I'm considering a new computer and came across these. I don't know anything about them, so I wanted to ask here. Ones like Intel NUC or Lenovo ThinkCentre, specifically.

I kinda get the idea you basically buy a box and spec or assemble to your needs. I'm not even sure that some come with an OS. If so, they seem like the cost could be substantial when you add it all up.

Half the time, whatever I get would also be used as a Plex server. The idea of a small, fanless box that can double as a PC interests me since I don't really want a dedicated NAS.

Ultimately, I'd want to know if these mini PCs are worthwhile or would I be better off with a retail tower PC. Thanks in advance.

I've got a nuc for a media center PC i use for streaming video from my server to a TV. They are more than adequate unless you are doing something requiring decent horsepower. Low power, low heat, low cost. If you run some version of Linux, free OS. I am running Win7 on mine.

I think the really small devices use Peephole.

An Intel NUC from a couple or so of years ago (Core i3, 8GB RAM, teeny 30GB Mini SATA drive as OS/C:, all Media is stored on NASs) is my HTPC in the living room and is the heart of my entire Media setup running JRiver Media Center - generally in Kiosk/Theatre mode (I'm on a stable v.19.x with no plan to upgrade, though they're currently working on v.22).

It works great in every regard. I either use a little BT Keyboard/Pad combo or a Logitech Harmony remote to operate it. Stays on days and weeks at a time, for the last couple of years, so that it's like my own always available Netflix/Pandora type thing when I swap the TV input to it - as opposed to the normal cable box. Mine runs Win7 Ultimate as the OS.

I think I have about $500 in it, including Win7 and JRiver. Money well spent. Best setup I've had yet. I also use old phones (two iPhone4s and a Droid Razr Maxx) and a Dell Win Tablet to access JRiver/my Media Library from other rooms or outside, each of which can play whatever it wants irrespective of what's playing on the main TV (or not).

Have a NUC with i5 and 8GB hooked to main 1080P TV. Also runs a 2nd PC monitor. Has enough horsepower for the kid to play Minecraft/Roblox simultaneously as Netflix/Amazon is being streamed to TV without issue. The only problems you might have are with 4K TV's as the onboard video doesn't support it on the older models (Pre skylake processors).

If the computer is going to be in one place all the time and is not going to need PCI cards (like video cards) or internal drives swapped out, a NUC form factor is ideal. I have a Gigabyte brand NUC and LED monitor next to my home-office work desk. It serves as my sanity station to check the cat thread a couple times a day. I run openSUSE Linux on it.

Thanks, all. It seems like these would work.