Hello, everybody! I want to have a little mini-PC for gaming that operates like a console. I don’t want to have a big, clunky case in the back or front of the TV. Furthermore, I don’t play many AAA titles from recent years, so the hardware doesn’t need to be high-end. It would be nice if I could run Scarlet Nexus, Nier: Automata, and Horizon Zero Dawn at a stable 60 FPS. The graphics don’t need to be extreme; I just want to enjoy the game.
Also recommend some great distro’s for gaming.
I realize you don’t want a “big clunky box” but you will make a variety of compromises for a mini-PC.
You can build a PC in a mini-ITX case (about the size of a shoe box) and get significantly better performance.
Otherwise, I have to agree with everyone else here, the SteamDeck is where it’s at. It’s just a ridiculously good value.
The new Lenovo Legion handheld looks promising also but it’s far too new to recommend.
As mentioned, Minisforum and Beelink make great APU-based Ryzen systems which are going to give a great bang-for-buck. Get them from Amazon vs their dedicated website as some folks have had shipping delqys with the OEM website. ETA Prime does great reviews on YouTube of these boxes and shows what the FPS is like on some current, a few years old, and retro games for each one.
If you want the smallest possible system, with room for one the smaller form factor discrete graphics cards I’d say the NUC 9 Extreme works very well. I have a GTX 1650 in it and it is perfectly fine.
Steam Deck with a usb c dock is also a great option.
Nintendo switch or steam deck
You can check ETA Prime on YT, there are tests of some small gaming PCs
NVidia Shield and a GeForce Now subscription. It is probably the smallest form factor you can get to play Nier and Horizon Zero Dawn at stable 60fps.
I have a Steam Deck and it can not play Horizon Zero Dawn at 60fps at least not at a graphics setting and resolution that looks decent. I have never hooked up my Deck to a TV but I can imagine that game would look horrible if I aim for 60fps.
