Minisforum Mini PC Comparison: Which Model to Buy

This Minisforum mini PC comparison comes down to one quick answer: the AI X1 Pro-470 is the best all-round Minisforum for most buyers, the G1 Pro is the only one with a desktop-class discrete GPU for real 1440p gaming, and the MS-S1 Max is the pick for running large local AI models. Below that, the UM890 Pro is the value workhorse with OCuLink for an external GPU, the MS-A2 is the homelab and workstation specialist with 10GbE and a PCIe slot, and the X1 Lite-255 is the budget entry. Each model trades size, noise, and expansion differently, so the comparison table and buying guide below map them to how you will actually use the machine.

Minisforum Mini PC Comparison Table

1. AI X1 Pro-470: Best Overall

The AI X1 Pro-470 is the 2026 refresh of Minisforum’s flagship small desktop, shown at CES 2026. It keeps the X1 Pro’s well-liked chassis and ports and moves to AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, with slightly higher boost clocks than the HX 370 and a faster Radeon 890M clock (3,100 MHz vs 2,900 MHz). It is the Minisforum that does the most things well: office work, creative apps, light to moderate gaming on integrated graphics, and an easy path to a discrete GPU later through OCuLink.

• Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 · 12 cores / 24 threads · up to 5.2 GHz · 54W shared CPU/GPU power
• Radeon 890M integrated graphics · NPU up to 55 TOPS (Minisforum quotes 86 TOPS total system AI)
• 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM up to 5600 MT/s · up to 128GB
• 3x M.2 2280 (two PCIe 4.0 x4, one x1) · up to 12TB
• OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4 · 2x USB4 · HDMI 2.1 · DP 2.0 · dual 2.5GbE · Wi-Fi 7
• 195 x 195 x 47.5 mm · about 1.5 kg · internal 19V/7.1A (about 135W) power supply

Best for: one-box home office and creator setups that might add an external GPU later. Skip if: you want strong 1440p gaming out of the box; integrated graphics are not there yet.

Pros

• Native OCuLink port, so no SSD slot is lost for eGPU use
• Three M.2 slots and up to 128GB of RAM
• Internal power supply avoids a bulky brick
• Wi-Fi 7 and dual 2.5GbE for fast networking

Cons

• Pre-built 32GB units have been reported to ship single-channel, which hurts iGPU performance
• Small generational step over the HX 370 model
• Larger footprint than the UM-series boxes

2. G1 Pro: Best for Gaming

The G1 Pro (sold as AtomMan G1 Pro in some regions) is Minisforum’s answer to “mini PC or console?” Announced in late 2025, it pairs a 16-core Ryzen 9 8945HX with a low-profile desktop RTX 5060 rated at 145W, inside a 3.8-liter tower with an internal 350W power supply. Reviews from outlets such as Tom’s Guide describe it running current AAA games at 1440p with high settings in many titles, with frame rates varying by game, settings, and patch. A listed variant pairs the same CPU with a Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB.

• Ryzen 9 8945HX · 16 cores / 32 threads · up to 5.4 GHz · 64MB L3 cache · no NPU
• Desktop GeForce RTX 5060 · 8GB GDDR7 · 145W (RX 9060 XT 16GB variant listed)
• Up to 96GB DDR5-5200 · 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, up to 4TB each
• 2x HDMI 2.1 · 3x DisplayPort (two DP 2.1) · up to four displays
• 5GbE · Wi-Fi 7 · Bluetooth 5.4 · internal 350W PSU

Best for: living-room or desk gaming in a small footprint, plus heavy CPU work. Skip if: you need more than 8GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures or AI; consider the RX 9060 XT 16GB variant or a different platform.

Pros

• Desktop-class GPU, far ahead of any integrated graphics
• 16-core CPU handles streaming and encoding alongside games
• Four display outputs and fast 5GbE networking

Cons

• 8GB VRAM on the RTX 5060 is tight for some new games at max textures
• Reviewers flagged limited thermal and power headroom under sustained combined load
• One retailer listing notes a single 32GB stick; check configuration and add a second module

3. UM890 Pro: Best Value Performance and eGPU Pick

The UM890 Pro has been one of Minisforum’s most popular models because it balances speed, size, and ports. The Ryzen 9 8945HS and Radeon 780M handle office, coding, photo editing, and light gaming, and the OCuLink port gives a high-bandwidth path to an external graphics card. Note that using OCuLink shares one of the two M.2 slots, per Minisforum’s manual.

• Ryzen 9 8945HS · 8 cores / 16 threads · up to about 5.2 GHz
• Radeon 780M · 12 compute units, RDNA 3
• Dual-channel DDR5-5600 · up to 96GB (48GB per slot)
• 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 · one shared with OCuLink
• OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4 · 2x USB4 (40Gbps) · HDMI · DP · dual 2.5GbE · Wi-Fi 6E
• 127 x 130 x 67 mm

Best for: a compact everyday desktop that can grow into a gaming rig with an eGPU dock. Skip if: you need two SSDs and an eGPU at the same time.

Pros

• Strong price-to-performance in Minisforum’s range
• Small, VESA-friendly footprint
• Four-display support and two USB4 ports

Cons

• OCuLink use costs an M.2 slot
• Older Zen 4 platform than the AI X1 Pro

4. MS-A2: Best for Homelab and Workstation Use

The MS-A2 is a 1.78-liter mini workstation built for servers, virtualization, and networking. It is the only model here with dual 10G SFP+ ports plus a physical x16 PCIe slot (running at PCIe 4.0 x8 and splittable into two x4 links). NAS Compares and others have praised its expansion while noting it drops the USB4 ports of the older MS-01.

• Ryzen 9 9955HX · 16 cores / 32 threads · up to 5.4 GHz (8945HX, 7945HX, 7745HX versions also sold)
• Radeon 610M basic integrated graphics
• Up to 96GB DDR5 (5600 MT/s with Ryzen 9000)
• 3 storage slots: M.2 2280 or U.2 (PCIe 4.0 x4) plus 2x M.2 2280/22110
• PCIe x16 slot (x8 electrical, bifurcation) · 2x 10G SFP+ · 2x 2.5GbE · Wi-Fi 6E
• HDMI 2.1 · 2x USB-C with DisplayPort output

Best for: Proxmox hosts, NAS builds, router and firewall labs, software builds. Skip if: you want gaming or USB4 docks; the 610M is display-only class graphics.

Pros

• 16-core Zen 5 CPU in a tiny chassis
• 10GbE SFP+ and PCIe expansion are rare at this size
• U.2 support for enterprise SSDs

Cons

• No USB4 or Thunderbolt
• No official ECC memory support
• Fan noise rises under full multi-core load

5. MS-S1 Max: Best for Local AI and Heavy Compute

The MS-S1 Max is built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which pairs 16 Zen 5 cores with a 40-compute-unit Radeon 8060S and 128GB of fast LPDDR5x memory shared between CPU and GPU. Up to 96GB can be assigned to graphics, which lets it run large language models that do not fit on most consumer GPUs. It is also the only mini PC here with 80Gbps USB4 v2.

• Ryzen AI Max+ 395 · 16 cores / 32 threads · up to 5.1 GHz · 50 TOPS NPU
• Radeon 8060S · 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units
• 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 soldered · 256GB/s bandwidth · up to 96GB to the GPU (64GB edition also sold)
• 2x USB4 v2 (80Gbps) · 2x USB4 (40Gbps) · HDMI 2.1 · 2x 10GbE · Wi-Fi 7
• PCIe x16 slot (x4 electrical) · 2x M.2 (one x4, one x1)
• Internal 320W PSU · about 160W peak · 2U rack or VESA mountable · 2.8 kg

Best for: running 70B-class models locally, AI development, heavy multi-threaded work, and capable integrated-graphics gaming. Skip if: you mainly game; a G1 Pro delivers more gaming performance for far less.

Pros

• Huge unified memory for local AI workloads
• USB4 v2 and dual 10GbE for fast storage and clusters
• Internal PSU and rack-mount option

Cons

• Top-tier price
• Memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded
• Fan noise up to about 48 dB under load per reviews; one HDMI and no native DisplayPort

6. X1 Lite-255: Best Budget Minisforum

The X1 Lite-255, launched in late 2025, brings the Ryzen 7 255 and Radeon 780M to a very small 0.84-liter chassis. It can be powered by a 100W USB-C PD charger, which is unusual for a mini PC with OCuLink support. The catch: OCuLink comes through an included M.2 adapter, so using it leaves one SSD slot.

• Ryzen 7 255 · 8 cores / 16 threads · up to 4.9 GHz · Zen 4 · no NPU
• Radeon 780M integrated graphics
• 2x DDR5 SO-DIMM up to 5600 MT/s · up to 128GB
• 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 · up to 8TB
• USB4 · HDMI 2.1 · DP 1.4 · 2.5GbE · Wi-Fi 6E
• 130 x 126 x 47.2 mm · about 0.67 kg

Best for: home office, students, and media PCs where small size and low cost matter. Skip if: you run long heavy loads; one review recorded CPU temperatures around 92°C under sustained stress.

Pros

• Very small and light; VESA mountable
• USB-C PD power option
• Same 780M graphics as pricier models

Cons

• OCuLink takes an M.2 slot
• Runs hot under sustained heavy load
• Fewer USB ports than larger models

Minisforum Mini PC for Gaming: Three Routes Compared

If gaming is the main reason you are shopping, there are three realistic ways to do it with Minisforum hardware, and each has a different cost, footprint, and upgrade story.

A worked power example for the eGPU route: a desktop card drawing about 200W at peak, plus the dock’s own overhead, fits comfortably on a 450W ATX or SFX power supply, which leaves headroom for transient spikes. The mini PC itself keeps its own adapter or internal supply. Add both draws together, about 200W for the card and up to roughly 135W for an AI X1 Pro-470 at full load, and the combined system pulls around 335W at the wall in the worst case, still far below most desktop gaming towers. The G1 Pro’s internal 350W supply covers both its CPU and RTX 5060 in a single box, which is why reviewers comment on limited headroom when both are pushed together.

Also Consider

• Minisforum MS-01 · Intel Core i5-12600H or i9 options · 2x 10G SFP+ · 2x USB4. The older homelab favorite; keeps USB4 if you need it alongside 10GbE.
• Minisforum UM880 Plus · Ryzen 7 8845HS · Radeon 780M · HDMI, DP, and USB4 outputs. A slightly cheaper sibling to the UM890 Pro for office and light gaming.
• Beelink SER9 Pro · Ryzen 7 H 255 · 24GB LPDDR5X · Radeon 780M. A compact rival with similar graphics; memory is not upgradeable.
• Beelink SER5 MAX · Ryzen 7 7735U · 24GB LPDDR5 · Radeon 680M. A budget office pick if you do not need OCuLink or USB4.

Minisforum vs Beelink: How the Brands Differ

Minisforum and Beelink are the two biggest names in enthusiast mini PCs, and both use the same AMD and Intel mobile chips. The differences are in design priorities:

If you want to upgrade RAM, add a GPU, or run servers, Minisforum usually offers more room. If you want a quiet, small box at a lower cost with no plans to open it, Beelink’s SER line is a sensible alternative.

How We Chose

This comparison is research-based; we did not personally use these mini PCs. We compiled specifications from Minisforum’s official product pages and manuals, cross-checked them against independent reviews and coverage from outlets including Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, NotebookCheck, NAS Compares, HotHardware, and Liliputing, and noted where sources disagreed. Picks were chosen to cover distinct use cases across Minisforum’s current lineup rather than to rank every model, and alternatives were limited to products currently listed for sale.

Buying Guide: Choosing the Right Minisforum Mini PC

1. Match the graphics to your games

Integrated graphics tiers roughly line up like this: Radeon 610M is for displays and desktop work only; Radeon 780M handles esports and older games at 1080p with low to medium settings; Radeon 890M is a step up for 1080p in lighter modern titles; Radeon 8060S is the strongest integrated option, capable of many modern games at 1080p. For 1440p AAA gaming, you need a discrete GPU, either the G1 Pro’s RTX 5060 or an external card over OCuLink. Actual frame rates vary widely with settings, resolution, and game patches.

2. Memory: 32GB dual-channel minimum

Integrated graphics share system memory, so memory bandwidth directly affects gaming. Dual-channel DDR5-5600 provides about 89.6 GB/s (5600 MT/s x 8 bytes x 2 channels). A single stick halves that to about 44.8 GB/s, and iGPU performance drops noticeably. Buy 2 x 16GB as a minimum for gaming or creative work, and 2 x 32GB or more for virtualization.

3. OCuLink vs USB4 for an external GPU

OCuLink carries a direct PCIe 4.0 x4 link, about 64 Gbps. USB4 is rated at 40 Gbps total, and the PCIe data tunneled inside it is lower still. In practice, OCuLink typically delivers noticeably better eGPU performance; one review of the X1 Lite measured about 45 percent faster results than USB4. Remember the eGPU needs its own power supply: a 220W card in a dock needs a 300 to 450W PSU depending on the dock maker’s guidance.

4. Local AI: count the memory

Large language models need memory roughly equal to parameters times bytes per parameter. A 7B-parameter model at 4-bit quantization needs about 3.5 to 5 GB; a 70B model at 4-bit needs about 35 to 45 GB plus room for context. That is why only the MS-S1 Max (up to 96GB assignable to the GPU) runs 70B-class models comfortably among these picks, while 7B to 14B models run on any model with 32GB of system RAM.

5. Networking and storage

For a NAS or virtualization host, 10GbE (MS-A2, MS-S1 Max) matters more than CPU speed. Count M.2 slots: three (AI X1 Pro-470, MS-A2) gives room for a boot drive plus mirrored data drives. Check whether OCuLink shares an M.2 slot on your model.

6. Noise, heat, and power

Smaller chassis run louder and hotter under sustained load. If the PC sits on your desk and runs heavy renders, pick a larger model (AI X1 Pro, MS-S1 Max) or set a lower power profile in the BIOS. Models with internal power supplies (AI X1 Pro-470, G1 Pro, MS-S1 Max) are tidier but slightly larger.

7. Barebone or pre-built?

Barebone kits let you choose matched dual-channel RAM and a quality SSD and bring your own Windows or Linux license. Pre-builts are convenient, but check that the RAM is dual-channel and that the SSD capacity suits you.

Which One Should You Buy?

• Most people: AI X1 Pro-470 for its balance of speed, ports, and upgrade paths.
• Gamers: G1 Pro, or a UM890 Pro or AI X1 Pro-470 plus an OCuLink eGPU if you already own a graphics card.
• AI developers and power users: MS-S1 Max.
• Homelab and networking: MS-A2.
• Tight budgets and small desks: X1 Lite-255.
• Value seekers who want an eGPU path: UM890 Pro.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Minisforum mini PC?

For most buyers, the AI X1 Pro-470 offers the best balance of CPU and graphics performance, three M.2 slots, up to 128GB of RAM, and native OCuLink. Gamers should look at the G1 Pro, and local AI users at the MS-S1 Max.

Which Minisforum mini PC is best for gaming?

The G1 Pro, because it has a desktop RTX 5060 8GB rather than integrated graphics. Integrated-graphics models can play esports and lighter titles, or pair with an external GPU over OCuLink for more performance.

Is Minisforum better than Beelink?

Neither is better across the board. Minisforum generally offers more expansion, upgradeable memory, and pro features such as OCuLink, 10GbE, and PCIe slots. Beelink focuses on simpler, compact, lower-cost systems that suit office and media use.

Can Minisforum mini PCs run Linux?

Most models run popular Linux distributions, and the MS-A2 and MS-01 are widely used with Proxmox. Very new networking chips, such as the MS-S1 Max’s 10GbE controllers, may need recent kernels or manual driver installation.

Do Minisforum mini PCs support external GPUs?

Many do. The AI X1 Pro-470 and UM890 Pro have OCuLink ports, the X1 Lite-255 uses an OCuLink M.2 adapter, and several models support eGPUs over USB4. OCuLink offers more bandwidth than USB4.

How much RAM should I get in a Minisforum mini PC?

Get 32GB in a dual-channel pair as a baseline. Choose 64GB or more for virtualization, large creative projects, or running local AI models on CPU and integrated graphics.

Are Minisforum mini PCs loud?

At idle and light loads most are quiet. Under sustained heavy load, fans become clearly audible, especially in the smallest chassis and on high-power models like the MS-S1 Max. BIOS power profiles can reduce noise at the cost of some performance.

Sources

• Minisforum official product pages and user manuals
• Tom’s Guide and TechRadar reviews of the G1 Pro and AI X1 Pro-470
• NotebookCheck coverage of the AI X1 Pro-470 launch
• NAS Compares reviews of the MS-A2 and MS-S1 Max
• Liliputing and HotHardware launch coverage
• StarryHope mini PC model database

Last updated: October 2026