The best media PCs you can buy in South Africa

When it comes to building the ultimate home entertainment setup, more discerning users may find an Android box insufficient for their media consumption needs.

While these little smart boxes are great for using Google Play apps and offer certain smart features, they are limited when it comes to the more complex and demanding workloads that a PC can handle.

However, plugging in a PC desktop tower is not the optimal solution – as it can take up loads of space in your living room or entertainment area, and can often be detrimental to the overall aesthetic.

Although laptops are built for mobility and may be suitable for this purpose, they are often far more expensive than desktops with the same specifications.

The fact that their displays – which add costs to the total package – may serve no purpose in a home entertainment setup that already includes a proper TV set.

Fortunately, multiple PC manufacturers cater to the market of compact computers which are capable of providing desktop-level performance in a much smaller form factor.

A powerful media PC offers a range of benefits over standard media boxes, which can include:

• Support for emulation software that allows you to play old or retro video games.
• Better input capabilities.
• More apps and programs to choose from.
• More ports for expansion.
• Higher video quality playback.
• Enhanced customisation.

Whether you prefer Windows 10, MacOS, or Linux, there is a wide selection to choose from.

Below is our list of compact computers which are ideal for use as media PCs, ranked from cheapest to most expensive.

Note that we have only included systems generally available for purchase in South Africa.

Lenovo ThinkCentre M910Q – R4,995

Azulle Quantum Byte – R5,586

Intel NUC NUC10I3FNH  – R8,999

Apple Mac Mini – R9,999

HP ProDesk 400 G5 – R13,889

Acer Chromebox CXI3 – R16,155

HP Z2 Mini G4 Workstation – R22,399

Now read: New Apple Mac Mini – South African pricing