Why the MEK Mini is Perfect for LAN Parties and Competitive Gaming Events

Whether you’re a traveling pro or semi-pro PC Gamer, or just someone who enjoys gaming with others at LAN events - you’re going to need a PC system that can keep up with your demand for an awesome gaming experience, while you’re away from home. At PC gaming LAN events, you will most likely come across the usual scene of tables, chairs, cables, monitors, and of course...glorious PC gaming systems.

These PC gaming systems will most likely come in two common forms: a powerful gaming notebook or the more common, large desktop gaming PC with an ATX case. You know the one. It’s the PC system that has RGB lights all over it with a see-through glass panel and there’s some kind of exotic cooling on the CPU, GPU, or both - along with what appears to be meticulous cable management. Sure, it’s a beautiful sight to see, but let’s face it, these kinds of systems are a pain to travel around with. They can be very fragile, expensive, clunky, and weigh what feels like a ton. No one probably enjoys traveling around from event to event with such a bulky system.

On the other hand, Gaming notebooks, although some are compact and weighing less, are even still more fragile and often times more expensive than their larger desktop PC gaming counterparts. In addition, the hardware that is inside of a Gaming notebook isn’t always offering the full performance of a desktop computer and the external ports available may be limited which could hinder your gaming experience.

So, what’s the solution? Is there a perfect balance between going big and going small with a PC gaming notebook or full ATX system? Behold the ZOTAC GAMING MEK MINI, a small form factor PC gaming system designed to provide big performance from a small platform. It’s not a gaming notebook and it isn’t a full desktop computer either. In a sense, it’s a bit of both, minus the integrated notebook screen of course. In this article, we take a look at what makes the MEK MINI a perfect solution for LAN parties and other competitive gaming events such as Dreamhack, PAX, and other Esports/LAN events.

The ZOTAC GAMING MEK MINI currently comes in a few different variants, all of which can be viewed here.

Size - Mini and Compact:

Often, at LAN events, space is limited. More so than not, you’re elbow to elbow with other gamers sitting at the same desk or table. However, the MEK MINI is...well...it’s mini! Considered to be a Small Form Factor (SFF) PC, it’s super small and compact with a volume of only 9.18 liters and dimensions of 5.35” Width x 10.27” Length x 10.19” Height. All less than a foot. Its small volume equates to a minimal footprint, so there’s no cluttering up the table or desk your gaming at; clutter is something those ATX tower folks will have to worry about. The MEK MINI is so small in size, that it can fit inside a system case. We did during PAX East 2019!

It can even fit inside a backpack, with room to spare, for when you’re traveling to your next LAN event. The MEK MINI is literally the size of a Banana.

It Looks Like it Belongs:

The MEK MINI has a unique look to it, fitting right in with all the other bigger systems that are usually found at a LAN event. Customizable Spectra 2.0 ARGB lighting is featured at the very front of the MEK MINI case and its PC Gamer inspired looks are a combination of form meets function with fan and ventilation grills expertly integrated into the system case. Cool air is able to get to the warmed up components inside while the hot air easily escapes out of the top. Although the MEK MINI is incredibly small, it looks visually fitting when placed amongst other larger, towering ATX type systems.

Packed With Friendly Features:

At LAN events, chances are pretty good you’re going to need multiple I/O ports to handle your keyboard, mouse, headphones and more. The MEK MINI continues to have you covered with a slew of I/O ports that range from USB Type-C to front-facing headphone and mic ports and on to four USB 3.1 ports. There are even two RJ45 network ports as well. There’s even an SD Card reader next to some easy to read status lights. The side panel is also easily removable. This makes upgrading the memory and storage super easy!

Performance That Can Keep up:

Looks can be deceiving and the MEK MINI is exactly that. Sure, it’s small, has all the amazing ARGB lights and I/O ports to accommodate most demanding PC gamers and LAN events, but what about the performance? Inside the MEK MINI are specialized and proprietary components designed to work as a cohesive system to deliver top performance that is just about equal to the even bigger systems that show up to these LAN events. A ZOTAC GAMING RTX 2060 or 2070 (depending on the model you purchase) discrete desktop graphics card (yes, an actual desktop graphics card is inside the MEK MINI - it offers better performance than notebook graphics cards) and Intel Core processing make up the bulk of performance for the MEK MINI - but add 240 GBs of NVME M.2 SSD, an additional 1 or 2TB (depending on model) 2.5 inch SATA HDD, 16 GB of DDR4 memory, and Killer Networking components for silky smooth ping rates during heavily congested networks (you know...like at a LAN event) and you’ve got a system ready to take on an enjoyable, endless night of PC gaming with friends (or enemies).

With such processing power, overall size, and features it’s easy to see why the MEK MINI would be an ideal replacement for the larger ATX system builds as well as gaming notebooks for LAN parties and competitive gaming events. Throw it in a backpack and go - game confidently throughout the night knowing you’ve got the MEK MINI as your weapon of choice.

Looking to upgrade your LAN hardware gaming rig? Get your own MEK MINI today, at the ZOTAC STORE (for United States residents only).