While buying mini PCs, a lot of people ask themselves whether mini pcs are good for servers or not.
So, Are Mini PCS good for Servers? If you don’t know already, mini PCs are mini-computers or mid range computers suitable for a wide range of system applications within an affordable range. It’s a variant of a computer with all features and capabilities but in a small size for the user’s convenience.
It has a CPU and memory that operates like a computer using ALU to perform any action. A mini PC contains a processor, memory, storage, operating system, and computer ports but doesn’t have a cooling system, real-time clock, or physical interface.
Though it’s less powerful, it’s less expensive for usage in scientific and engineering computations, business transaction processing, file handling, and database management.
Are mini PCS good for servers?
Mini PCs can be good for servers. You can use a powerful Intel NUC server to manage data without compromising your needs. It’s a small, powerful, efficient server for homes and small businesses and works perfectly as a small data center rack.
Usually, normal size PCs are used as servers after installing the right software and operating system, but it needs to have enough hardware power to execute tasks as a server. Moreover, it would be best if you had a router to create communication between the server and other devices.
If using a mini PC for servers, you’ve to ensure the configurations are correct, and if there’s any ambiguity, don’t abstain from seeking professional help.
You can use a powerful Intel NUC server to manage your data needs. Despite being small, they are super efficient and powerful to run the desired functions or used as home media servers, small business servers, or small data center racks.Â
Intel NUC is a series of mini PCs designed to provide users with a small yet powerful complete factor package. Mini Pcs are designed to fulfill your business needs and provide data and functional controls.
Intel NUC is a small desktop digital signage control unit and gaming system.
Mini PCs are excellent for people on a limited budget or the ones looking to turn their TV into a multimedia center. Mini PCs run almost all operating systems, such as Windows10, Mac OS, and various versions of Linux.
Read: Are mini PC good for Audio production?
Pros and cons of mini PC for servers
Pros
- Mini PCs like Intel NUC have advanced technology to fulfill all professional needs.
- They help manage home media.
- Provide reliable performance and ease in data management
- It has a variable clock speed to perform fast operations.
- NUCs have customizable RAM options to determine how much is needed to run an application.
- NUC mini PC has 32-gigabyte sticks and two RAM slots to use, and it can run 64-gigabytes of physical ram.
- Its Optane memory options help to bridge the gap between memory and storage, allowing fast file retrieval.
- It’s compatible with other technologies and has popular connection ports to support PCs for server functions.
- The USB peripherals offer ease of connecting to storage solutions.
- Mini PC is both energy and cost-efficient.
- Few Mini PCs are small enough to carry in your pocket
- Various types have fanless cooling
- Has lots of desktop and server applications
- Has an impressive graphic performance
- Help perform multiple tasks such as video editing, gaming, browsing, and watching definition videos.
- As they don’t need fans to cool down, they’re silent
Cons
- Mini PCs with fewer thunderbolts aren’t good enough
- Some mini PCs often face hiccups with the compatibility
- The best ones are usually expensive
- Few mini PCs only have vertical orientation
- Often has limitations of Chrome OS
- You’ve to sacrifice power on smaller PCs
- They often leave no room for hardware changes
- Might not have much storage on board
- Don’t have a CD/DVD drive
- Lack of dedicated graphics card
Read: Is Mini PC good for Video Editing?
What should I look for in a Mini PC?
- Fast performance
- Carefully examine the configuration and upgradability.
- Its seamless support for all types of software
- Find the right size, decide whether you want a stick PC or desktop towers
- Measure the PC performance through the Geekbench processor
- Use custom spreadsheets to check how long it takes to handle large data sets and number crunching tasks.
- Examine the processor, RAM, and storage capacity
How to use a mini PC at home?
Mini PCs work great for your home system as they’re small enough to fit your palm and portable to take to a nearby coffee store.
They are also great for content creators to store as much data as possible and carry it around without worrying. Moreover, it’s a great choice as a home theater and entertainment system without cramping your lifestyle.
You can also build a small server at home quickly by following these steps
- Select the server hardware, which could be a mini PC
- Choose the server operating system
- Pick up a good server location
- Configure the server
- Don’t forget to implement the server security
Read: Is Mini PC good for Programming?
What is the purpose of a server?
It’s essential to have a server to respond to requests over the network. The computer sends these requests. When the server receives the request from its client (computer), it creates an appropriate response and sends it back to the computer.
A server performs the following tasks:
- Print files.
- Send and receive emails.
- Stream video and audio files.
- Store and load files for cloud storage.
- Retrieve information from a database.
- Record and store footage from security cameras.
Read: Are Mini PC good for Streaming?
Final Thought
Whether you’re using a mini PC as a server or not, don’t forget that you’d always need a server anyways. Therefore, making choices that suit your individual needs and goals is essential. Make sure your choice doesn’t affect your work. Mini PC has a lot of benefits, but it comes with its limitations.
You can use a mini PC as a server but don’t forget that it might limit your options to an extent. Every organization seeks to invest in a good server at one point, which shows its importance for business growth and data security.
Setting up a server could be complicated but don’t worry; you can always look for help. Always seek professional expertise before buying a mini PC to ensure whether you need it or not.
