Buying a desktop PC doesn't mean you're forced to buy a gigantic hunk of metal. There are plenty of smaller options out there. Today, we'll show you the right way to buy one, and what things should you look for when buying a tiny PC.

Balance Performance and Size

First off, you need to strike a balance between how performant and how small you want your PC to be. Because, while you can have good performance in a relatively small form factor, the size can limit how powerful a PC can be.

There are plenty of reasons why this is the case, but the most important comes down to how much heat a PC can put out, and how well it can dissipate it.

When a computer runs, its components generate heat. If this heat is not effectively dissipated, it can lead to thermal throttling, where the system slows down to prevent damage from excessive temperatures. There's technically nothing stopping you from putting an Intel Core i9 on a tiny-sized chassis, and it might even run for a few seconds, but that's a chip that generates a lot of heat, and that tiny PC won't have a way to effectively dissipate it. As such, it'll thermal throttle, and eventually die. It's the same logic behind booting up a CPU without a CPU cooler --- it needs a heatsink, and without it, it'll quickly die.

Larger PCs typically have more space for cooling solutions like larger fans, heat sinks, and liquid cooling systems. For smaller PCs, however, you can't really put a lot of cooling on them, so the next best choice is to just use parts that put out way less heat. This is usually how we end up with low-power laptop parts in these tiny PCs.

You can get high-performance tiny PCs, but they might not be as tiny as others, so you really need to sit down and think about what you value the most --- performance or size.

Barebones or Pre-Assembled?

The age-old question when buying tiny PCs is whether you should get a barebones computer or a pre-assembled one.

A barebones computer here essentially means a computer that has most things built-in and assembled, but you should still seek out some parts yourself. Normally, in these PCs, you'll need to put your own RAM or your own SSD.

By contrast, a pre-assembled unit comes with everything already installed, making it just a matter of plugging it in and firing it up. Pre-assembled PCs will come at a premium, though.

With barebones PCs, you might be able to save a little bit of money by either buying the remaining parts yourself or putting ones that you already own. Plus, it adds a bit of a DIY element to it. So really, it just comes down to your own personal preference.

Check the Upgradeability

Then, you need to check how upgradeable or not upgradeable your tiny PC is. Upgradeability is important; the ability to upgrade components down the road ensures your that PC will live for longer, that you can enhance its performance when it starts to feel sluggish, and that it's capable of meeting the requirements of future software when the time comes.

Unfortunately, these PCs can range from very upgradeable to not upgradeable at all, depending on which brand you get. Apple's Mac Mini range is notoriously non-upgradeable, while other units out there can either be very upgradeable, letting you swap out things such as the CPU, to not a lot, letting you only upgrade things such as the RAM.

If you care about keeping your tiny PC around in the long term, make sure to check this before buying.

Check the Operating System

Then, you need to check what operating system it comes with. If you have a specific preference for an operating system (OS), you might want to get it with that specific OS out of the box. Your options can vary wildly, though.

Like pre-built regular PCs, most of them come with Windows. But you might come across a handful that run Linux instead. You might even find some of them running ChromeOS, although these will likely be branded "Chromebox" in the same fashion as "Chromebook."

If you buy a barebones PC, chances are that it comes without an operating system, since many of them need you to install your own SSD. You can buy a Windows license separately, transfer a Windows license from another PC, or give a shot to a free Linux distribution. If those processes sound like more of a challenge than you're up to, though, you'll likely want to choose a tiny PC with a preinstalled OS.

To VESA Mount or Not to VESA Mount?

One of tiny PCs' most appealing qualities is their compact form factor, and you can often take full advantage of that by mounting it behind your monitor. How, exactly? By using a VESA mount, of course.

A VESA mount is, basically, a standard mounting solution that's present in many monitors. VESA mounts are typically intended to place a monitor on a stand or wall mount, but you can also use it to place a tiny PC behind the monitor, effectively out of sight. It's basically like making your own all-in-one PC, but using any VESA-compatible monitor.

There are plenty of VESA-compatible monitors out there, and many of these tiny PCs are also made to be mounted behind a monitor this way. One popular option is the Intel NUC, which even has plenty of documentation if you want to mount it behind your monitor.

If this is something you're looking to do, you should make sure that your monitor is VESA-compatible, and also make sure that the tiny PC you're buying also happens to be VESA-mountable. As always in tech shopping, consulting product specs and reviews is critical.