Windows minimachines, there are Intel and AMD. But… Apple continues to headline this market segment with the Mac mini. Fortunately, Qualcomm is entering this segment, with the help of Lenovo.
What is a good mini PC? A compact format, very good performance, lots of connections, low consumption, little heating and noise. In short, a versatile machine. Apple has managed to make a splash with its latest Mac mini M4.
Here is Qualcomm entering the dance. The two new models, called IdeaCentre Mini x and ThinkCentre neo 50q QC, do not hide their ambitions: to compete directly with Apple's Mac mini. The positioning is clear, both in terms of format and announced performance.
The ThinkCentre neo 50q offers a choice of the Snapdragon X Plus processor or the all-new Snapdragon The IdeaCentre Mini x, for its part, relies exclusively on the Snapdragon X Plus, probably to offer a better performance-price ratio.
One of the advantages of these mini-machines lies in their native compatibility with the artificial intelligence features of Windows 11. Indeed, all processors in the Snapdragon X family integrate an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) chip, allowing them to 'obtain certification' Copilot+ PCs » from Microsoft.
Qualcomm's successful entry into the laptop market is largely due to the energy efficiency of its processors. This characteristic takes on its full meaning in the world of mini-PCs, where thermal management represents a challenge.
Significant computing power in a very small volume
Indeed, the low consumption of Snapdragon X chips makes it possible to design less complex cooling systems, and therefore more compact machines. This is precisely what makes the strength of these new Lenovo mini-PCs: they can pack significant computing power in a very small volume, without compromising their thermal stability.
They are well equipped, with up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x-8488 RAM, WiFi 7 and USB4. The IdeaCentre comes with up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and the Lenovo Mini PC also has multiple USB ports, including 1x USB4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, Gigabit Ethernet, and Combo Audio. Cheaper versions also come with WiFi 6E.
In the US, it goes on sale next month starting at $849, while the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 and ThinkCentre neo Ultra Gen 2 will cost over $2,500 and over $3,000, respectively.
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