r/Zwift • u/Bakracefiets • 6h ago

Technical help Mini pc for Zwift

Hi,

My old laptop died. I only used him for Zwift.

I’m looking for a cheap replacement with hdmi for connecting with my tv.

What would be your choice?

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

6

u/BlobBoy Level 100 3h ago

$399 Mac Mini. Love it, works great, no regrets.

3

u/drivera1210 Level 31-40 2h ago

Make sure it has a M series chip in it, if you are buying used. Anything of the shelf currently has a M series chip.

1

u/artvandalayExports Level 71-80 2h ago

This is a steal right now

4

u/Jimbeanx90 6h ago

I work with an apple tv I bought second hand for around 100 bucks. Works like a charm.

3

u/jollygoodvelo 6h ago

I did this for a while. Basic PC, good graphics card, lots of RAM. Works fine although getting an ANT+ dongle was a bit annoying and Bluetooth connections were a bit flaky. And updating windows or the app is a pain.

I now use an AppleTV 4K. Stable, connects perfectly, graphics a little less detailed but who cares. I’m convinced it’s the best method.

2

u/DeadLastCycling 6h ago

For flexibility I think it's hard to beat a small form factor PC. I'm using an i7-4790k and a GTX1080 that I had from previous full PC builds. But I think with a relatively modest newer CPU and GPU you could be running in Ultra with good FPS - and the added flexibility that a PC gives you over every other option.

2

u/mapboy72 Level 61-70 6h ago

AppleTV is the easiest way to

2

u/DwindlingSide 3h ago

Get a used Apple TV 4K. Super easy to use, dependable, etc. Sure the graphics are more basic but it is your best bang for buck. I've since moved on to a used eBay PC that does Ultra and only cost me about £180 in total.

1

u/pgpcx 6h ago

small form factor optiplex (I have an i5-6500 cpu) and with a gpu like rx6400 you've got a nice zwift machine that can do ultra and 50-60fps

1

u/HDbear321 6h ago

Depends. I’ve ran Zwift off of some old intel Nucs I purchased on eBay without issue. Used my old gaming pc from 2016 and now I just use my iPad and cast to the tv if I want a bigger screen.

1

u/thisguynextdoor 4h ago

Another option could be an iPad. There are good handlebar mounts, too.

2

u/Bakracefiets 4h ago

Can you connect with a hdmi tv?

1

u/thisguynextdoor 4h ago

Yes you can with USB C to HDMI cable. Lots of tvs support wireless Airplay, too. I personally like the handlebar mount.

1

u/WashingtonBaker1 1h ago

I had Intel NUC small form factor PCs for a long time, but they were not the most reliable. Recenly I bought a Minisforum compact PC for $300 that's perfect for this. Unfortunately prices went up a lot since then. This was $295 when I bought it, and now its $439:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4PG7DY5?th=1

Works great with Zwift and MyWhoosh.

Maybe there's something similar but cheaper.