This mini PC single-handedly shows how ridiculously bad the current crop of desktop PCs are

• Minisforum MS-A2 fits in your hand but flexes harder than most full-sized desktops
• Dual 10GbE ports and 16 cores – this box is built for serious work, not games
• Soldered CPU prevents upgrading, but that’s not a concern in this case

Compact systems have long been viewed as underpowered, but Minisforum’s MS series flips that notion.

The company’s latest flagship, the MS-A2 mini PC, uses AMD’s Ryzen 9 9955HX or 7945HX chips, both 16-core mobile CPUs that boost up to 5.4GHz and draw up to 100W,tapping into desktop territory while retaining thermal efficiency.

With a chassis measuring just 196 x 189 x 48 mm, this mini PC comes with soldered CPUs, which prevents future upgrades, but it incorporates integrated cooling to maintain performance at high power levels.

A networking king

Networking, often an afterthought in compact PCs, is a standout feature in the MS-A2. Designed with advanced use cases such as home labs, media servers, and edge AI deployments in mind, this device supports dual 10GbE via SFP+ and dual 2.5GbE LAN.

The Minisforum MS-A2 features three NVMe-capable slots, including two M.2 2280 slots and one U.2-compatible bay. Despite losing one M.2 slot compared to the earlier MS-A1, the device still offers up to 15TB of fast storage through U.2 and NVMe slots, along with RAID support.

Support for discrete GPUs – though limited to low-profile models via a PCIe 4.0 x8 slot – adds credibility to its workstation claims.

The system’s design includes bifurcation support, allowing advanced users to run compute cards or media accelerators for tasks like Plex transcoding or AI inference. Paired with up to 96GB of DDR5 RAM, this setup puts the MS-A2 in serious contention as the best workstation in its size category.

The barebone version of the MS-A2 costs $839, while the version with 64GB RAM and a 1TB SSD is priced at $1,103 for US customers.

Minisforum has a history of pushing boundaries, with models like the MS-01 supporting Intel’s high-end mobile CPUs such as the Core i9-13900H, and offering features like three M.2 slots, a SATA bay, and 10GbE networking.

The MS-02 continued this trend with a bewildering array of options, including four Ethernet ports – two of which are 10GbE – and support for up to four SSDs.

Via Videocardz

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Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master’s and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: udinmwenefosa@gmail.com