Summary

• SBCs are great for simple projects like basic NAS, but mini PCs shine with complex setups like RAID storage.
• If you're into retro gaming, SBCs work fine, but for newer games, go for a mini PC to avoid performance issues.
• Want a desktop replacement? SBCs struggle with heavy tasks, while mini PCs offer better performance and Windows 11 support.

Be it creating time-lapse cameras or building cheap web servers, Single-Board Computers are extensively used for a variety of DIY projects. However, there’s only so much you can do with these miniature boards.

Despite their versatility, even the most powerful SBCs can be brought to their knees should you subject them to even remotely demanding workloads. So, if you have any of these projects on your to-do list, then I suggest picking a mini PC over an SBC.

6 Network Attached Storage

Mini PCs are more responsive and have higher data transfer speeds

If you’re looking to create a simple NAS capable of backing up only the most important documents, you’re not likely to encounter a lot of issues when using an SBC. But once you start going up the features ladder and attempt to set up RAID storage alongside backup measures, things will fall apart pretty quickly if you’re on an SBC.

While it’s true that a dedicated NAS enclosure or a full-sized desktop with drive bays will be the best for a more complex server, mini PCs are still a great alternative. Not only are they free from the port limitations of an SBC, but mini PCs also have superior data transfer speeds and work well when used in tandem with TrueNAS, unRAID, and other popular NAS-based operating systems.

5 Media server

SBCs just aren’t powerful enough for a full-blown media streaming server

Turning your SBC into a media server with the help of Plex or Kodi is a solid project if you have a library of locally stored movies, TV shows, and videos that you wish to share on devices across your home network. Unfortunately, the processing difficulty goes up a notch if you try to attempt the more complex workloads, such as 4K transcoding and HDR tone mapping.

As such, a mini PC is significantly better than an SBC if you want a small-sized system that can operate as a media server without being bogged down by performance issues.

4 Modern game emulation

Though SBCs still reign supreme for retro gaming

With even the pint-sized Raspberry Pi Zero being good enough to run games developed for NES and other dinosaur gaming consoles, there’s no doubt that SBCs work well for retro gaming setups. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the newer consoles, with the Raspberry Pi 5 barely pulling its weight on games released for any home console newer than the PS1.

So, if you wish to create a tiny machine capable of emulating your favorite Wii, PlayStation 2, or even (select) Switch games, it’s a good idea to shelve your SBC and switch to a mini PC instead.

3 Desktop replacement

Don’t want a full-sized rig on your desk? Grab a mini PC instead

While SBCs, especially the Raspberry Pi boards, have come a long way in terms of OS support, we still haven’t reached the point where it’s possible to use these palm-sized systems as a full-fledged desktop replacement. Having spent months with my beloved Raspberry Pi 5, the official Raspberry Pi OS works exceedingly well for everyday tasks – until you fire up anything even remotely taxing like YouTube.

All of a sudden, your SBC-powered desktop devolves into a lag fest. The same holds for opening more than a handful of browser tabs or running multiple applications at once. The worst part? This was my experience using the device at 1080p resolution, so you can forget about 4K. Factor in how easy it is to install Windows 11 on mini PCs, and it's clear to see why anyone would prefer them over SBCs as desktop replacements.

2 Makeshift Mac Mini

Especially if you’re on an NUC

Although modern SBCs are powerful enough to run plenty of operating systems, booting into Apple’s flagship desktop OS on these tiny devices remains a pipe dream. From their low RAM capacity to incompatible chipsets, you’ll end up scratching your head every step of the installation path if you try to run any macOS version released in the last decade on your SBC.

Meanwhile, most Intel-powered mini PCs, including the ill-fated Intel NUC systems, can be configured to run the newer variants of macOS. Sure, some apps and drivers may not work since it’s technically a makeshift Mac Mini, instead of the real deal. But it’s quite impressive that these miniature systems can provide respectable performance on macOS, which is not something I could say for SBCs.

1 VM server

You shouldn't go for an SBC if you want to deploy multiple VMs at once

Thanks to Docker and Proxmox, deploying containers is easier than ever – even if you’re on SBCs. But since most SBCs run on ARM processors instead of 32 or 64-bit CPUs, you’re quite limited in terms of the operating system images you can run on the VM server. Not to mention, it’s easy to run into performance issues if you try to run multiple containers at the same time.

On the other hand, these issues become moot for anyone rocking a mini PC. Most mini PCs work incredibly well for home-lab setups, where you can deploy several containers for different apps and use cases without worrying about the performance overhead.

Mini PCs vs SBCs: A debate for ages

While mini PCs have superior processing capabilities, there are just as many use cases where it’s better to go for affordable and smaller SBCs instead. Take a security system, for instance. Since SBCs are extremely tiny, you can place them anywhere near the camera without the setup looking overtly ridiculous. Likewise, the fact that most SBCs ship with easily accessible GPIO pins makes connecting sensor modules and HATs a cinch.

From an affordability standpoint, even the overpriced Raspberry Pi boards are still cheaper than the lowest-grade NUCs. Finally, it's easier to create and switch between multiple projects if you’re on a SBC, as all you have to do is replace a microSD card.

All that said, however, if your project ideas prove to be more than what an ordinary SBC can handle, that’s your cue to switch to mini PCs.