The Windows-toting answer to a Mac Mini
Nice design
Small footprint
Limited upgrade potential
Excess bloatware
If you're looking for a mini computer to look smart in the office, sit surreptitiously under your TV or meet the compact requirements of a kid's homework needs, then the HP Pavilion Mini is a smart contender.
While the base specification may not meet the requirements of gamers (who will want to consider the Maingear Spark or Alienware Alpha), or more intensive tasks, the higher-end model more than meets the needs of those looking for a home entertainment computer, and it's priced favourably against the Acer Revo RL85.
The mid-range specification of the HP Pavillion Mini we reviewed compares favourably against similarly priced but less powerful competitors like the Intel NUC, and the good looks make it a smart Windows alternative to the Mac Mini.
Small form-factor desktop PCs enjoyed their greatest popularity several years ago. It was the era of the media center computer, when tech-savvy home-theater enthusiasts would hook tiny computers up to TVs to stream video or record over-the-air programs. Since then, smart TVs, Roku-style boxes and game consoles have largely taken over, and the only puck-sized desktop anyone hears much about is Apple's $500, £399, AU$619 Mac Mini.
HP feels there's still room for a tiny Windows-powered desktop, whether hooked up in the living room or on an office desk. The company's new Pavilion Mini costs less than a Mac Mini, has a smaller footprint and offers one feature notably missing from the Mac Mini -- accessibility to the internal components if you want to add additional RAM or a new hard drive down the line.
The Pavilion Mini starts with an Intel Pentium processor, but can be configured with a faster Intel Core i3 CPU as well. The less-expensive of two fixed configurations pairs an Intel Pentium CPU with a 7,200rpm 500GB hard drive for $319 (available for £269 in the UK); while a $449 configuration (£349 in the UK) has an Intel Core i3 CPU and a 1TB 5,400rpm hard drive. Neither option is available in Australia at this time but the UK prices convert to around AU$535 or AU$690.
Both have 4GB of RAM, but can support a maximum of 16GB if you add more later. A related model, called the Stream Mini, uses the same chassis (but in blue), with an Intel Celeron CPU, 2GB of RAM and only a 32GB SSD, and is intended for media streaming or cloud-based tasks. It costs $179 in the US and is not currently listed on HP's UK or Australian online stores.
The configuration tested here is the more expensive of the two Pavilion Mini versions. At $449, it's a good match-up against the $499 Core i5 Apple Mac Mini, as well as other mini desktops such as the Alienware Alpha, which also has a Core i3 CPU in its $499 entry-level configuration, but pairs it with a custom graphics card for decent mainstream PC gaming. The competitive landscape also includes more affordable budget options like Chromebooks, "Chromebox" mini desktops and even full-fledged Windows laptops like the HP Stream 11, all of which can be had for about $200.
For everyday surfing and basic office tasks, the HP Pavilion Mini proved adequate, but didn't especially impress. On paper, the performance is not far removed from the Mac Mini, but in hands-on testing it gave us occasional slowdown and hitches. But for pure value, it's got a good story to tell, with double the Mac Mini's onboard storage for $50 less, and with an included wireless keyboard and mouse, another feature Apple leaves out.
| Processor | 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i3-4025U Processor (3M Cache, 1.90 GHz, 2 Cores) |
| Operating System | Windows 8.1 |
| Graphics | Integrated Intel® HD Graphics |
| Standard Memory1 | 2GB DDR3-1600 (1x2GB) |
| Hard Drive | 500GB (7200RPM Serial ATA hard drive) |
| Networking/Wireless2,3 | HP WLAN 802.11 b/g/n 1x1 M.2 BT |
| I/O ports | Front: 2x USB 3.0; Rear: 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Display Port, Audio Jack, HP 3-in-1 Media Card Reader |
| Additional Keyboard/Touchpad | Wireless keyboard with volume control, Windows 8 hot keys and USB optical mouse, USB keyboard with volume control, USB optical mouse |
| Power/Battery | 45W Power Supply (external) |
| Software | Multimedia & Entertainment Power Backup, Cyberlink Power Director, Cyberlink Power Media Player |
| Product Support McAfee Central & McAfee LiveSafe (30-day subscription), HP SimplePass, HP Support Assistant | |
| Productivity & Lifestyle 7-zip, Evernote, HP Connected Photo, Skype, HP ePrint Driver | |
| Dimensions (mm)/Weight (g) | 140 x 140 x 52.3mm / 630g |
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