Lenovo V105q Tiny mini PC Ryzen 5 40 16/512 GB

The AMD Ryzen 5 40 is a quad-core processor whose clock rises up to 4.3 GHz under load. A browser with dozens of tabs, Office, Teams and accounting software can all run at the same time without the computer slowing to a crawl. Integrated AMD Radeon 610M graphics display office software, video calls and video smoothly; they are not designed for gaming or 3D modelling.

16 GB of LPDDR5 memory at 5500 MHz is twice the entry-level 8 GB, leaving room for large spreadsheets, several monitors and parallel applications. The memory is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be expanded later, which is exactly why it makes sense to take the larger capacity now. The 512 GB SSD holds the system, applications and years of documents, and boots Windows in seconds.

At 1.13 kg, the V105q fits behind the monitor, on a shelf or under the desk, leaving the desktop free for work. The dark Eclipse Black finish matches office furniture and monitors. There is no optical drive, since software is installed over the network and files travel via the cloud or USB. The keyboard and mouse are included, so the workstation is ready as soon as a monitor is connected.

At the front are a 10 Gbps USB-A port (USB 3.2 Gen 2), a USB 2.0 port and a 3.5 mm combo jack for headphones and microphone. At the back are a second 10 Gbps USB-A, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.4a and Ethernet RJ-45. One rear USB 2.0 port supports Smart Power On, so the computer can be started from the keyboard instead of reaching under the desk for the power button.

The computer joins a wired network via RJ-45 or connects wirelessly over Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), which is also compatible with older routers. Bluetooth 5.2 pairs a wireless headset, speaker or other accessories. Windows 11 Pro supports BitLocker drive encryption and domain join, which IT departments need when setting up workstations.

Analysts, accountants and project managers who keep large spreadsheets, a browser and video calls open all day; offices that want a compact computer with enough headroom for several years; and home offices where the computer should stay out of sight yet get work done quickly. Gaming and video editing call for models with a discrete graphics card.