[plug] miniPC recommendations?

[Bruce Axtens]

 >  I am curious what are you trying to achieve or the type of work you 
will do with your miniPC?

  * Assorted bits of dotnet development in C#
  * I'm a maintainer and language track developer for exercism.org
    (helped with COBOL, 8th, and Euphoria tracks and working on SNOBOL4
    track)
  * I have three Substack accounts I write into occasionally:
      o https://calvingicebergs.substack.com/
      o https://playingwithmyfood.substack.com/
      o https://skipdipper.substack.com/
  * Microsoft Teams and PowerPoint (I'm the "Order of Service" builder
    for my church (Three Crosses WPC))

That's the top four of lots of other miscellaneous activity.

-Bruce.

On 14/09/2026 11:07 am, Juneidy Wibowo wrote:
>
> Hi Bruce,
>
> Before getting deep into the weed, I am curious what are you trying to 
> achieve or the type of work you will do with your miniPC?
>
> My office will usually cycle employee laptop every 3-4 years and I 
> usually collect discarded office laptops and repurpose them by 
> installing linux. I would dare say those office laptops will most 
> likely outperform most if not all miniPC in the $450 range.
>
> I know you seem to suggest you want to get a new machine instead of 
> using a second-hand laptops. But if you're simply looking for a 
> machine with higher performance than your current one, maybe you could 
> try asking your son to see if there are any good condition laptops 
> that are being discarded.
>
> Regards,
> Juneidy
> On Monday, September 14th, 2026 at 09:26, Bruce Axtens via plug 
> <plug_at_plug_org_au_rqgvlrjawc at simplelogin.co> wrote:
>> Hello Pluglings (for want of a better term)
>>
>> I'm still lurking here in the shadows. Have been for years, my son 
>> Daniel having been the impetus. He's now Principal Engineer for 
>> Fastly: https://www.fastly.com/blog/author/daniel-axtens
>>
>> But I didn't come here to do that. My question is more mundane: after 
>> years of having various second-hand laptops as my home setup for 
>> Linux I'm now seriously considering laying out real money for a 
>> miniPC. Does the group have any suggestions re manufacturer and 
>> vendor? I'm thinking something in the $300-$450 range.
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Bruce Axtens
>
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