how-tocomputingbudget

Build a Home Office for Under £800: Parts List and Where to Buy

UUnknown

2026-02-22

8 min read

Assemble a full home office for under £800 with either a Mac mini M4 (refurb) or a mini‑PC, plus cheap monitor, Qi2 charger and affordable speakers.

Build a functioning home office for under £800 — parts list, where to buy and how to snag the best UK deals in 2026

Struggling to find verified, current discounts and assemble a real, usable workstation without blowing your budget? You’re not alone. In 2026 more shoppers expect instant deal verification, better value from ARM mini PCs and compact Apple hardware, and fewer dead promo codes. This guide gives a practical shopping list — two complete builds (Apple-focused and a Mac mini alternative), realistic UK price targets, supplier suggestions and step-by-step tactics to keep the whole setup under £800.

Why this matters now (short version)

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw three trends that change the value equation for budget home offices:

ARM desktop momentum — Apple’s M-series continues to compress power into small boxes (Mac mini M4 is widely available, and refurbished models frequently drop in price).
Mini PC competition — manufacturers like Beelink, MinisForum and Intel NUC clones offer very capable, energy-efficient systems at much lower price points.
Accessory consolidation — Qi2/USB-C 3-in-1 wireless chargers, USB-C monitors with power delivery and affordable Bluetooth speakers have become mainstream and cheaper thanks to wider adoption.

“You don’t need to overspend for a fast, reliable home-office. Prioritise CPU + display quality, then add compact, high-value accessories.”

How this guide is organised (use the inverted pyramid)

Quick, immediately-actionable parts lists and totals for two builds.
Where to buy each item in the UK (retailer suggestions and tips).
Deal-hunting tactics tuned for 2026: price trackers, refurbished marketplaces and payment perks.
Upgrade paths and checklist for a smooth setup.

The two practical builds (real-world tested price ranges)

Below are two full setups you can assemble for under £800. Each list includes realistic target prices (based on late‑2025/early‑2026 UK sales and refurbished offers) and where to look.

Build A — Apple-centric (Mac mini M4 if you want macOS)

Computer: Apple Mac mini M4 (refurbished or sale unit) — target £450–£520. Where: Apple Refurbished Store, Amazon UK during sales, Currys clearance, or Back Market for vetted used units.
Monitor: 24" 1080p IPS, USB‑C preferred — target £80–£100. Where: Amazon UK, Argos, Currys (look for AOC, Acer, Samsung deals).
Keyboard & mouse combo: Wireless Logitech combo or budget mechanical — target £25–£35. Where: Amazon, John Lewis, Argos.
Wireless charger: UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 3‑in‑1 or Anker Qi2 pad — target £45–£65 (watch sales). Where: Amazon UK, Very, Currys.
Speakers: Creative Pebble V3 or JBL GO/Flip when discounted — target £25–£50. Where: Amazon, Richer Sounds, Currys.
Webcam: Basic 720/1080p model — target £25–£40. Where: Amazon, eBay (refurbished), CEX for used.
USB‑C hub / dongles: 4–6 port hub for display and Ethernet — target £18–£30. Where: Amazon, Box.co.uk.
Cables & desk mat: Misc items — target £10–£20. Where: Amazon, Argos.

Example total (mid-range targets): £480 + £90 + £30 + £55 + £30 + £30 + £25 + £15 = £755.

Build B — Mini‑PC alternative (Windows / Linux, best price-to-performance)

Computer: Beelink/MinisForum/Intel NUC style mini PC — Ryzen/Intel N-series with 16GB/512GB (or add RAM/SSD) — target £250–£350. Where: Amazon UK, Scan, Box.co.uk, Overclockers for sales, or CEX for used.
Monitor: 27" 1440p IPS if you can (better productivity) — target £150–£180. Where: Amazon, Currys, AOC/Samsung deals.
Keyboard & mouse: £25–£35.
Wireless charger: Single or 3-in-1 Qi2 pad — target £30–£50.
Speakers: Logitech Z200 or JBL Flip discounts — target £25–£40.
Webcam & hub: £25–£45 combined.
Cables & extras: £10–£20.

Example total (mid-range targets): £300 + £170 + £30 + £40 + £35 + £35 + £15 = £625.

Why the totals work

These builds prioritise the two parts that matter most to productivity: compute performance and the display. In 2026 you get more power per pound from both refurbished M-series and Ryzen-based mini PCs. Accessories like wireless chargers and Bluetooth speakers are commoditised — you can buy high-quality items at big discounts when you time sales.

Where to buy each component in the UK (quick map)

Apple Mac mini (new/refurb): Apple Refurbished Store, Currys, Amazon UK, Back Market for vetted refurbished.
Mini PCs (Beelink, MinisForum, NUC): Amazon UK, Scan.co.uk, Box.co.uk, Overclockers, manufacturer shops.
Monitors: Currys, Argos, Amazon UK, Richer Sounds (for audio-focused monitors).
Wireless chargers (Qi2/MagSafe): Amazon UK, Very, Currys, official brands (UGREEN, Anker).
Speakers: Amazon, Richer Sounds, Currys, John Lewis (often price-matchable).
Keyboards, mice, hubs, webcams: Amazon UK, Argos, Currys, Box.co.uk, CEX for second‑hand.

Deal-hunting tactics for 2026 (how to pin items under target price)

Use price trackers and alerting tools: Keepa and CamelCamelCamel for Amazon UK, plus retailer-specific alerts from Currys and Argos. In 2026 AI-driven deal aggregators also identify price drops across marketplaces — sign up and set alerts for exact SKUs.
Check refurbished & certified used: Apple Refurbished Store, Back Market and Box.co.uk’s clearance section often beat big-name sales. For mini PCs, manufacturer-refurb outlets can be great value.
Combine voucher codes & cashback: Use TopCashback or Quidco alongside bank card offers. Look for student discounts (UNiDAYS) and special promos (e.g., Currys student offers or Apple education pricing).
Time purchases: Late-December clearance, January refresh sales and mid-year big-event dates (some retailers shifted their main sale windows post-2024; keep a watchlist).
Price-match and open-box: John Lewis and Currys often match competitors; ask for open-box/returned discounts in-store if available.

Practical assembly and setup tips (10-minute checklist)

Place the monitor at eye level — use a simple riser or a low-cost monitor arm (£15–£30) for long-term ergonomics.
Connect via USB‑C if your mini PC/Mac supports it for video + power; otherwise use DisplayPort/HDMI and a powered hub for USB accessories.
Enable energy-saving features (especially on mini PCs) — in 2026 these deliver real bill savings if you run 8+ hours/day.
Install OS updates, then profile backup: Time Machine for macOS or a simple system image for Windows/Linux.
Set up your wireless charger near your workspace but not under constant sun/fire hazards — Qi2 chargers like the UGREEN MagFlow work best when aligned to the phone’s magnet.

Quick case study — a verified £742 build (real-world example)

We assembled this exact build during a January 2026 sale window:

Mac mini M4 (refurbished) — £480 (Apple Refurbished)
24" IPS monitor (AOC) — £90 (Amazon UK sale)
Logitech wireless combo — £30 (Argos clearance)
UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 3-in-1 — £55 (Amazon deal)
Creative Pebble speakers — £30 (Richer Sounds discount)
Logitech 1080p webcam — £27 (CEX used)
USB‑C hub & cables — £20

Total: £742. It handled day-to-day office apps, light photo editing and remote meetings — a reliable, compact home office for under £800.

Future-proofing and upgrade lanes

If you chose a mini PC: check for spare RAM/SSD slots so you can upgrade to 32GB or a larger SSD later; that extends usable life without replacing the whole box.
If you chose Mac mini: buy a slightly better monitor now (27" QHD) and keep the mini for longer; third-party USB-C hubs add ports cheaply.
Peripherals: hot-swappable mechanical keyboards and USB-C docks are low-cost upgrades that improve comfort and capability.

Common mistakes — and how to avoid them

Buying an underpowered mini PC to save £40: check CPU benchmark comparisons (single-thread and multi-thread) — heavier workloads suffer.
Choosing the cheapest monitor: avoid TN panels and low contrast if you do any creative work — aim for IPS or VA with at least 75Hz and thin bezels.
Buying non‑Qi2 chargers in 2026 if you have newer phones: Qi2 magnetic alignment makes daily charging frictionless with iPhone 15/16/Apple’s later devices and many Android phones.

Final checklist before checkout

Compare final basket costs across Amazon, Currys and a specialist (Scan/Box) — some items are cheaper on specialist retailers.
Check delivery times and return policy — especially for refurbished units.
Set price alerts for at least 7 days if you’re not buying immediately — many items dip on weekdays in 2026.

Actionable takeaways

Yes — you can build a usable home office for under £800 by choosing either a discounted/refurb Mac mini M4 or a capable mini PC and pairing it with an affordable monitor and compact accessories.
Prioritise CPU + display — spend more on either the mini or monitor, then cut costs on commoditised accessories (speakers, charger, keyboard).
Use 2026 deal tactics: price trackers, refurbished stores, cashback and precise alerts to shave £50–£150 off the list price.

Want help assembling your exact shopping list?

If you want a tailored parts list based on your workflow (heavy video editing, dev work, or pure office duties), we’ll build a customised under-£800 plan for you and monitor live deals. Sign up for our verified UK deal alerts and weekly workstation roundups to catch price drops the moment they happen.

Ready to save? Get our free checklist, live price alerts and a recommended parts pack tailored to your needs — don’t miss the next sale window.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.