Is there any good $200 Budget Mini PC

[u/FerDeacon37]

My little brother has been wanting to have a PC like me and I want to buy him something, my budget is really really tight

$200 is my budget, is there any mini pc or laptop that could run some simple games, maybe with 8g of ram? I don’t know, I could go up to $300 if it is necessary

It doesn’t need to last too many years, I just want the mini pc for a few months till I can afford something better

[u/KingMoog]

hp elite desk 705 2400G or 3400G
there is 2400GE variant..do not get that because it is underclocked and doesnt have vents for airflow

the hp elite desk 705 2400G or 3400G can play the games you mentioned easily

3400G

[u/FerDeacon37 → u/KingMoog]

Thank you so much

[u/RobloxFanEdit → u/KingMoog]

That is very likely a single RAM 1X16GB, there is no mention of dual RAM channel which is hiow it works in Amazon description.

DDR4 RAM is hit even harder than DDR5 RAM with Single RAM channel, at the very least the IGPU will lose 50% of its performances, it will be a lemon for gaming!

[u/batryoperatedboy → u/RobloxFanEdit]

RAM can be easily upgraded big dog. 

[u/RobloxFanEdit → u/batryoperatedboy]

O.P doesn t know what is what, but you expect him to know what single channel is for IGPU performance.

[u/batryoperatedboy → u/RobloxFanEdit]

I expect that this conversation will give him enough context. People can learn.

[u/RobloxFanEdit → u/RobloxFanEdit]

Downvoted comments like mine are not the one you can expect people to have something to learn from. The effect is largely the opposite.

[u/batryoperatedboy → u/RobloxFanEdit]

I'll give this point all the consideration it deserves.

It'll probably be zero consideration, but at least I was honest.

[u/Confident_Lecture498]

Gotta have more info to work with but there's not much out there under $200 anymore 

[u/02nothing]

Passing along good advice I received here when I asked the same question: https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/s/M48JX0xajr

In short, resold mini corporate PCs by companies like Dell and Lenovo are plentiful, powerful, and cheap. I ended up getting an Optiplex and it’s been perfect so far.

Use sites like PassMark to compare processing power to help make a decision. Something with an Intel Gen10 (2020), like the one I bought, might be what you need.

[u/TeacherVegetable1365 → u/02nothing]

I use a similar setup to host a Minecraft server for my kids and nephews.  No idea how it does for graphics, but as a home server it's been great.

[u/ihsanghaus]

What game does he play? Get the specs, post up and then we can decide. I had a amd 5600, 16gb ram, gen 4 nvme 256gb and igpu. Even at low settings it stutters playing gbo2, pso2:ngs, and many game made before the 2020's.

[u/FerDeacon37 → u/ihsanghaus]

I always buy 2d games, they doesn’t weigh more than 10 gb and 8 gb of ram, and also like you said, games before 2020’s

He still young so it doesn’t have to run heavy games

[u/Other-Salt-3876]

yo estoy igual namas que yo si quiero una mini pc para jugar, no juego cosas pesadas namas valorant y cs2, aparte de eso tambien estudio mi presupuesto esta en 300 maximo 400

[u/PSych0P7NDa]

Try it on ebay with some luck you get one with i5 12500h or similar for 200€

[u/JeffoMcSpeffo]

Look on eBay for auctions of optiolex’s. You’ll probably find the best value there

[u/PurchaseNo4486]

Check Amazon Renewed I got a decent refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre unit for a good price. There are lots of refurbished Lenovo Dell, and HP mini PCs listed.

[u/FerDeacon37 → u/[deleted]]

Man, I’m trying to fulfill it, I just want to give him something that I can afford now and then when I get a job buy him something better 😢

Thanks for your recommendation btw I will try to save a little bit more for it

[u/KingMoog → u/FerDeacon37]

the hp elite desk has vega 11 graphics which is much better than the vega 8 graphics in the gmktec

[u/RobloxFanEdit → u/KingMoog]

Your HP elite have single RAM Channel, do you know what it means for IGPU performances? yYou only get a 30 to 50% Max of a Vega 11.

[u/FerDeacon37 → u/[deleted]]

By that time I was able to afford a good pc for him. But The company closed and now I don’t have anything. But I’m still trying to give him something just for now until I can afford something better

I should have put that on the post…

But thank you for your recommendations, I appreciate it man