Mini PC: the right replacement for your towers?

Daniel Platteau

Updated on 25 October 2026. Prices checked at Coolblue on 25 October 2026.

A tower under every desk: is it still worth it?

On 13 October 2026, the first year of Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) for businesses came to an end. Continuing now costs 122 dollars per device for the second year, on machines that will have to be replaced anyway by October 2028, when the programme stops. Many SMEs therefore have several workstations to replace, and one question: should they buy towers again?

For most office workstations, the answer is no. A mini PC does the same job in a case of barely one litre.

What a mini PC actually is

A complete desktop computer (processor, memory, SSD, Wi-Fi, USB ports and display outputs) in a case hardly bigger than a book. It sits next to the screen or screws behind it, using the VESA mount found on most monitors. All that is left on the desk is a screen, a keyboard and a mouse.

A mini PC no bigger than a book, but fast. View at Coolblue Affiliate link

Which workstations it suits

• Administrative workstations: office software, email, accounting, business software, browser, video calls.
• Reception and counters: little space, need for silence.
• Meeting rooms: connected behind the screen or TV.
• Self-employed people who work at a fixed desk and want a clutter-free workstation.

When something else is better

• 3D, heavy video editing, computation: powerful mini PCs exist, but for the same performance a tower costs less and cools better.
• Expansion cards (capture card, specific network card): there is no room inside.
• Mobility: if the workstation has to go to meetings or to customers, a laptop makes more sense. See our article on AI PCs and the NPU.
• AI installed on your premises: memory decides everything; see our comparison of hardware for local AI.

What you gain

1. Power consumption: an office mini PC makes do with a small external power supply and uses noticeably less than a tower several years old. Across a fleet switched on all day, the difference shows on the bill.
2. Silence: for office work, the fan stays discreet.
3. Space: screwed behind the screen, it frees the desk and the space under it.
4. Price: a good office mini PC costs between €600 and €1,000.

Traps to avoid

Soldered memory. On many compact models, the memory is soldered to the motherboard: you cannot add more later. Buy the right amount straight away.

8 GB of memory. In 2026 that is too little: Windows 11, a browser with a few tabs, Teams and a business application are enough to fill it. 16 GB is the reasonable minimum. This matters all the more because the memory shortage is pushing some manufacturers to sell less well-equipped machines at the same price or higher: a computer sold for €800 with 16 GB in 2025 ends up at €900 with 8 GB in 2026, according to an example cited by Économie Matin.

Entry-level processors. Mini PCs at €300 with a Pentium processor and 4 GB of memory exist, including at Coolblue. For a workstation, that is a false economy.

Windows Home instead of Pro. In a business, Windows 11 Pro brings managed BitLocker encryption, domain join and central management. Check the edition on the product page: consumer ranges are often supplied with Home.

Ports. Count what you need: two screens? A wired network port? Older USB devices (eID card reader, receipt printer)? Not all models are equal.

Buy now or wait?

The memory shortage, caused by demand from AI data centres, has been pushing PC prices up since late 2025. IDC forecast an increase of up to 9% in the average PC price in 2026. In early October 2026, Micron and Samsung, two of the three big memory manufacturers, warned that the tension would last until at least 2028.

If a replacement is planned, waiting will probably not lower the bill.

Our selection at Coolblue

Prices checked on coolblue.be on 25 October 2026, subject to change.

• Tight budget: Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini. The right entry point for a self-employed person: 16 GB, a recent processor, a reasonable price. Consumer range: check the Windows edition.
• The sensible choice: Acer Veriton N2595GT. Professional range, balanced configuration for office work and business software.
• For a fleet: HP ProDesk 4 Mini or Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q. Ranges designed for businesses: models supported for longer, remote management tools, professional warranties.
• The Apple exception: Mac mini M4. Very well priced, but only if all your software runs on Mac.

Three ways to go about it

Example: a four-person accounting office

Illustrative case. An office with four Windows 10 workstations bought in 2019, enrolled in the first ESU year. Two options for what comes next: pay about 490 dollars for one more year on seven-year-old machines, or replace them.

We would start with four professional-range mini PCs (about €3,700 for four HP ProDesk 4 Mini at today's prices), screwed behind the existing screens, with Windows 11 Pro, BitLocker enabled and automatic backup following the 3-2-1 rule. Data and software are transferred workstation by workstation, without stopping the office. The old PCs, if in good condition, can end their days under Linux as browsing workstations.

What about your old PCs?

A PC too old for Windows 11 is not necessarily ready for the scrapheap. With a lightweight Linux distribution, it can still serve as a workstation for browsing, consultation or simple office work. We explain when a Linux workstation becomes realistic. Wipe its drive before giving it away or recycling it.

Test yourself

At ExsIT

The first contact is free: we listen to your needs, then propose an action plan. Choice of machines based on your real uses, installation, data transfer, encryption and backup, workstation by workstation and without stopping your business.

For your IT person

• Mounting: VESA 75 or 100 mm; check that the bracket is in the box and compatible with the screen's stand.
• Screens: number of HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode) outputs; some entry-level models only drive two.
• Network: an Ethernet port (1 or 2.5 Gbit/s) is preferable to Wi-Fi for a fixed workstation; Wake-on-LAN for overnight updates.
• Management: professional ranges (ThinkCentre, ProDesk, Veriton) exist in Intel vPro or AMD PRO versions for remote management; check the exact reference.
• Memory and storage: check whether the memory is soldered or SO-DIMM modules, and whether an M.2 slot is free.
• Windows: Windows 11 Pro for managed BitLocker, Entra ID or domain join, and group policies; on a managed device, Recall is disabled by default.

Sources

Coolblue. (2026). Mini PCs [product pages consulted on 25 October 2026]. https://www.coolblue.be/en/desktops/mini-pcs

Économie Matin. (2026, October 2). Pourquoi votre prochain ordinateur va coûter beaucoup plus cher. https://www.economiematin.fr/?p=233105

Kirsch, J. (2026). Microsoft end of support October 2026: Windows 10 and Office. ABT. https://www.myabt.com/blog/microsoft-end-of-support-october-2026-financial-institutions

Le Monde Informatique. (n.d.). Hausse du prix des PC suite à la pénurie mondiale de mémoire en 2026. https://www.lemondeinformatique.fr/actualites/lire-hausse-du-prix-des-pc-suite-a-la-penurie-mondiale-de-memoire-en-2026-98901.html

Microsoft. (2025a, November 17). Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. Microsoft Learn. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates

Microsoft. (2025b, December 10). Manage Recall for Windows clients. Microsoft Learn. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/manage-recall