and any office programs you use.Once all libraries are listed, click Next, then Done to complete.If a library type you want isn't initially set up, click Add Library, select the type, name it, click Next, click Add Folder, select the folder containing the media, click Add, then Add Library.Manage the libraries to match the content you want to view, such as "Movie," "TV Show," and "Music.".The Basic Setup will ask you to set some essential details about the server, including giving it a memorable name and if you want to "access my media outside my home." Enter these, then click Next.It will first ask you to authenticate your Plex account. Plex will open a new browser tab on the first run and start its Basic Setup Wizard.If you haven't moved it to the Applications folder, it will offer to move itself for you. Extract the archive, and place Plex Media Server in your Applications folder. Download Plex Media Server to your Mac.Create a free Plex account via the Plex website, as it will be required for managing your Plex Media Server and for streaming. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |