When "small size" meets "strong core", mini computers are changing our imagination of desktop computers.
However, the choice of CPU often determines the upper limit of this small machine.
Today, we will thoroughly discuss four popular chips:
AMD R7 5825U, R7 8745HS, R9 8945HS, Intel i9-12900HK
Help you find the one that best suits your needs.
Which one is more suitable for different usage scenarios?
✅ Scenario 1: Daily office work / Home audio-visual / Light Photoshop editing
Preferred option: R7 5825U
15W TDP allows for operation without a fan or with low noise level.
Easily drive 4K display, and at the same time open dozens of browser tabs without any lag.
It is very suitable to be placed on the desktop or hung on the back of the monitor.
If you don't play 3A games or do video rendering, the 5825U is the best choice in terms of cost-effectiveness and quietness.
✅ Scenario 2: Code compilation / Virtual machine / Graphic design / Light video editing
Recommendation: R7 8745HS
The Zen 4 architecture significantly enhances the performance of single-core processors.
The integrated graphics performance is comparable to that of the GTX 1050 Ti, and it can even run "Cyberpunk 2077" at low graphics settings.
45W power consumption, yet it still saves much more electricity than a desktop computer for daily use.
8745HS represents a perfect balance: it offers sufficient performance, manageable heat generation, and its price is one step lower than that of the R9.
✅ Scenario 3: Professional video editing / 3D modeling / Data science local model training
Recommendation: R9 8945HS
Higher frequency, larger cache, multi-core rendering is 10–15% faster than 8745HS
Integrated with AMD Ryzen AI engine, suitable for users with local AI inference requirements
Dual-channel DDR5 5600MHz support, with a smaller bottleneck in the graphics card bandwidth
If you generate value through your computer, spending a little more money on R9 would be a worthwhile investment.
✅ Scenario 4: Light gaming / Live streaming / Requires Thunderbolt interface
Recommendation: i9-12900HK
14 cores and 20 threads. The multi-core performance score is higher than 8945HS (especially under long-term load)
Native support for Thunderbolt 4, making it easier to use external graphics docking stations and high-speed SSD arrays
The QuickSync encoding of Intel integrated graphics is very friendly for live streaming and screen recording.
Note: The full-load power consumption of 12900HK can reach 80W+ and requires a mini host with an excellent heat dissipation design.
The charm of the mini computer lies in compressing powerful computing power into a box that can fit in a backpack.
Choosing the right CPU is like equipping this little beast with the right brain.
If you still have any doubts, please feel free to leave a message or contact the customer service. Tell us about your daily software usage and budget, and we will directly recommend the specific model for you.
