Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 2024, Core Ultra 7 265, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Black

This book-sized ThinkCentre packs a best-in-class 20-core CPU and an absurd number of ports, making it a monster for office and multitasking, compact score 88.3. Integrated graphics mean gaming is a non-starter, and RAM is likely locked at 16GB. The old $1129 deals are history, with pricing now starting around $1669, so it's a harder sell unless you need the tiny footprint and vPro security.

The Core Ultra 7 265 lands in the top tier of our CPU charts — it's one of the best processors we've seen in a mini PC. Multitasking with 20 cores feels effortless, and it chews through office workloads like a full tower. The 16GB of DDR5 is just average these days, enough for most but not jaw-dropping, and the 1TB NVMe SSD is solid middle-of-the-pack speed. Where it stumbles hard is graphics: the integrated Intel GPU is fine for apps and video, but our gaming score of 14.5 tells you everything. Don't even think about installing a game newer than Solitaire.

The obvious rival is the Apple Mac mini M4, another compact powerhouse with way better integrated graphics and a fanless design, though it locks you into macOS. If you need Windows and enterprise manageability, the M90q wins. The Apple Mac Studio M4 Max is a different beast entirely, far more expensive but with graphics performance this Lenovo can't touch. On the Windows side, the Lenovo Legion 90Y6003JUS and MSI MEG Vision X AI VisXAI2NVZ9045 bring serious GPU power, but they're full-sized rigs that live in a different universe of size and noise. The Dell XPS desktop gets close on specs but can't match this Lenovo's port variety or pint-sized footprint. The M90q is still in its own lane: business-class tiny PC with no real Windows competitor at this size.

Pricing on this thing is still a rollercoaster, but the floor just got higher. We've seen it as low as $1669, which is harder to swallow for a tiny work PC, even one with this much CPU muscle and port variety. At the high end of $2300, it's a tough sell unless your IT department insists on vPro and the ThinkCentre badge. The old $1129 deals are gone, so the 'steal' window has closed. Now you're paying a premium for the size and security, and you need to really want both.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 is the definition of 'don't judge a book by its cover' — because it's literally the size of one. It hides a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265 that absolutely rips through spreadsheets, browser tabs, and virtual meetings without breaking a sweat. The whole thing weighs about as much as a big bottle of water, so moving it between home and office is a non-issue.

We're talking vPro enterprise security, Windows 11 Pro, and a port selection that shames plenty of full-sized desktops. But there's a trade-off: the integrated Intel graphics are only good enough for your desktop and YouTube, and that's by design. This is a workhorse, not a plaything, and it's unapologetic about it.

If you need a discrete GPU for gaming, video editing, or 3D modeling, walk away. This machine will frustrate you. Also skip it if you suspect you'll need more than 16GB of RAM down the road, because upgrading is likely a dead end. For creative pros and gamers, a small ITX build or a Mac mini makes way more sense.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 is still the best tiny Windows workstation we've tested for sheer CPU grunt and connectivity. If your job is 100% office apps, remote desktop, and data crunching, this little box will make you forget a tower ever existed. It earns its compact score of 88.3 and then some. Just don't ask it to game or edit video, and know that the bargain pricing is gone. You're paying for the size and security now, no way around it.