Hey everyone! I'm trying to set up a home development environment focused on Docker and I'm considering getting a mini PC for this purpose. Given that I live in a small Manhattan apartment, I'm looking for something compact but efficient. The Acemagic M1, which has an Intel i9-11900H processor and 32GB RAM with a 1TB hard drive, keeps coming up in my searches and is priced around $500 on Amazon.
My main questions are: Is this a good choice for running Linux? Will it be difficult to install a Linux distro on it? Am I overshooting my needs with such a powerful CPU, or is it justified? Also, should I consider buying a mini PC that comes with Linux pre-installed, or is it better to install it myself? I'd like to stick to a budget of about $500. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Have you checked out the MinisForum site? They offer mini PCs pre-installed with Manjaro Linux, which could save you some trouble if you're not super confident with installations. I’ve been using mine for three years and it’s performed wonderfully!
The Acemagic M1 looks nice, but it sounds like a bit much for your situation. I've run Plex and other services on much less powerful hardware without issues. You could look at something like an Intel NUC for about $340. They are excellent for Linux, offer good performance, and are generally more power-efficient.
I’ve got the Beelink SER8 running Ubuntu and it's been great for the past two years! Super reliable, and I hear the Acemagic M1 is also a solid choice, though the i9 could be a bit much for your needs. It should handle Linux just fine, installing a distro is usually pretty easy nowadays.
The i9 might be overkill, especially since it's an older model (11th gen from 2021). A newer i5 or i7 might actually offer better performance for less power. That said, the mini PC should work well for Linux. Just be cautious about the WiFi chip and heat management with an older i9, as that could be an issue.
I just got an SER8 recently too, it came with Windows 11 but I switched to Linux Mint right away. Honestly, I’m loving it! Very user-friendly, especially for a new Linux user.