The top 6 back-to-school mini PCs for college and university — as benchmarked by our computing team (and no, they won't wipe out your student loan either)

The GMKtec M6 Ultra and Geekom A8 Max on a desk during our review
(Image credit: Future)

A good mini PC for students needs to do more than chunter along running Microsoft Word and a browser full of tabs. As hardware editor, my team and I have put hundreds of mini desktop PCs to the test - but I wanted to highlight the best all-rounders for schoolwork.

As I say, we've reviewed all the best mini PCs. But out of all those machines, these 6 models here stand out to me as top picks for college and university thanks to their ability to tackle office software, content creation, and even some gaming. Click View details to find out why each mini PC shines for students, and read our review notes.

I've specifically selected compact PCs that deliver great performance across a range of tasks at a range of prices, from top budget picks to slightly more expensive powerhouse machines (but nothing that'll wipe out your student loan). For more school-ready devices, we've also rounded up the best cheap back-to-school laptops you can get right now.

My top back-to-school mini PCs


Google logo on a black background next to text reading 'Click to follow TechRadar'

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

TOPICS
Steve Clark
B2B Editor - Creative & Hardware

Steve is B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware at TechRadar Pro, helping business professionals equip their workspace with the right tools. He tests and reviews the software, hardware, and office furniture that modern workspaces depend on, cutting through the hype to zero in on the real-world performance you won't find on a spec sheet. He is a relentless champion of the Oxford comma.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.