By Martin Jansen, Owner of Jansen-PCINFO
The average computer user at home doesn’t require a lot of computing power. Generally, I hear that users want to browse the internet, view and respond to emails, look on Facebook or other social media, view and play media like songs, videos or open PDFs and occasionally type a letter or update a spreadsheet. All of these can be done on an inexpensive computer.
As the owner of a computer company, I try to keep up with the latest technology, but every once and a while I get advertisements for ultra cheap computers. These are usually built in China (what isn’t these days?) and have an unknown brand name. Case in point: KAMRUI Essenx E1 Mini PC, Windows 11 Pro, Intel Twin Lake- N150 up to 3.6 GHz, Mini Desktop Computer 8GB DDR4 256GB M.2 SSD, Small PC Desktop 2.4G/ 5.0G WiFi, BT, 4K at a cost of $140.
There are lots of these types of mini pcs on Amazon at very low prices. They are like laptops without screens and have an external power supply.
What else is needed to run these tiny computers? A monitor, keyboard, mouse and, of course, a connection to the internet. Of these the monitor requires the most scrutiny for connection to the computer and size – prefer a 20 inch or larger monitor with HDMI connection. A combination USB wireless keyboard and mouse will save a USB port on the computer.
Specifications
What attracted me to this Kamrui computer other than the price? First of all, the processor: the newer N150 is low power, 4 core, with up to 3.6 Ghz of power. These processors are specifically designed to handle the newest graphics demanded today. While 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum needed by Windows 11 Pro, the 256GB of storage is plenty for the operating system and saved files. Connectivity is good with plenty of ports, WIFI and Bluetooth. According to the images on Amazon, both the memory and storage are upgradeable, not soldered to the motherboard.
Windows 10 Deadline
In October of this year, Microsoft will cease supporting Windows 10 for most home users. Businesses may choose to pay Microsoft for extended support if they are not already on Windows 11. The Kamrui computer may be a good choice for home users that want to stay on Windows, but there are many other mini pcs available on Amazon. Lenovo, HP and Dell also make mini computers, but they are usually much more expensive unless refurbished, older models.
Alternatives
Microsoft is the only company demanding that users replace their computer or operating system. Linux with its many distribution types have no such requirements. I prefer Linux Mint which recently was upgraded to version “Xia” 22.1 – the user experience is much like Windows 7. Linux Mint requires much less system resources compared to Windows 11 and can run nicely on older computers.
Conclusion
It is possible to keep a computer at home on a budget. To keep on using Windows users will need to upgrade to Windows 11 before October 2025 and possibly buy a new computer. Alternatively users can keep their old computer and run a version of Linux, like Linux Mint. If you wish to keep your computer, Jansen-PCINFO can assess your current computer and make recommendations as necessary, just send us a message.