Question Which Mini PC for local AI, not extreme video editing & gaming?
Question Which Mini PC for local AI, not extreme video editing & gaming?
Hi all,
I had glimpsed a discussion on reddit where I found out that you can connect a dock to the mini-pc and on the dock put a GPU (called eGPU). A PSU must also be connected to this to power precisely the GPU. Although some docks have an internal PSU.
This sounds like an interesting idea because it would suit me:
I only turn on the mini-pc for work that does not require the eGPU - and consumes less wattage than a gaming tower.
I only plug in the eGPU when I need to do AI work locally, video-editing and heavier gaming
I saw that there are different brands for mini-pc / dock / etc. I wonder:
Does it make sense to aim for such a configuration?
What are my goals?
non-heavy video-editing (for YT videos)
run some LLM offline locally in a decent way, without having to take crippled models
run 2025 games at medium details (I play very little, 2h/week), like Doom Dark Ages
Some example links retrieved from reddit:
mini-pc
/
egpu dock
Which psu? / which eGPU?
Initially I might even buy just the mini-pc and see how far it goes, if for example it's worth waiting to buy the eGPU, I don't know.
Your scenario doesn’t really make much sense. You still require a solid CPU and ample RAM to operate a large language model, with most processing happening on the GPU; however, a mini PC lacks the necessary CPU power for efficient use. External documentation references TB, which corresponds to PCIe 3.0x4, but this speed is insufficient. Some devices act as upgraded PCIe solutions, yet a mini PC doesn’t support an x16 slot. Essentially, you’re restricting the card’s data transfer potential by a factor of eight, and there’s a clear distinction now between full-speed PCIe 3x16 and 4x16. Additionally, GPUs consume power even when idle—even a 5090 draws less than 50W at rest. A more practical choice would be an ITX build.
Thank you! I wasn't aware those docks wouldn't reach the full potential of the eGPU. With an ITX build, I'll still have a GPU that consumes power even when idle, but it's still better for mini PCs compared to regular PCs in terms of size. Mini PCs use laptop-style CPUs which are more efficient, whereas standard PCs use desktop-oriented CPUs and are less efficient in terms of power usage per performance.
Be mindful of efficiency. Using half the power but delivering a quarter of the performance doesn’t make it more efficient. For performance per watt, a Mac is the better choice. Nothing else comes close.
In general, the idle power consumption of a full desktop system is minimal. A desktop running idle will draw less power than your monitor.
From a performance standpoint, a mini ITX is preferable. You’ll also benefit from additional ports, improved thermal management, and reduced noise.
The question remains—why are you considering a mini PC? They’re typically suited for mobility, which isn’t ideal compared to a laptop or a setup mounted on a monitor.
Mainly because I was excited about their good performance, small form factor, and the option to use an eGPU when necessary.
However, you pointed out that these eGPUs are limited by TB, even though this isn’t mentioned in videos like this.
With a mini-PC I’m stuck upgrading (except for RAM/STORAGE).
Also, I don’t need portability—I just want to avoid a large tower under my desk.
So SFF PCs seem the best choice, such as Mini-ITX or Micro-ATX, though I’m not sure which one to choose.
Likely the reason isn't comparing it to a standard 4090. It's also only about 1.5x quicker than an M4 Pro on that video, which seems off. Mini ITX is probably your best choice for size—I'll link a few cases with different design approaches that still offer enough space for a solid GPU. Fractal Design Terra, Corsair 2000D