What CPU should I look for in a mini PC?

For general home and office use, modern AMD Ryzen 5/7 (7430U, 6800H, 7640HS, 8745HS) and Intel Core i5/i7 (12450H, 1185G7) chips in this pool all handle web, office, and media comfortably. If you want light gaming or stronger integrated graphics, prioritize AMD parts with Radeon 780M; for AI and heavier content work, the Intel Ultra and Ryzen AI Max chips at the top of the range are far more capable but cost much more.