Minicomputers perform better, are larger in size, and cost more than micros. Normally, they are designed to support more than one user at a time. They possess larger storage capacities and operate at higher speeds. They support faster peripheral devices like high-speed printers, which print hundreds of lines per minute. They can also communicate with mainframes.
These computers are used when the volume of processing is large; for example, data processing for a medium-sized organization. They are used to control and monitor production processes, to analyze results of experiments in laboratories, to meet instructional needs of colleges, etc. They are also used as servers in Local Area Networks (LANs).
Examples of minis are: Digital Equipment's PDP 11/45 and VAX 11.