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The Mek Mini desktop is smaller than most gaming laptops

We cradled this cute little desktop in our arms at CES 2019.

Justin Jaffe
Justin Jaffe is the Managing Editor for CNET Money. He has more than 20 years of experience publishing books, articles and research on finance and technology for Wired, IDC and others. He is the coauthor of Uninvested (Random House, 2015), which reveals how financial services companies take advantage of customers -- and how to protect yourself. He graduated from Skidmore College with a B.A. in English Literature, spent 10 years in San Francisco and now lives in Portland, Maine.
Justin Jaffe
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1 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Meet the Mek Mini -- a $1,500 gaming powerhouse that measures roughly 10 by 10 by 5 inches. 

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2 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

It's smaller than a 12-pack of beer and, having cradled it in my arms, I'd estimate that it weighs around 6 or 7 pounds (about 3 kg). 

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3 of 11 Sean Hollister/CNET

But the components are the real deal -- and similar to those in the company's towering Mek1, pictured here, which Zotac showed off at CES last year

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Given its size, keeping things cool in the Mek Mini's small footprint was an issue that required a fair amount of engineering. 

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The case has 270 degrees of ventilation, with air intakes on the sides and at the bottom, as well as exhaust vents on the top and the rear, to ensure sufficient flow.

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The Mek Mini has ports everywhere -- HDMI, DisplayPort 1.4, DVI, USB Type-C, USB 3.0 and USB 3.1.

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Plus, more vents on the back.

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And more port connections up front.

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Zotac says the $1,500 system includes this mouse. 

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And the company's mechanical keyboard is also included.

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