Best Refurbished Mini PC for under $200 (2020)

Contents

1. Hints and tips
2. Mini PC use cases
3. What to look for
4. Some DIY stuff
5. HP ProDesk 600
6. HP EliteDesk 705
7. Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p
8. Lenovo ThinkCentre M93p
9. Dell OptiPlex 3020

Refurbished mini PC buying hints and tips

Business-class micro desktops are very compelling with their slim chassis and super modular build. They were, and still are, very popular among companies and corporations and thus, are readily available on the second hand market. Finding a decent refurbished machine for a very reasonable price is not a problem. Amazon, Newegg and other websites specialized in refurbishing are offering a huge variety of models.

When searching for such devices you can use keywords such as: Mini PC, Micro Desktop, Tiny, and even Ultra Small Form Factor (USFF) desktop. Although, strictly speaking USFF is a bit bigger than the Minis, many sellers are advertising them as USFF.

For office work, watching movies or surfing the web we recommend spending not more than $200. For this price you can get a Mini PC which will have a 4th generation i5 processor, 8GB RAM, SSD and a preinstalled Windows 10 Pro.

What to look for when buying a refurbished Mini PC

If you want to run a Windows operating system, make sure that the device comes with a preinstalled Windows 10. It is much cheaper to buy a computer that has already one, instead of purchasing the license separately.

Most of those computers have the option for a WiFi module but generally will not come with one. If you need it, and it is not obvious from the description that it is available, just ask the seller. If the seller is advertising the product as having a WiFi adapter, this will most probably mean that there is no built-in WiFi but a USB-dongle has been added to the package instead.

When buying a used micro desktop you will probably want to install an SSD. This will significantly improve the overall performance of the system. You can save time and money if you buy a computer that has already one.

We recommend running a minimum 8GB of RAM. All of the mini PCs reviewed here have 2x SODIMM RAM memory slots on the motherboard. Thus, if the machine comes with a 4GB installed make sure that it’s using a single SODIMM module. If the device comes with 2x2GB modules you will need to throw them away when upgrading.

Read carefully the seller’s description and be sure that there are no missing parts. We’ve seen advertisements where there are missing power supplies or mounting 2.5″HDD brackets. If in doubt, always ask.

Mini PC use-cases

The refurbished mini PCs reviewed here, although small and a bit old, are very capable devices. Of course, they are not all powerful. Things you can’t use them for are: playing most recent games, video editing, professional photo and 3D editing. Aside from that, there are many usages that a mini desktop machine is good for.

Renewed mini desktops are ideal for gaming on the cheap. You can play older games and also, the devices are powerful enough to run emulators. If emulation is what you are interested in you should do well to buy a computer with a 4th generation Intel Core i5 processor (i.e. i5-4xxx). This will allow you to play all the popular emulators like Dolphin (Gamecube/Wii), Redream (Dreamcast), PPSSPP (PSP) and RetroArch (N64/SNES/Saturn/Atomiswave)!

A Mini PC for the TV. If you want to extend the functionality of your old TV or in case your Smart TV has an ugly interface, a Mini PC is perfect for a Home Theater PC (HTPC). It is small enough to be hidden behind any TV and with an additional wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad, you will be able to control it from a distance. You will be free to watch movies on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney and the rest. Adding a USB camera will enable you to make video calls with your friends using Skype, Zoom etc.

A mini desktop makes the perfect Linux machine. It is powerful and with enough RAM to run any distribution of Linux. Once you have Linux, the opportunities are endless. You can turn you small desktop into any type of server or use it as your go-to Linux machine. Some of the most popular application that you can install are NextCloud/OwnCloud file sharing, Kodi/Plex media center and of course a web server.

Mini PC for the office and the workshop. There really is no task that those computers can’t do: document processing, Excel, VoIP calls, email, web browsing, watching movies, gaming, you name it. If you need a computer for your garage, office or workshop and you don’t want to break the bank, don’t look any further.

Tinkering around with your new refurbished Mini PC

Refurbished computers usually should not require any maintenance, but if you have some free time to open the chassis and look around, there are few things that you can possibly do.

Clean any dust inside the chassis.

Change the thermal paste on the CPU. If the thermal paste on your CPU has dried-out, it will not conduct heat very well. This will cause your fan to run on higher speeds in order to keep your machine cool. Changing the thermal paste in this case will make it quieter.

Measure and change the CMOS battery if it is below 2.7 V.

Best Refurbished Mini PCs

Let’s look at some of the most popular refurbished models by Dell, Lenovo, and HP you can find online

1. HP ProDesk 600 G1 Desktop Mini Refurbished

Where to buy?

The HP ProDesk 600 G1 Desktop Mini computer is the first of the bunch that we are going to look at. It has the usual mini, also called micro or tiny, form factor and weights only 2.9lb (1.3kg). It is very well build and exceptionally modular. Everything is easily removable and exchangeable. On the bottom, the chassis has VESA mounting holes. An optional bracket allows you to mount it behind a monitor or under a desk.

On the front panel there is a power button, headphones connector, microphone and 2x USB-A ports supporting USB3.0. One of the USB-A ports is always on.

On the back side there are 2x USB-A (USB3.0) ports, 2x USB-A (USB2.0) ports, 2x DisplayPorts, VGA, RJ-45 Gigabit connector and a Line-Out connector for powered audio devices.

Inside you will find a 2.5″ drive bay that supports SATA 3.0 disks. There is also an M.2 2280 M-key slot for an SSD but it comes with limitations. It supports only the PCIe interface (not SATA) and most probably you will not be able to boot your OS. There are workarounds for the booting issue and if you want to explore further, we recommend reading the following post.

The system is running 4th generation i3, i5 or i7 processors which are rated at 35 Watts. It supports a maximum 16GB of DDR3 RAM using the available 2x SODIMM slots (1.35V or 1.5V). If the device comes with the optional WiFi module the antennas are very nicely hidden and flush to the chassis. The built-in speaker is also standard for these type of PCs.

Find additional info in the user manual for the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini.

2. Refurbished HP EliteDesk 705 G3 Desktop Mini

Where to buy?

The HP EliteDesk 705 G3 Desktop Mini computer is identical to the HP 600 G1 Mini from the outside. It has the same amount of ports at the front and back. There is an extra empty slot on the back for one additional port. The available options for this port are a DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, or a Serial connector.

The hardware inside is more modern than the one in 600 G1. It is running an AMD processor which is less powerful but more recent than the 4th generation Intel Core. Additionally, the RAM is faster (DDR4-2133) and supports up to 32 GB. The standard two SODIMM sockets are available.

Like in the 600 G1, it has a 2.5″ drive bay (SATA3.0 at 6.0Gb/s) and an M.2 slot 2280 M-key (PCIe/NVMe) for SSD storage.

The 705 G3 Mini Desktop is cheaper than the 600 G1 and maybe a bit slower, nevertheless we like what it offers for the price.

Like all the other PCs reviewed here, the 705 G3 comes with an external laptop like power supply. It is rated at 65 Watts.

Find additional info in the user manual for HP EliteDesk 705 G3 Mini.

3. Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p Tiny Refurbished

Where to buy?

When comparing size and weight, the Business Micro Tower ThinkCentre M92p is almost identical to the HP 600 G1 Mini.

Unfortunately port-wise it is a bit worse. It has only one Display port and 5x USB-A ports. Two of those are USB2.0 and the rest are USB3.0. On the back it has place for an optional port which can be of the type DP, Serial, USB2.0 or a WiFi card module antenna.

If you are planning to install the Tiny behind your monitor or under your desk you will need to buy two set of brackets. The PC itself doesn’t have VESA mounting holes. That’s why we like HP’s mounting solution more. It is simpler due to the fact that the HP Mini PC has mounting holes on the chassis’s bottom.

Inside the Mini PC comes with a 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors and it supports up to 16GB DDR3 RAM (2x SODIMM slots). On the motherboard there is a Mini PCI Express card slot for the optional WiFi. Just like in the HP machine the Lenovo has a single built-in speaker.

This tiny computer is nice but we like more the HP models. The HP has a few more ports and an extra M.2 NVMe slot for an additional SSD.

Note: The “p” in the M92p stands for “pro” which includes all the Intel vPro technology. If you happen to buy a M92 you will be equally satisfied.

Find additional info in the user manual for Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p Tiny.

4. Lenovo ThinkCentre M93p Tiny Renewed

Where to buy?

The ThinkCentre M93p is identical to the M92p with the exception that it comes with a 4th generation Intel Core processor. If you can, you should choose the newer model, as the 4th generation Intel Core processor has a much faster integrated graphics.

Find additional info in the user manual for Lenovo ThinkCentre M93p Tiny.

5. Dell OptiPlex 3020 Micro Desktop Recertified

Where to buy?

Buying a refurbished OptiPlex 3020 Micro Desktop will cost you no more than the rest of the models reviewed so far. Dell desktop computers are probably the most popular when it comes to buying them refurbished or second hand. However, this desktop is no way better in terms of quality and doesn’t offer any improvements over the competition. It is very similar to the M93p with the one exception being the USB-A port arrangement. The Dell has 2x USB-A (USB3.0) and 4xUSB-A (USB2.0) connectors.

Mounting the Dell Micro behind a monitor or under a desk can be done with the optional Dual VESA mount. Just like the Lenovo, the computer itself doesn’t have VESA mounting holes.

This mini PC, just like the rest, is built to the highest standards and we like it a lot. Although it can be a tad pricier, it is a recommended purchase.

In case you want to upgrade to a more advanced machine, you can get the Dell OptiPlex 9020 Micro. It will give you few extra feature like M.2 SATA slot and a more advance chipset (Intel Q87). The 9020M might also come with an Intel Core i7 processor, while the 3020M was offered only with i3/i5, Pentium and Celeron processors. For a more detailed comparison between the Dell OptiPlex 3020 and 9020 Micro, you can check out our dedicated page: Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3020 vs. 7020 vs. 9020

Find additional info in the user manual for Dell OptiPlex 3020 Micro Desktop.