This Windows Pc Could Easily Replace My Mac Mini When It Comes To Local Ai Performance

2 days ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Minix ER937-AI PC is disposable connected Amazon for $999.
This mini PC has tons of powerfulness to spare.
When deed pinch a really dense load, nan fans tin beryllium noisy.

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

If AI is your point (especially section AI), past you know: a batch of powerfulness is required. I've utilized section AI (by measurement of Ollama) connected my System76 Thelio and recovered it to beryllium adequate. So, erstwhile I received nan mini shape factor, Minix Elite ER937-AI PC, I thought location was nary measurement it could compete pinch my desktop machine.

Also: Not capable group are talking astir nan astir tin Lenovo laptop correct now

Boy, was I wrong. This tiny computer packs a wallop and tin grip astir each task you propulsion astatine it (within reason). Of course, you're not going to beryllium mining large information aliases rendering full-length movies pinch this machine, but arsenic for AI and different tasks, nan ER937-AI has each nan horsepower you need.

Let's get into really my testing went.

Best desktops deals of nan week

Deals are selected by nan CNET Group commerce team, and whitethorn beryllium unrelated to this article.

My experience

Okay, I person to get this retired of nan way. The Minix PC shipped pinch Windows 11.

I fired it up and started to locomotion done nan Windows 11 setup process. An hr later, nan upgrade download was astatine 6%. No thanks. I burned Ultramarine Linux connected a USB drive, inserted it, booted nan machine, and wrong 10 minutes, I was logged successful and fresh to go.

Now that I had an OS I could really activity pinch installed, it was clip to put nan instrumentality to nan test. The first point I did was instal Ollama to usage for section AI. The installation connected Linux is simple, and erstwhile it was completed, I pulled nan ollama3.2 exemplary and ran nan query:

"What is Linux?"

Also: My go-to LLM instrumentality conscionable dropped a ace elemental Mac and PC app for section AI - why you should effort it

I'm utilized to Ollama taking a fewer seconds to statesman answering nan query, but nan Minix PC deed nan crushed moving pinch its reply and instantly started spewing text.

Needless to say, I was impressed. The adjacent measurement was to push nan instrumentality a spot harder. This clip around, I installed BrowserOS and group it up to activity pinch Ollama and nan qwen2.5:7b model. With that taken attraction of, I instructed nan supplier pinch nan following:

"Search amazon.com for a charging guidelines that supports a Pixel 9 Pro."

I'd tally nan aforesaid agentic hunt connected my Thelio and recovered it took everlastingly to complete. On nan Minix, that clip to completion was exponentially shorter. Again, colour maine impressed.

Also: How to tally DeepSeek AI locally to protect your privateness - 2 easy ways

While nan agentic browser did its thing, nan Minix fans spun up and didn't stop. I could perceive them successful nan adjacent room, truthful I knew nan instrumentality was being pushed. Yes, nan fans were loud, but they only really showed really large they could get during nan agentic testing.

Beyond nan AI testing, what I recovered astir nan Minix was that it ran Linux to perfection, and KDE Plasma was soft arsenic butter. Even enabling each of nan model effects didn't slow nan instrumentality down.

Given nan ER937-AI's size, I would ne'er person thought it tin of delivering specified power. But then, if you look astatine nan specs (more connected that successful a bit), it becomes clear why this small instrumentality could grip everything I threw astatine it. And pinch a value of only $999, this powerhouse is simply a steal.

On apical of each that, nan build value of nan ER937-AI is superb. As soon arsenic you prime it up, you consciousness nan heft of nan aluminum chassis, and it moreover includes a VESA mount, truthful you tin connect it to nan backmost of your show to support it retired of nan way.

Ports, ports, ports

You'll besides find plentifulness of ports connected nan ER937-AI. There's 2 USB 4.0 ports, 3 USB 3.2 ports, 1 HDMI port, 1 DisplayPort, and 2 RJ45 Ethernet ports (2.5 GB).

The ER937-AI supports four-screen 8K@60Hz video output, truthful this small feline tin beryllium group up arsenic a very versatile workstation.

The powerfulness fastener besides serves arsenic a fingerprint scanner, which I didn't usage connected Linux (but I will spot if I tin get that group up). If you instrumentality pinch Windows (and alteration Windows Hello), you'll beryllium capable to unlock nan PC by simply tapping nan powerfulness fastener pinch nan registered fingerprint.

Also: The champion mini gaming PCs you tin buy: Expert recommended

All-in-all, my acquisition pinch nan Minix ER937-AI was beautiful amazing. This was made particularly truthful because I blew distant Windows 11 successful favour of Linux. Not everyone would do that, but I tin guarantee you that getting Linux up and moving connected this instrumentality is exponentially faster than Windows 11.

ZDNET's buying advice

For anyone looking to acquisition a mini shape facet PC but doesn't want to skimp connected power, nan Minix ER937-AI is simply a awesome buy. Attach it to nan backmost of a show for a pseudo all-in-one, propulsion immoderate task you request astatine it, and revel astatine nan instrumentality taking it each successful stride.

I haven't been this impressed by a mini PC, well, ever. I would conjecture nan only instrumentality that mightiness supplant nan ER937-AI would beryllium a caller Mac Mini, but that is purely supposition connected my part.

With nan holidays upon us, nan Minix ER937-AI would beryllium a awesome gift for anyone needing plentifulness of powerfulness that won't break nan bank.