Minisforum G1 Pro Crowned Top Mini PC of the Year — And It's $450 Off Right Now

Introduction to the Minisforum G1 Pro

Making the switch from console to PC gaming doesn't mean you need to be tethered to your desk with a big, bulky gaming PC anymore. Case in point, the Minisforum G1 Pro is smaller than a PS5 Slim but outperforms both it and the Xbox Series X in both raw CPU processing power and ray-tracing performance.

Having tested a ton of the best mini PCs this year, the Minisforum G1 Pro has earned a special place among them and on the desk. In fact, it was awarded the best mini PC of the year in the Tom's Guide Awards for 2026, and rightfully so.

Right now, tech enthusiasts can pick up the Minisforum G1 Pro for $1,699 at Newegg. While still more expensive than your average gaming console, this fantastic deal shaves $450 off its standard price of $2,149.

Smaller Than a PS5, But Built Like a Powerhouse PC

At 12.4 x 8.5 x 2.25 inches, the G1 Pro is certainly larger than your typical square mini PC. However, it remains significantly smaller than the PS5 Pro and even the PS5 Slim. Another element that optimizes its physical footprint—helping it take up less space in a desk's cable management tray—is its internal power supply. This integration also makes it quite easy to transport the G1 Pro to the living room for large-screen gaming sessions.

While the left side features a distinctive wave-like pattern, the right side and top feature large vents designed to exhaust hot air generated by its high-performance RTX GPU. Similar to the PS5, it features a customizable front light bar split into two segments, with color and lighting effects easily adjusted via the pre-installed Minisforum app.

Desktop-Grade Performance in a Compact Form Factor

Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX processor and 32GB of DDR5 memory, the G1 Pro is a powerhouse. That extra physical space is put to optimal use by housing a desktop-style, dedicated Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU. Users also get a speedy 1TB SSD to store their favorite Steam games, with Windows 11 pre-installed out of the box.

Despite its compact dimensions, the G1 Pro packs an impressive selection of ports. Up front, you'll find USB-A, USB-C, and a headphone jack. Around the back, there are two additional USB-A ports, another USB-C connection, dual DisplayPort 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4a port, dual HDMI 2.1 ports, and a surprisingly fast 5-gigabit Ethernet port. Connectivity is rounded out with cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support.

In terms of real-world gaming performance, users can expect over 90 fps in titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and around 45 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p. Thanks to the Nvidia GPU, enabling DLSS provides extra frames and resolution bumps for seamless 1440p gaming or living room TV play.

Fully Upgradeable Hardware

One of the standout features of the G1 Pro is its near-total upgradeability. Removing the vertical stand and two screws on the base allows the vented side panel to slide right off, granting full access to the internals. After removing the main fan, users can easily expand storage and memory.

Out of the box, the system features a 1TB SSD and a free M.2 slot, allowing a maximum storage capacity of up to 8TB (using a 4TB SSD in each slot). For memory, a single 32GB stick of DDR5 RAM sits under the CPU cooler with an adjacent free slot, enabling upgrades up to a staggering 96GB of RAM.

Made for More Than Just Your Desk

While ideally suited for a primary desk setup or a living room entertainment center, the G1 Pro's portability shines when traveling. Slipping the device into a backpack alongside a portable monitor, a mechanical keyboard, and a mouse creates a complete, high-end PC gaming rig that can be enjoyed anywhere in the world.

For those looking to transition from console gaming to a robust, portable, and upgradeable PC experience, the Minisforum G1 Pro is an exceptional choice—especially with its current $450 discount.