Asus Mini PC ProArt PA90

This new powerhouse from Asus is only a little larger than a roll of paper towels, but it manages to pack in enough computing power to appeal to the hungriest of power users.
The Mini PC ProArt PA90 stays quiet despite its tight packaging, thanks to built-in liquid cooling that can be supplemented by an extendable top that increases airflow.

Creative professionals who want to save space without sacrificing power should definitely give the PA90 a look, provided they (or their company) are willing to pay at least $2,399.99 USD for the base model.

​Lenovo Yoga A940

Clearly trying to capture some of the Microsoft Surface Studio market, Lenovo’s Yoga A940 looks and acts a lot like Microsoft’s adjustable all-in-one computer for creative professionals. The Yoga A940 adds neat features that the Surface Studio lacks:

• Its base is designed to store a keyboard, a mouse, and a pen;

• it has a wireless charging pad for keeping smartphones and peripherals fully charged; and

• it has a side-attachable dial that functions like the Surface Dial without needing to be placed on the screen.

The Yoga A940 is also $900 cheaper than the Surface Studio 2: It starts at $2,599 for the base model.

​Corsair One Pro i180

Most of us know Corsair for its RAM, but it’s also part of the PC market, offering machines like the Corsair One Pro i180. The i180 is designed for professionals and can be outfitted with an Intel Core i9, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, 32 GB RAM, a 960 GB SSD, and a 2 TB HDD.

This kind of hardware doesn’t come cheap: The Corsair One Pro i180 is priced at $4,999.99, and is available now.

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​Zotac Mek Mini

At only 10″ x 10″ x 5″ you’d be forgiven for passing the Zotac Mek Mini up in favor of something that looks more like it contains some power. You’d be wrong, though: The Mek Mini is an impressively specced mini machine designed for gaming but great for any intensive computing needs.

The Mek Mini’s hardware is on par with other desktops mentioned here, and its case is designed to ensure maximum airflow to keep its high-end computing cool in its tiny case. The 270 degrees of ventilation, air intakes on the sides and bottom, and exhaust vents on top and rear will keep the Mek Mini cool while your code compiles, your graphics render, and your videos encode.

Zotac’s Mek Mini retails starting at $1,299.99 from Zotac’s website, but it’s currently listed as out of stock. 

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​HP EliteOne 800 G5 AiO

All-in-one (AiO) PCs make great workstations, and the HP EliteOne 800 G5 AiO could take the lead in the AiO market in 2019.

The EliteOne 800 G5 is a great choice for businesses because of its built-in privacy screen technology and pop-up webcam. The Windows Hello face recognition tech also makes it a great security investment for busy offices.

The G5 is available from HP in a variety of configurations starting at $1,179.

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​Cemtrex SmartDesk

The Cemtrex SmartDesk isn’t a desktop–it’s actually an entire desk.

Built in to the standing SmartDesk is up to an Intel Core i7, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 256 GB SSD, 2 TB HDD, 32 GB RAM, three 24-inch touchscreen monitors, a motion gesture controller, Qi wireless charging, wireless earbuds, and an integrated keyboard.

That’s a lot of stuff, and it’s all part of one unit that starts at $4,499. That’s less than the Corsair i180, and it includes an entire desk setup.

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​Apple Mac Mini

Apple users who want a Mac desktop don’t need to pay a premium to get the macOS experience–the Mac Mini is designed to meet daily computing needs for a fraction of the price of other Apple hardware.

With up to an Intel Core i7, 64 GB of RAM, and a 2 TB SSD drive, the Mac Mini can perform as well as many workstation desktops in a super small package.

The Mac Mini is available starting at $799.

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​Syber Cube Pro 200

Sometimes getting the workhorse PC you need requires going outside the pre-built, minimally-customizable marketplace that most major PC manufacturers offer.

Enter the gaming-centric Syber Cube Pro 200. This uniquely-designed PC isn’t cheap (it starts at $1,629), but it can be nearly infinitely customized to give you the exact components you need.

If you need a machine that is built to spec, the Syber Cube Pro 200 is worth a look.

SEE: Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)

​Apple iMac Pro

Creative professionals used to default to Apple machines, but that’s not necessarily the case anymore. Creative professionals who use Apple hardware want to stick with the iMac Pro.

When it was released in late 2017 the iMac Pro was a powerhouse–and it still is–packing up to 18 cores, 128 GB RAM, 4 TB SSD storage, and a Radeon Pro Vega GPU able to fetch up to 4,000 GB/s.

All that performance comes at a cost: The iMac Pro starts at $4,999.

Also see

• Photos: CES 2019: The best desktops on display (ZDNet)
• Best desktops for 2019 (CNET)
• Photos: The best smart office tech at CES 2019 (TechRepublic)
• Photos: The best business laptops of 2019 (TechRepublic)
• Photos: The best smartphones for tech experts in 2019 (TechRepublic)
• Hardware purchasing task list (Tech Pro Research)
• Must-see photo galleries (TechRepublic on Flipboard)