The Asus mini PCs in this search are compact desktop systems, including the ASUS NUC 14 Essential with Intel Core N-Series processors and the ASUS Mini PC VM31 with AMD Ryzen and Athlon Silver processors. For portable, compact computing, the closest Thinvent alternative is the Thinvent Treo Mini PC, which is offered with a range of Intel Core and AMD Ryzen processors, up to 64 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of SSD storage.
ASUS NUC 14 Essential vs Thinvent Treo Mini PC
| ASUS NUC 14 Essential | Thinvent Treo Mini PC, Intel Celeron N5095A | Thinvent Treo Mini PC, Intel Core i3-1315U | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core N-Series | Intel Celeron N5095A | Intel Core i3-1315U |
| Cores/Threads | Not stated | 4 cores | 6 cores |
| RAM | Not stated | Up to 32 GB | Up to 64 GB |
| Storage | Not stated | Up to 2 TB SSD | Up to 2 TB SSD |
| Form Factor | Mini PC | Mini PC | Mini PC |
| Wireless | Not stated | No WiFi / Dual band Wi-Fi 5 | No WiFi / Dual band Wi-Fi 5 |
ASUS Mini PC VM31 vs Thinvent Treo Mini PC
| ASUS Mini PC VM31 | Thinvent Treo Mini PC, AMD Ryzen 5 7430U | Thinvent Treo Mini PC, Intel Core Ultra 5 125U | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5, Ryzen 3 or Athlon Silver 10 | AMD Ryzen 5 7430U | Intel Core Ultra 5 125U |
| Cores/Threads | Not stated | 6 cores | 12 cores |
| RAM | LPDDR5 5500MHz (capacity not stated) | Up to 64 GB | Up to 64 GB |
| Storage | SSD (capacity not stated) | Up to 2 TB SSD | Up to 2 TB SSD |
| Form Factor | Mini PC | Mini PC | Mini PC |
| Wireless | Not stated | No WiFi / Dual band Wi-Fi 5 | No WiFi / Dual band Wi-Fi 5 |
Key differences
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The Thinvent Treo supports up to 64 GB of RAM across its configurations, giving room for heavier multitasking.
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Thinvent Treo systems offer up to 2 TB of SSD storage in the configurations listed.
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The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U version of the Treo provides 12 cores, a higher core count than the 4-core Celeron N5095A in the NUC 14 Essential range.
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The ASUS VM31 pairs its AMD processors with fast LPDDR5 5500MHz memory, a feature the Thinvent Treo does not list in its details.
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Thinvent Treo models can be chosen with or without dual band Wi-Fi 5, so buyers can match the wireless setup to their network.
Which one should you choose?
Choose an ASUS NUC 14 Essential or VM31 if you want an Asus-branded compact system with the processor family it is built around. Choose a Thinvent Treo Mini PC if you need higher RAM and SSD capacity, a choice of Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processors, and optional dual band Wi-Fi 5 in a compact mini PC.
