Ever Wanted a Modern Mac Mini, but Windows? And for AI? The MS-S1 Max Review

The Minisforum MS-S1 Max is one of those mini workstations that looks straightforward on paper, but starts to feel unusual once you look at how it is put together and who it seems to be aimed at. It is built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, pairing a 16C/32T CPU with Radeon 8060S integrated graphics and an NPU that contributes to a quoted platform total of up to 126 TOPS. The big differentiator is the memory design: 128GB of LPDDR5x-8000 UMA, shared between the CPU and GPU, which changes the usual limits you hit on iGPU systems where VRAM is the first bottleneck. Minisforum also leans into “serious deployment” features here, including dual 10GbE, WiFi 7, USB4 v2, a slide-out chassis for maintenance, and even references to clustering and 2U rack mounting. The result is a machine that can make sense for creators, power users, and AI-focused workloads, but it also comes with a price level that forces the obvious question: what are you actually getting for that money beyond raw specs.

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Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Quick Conclusion

The Minisforum MS-S1 Max is best understood as a compact Strix Halo workstation rather than a conventional mini PC, because its value is tied to the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, the Radeon 8060S iGPU, and especially the 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 UMA memory pool that helps avoid the usual iGPU VRAM ceiling in creation, GPU-accelerated work, and local AI experimentation. It pairs that core platform with unusually strong external connectivity for its size, including dual 10GbE RJ45, WiFi 7, and a mix of USB4 and USB4 v2 ports that make high-bandwidth docks and storage setups practical, while the internal 320W PSU and heavy cooling stack are clearly built for sustained loads rather than short bursts. In testing, the system’s behavior has a few quirks that matter in daily use, particularly the way the chassis can feel hot to the touch in idle until the fan profile becomes more reactive under load, and the fact that noise ramps into the low 50 dBA range once the cooling really gets going, even if idle acoustics are more modest. Expandability is also a mixed bag: the slide-out design is convenient, but the storage layout includes a PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slot alongside a second M.2 limited to PCIe 4.0 x1, and the PCIe x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 x4 electrically, so it rewards buyers who already know what they plan to add. The price is the real gatekeeper here, because it only makes sense if you will actually use the UMA memory capacity, the iGPU performance, and the high-speed networking and USB bandwidth, but for that narrower audience, it offers a rare combination of compact form factor, strong APU compute, and connectivity that is difficult to match without moving to a much larger desktop or adding a discrete GPU.

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Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Design & Storage

The MS-S1 Max feels like Minisforum took the general “mini workstation” idea and then built a thicker, more industrial version of it to cope with the Strix Halo platform. The chassis is metal and noticeably more substantial than the smaller MS-series boxes, with ventilation cut across multiple sides rather than relying on a single intake and exhaust path. It can be used vertically or horizontally thanks to feet on more than one face, which makes sense given how much of the marketing leans toward desk use one day and rack or shelf use the next.

Minisforum also keeps the slide-out structure here, and it is clearly intended to make maintenance less annoying than a traditional small desktop. In practice, it is still a compact, dense build, but you are not dismantling the entire enclosure just to access the main service areas. The system also has a couple of physical touches that make it feel more “deployment aware” than most mini PCs, like the mounting points underneath and the general emphasis on stacking, shelving, or grouping more than 1 unit together.

Storage is one of the areas where the MS-S1 Max shows both its strengths and its compromises. You get 2 internal M.2 2280 slots, but they are not equal: 1 is PCIe 4.0 x4 and the other is PCIe 4.0 x1. That means you can have a fast primary NVMe for OS and active work, but the second slot is better treated as capacity storage, warm data, or a secondary pool where peak throughput matters less. Minisforum ships the reviewed configuration with a 2TB Gen 4 SSD, so you can start testing immediately, but once you begin planning expansion, that lane split becomes a real consideration.

Physically, the M.2 placement is functional but not especially convenient. The slots sit low in the chassis near the base and tucked behind a lot of the cooling hardware, which makes upgrades feel more fiddly than they need to be. There is airflow down there, but it is not the kind of open, easy-access layout you get in a larger desktop. It also does not really encourage tall, pre-fitted heatsinks on SSDs, since clearance is limited and the space around the cooling assembly is tight. If you plan to run heavy sustained writes, you will probably end up choosing low-profile drives or slim heatsinks simply because it is the easiest fit.

On the expansion side, the MS-S1 Max includes a full-length PCIe x16 physical slot, but it is PCIe 4.0 x4 electrically, and that matters if you are buying cards based on the x16 shape alone. The form factor also pushes you toward half-height, half-length cards in most practical installs, and even then it can get cramped depending on cabling and where the PSU wiring runs.

In other words, the slot is useful for NICs, storage adapters, capture cards, and some compact accelerators, but it is not a “drop in any x16 card” situation, and the system rewards planning ahead before you buy hardware for it.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Internal Hardware

At the heart of the MS-S1 Max is AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, and the main thing to understand is that it is an APU platform built to behave more like a compact workstation than a typical integrated-graphics mini PC. You are getting a 16C/32T Zen 5 CPU with boost up to 5.1GHz, paired with an on-die Radeon 8060S GPU with 40 CUs and up to 2900MHz. In real use, that combination shifts the expectations around what “no discrete GPU” actually means, because the compute and graphics capability are designed to scale together rather than feeling like a strong CPU with an afterthought iGPU.

The most defining hardware choice is memory, because you do not get SODIMM slots here at all. The system uses up to 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 on a 256-bit bus, and it is shared between CPU and GPU via UMA. That has practical implications in workloads that normally hit VRAM limits first, like GPU-accelerated creative work or local AI inference, where the ability to allocate a much larger pool to the GPU can matter more than raw shader count. It also means your “upgrade path” is basically decided at purchase, so the value proposition depends heavily on whether 128GB UMA is something you will genuinely use, rather than just admire on a spec sheet.

On the AI side, the platform is marketed around a combined figure of up to 126 TOPS, with the NPU itself rated up to 50 TOPS. In day-to-day terms, that does not automatically translate into every app running faster, because it depends on whether your software actually targets the NPU, the GPU, or the CPU. What is clear from the positioning, and from how similar Strix Halo systems are being used, is that this design is meant to handle local model work without immediately forcing you into a discrete GPU purchase. That also explains why Minisforum leans into “run large models locally” messaging more than it usually does on its mainstream mini PCs.

Cooling and power delivery are tightly linked to the internal hardware decisions. Minisforum rates the system at 130W in Performance mode, 95W in Balanced, and 60W in Quiet, and the cooling stack is built around a copper base, 6 heat pipes, phase change material, and dual turbine fans, with a max fan speed of 3600 RPM. The PSU is internal and rated up to 320W, which helps explain why the chassis is thicker than many of Minisforum’s earlier workstations. In practice, that internal PSU choice also supports the idea that this box is expected to hold higher sustained loads than a typical mini PC without relying on a large external power brick.

There are also a few platform-level details that shape how “workstation-like” it feels. The system supports Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 24H2 Pro/Home, and the BIOS is positioned as feature-rich, with fan monitoring and tuning options plus platform toggles that matter to power users. This is relevant because the MS-S1 Max is not just built for one narrow purpose, it is built for people who will switch between modes, tweak profiles, and repurpose it across different roles over time. If you treat it like a sealed appliance, you will still get high performance, but you are leaving a lot of what the platform is trying to offer on the table.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Ports & Connections

The MS-S1 Max is one of the more connectivity-heavy systems Minisforum has put out, and it is clearly designed around the assumption that it will sit in a workstation or lab environment rather than acting as a living-room mini PC. On the front, you get 2 USB4 ports at 40Gbps, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A at 10Gbps, and a 3.5mm TRRS combo jack, plus 2 built-in DMIC mics that are pitched for voice and AI-assisted capture use. In practice, that front layout feels aimed at day-to-day convenience: fast external storage, a dock or capture device, and simple headset or mic options without needing to reach around the back.

On the rear, Minisforum doubles down on bandwidth. There are 2 USB4 v2 ports at 80Gbps, which is the kind of future-proofing that only really makes sense if you plan to use high-speed docks, external storage, or potentially GPU enclosures over time. The review experience lines up with that idea: the ports work as normal USB4 for most peripherals, but the value is really in the headroom, because 80Gbps devices and adapters are still not common in most studios. Alongside those, you get 2 USB 3.2 Gen2 ports at 10Gbps and 2 USB 2.0 ports, which is a more practical mix than it sounds, because it means you are not “wasting” high-speed ports on low-speed peripherals like keyboards, UPS management cables, or dongles.

Networking is a major selling point here, but it is also a slightly divisive one depending on your setup. The MS-S1 Max provides 2 10GbE RJ45 ports, both using Realtek RTL8127 controllers, and it also includes WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. In use, the wired ports are straightforward and do what you would expect in a compact workstation, including saturating 10GbE when paired with storage that can keep up.

WiFi 7 is also immediately usable, and the practical takeaway is that you can get multi-gig wireless performance without much effort if you already have a WiFi 7 router, but it is still not a replacement for wired 10GbE if you are treating this as part of a storage or production workflow.

Video output is handled through 1 HDMI 2.1 FRL port plus DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB4 and USB4 v2, which makes multi-display setups easy without any additional hardware. Minisforum rates these outputs up to 8K@60Hz and 4K@120Hz, and in the real world that means you can run high-refresh 4K displays or multiple monitors with less compromise than most iGPU-based mini PCs. The only real caveat is that the system leans heavily on USB4 for flexible display and peripheral expansion, so the people who get the most out of the port selection are the ones already planning to use docks, external storage, or high-bandwidth accessories, rather than just plugging in a keyboard and a single monitor.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Performance & Tests

In day-to-day use, the MS-S1 Max feels less like a typical mini PC and more like a compact workstation that happens to have an iGPU. General desktop operation is consistently responsive, and the platform’s bandwidth-heavy design shows up most clearly when you start stacking tasks that normally push integrated graphics systems into obvious slowdown. One thing that stood out early is how “hot to the touch” the exterior can feel when the system is sitting idle, with thermal imaging showing roughly 55 to 60°C around sections of the chassis and vents in that state. At the same time, internal sensor readings were not presenting anything alarming, which suggests the metal body is doing what it is meant to do as part of heat dissipation, but the idle fan curve behavior did not feel especially reactive until a workload actually kicked in.

Once the system is put under load, the cooling behavior becomes easier to understand and, in practice, more reassuring. During active workloads, the external readings dropped notably in many areas, with measurements around 31 to 34°C being observed on parts of the casing once sustained tasks were running, and internal hot spots that had looked extreme during idle did not remain in that range once the fan profile ramped. Noise levels followed the same pattern: at idle the system sat around 39 to 41 dBA, but under heavier load it ramped to roughly 51 to 53 dBA. It is not silent, but it is also not unexpectedly loud for a high-power APU system with multiple fans and a chassis that is clearly built to move air.

Power draw is one of the more interesting parts of the MS-S1 Max story because it is unusually low when the system is doing very little, then rises quickly once the GPU side is engaged. Idle consumption landed around 13 to 16 W, which is striking given the CPU, GPU, memory bandwidth, and overall positioning of the device. More moderate CPU-oriented workloads pushed consumption into roughly the 45 to 58 W range, with brief spikes into the 70 to 80 W area depending on thread behavior in the test. Once the Radeon 8060S was hit hard in GPU-heavy testing, total system power moved into triple digits, with figures around 141 to 158 W being recorded, which lines up with the idea that this chassis is designed to translate a lot of electrical budget into sustained APU performance rather than short bursts.

Benchmarking results were strong, but the platform’s newness made comparison data less useful than usual in several tools. PCMark produced a score of 8,353, and a run through 3DMark showed a wide spread depending on the test: Solar Bay scored 5,200, Speedway landed at 1,900 with frame rates around 18 to 19 FPS, and Steel Nomad Light cleared 11,000 with an average of 82.3 FPS. Night Raid, which is a better fit for integrated graphics platforms, came in at 70,000 overall, with a graphics score of 130,522 and a CPU score of 19,312. The practical takeaway from these results is that the MS-S1 Max can behave like a “real” gaming-capable APU system in the right workloads, but it also sits in a strange middle ground where some benchmark suites still struggle to place it cleanly against older mini PCs or discrete-GPU desktops.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max Review – Verdict & Conclusion

The MS-S1 Max is easier to understand once you stop thinking of it as a “mini PC with good specs” and instead treat it as a purpose-built Strix Halo workstation in a compact chassis. The big wins are the APU design and the 128GB UMA memory pool, because that combination changes what is practical on integrated graphics, especially for workloads that normally fall over due to VRAM limits. In use, it shows up as a system that can handle serious creative and compute tasks without immediately forcing you into a discrete GPU upgrade path, while still giving you enough connectivity to fit into faster workflows through dual 10GbE, WiFi 7, and USB4 v2. It is not flawless though: the system can feel surprisingly hot to the touch in idle despite internal sensors looking fine, and the fan behavior seems more tuned for “react under load” than “stay cool at rest,” which is a real-world usability detail you notice when it is sitting on a desk near you.

Where things get more complicated is the value discussion. At pricing around the mid/high $2,000 range depending on configuration, this is not competing with mainstream mini PCs at all, and it is not trying to. The audience is much narrower: people who want a high-bandwidth APU platform, who will actually use the memory capacity and fast external connectivity, and who are comfortable paying for that kind of compact engineering. If your workload is mostly general office, light creation, or basic homelab tasks, it is difficult to justify over more conventional systems, including Minisforum’s own smaller workstations. But if you are specifically chasing a compact workstation that can credibly do gaming, content work, and local AI experimentation without a discrete GPU, the MS-S1 Max is one of the few systems that makes that argument feel realistic, even if it comes with the usual early-platform quirks and a price tag that will still put off most buyers.

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Minisforum MS-S1 Max PROs

Minisforum MS-S1 Max CONs

Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16C/32T) delivers workstation-class CPU performance in a compact chassis Radeon 8060S (40 CUs) iGPU is capable enough for 1080p gaming and GPU-accelerated workloads without a dGPU 128GB LPDDR5x-8000 UMA reduces typical iGPU VRAM limitations for creation and local AI tasks Strong idle efficiency with power draw observed around 13 to 16W in light desktop use Dual 10GbE RJ45 enables high-throughput workflows without needing add-in NICs WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 provide fast wireless connectivity for setups where wired is not practical 4 total USB4-class ports (2x USB4 40Gbps + 2x USB4 v2 80Gbps) support high-speed docks and storage Slide-out chassis design improves serviceability compared with many compact desktops Multiple power and fan modes (Performance/Balanced/Quiet/Rack) allow tuning for noise vs sustained load

High price puts it outside typical mini PC value expectations Storage expansion is uneven (1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 + 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x1), limiting the second slot for high-performance SSD use Exterior can feel very hot at idle, with fan response seeming less aggressive until load begins PCIe x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 x4 electrically, and physical space constraints limit card choices

 

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The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra – The First 48 Hours

The MS-02 Ultra is the latest workstation from Minisforum, and is currently undergoing testing and review here at NASCompares. However, even after just 48 hours, a whole bunch of interesting design choices and unique qwerks to the arcitecture have emerged that I wanted to cover in the meantime before the full review is complete. The MS-02 Ultra essentially trying to recapture the magic and impact of the incredibly popular MS-01 – and it is attempting this by doubling, trippling and (in some cases) quadrupling the base specifications! The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra arrives as a compact workstation that incorporates a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, up to 256 GB of ECC DDR5 memory, internal 350 W power delivery, multiple PCIe expansion options, and a network configuration that includes dual 25GbE, 10GbE, and 2.5GbE. After 48 hours of initial testing, several hardware behaviors have emerged regarding thermals, acoustics, lane distribution, storage configuration, and chassis layout. The following sections outline these early observations, supported by confirmed specifications and hands-on inspection. Stay tuned for the full review, but at least for now, let’s discuss the early highlights and low lights!

Design of the MS-02 Ultra

The internal design of the MS-02 Ultra differs considerably from earlier Minisforum workstation models and moves away from the layout used in the MS-S1 Max. Although the system retains a slide-out internal frame, the mechanism is less streamlined than the earlier S-series implementation because of how densely the components are arranged.

The interior resembles a compressed micro-tower layout, with the CPU cooling assembly, PSU, PCIe risers, and storage positions layered closely together. A dual-fan ventilation chamber spans the frontal section of the chassis, pulling air through a vented intake and directing it across the primary cooling hardware before forcing it out the rear. This arrangement appears to be a necessary response to the higher thermal output of the Ultra 9 285HX and the inclusion of multiple expansion slots, both of which require more directed airflow than Minisforum’s previous compact workstation designs.

The placement of internal components reflects the limited spatial tolerance of the 4.8-liter enclosure. The internal 350 W PSU occupies a significant section of the lower frame and includes additional power leads intended for low-profile GPU or accelerator cards, something rarely present in machines of this size. The motherboard runs across most of the horizontal section and positions the CPU vapor-chamber cooler toward the middle, while memory slots, NVMe connectors, and the PCIe riser for the combo NIC occupy the remaining pockets of available space.

Because cooling pipes and the ventilation housing sit directly above the CPU-side memory slots, Minisforum added a custom angled heatsink to ensure airflow reaches these modules. This results in a serviceable layout but one that requires more deliberate disassembly, as the compact structure prioritizes component density and thermal guidance over ease of access or open internal spacing.

Early Heat, Noise and Power Use of the MS-02 Ultra

Initial thermal behavior suggests the MS-02 Ultra is managing its compact layout with a cooling strategy built around a dual-fan chamber and a six-heatpipe radiator assisted by phase-change material. During the first setup period, surface temperatures around the chassis varied, with readings near the side ventilation panels and case edges settling around the low-to-mid 40s, while the front intake area measured lower due to the direct airflow path.

Early internal temperature checks, taken before any sustained workloads were applied, showed values consistent with a system that is heavily packed but actively cooled across multiple zones. These readings align with Minisforum’s stated 5000 RPM maximum fan speed and the intention to maintain a 100 W to 140 W CPU power envelope depending on configuration. However, because these measurements were taken during routine preparation rather than stress testing, they provide only a preliminary indication of how the system will manage long-duration loads.

Noise levels during this early period ranged from the low 30s dBA while performing software installations and background operations, with no significant fluctuations unless brief bursts of activity occurred. This behavior suggests fan control may be tied primarily to BIOS-level thermal triggers rather than granular OS-side control, something that will require further testing.

Power consumption during light activity remained in the 50 to 60 W range, which is consistent with a workstation-class system running the Ultra 9 285HX while idle or handling moderate foreground tasks. Removing the dual-25GbE combo card or disabling its slot reduced power draw by roughly 10 to 11 W, highlighting the overhead associated with multi-lane NICs and onboard controllers. These early figures provide a baseline for comparison against heavier benchmarks that will be performed in the full review.

The 25GbE, 10GbE and WiFi 7 Network Card in the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra’s networking implementation is centered around a PCIe-based combo card that integrates dual 25GbE SFP+ ports with two additional M.2 NVMe slots. This card is installed in the PCIe 4.0 x16 position rather than the PCIe 5.0 slot, and it includes a dedicated controller with active cooling and heatsinks that cover both the networking and storage components.

Early inspection shows the card draws a notable amount of power, which corresponds with the increased thermal and electrical requirements of Intel’s E810-class 25GbE controllers. Because of this, Minisforum’s inclusion of dedicated airflow and structural reinforcement around the card is necessary within the constrained 4.8-liter chassis. The presence of this dual-purpose add-in card also means the MS-02 Ultra’s total NVMe count depends on whether the system is configured with the 285HX version, as the lower-tier CPUs remove the combo module entirely.

Beyond the 25GbE configuration, the system includes onboard 10GbE and 2.5GbE RJ45 ports, the latter supported by Intel’s i226-LM with vPro capabilities, allowing BIOS-level remote management. The combination of high-speed SFP+, copper-based multi-gigabit ports, and embedded management options positions the system for lab, server, or virtualization roles rather than conventional desktop use.

Wireless capability is supplied via a WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 module connected through an M.2 E-Key slot, providing high-throughput wireless performance alongside its wired interfaces. Together, these connectivity features expand the system’s potential use cases, particularly for users planning to deploy virtualized environments or bandwidth-intensive tasks such as shared storage testing or multi-system clustering.

How m.2 Storage on the MS-02 Ultra is Done

The MS-02 Ultra distributes its four NVMe slots across two different locations, with two mounted on the mainboard and two integrated into the dual-25GbE combo card. The pair located on the system board are positioned on the underside, near the memory and CPU assembly, and both are listed as PCIe 4.0 x4 according to Minisforum’s documentation.

Early inspection suggests that one of these may have a PCIe 5.0 lane path available at the hardware level, though software restrictions or lane bifurcation rules may currently limit it to Gen 4 behavior. This is an area that requires further validation using a Gen 5 SSD, as the lane layout on the 285HX platform allows various allocation possibilities depending on how Minisforum assigned bandwidth between CPU, chipset, and expansion slots. These internal slots have modest vertical clearance, meaning SSDs with tall heatsinks cannot be used without removing or replacing the pre-fitted cooling structures.

The remaining two NVMe slots reside on the network combo card alongside the 25GbE controllers. These operate under different bandwidth rules depending on SSD capacity: drives up to 4 TB operate at PCIe 4.0 x4, while larger 8 TB models shift down to PCIe 3.0 x4. This behavior appears to be related to the card’s onboard controller and how its internal bifurcation splits resources between the NIC and storage lanes.

Physical space is also restricted on the card, requiring low-profile SSDs in certain positions to avoid obstruction of the cooling shroud and airflow channel. Minisforum includes an additional heatsink in the package for users installing their own drives, but using SSDs with taller factory heatsinks may be impractical. Altogether, storage layout on the MS-02 Ultra is functional and high-capacity, but with lane behaviors and physical constraints that require attention during configuration.

Memory on the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra provides four DDR5 SODIMM slots, but their distribution within the chassis is unconventional due to the system’s compact thermal layout. Two slots sit on the mainboard near the CPU-side M.2 positions, placed directly in the airflow path of the vapor-chamber cooler and its dual-fan assembly. Because of this, Minisforum has added a custom angled heatsink that draws air from the primary cooling channel across the modules and nearby components.

This arrangement is intended to compensate for the thermal density around the CPU area, where heat buildup would otherwise be more likely. These two slots support both ECC and non-ECC memory, though ECC functionality is active only on the 285HX model. Their placement suggests Minisforum prioritized consistent airflow over ease of access, making upgrades possible but less straightforward than on more open workstation layouts.

The remaining pair of SODIMM slots is located on the opposite side of the board, positioned away from the CPU cooling assembly and closer to the chassis frame. These modules have more breathing room but rely on passive airflow from the system’s general ventilation rather than a focused cooling path. All four slots support speeds up to 4800 MHz, with XMP profiles unavailable due to Minisforum’s implementation and Intel’s platform limitations.

During early testing, memory installation worked as expected, though the arrangement of these slots means users planning maximum 256 GB configurations will need to work within the physical constraints of the layout. Overall, the memory design reflects a tradeoff between supporting high-capacity ECC configurations and fitting the necessary cooling infrastructure into a small volume.

PCIe Card Support on the MS-02 Ultra

The MS-02 Ultra incorporates three PCIe slots arranged to maximize flexibility within its compact chassis: a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. The PCIe 5.0 slot is left unoccupied by default, allowing users to install a low-profile GPU or accelerator card that fits within the airflow and power constraints of the 350 W internal PSU.

Minisforum includes auxiliary power cables within the system, which is uncommon for small-form-factor workstations and indicates that the chassis is intended to support cards that require supplemental power. Because of the chassis height and width, only dual-slot, low-profile cards with modest cooling requirements are viable, but this still introduces options for compute or media workloads that benefit from hardware acceleration.

The PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is occupied in the 285HX configuration by the dual-25GbE plus dual-M.2 combo card, which introduces additional thermal and power considerations. This leaves the PCIe 4.0 x4 slot available for further expansion, provided the card used meets the system’s spatial limitations. The layout demonstrates Minisforum’s approach to balancing lane allocation between CPU, storage, and networking, especially given the 24 available PCIe lanes on the Ultra 9 platform.

Although the physical presence of three slots in such a compact volume is unusual, the arrangement is functional, and power delivery from the internal PSU supports moderate add-in card configurations. Users will need to consider airflow direction, card length, and slot occupation carefully to avoid restricting internal ventilation.

Conclusion and Verdict on the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra (So Far…)

The MS-02 Ultra presents a compact workstation design that integrates a high-core-count CPU, multiple NVMe storage options, high-speed networking, and an internal PSU within a tightly arranged chassis. Early testing indicates that the system’s thermal behavior, noise profile, and power draw are consistent with its component density, though the long-term performance of its cooling strategy requires extended benchmarking before reaching definitive conclusions. The design choices, such as the split placement of memory slots, the use of a large dual-fan cooling chamber, and the reliance on a densely packed internal layout, all reflect Minisforum’s effort to fit workstation-grade hardware into a constrained volume.

In terms of features, the dual-25GbE plus dual-M.2 combo card remains the most distinctive element, expanding the system’s potential for virtualized environments, NAS roles, and bandwidth-heavy workflows. PCIe allocation, memory configuration, and storage behavior introduce several considerations for users planning upgrades or specialized deployments. While these early observations indicate a capable and flexible platform, further testing is necessary to determine sustained thermal performance, PCIe stability under load, and real-world throughput of the networking and storage subsystems. The forthcoming full review will provide those extended results, but for now, the system presents a feature-rich design with several areas that merit deeper evaluation.

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The Minisforum MS-02 Workstation – FINALLY A MS-01 KILLER?

Note – Massive thanks to PCWatch for their coverage of the Japan IT Week 2025 Event. They made an excellent article on the Minisforum MS-02 HERE and was the source for today’s article. Check them out!

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is a compact 4.8-liter workstation revealed at Japan IT Week Autumn 2025, marking a major upgrade over the earlier MS-01 model. Built around Intel’s 24-core Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, it merges high-end mobile CPU performance with features traditionally reserved for full-size desktops. The system includes support for up to 256 GB of ECC DDR5 memory, four PCIe 4.0 NVMe slots, and three PCIe expansion slots, one of which supports PCIe 5.0 ×16. Network connectivity options extend up to dual 25 GbE SFP28 ports, alongside 10 GbE and 2.5 GbE (vPro) Ethernet. Designed to serve as a workstation or mini-server, the MS-02 Ultra incorporates an internal 350 W Flex PSU, a slide-out chassis for maintenance, and advanced front-to-rear cooling architecture.

Minisforum MS-02 – Internal Hardware

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is built around Intel’s Arrow Lake-HX platform, with the Core Ultra 9 285HX serving as its central processor. This 24-core CPU combines eight performance cores and sixteen efficiency cores, reaching up to 5.5 GHz while maintaining a 140 W thermal design power. It incorporates an integrated Intel Arc GPU with four Xe cores and an NPU capable of up to 13 TOPS for AI acceleration. The CPU provides 24 PCIe lanes in total, which are distributed among the system’s multiple expansion and storage options.

Memory capacity is one of the most notable upgrades over its predecessor. The MS-02 Ultra offers four DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 256 GB of 4800 MHz memory, with full ECC functionality for stability in continuous workloads. Two modules are located on the CPU side of the board, and two on the reverse, optimizing thermal spacing and service access. This capacity places it closer to entry-level server configurations than typical mini PCs, reinforcing its suitability for virtualization or compute-heavy tasks.

Storage expansion is handled through four M.2 2280 NVMe slots, each supporting PCIe 4.0 ×4 bandwidth. Combined, these slots can accommodate up to 16 TB of SSD storage. The system’s slide-out chassis design allows quick installation or replacement of drives, simplifying maintenance. Minisforum has also introduced a small debug LED and clear CMOS button on the board, indicating that the model is targeted toward users familiar with system-level configuration and troubleshooting.

Expansion flexibility extends far beyond most small form factor workstations. The system includes three PCIe slots: one PCIe 5.0 ×16, one PCIe 4.0 ×16 (often occupied by a 25 GbE NIC in standard configurations), and one PCIe 4.0 ×4. The top slot can host dual-slot desktop graphics cards, drawing up to 140 W through an included 8-pin auxiliary connector. This allows for the addition of mid-range GPUs such as the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada or workstation accelerators, while still retaining physical compactness.

Power delivery is managed through a built-in 350 W Flex PSU that eliminates the need for an external brick. This internal supply was a deliberate shift from the MS-01’s external adapter and helps sustain higher CPU and GPU draw without additional clutter. The unit supports 100–240 V AC input, giving it universal deployment flexibility for both workstation and light server scenarios.

 

Minisforum MS-02 – Ports and Connections

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra includes a broad range of connectivity options intended to support both workstation and server workloads. Front access is optimized for frequent use, featuring two USB4 Version 2.0 Type-C ports offering 80 Gbps bandwidth each, a 10 Gbps USB Type-A port, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack, and the system power button. These front USB4 v2 ports also support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and Power Delivery up to 15 W per port, making them suitable for high-speed data transfer or direct monitor output without additional adapters.

The rear I/O layout is designed for permanent peripheral and network connections. It includes a third USB4 Type-C port rated at 40 Gbps, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports at 10 Gbps each, and a single HDMI 2.1 output supporting up to 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz. For network communication, the MS-02 Ultra integrates four ports in total: two 25 GbE SFP28, one 10 GbE RJ-45, and one 2.5 GbE RJ-45. The 2.5 GbE interface uses Intel’s i226-LM controller and supports vPro remote management for BIOS-level administration, which is beneficial for enterprise or headless operation.

Wireless connectivity is provided by an M.2 2230 E-Key slot supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 modules, enabling flexible configuration for wireless networks or peripheral pairing. The combination of USB4 v2, multiple Ethernet options, and RDMA capability positions the MS-02 Ultra as a system ready for both high-performance workstation setups and compact server deployments. Its port layout, with both front and rear accessibility, ensures straightforward use in horizontal or vertical orientations.

Minisforum MS-02 – Cooling and Temperature Management

The cooling system of the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is designed to manage sustained high thermal loads while maintaining compact dimensions. The chassis follows a front-intake and rear-exhaust airflow pattern, similar to rackmount servers. A six-heatpipe radiator combined with phase-change material (PCM) ensures efficient heat dissipation from both the CPU and expansion slots. This design enables the system to maintain stable operation at a 140 W CPU TDP, even when fully populated with PCIe cards and NVMe storage. Airflow direction also varies depending on the unit’s orientation, with side-mounted intakes feeding the expansion slots and rear vents handling exhaust when the unit is placed horizontally or vertically.

The internal layout is structured to prevent thermal overlap between major components. The CPU and memory modules are cooled through a direct-contact heat spreader, while GPU and add-in cards draw intake air from the left side and expel it from the right or top, depending on placement. The inclusion of an internal 350 W Flex PSU was balanced with this design, ensuring sufficient clearance and airflow. This approach allows the MS-02 Ultra to sustain continuous high-load performance without external cooling solutions or the noise levels typical of larger tower workstations.

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra Workstation – Worth waiting for?

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra represents a substantial progression from the original MS-01 workstation, addressing nearly every limitation of its predecessor. The earlier model, released in 2023, gained attention for integrating desktop-class performance into a small form factor but was constrained by its single-slot PCIe design, limited memory capacity, and reliance on an external power brick. The MS-02 Ultra resolves these issues with four DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 256 GB ECC memory, a dual-slot PCIe 5.0 ×16 slot for graphics or accelerator cards, and a fully internal 350 W Flex PSU. These refinements, along with the addition of 25 GbE networking and USB4 v2 connectivity, elevate the system into a new category that bridges high-end workstation and compact enterprise server design.

Performance and versatility are at the center of this system’s concept. The inclusion of a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX CPU and up to four PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives positions it for continuous workloads such as virtualization, software development, or AI inference without the thermal or structural compromises typical of small PCs. Minisforum’s decision to adopt ECC memory and RDMA-capable networking also underlines a shift toward reliability and professional usage scenarios rather than enthusiast or gaming audiences.

In terms of market placement, pricing has yet to be confirmed, but early indications suggest the MS-02 Ultra will likely start around $1,500, with higher configurations approaching or exceeding $2,000 depending on memory, storage, and NIC options. This aligns it with compact workstations like the ASRock DeskMeet X600 and high-end mini servers from OEM integrators, though the Minisforum model’s density and component flexibility set it apart. Overall, the MS-02 Ultra shows how far the brand’s SFF engineering has advanced since the MS-01, turning a well-liked prototype concept into a fully realized professional-grade workstation built for sustained heavy use.

Note – Massive thanks to PCWatch for their coverage of the Japan IT Week 2025 Event. They made an excellent article on the Minisforum MS-02 HERE and was the source for today’s article. Check them out!

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