Hello there!

GarTheConquer

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Feb 16, 2018
10
5
Well, after building my first Mini-ITX gaming rig I got cocky and agreed to build my geologist friend a budget mini PC for work.

I feel like I'm in over my head. He wants to spend less than 750CAD for the case/guts. Is this even possible? I can't find budget mini-pc build lists online so I dunno.

He's just going to be running this program, but he wants to connect two of these monitors.

No GPU required, and pretty much just as small a case as possible.

Thanks for any advice or links to budget mini PC builds.

I can post this in a different thread if this is not the correct spot!
 

Runamok81

Runner of Moks
Jul 27, 2015
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troywitthoeft.com
That software has some low requirements from the year 2000. Any modern CPU can handle it. No GPU, no problem.

Is this going to be a shop computer? If it is being used in an industrial setting, then a fanless, passive NUC offering from Logic Supply might do well to prevent dust and debris from getting inside.

https://www.logicsupply.com/products/features/nuc-computers/

If you don't require fanless (office PC) then look at the regular NUC offerings. Less expensive, for more power. Keep in mind most of these are barebone kits where you add HDD and RAM.

https://techbuyersguru.com/700-intel-nuc-ultra-compact-pc-build

Driving two 1080P monitors is an easy chore for the IRIS integrated graphics found in most NUCs, but doing it off of a USB-C/DP connection might be unintuitive for newcomers. So, for ease of use, for your friend, you may want to find something that has two discrete monitor hookups? Maybe look at the (until just recently) top of line $579 Skull Canyon NUC?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DJ9XID4/?tag=theminutiae-20

Just add HDD and RAM, and you should be good.

With a $750 budget for mini PC, you could also look at offerings from Asus and Liva, but the Skull Canyon NUC will serve as a nice measuring stick.

Edit: Just noticed we're talking CAD and not USD. So, the Skull Canyon NUC is just over budget. On the other end is the i3 NUC. Here
 
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GarTheConquer

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Feb 16, 2018
10
5
I talked to buddy and he is willing to go up to 1000CAD including taxes and shipping. He'd like to go with a 250GB SSD and sms'd me this page but that top-of-the line Skull Canyon is 726CAD + 10%tax = 798CAD

798CAD + 117CAD+10% m.2 ssd ~ only leaves 65CAD for SODIMM + cables, which is 53CAD + cables over budget so I think I'll have to take a step down.

I will check out what ASUS and Liva have on offer and get back to you tomorrow morning!

For a second HDMI monitor when mini-DP is an output all he'd need is a mini-DP to HDMI cable for the second monitor, right? It doesn't have to be an active adapter?

Edit: By cables I meant a mini-DP to HDMI cable!
 

GarTheConquer

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Feb 16, 2018
10
5
I've been looking at Liva and ASUS mini-PC products and the ASUS ones look particularly nice.
I think the i5 NUC will be the way to go.
My only concern is the dual monitor. Can a passive mini-DP to HDMI cable be used for the second monitor with the i5 NUC?
From reading reviews, I think passive will work.

Edit: Thinking of this for memory.
 
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Runamok81

Runner of Moks
Jul 27, 2015
445
621
troywitthoeft.com
Yes. For the fifth generation version NUC you've linked to, a passive mini-DP to HDMI cable would work.

One suggestion, for fifty CAD more would you consider latest seventh generation version? The primary difference is slightly faster CPU and upgraded output options. Use the NUC Wikipedia page to help sort out the NUC model lineup. The seventh generation has an HDMI port on the left and a highly versatile Thunderbolt 3 port on the right.



So, you'd need to adjust cables. TB3 is nice, but because it's so versatile it can be confusing. It carries all sorts of signals in one, so adapters can get ridiculous.



They do make simple simple TB3 to HDMI adapters that will work on a seventh gen.

So, good luck! One last thing, does your friend have strong feelings about how much RAM / HDD space they want? Would they care to have less CPU/RAM and something like a giant 1TB HDD? I'm always a bit surprised by this, but some folks want it. In the end, it's their PC, so get a feel for what they think is important and cater to it. Perhaps offer several NUC options, and let them pick? You'll get buy-in and both parties will be happier in the long run.

Let us know what you end up getting.
 

Runamok81

Runner of Moks
Jul 27, 2015
445
621
troywitthoeft.com
Looks good, all that will make for a powerful Mini PC. Three minor suggestions.

Peripherals - Need 2 HDMI cables? Mouse, Keyboard?

RAM - Switch to two 4GB modules instead of one single 8GB. You'll get the tiny benefit of dual channel.

SSD - It might be worth upgrading to the Samsung 960 EVO for 40 more CAD, here? The 960 EVO toasts the mx300 in benchmarks, almost twice as fast. So bragging rights. However, real world diff in day to day tasks is less noticeable. You'll save seconds when moving large files, and milliseconds everywhere else.
 
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confusis

John Morrison. Founder and Team Leader of SFF.N
SFF Network
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Jun 19, 2015
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Welcome aboard! (a little late but oh well). As you may have noticed, our community is very knowledgeable, sometimes scarily so!
 

Runamok81

Runner of Moks
Jul 27, 2015
445
621
troywitthoeft.com
Keeping the MX300 is fine. For memory, that's a tougher call. The recommended spec is 2133Mhz DDR4 and you've linked to 2400MHz. Most of the time, say... nine out of ten... 2400MHz should work. But because these are embedded U processors with no overclocking and less bus flexibility, I'd be more hesitant. Because this is for a friend... stability should trump saving a few bucks... So gotta stick with any SODIMM DDR4 2133MHz or only "approved" 2400MHz. Sorry.
 
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