Cheapest Tiny PC for 4K

JimB on 23/01/2024 - 16:52

I want a Small PC to watch 4K videos on my TV via HDMI.

I have a Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tiny PC but it doesn't do 4K at 60Hz.

What's the cheapest options to get a small or tiny PC to do 4K 60Hz. It will only be used to watch videos/movies.

I have a 4K Chromecast for streaming services.

The smaller the form factor the better.

I've also got a old Dell Optiplex 9020 Small Form Factor i5. Runs windows ok but display can't do 4K either. Could you get a cheap low profile video card to display 4K 60Hz via HDMI (with sound)

Computing Computer Mini PC

Comments

  • Ozbar Gain on 23/01/2024 - 16:56
    +1

    Where are these "4k videos" of yours stored? On another PC on the LAN?

    • JimB on 23/01/2024 - 16:57

      On the PC itself.

      • Ozbar Gain on 23/01/2024 - 16:59
        +3

        Put the PC you already have, on the LAN. Install Kodi or Plex on the Chromecast you already have?

        • JimB on 23/01/2024 - 17:08

          OK thanks, will researched at this option. Never even thought about it.

  • Kouki on 23/01/2024 - 17:08

    You sure its not the HDMI cable?

    • JimB on 23/01/2024 - 17:10

      Not sure. I have a DP to HDMI converter and regular HDMI cable.

      What HDMI cable do I need?

      • Kouki on 23/01/2024 - 17:19

        2.0 or newer but just had a quick look, don't think the integrated gpu will do 4k @ 60Hz

        • GordonD on 23/01/2024 - 17:48

          The graphics in a 9020 won't do 4K at 60 Hz.

        • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 00:37

          Yeah didn’t think so hence why I asked about a low profile video card

  • GordonD on 23/01/2024 - 17:32
    +1

    Refurbished HP T640 thin client. $160 on ebay. Fit it with a M.2 SSD. You can buy a 256GB on ebat for $20. Download and install Windows. You just need to go to the AMD driver site and get the drivers for the R1505G processor in it, and load them after you load Windows. If you haven't got a DP monitor you may need a passive DP++ to HDMI cable. DP++ sends DP signals to a DP monitor, or detects if its a DP->HDMI cable and sends HDMI signals down the cable.

    If your monitor doesn't have speakers in it you'll need USB speakers. My Pebble V3s cost me about $50.

    Small form factor. Ryzen processor. 8GB RAM. M.2 NVMe socket. Ethernet. lots of USB 3, including both USB-C and 10 Mb/s ports. 4x DP++ 4K ports. May come with wifi - check description when you buy it. Low power consumption, no fan, so its silent. If you buy one, make sure it comes with a stand and a power supply.

    • DSamm on 23/01/2024 - 19:16

      Would this be suitable to use as a Plex server with external hdd?

    • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 00:36

      Ok great will look at it.

      It’s going to be connected to my TV hence why I also need sound via HDMI

    • minty on 26/01/2024 - 02:44

      Does it actually playback 4K x264/x265 or YT? I'm in the same situation, though not fussed about 60Hz.

      I've i5-6500T/HD530 and 4K is very choppy, video and audio are out of sync and unwatchable, use it 100% to consume media, thought about upgrading to i5-8500T(or 9th/10th gen)/HD630 but not sure whether that'll solve my problem.

      UHD 730 is too rare and way outside of my price range.

      • gizmomelb on 26/01/2024 - 14:51

        again I'll suggest an intel n100 chipset based mini PC - for $200 you'll get 8GB DDR4 RAM (usually upgradable to 1x 16GB SODIMM stick), a 256GB SSD and the intel GPU has hardware encoding and decoding support for output (audio and video) over HDMI to 4K 60Hz. The 16GB models with 512GB SSD usually sell on amazon for about $230-250. The only bad thing I have to say about mine is it doesn't support HDMI-CEC so I have to use an old minix wireless mouse / remote control to control the KODI interface to play videos over my network (shared on my NAS, but of course will play from local SSD storage or USB drives as well). I believe there's a YT plugin, but I've never used it. Oh and if you use a cut down operating sysem with KODI integrated like Core Elec or LibreElec then you can also play up to 16bit games using the integrated retroarch emulator.

  • TiredKitty78 on 24/01/2024 - 01:10
    +2

    Maybe buy one of those cheap cheap 'android tv boxes' off aliexpress.
    It'll probably be full spyware or malware and you want to check xda forums on if you can install a different OS on it…
    And then still probably never connect it to the internet…..

    • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 14:56

      That could work.

      Let me investigate how cheap is cheap

  • casho on 24/01/2024 - 14:29

    Can't you just plug the hard disk into the TV if you use a USB hard disk?

    • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 14:54

      Hmm good question.

      I never thought about it and it may solve my problems lol

      My old TV didn’t play many movies but I will try to see if it can play some 4K movies.

      • casho on 24/01/2024 - 15:11
        +1

        It works for mine but you'd likely need a newer TV

        • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 16:10

          It's a LG OLED so fairly recent TV.

          I'm hoping it will work, that will save me some cash and I could can just use the TV remote control rather than a Keyboard.

          • casho on 24/01/2024 - 16:41

            @JimB: Oh yeah highly likely it will work

  • gizmomelb on 24/01/2024 - 14:49
    +2

    any intel n100 mini PC is capable of outputting 4K 60Hz videos (10bit included), they usually sell for around $200 for a full pc with 8-16GB DDR4 RAM, 256-512GB SSD, wifi/bluetooth and windows 11 pre-installed (which I would recommend re-installing your own operating system to make sure there's no possibility of malware, or install a media operating system like Core Elec or LibreElec which has KODI built in as a media player - to play movies / tv shows from local pc, USB drive or over the network).

    @DSamm - this would work well as a plex server as well as the n100 chipset has hardware encoding and decoding built in.

    • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 16:12

      Thanks for your suggestion. Will investigate

      • gizmomelb on 25/01/2024 - 09:22

        no worries.. I use an N100 based mini pc and boot/run libreelec from a usb, which has a minimal o/s just to run the Kodi media player and I use it as my streamer over my network to play 4K 10bit, HDR, atmos and DV atmos files to my tv and passthru audio to my surround sound processor. The only bad thing I have to say against it is it doesn't support HDMI-CEC so I have to use a second remote control (an old minix a2 I had lying around) to drive the menu. You could use an xbox joypad or similar or maybe a logitech all in one programmable remote to also then control the tv/audio at the same time.

        • JimB on 25/01/2024 - 10:43

          Any reason why you use libreelec over Windows?

          Also where are the files stored on your network?

          • gizmomelb on 25/01/2024 - 23:50

            @JimB: it boots straight to Kodi, no need for a mouse or keyboard - I use the remote control to navigate the 'loungeroom interface'. I'm not browsing the web or playing games on the device - I use it solely to play movies so no need for a full operating system on there. The movies are stored on my NAS - which have standard SMB shares which I have the username and password configured on Kodi. I could have the files on a USB drive and play them from there as well if I wanted to. I like Kodi as it grabs all the metadata like IMDB score, movie or episode summary, links all actors so I can search my media for other movies or shows an actor I like is it, does the same for my music collection. etc. Hit up youtube for videos of Kodi in action (you can customise the look and feel of the interface as well). Previously I used an Amlogic S905X chipset based android box - which I booted up into core elec (just a variant of a cut down linux based operating system that boots straight into kodi) but it was a little slow on the interface when I moved from a 1080p tv to a 4K tv.

            • JimB on 26/01/2024 - 07:15

              @gizmomelb: Thanks, sounds good.

              Will research more.

              You leave it on 24/7 or turn it on and off as required?

              • gizmomelb on 26/01/2024 - 15:21

                @JimB: I've done both, when idling the thing only uses something like 5-6W of power, but usually I switch it off from the Kodi interface when I've finished watching stuff.. just need to press the button on the front to power it on and it literally takes 4-6 seconds to boot up from the USB stick. Would be faster if I installed on the internal SSD. I know there's a FLIRC USB stick which can be bought and that will supposedly wake the device up from most general TV remotes etc. so could sync powering on pc and tv at the same time, but I haven't tried one to verify how well it works or not (I usually have my NAS switched off unless I'm going to watch tv, so it's no big deal to me to press the power buttons or use wake over lan to wake all the devices up at the same time).

                I do have another N100 which I use as my main desktop (using it now) for browsing, email etc. (I have a gaming desktop which I power up when I want to game). That N100 is usually on 24/7 as it's also used for torrenting.

  • tooblue on 24/01/2024 - 16:24

    ThinkCentre M700 (HD510/530) and Dell 9020 (HD 4600) can output 4k 60Hz through DP but not HDMI. Not sure if a DP-HDMI adapter would resolve this issue.

    • JimB on 24/01/2024 - 16:55

      Oh ok. I have a M700 and I can confirm it can't display 4k 60Hz via HDMI with the DP-HDMI & cable I have. I'll see if I can borrow another DP-HDMI converter & cable and test it out again.

      The M700 may display 4k 60Hz with DP but I don't have a 4K Monitor to test it out.

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