Don’t wait for Prime Day: this tiny $99 computer is the cheapest PC I would buy right now — and it even comes with Windows 11 Pro
Unknown brand launches surprisingly powerful mini PC with Windows 11 Pro
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The T8Pro is now out of stock. The next best value PC deal is theUXX X300-A which has a similar configuration and costs $105 (after a $15 voucher). It is bigger, has fewer HDMI and LAN ports but has two USB Type-C connectors and a free mouse. Plus I love the gold champagne finish on that one.
Mini PCshave been one of the highlights of computer hardware over the past few years and products like theCTOne T8Pro selling for $99 at Amazon (was $129)exemplify this.
Shaped like aMac Studio, this minuscule PC - it’s only 3.5 x 3.5 x 1.7in - has more ports than theAppleMac Mini(nine in all) and costs less than $100 at Amazon with free shipping. Hurry up though as stocks are likely to be limited. Despite its price, it still comes with Windows 11 Pro (rather thanWindows 11Home) and a two-year warranty.
Best value-for-money PC deal - only $99
CTOne T8Pro Mini PC:was $129now$99 at AmazonThis is one of the best PCs out there when it comes to sheer value for money. No other device I know of offers 2 LAN ports, 3 HDMI connectors and a NVMe SSD for that outlay. Make sure you click on the tick box to get the $30 discount at checkout.
Is CTOne T8Pro worth buying?
Sure, it is no gaming PC or video editing workstation, as theIntelCeleron N5095 CPU that powers it is just good enough for casual browsing and light office work, for which it excels (pun intended). For an idea of how it will perform, see our review of theGeekom MiniAir 11 mini PC. 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB user-replaceable M.2 2242 NVMeSSD(no slow eMMC here) are than enough for mainstream users (forget about AI PC levels of performance though).
Its diminutive form factor means that you can carry it around and its versatility has been highlighted by oneAmazoncustomer who powered it using a DIY-made battery. After all, the CTOne T8Pro only needs 24W of power (12V, 2A) via a barrel-type connector. I liked that it has three (yes three) HDMI ports that can each drive a4K monitor; equally surprising are the two GbE Ethernet LAN ports, something I’ve never seen on a PC that cheap.
That paves the way for home-built hardwarefirewalls, file storage servers, tinyNAS, multi-channel aggregation (internet bonding), portableVPNand much, much more. The inclusion of a mounting bracket - to secure it behind a monitor - and a HDMI cable should be commended.
There’s a few improvements I’d recommend though (although remember this is a sub-$100 computer). There’s nomicroSD cardslot or USB Type-C connector and it can “only” do WiFi 5 wireless connectivity. Some customers have also mentioned that it has a plastic housing that is similar to “the plastic on a chid’s toy” but then again, corners have to be cut to reach that sort of price.
A note that CTOne seems to be a brand from the company behind the likes of Kamrui, Firebat, Chatreey, Ninkear, Acemagic and Acemagician and the T8 Pro launched back in November 2022.
Remember that Amazon also offer a 2- or 3-year desktop protection plan (via Asurion) for $16.99 and $23.99 respectively, which provide with extra piece of mind and include 24/7 support and protection from power surges.
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Désiré has been musing and writing about technology during a career spanning four decades. He dabbled inwebsite buildersandweb hostingwhen DHTML and frames were in vogue and started narrating about the impact of technology on society just before the start of the Y2K hysteria at the turn of the last millennium.
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