The Mini Pc I Recommend For Linux Users Is On Sale For $799 During Prime Day

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Lenovo's ThinkStation P3 Tiny is connected waste now for $799, but higher-end configurations tin costs up to $2,000.
• There's immoderate powerful hardware present packed into a mini frame, and pro users will admit its upgradeability and support for up to six monitors.
• Higher-tier configurations are pricey, nan powerfulness proviso is almost arsenic large arsenic nan instrumentality itself, and it's specialized for nan endeavor space.

Lenovo's ThinkStation P3 Tiny comes successful a assortment of configurations, but nan 16GB type pinch nan Intel Core i5 processor is seeing nan steepest discount correct now: $799 during Amazon Prime Day. 

The aptly named Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny is simply a small but mighty workstation pinch immense powerfulness contempt its diminutive form. It looks much for illustration a router (complete pinch antenna) than a PC, but it has a wide action of configurations that service various functions for pro users successful nan endeavor space. 

When I went hands-on pinch nan ThinkStation P3 Tiny, nan first point I noticed erstwhile picking it up was its weight. Yes, it's small, but this instrumentality is heavy thanks to each that hardware crammed into its mini frame. 

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The maximum configuration includes up to a 14th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Nvidia RTX T1000 GPU, up to 2 2TB SSD drives, and up to a whopping 96GB of RAM. My reappraisal portion had 16GB of RAM, but nan value constituent of nan workstation tin alteration wildly, depending connected nan hardware. 

To springiness a ballpark value point, nan upper-middle-ground configuration pinch 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD starts astatine astir $2,200, while nan costs tin dip person to $1,000 for lighter hardware, and jump up pinch much RAM and memory. 

So, who is this workstation aimed at? The ThinkStation P3 Tiny is first and foremost an enterprise workstation designed for master workloads. Its mini size requires minimal table space, peculiarly successful settings different than an office, specified arsenic a studio. 

If you're looking for out-of-the-box usability, nan Tiny tin besides beryllium bundled pinch supported Lenovo peripherals, including keyboards and mice. Lenovo's Premier Support offers on-site and virtual hardware and package support. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

The workstation has plentifulness of earthy horsepower to blaze done basal tasks for illustration web browsing and multitasking. For architecture, design, aliases finance professionals, nan ample amounts of on-device retention and CPU powerfulness will screen each your bases, particularly pinch nan imaginable to upgrade. 

In my testing, 4K 60fps video editing successful DaVinci Resolve performed seamlessly, pinch accelerated renders and minimal lag. However, location was immoderate choppiness erstwhile nan exertion was pushed pinch much demanding commands, which is to beryllium expected. When it comes to drafting and modeling, this instrumentality is designed to tally industry-standard package for illustration AutoCAD aliases Revit. 

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I besides want to mention Linux support. If you're keen to break your dependency connected Windows and want a powerful Linux machine, nan ThinkStation P3 Tiny tin travel pinch Linux Ubuntu pre-installed astatine purchase, redeeming you $100 disconnected nan value without Windows. 

I wouldn't urge taking this measurement unless you are committed to utilizing a Linux-powered workstation. However, it's a coagulated action for Linux retired of nan box, particularly if you person anterior acquisition and usage a PC pinch a soon-to-be-expired type of Windows.

Continuing pinch its enterprise-first usage case, this instrumentality is easy to unfastened up, which is cardinal for sustainable support. The apical of nan instrumentality slides correct disconnected pinch 1 screw, revealing nan CPU, GPU, and different soul components that tin beryllium replaced aliases upgraded arsenic needed. 

Conversely, nan bottommost of nan instrumentality is easy popped disconnected to entree nan dual RAM slots and 2 M.2 NVMe SSDs. The instrumentality comes pinch a Samsung SSD via PCI 4.0, which achieved accelerated transportation speeds successful our CrystalDiskMark publication and constitute velocity tests.  

The instrumentality besides boasts extended ports and connectivity options, some connected nan beforehand and back. The beforehand features 2 10GB/second USB-A ports and a USB-C (note: not a Thunderbolt port) pinch a headphone jack. 

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On nan back, you've sewage 4 mini DisplayPorts that jack correct into nan GPU, enabling professional-grade visuals for nan endeavor setting. There's besides an HDMI and DisplayPort that tally disconnected nan CPU, allowing for six outer displays simultaneously. 

The ThinkStation P3 Tiny's powerfulness proviso is thing but. The gigantic powerfulness ceramic is almost arsenic large arsenic nan Tiny itself, supplying 300W of powerfulness to nan instrumentality and requiring immoderate thought for mounting up. I urge not placing nan powerfulness proviso connected apical of nan PC, arsenic some are power sources. Also, this isn't a gaming laptop, but nan hardware tin beryllium carried if a personification has gaming inclinations.

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're successful nan marketplace for a pro-minded mini PC, Lenovo's ThinkStation P3 Tiny is simply a bully prime for its versatility, out-of-the-box support for Linux, and its veritable room of ports. I would urge it for pro users successful an endeavor setting, peculiarly to outfit teams pinch aggregate devices that person nan aforesaid configuration. 

This PC is well-suited for imaginative accumulation successful a workplace mounting pinch tons of horsepower and support for up to six outer monitors. If nan supra 2 sentences don't instantly resonate pinch your desired usage case, I would opportunity this instrumentality isn't nan champion option. It's not peculiarly cheap, moreover connected nan low-end. 

If you're looking for a much consumer-friendly mini PC, I urge Apple's Mac Mini M4, which is simply a fraction of nan price. If you're looking for a mini PC oriented to gaming, cheque retired Minisforum's AI X1 Pro.