Something like this would probably fit the bill and be pretty fast: https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_562952.html https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini

Something like this would probably fit the bill and be pretty fast: https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_562952.html https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_562952.html (2G ram) (youtube reviews seem to imply ram is usually upgradeable, with laptop DDR3 sticks you may have lying around) or just go straight to 4G ram https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_635382.html https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_635382.html (4G ram) These are intel boxes, support linux better than most laptops, have slow SSDs (which are still far faster than normal disks, and also usually upgradeable). They are especially far, far faster than most boards listed here, and they support a lot more software. (including portal 2 which is incredible and on sale: http://store.steampowered.com/app/620/Portal_2/ http://store.steampowered.com/app/620/Portal_2/ )