MINISFORUM MS-A1

Published on February 10, 2026

The MINISFORUM MS-A1 breaks the mold of what a mini PC can be by packing a full desktop-class AMD AM5 socket into a chassis barely larger than a hardcover book. Unlike the mobile processors found in nearly every other mini PC on the market, the MS-A1 uses a socketed AMD Ryzen 7 8700G desktop APU, which means you can actually swap the CPU yourself and upgrade to faster chips down the road. That alone sets it apart from the competition. Add in four M.2 NVMe storage slots, an OCuLink port for external GPU connectivity, and dual 2.5GbE networking, and you have a machine that punches well above its size class. Whether you’re building a home lab, running virtual machines, or assembling a compact workstation with eGPU potential, the MS-A1 delivers a rare combination of power and upgradeability.

Pros and Cons of the MINISFORUM MS-A1

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MINISFORUM MS-A1 Comparison Chart

	MINISFORUM MS-A1	MINISFORUM MS-A1	MINISFORUM MS-A1	MINISFORUM MS-A1	MINISFORUM MS-A1	MINISFORUM MS-A1
Price	List Price: Amazon Prices: Loading prices...	List Price: Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: Amazon Prices: Loading prices...	List Price: Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Version	Barebone / Ryzen 7 8700G / No RAM / No SSD	32GB/1TB/Ryzen 7 8700G	64GB/2TB/Ryzen 7 8700G	Barebone / Ryzen 9 9950X / No RAM / No SSD	32GB/1TB/Ryzen 9 9950X	64GB/2TB/Ryzen 9 9950X
Perfomance Rating	8.7	9.4	9.6	8.7	9.4	9.6
Operating System	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro
Processor	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G	Octa-core 4.20 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
GPU	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M
RAM	0 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Two DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots, up to 96GB total (2x 48GB).)	32 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Dual-channel DDR5-5200)	64 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Dual-channel DDR5-5200)	0 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Two DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots, up to 96GB total (2x 48GB).)	32 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Dual-channel DDR5-5200)	64 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM (Dual-channel DDR5-5200)
Internal Storage	0 GB NVMe SSD	1 TB NVMe SSD	2 TB NVMe SSD	0 GB NVMe SSD	1 TB NVMe SSD	2 TB NVMe SSD
Dimensions width x length x thickness	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)	7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches (189.48 x 185.93 x 48.01 mm)
Weight	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)	3.97 lbs (1.8 kg)
WiFi	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps
HDMI	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port
DisplayPort	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0, supports 4K at 144Hz)
VGA	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports
USB Ports	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 1 USB-C
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No	No	No	No	No
Internal SATA Ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports
Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader
Headphone Jack	combo	combo	combo	combo	combo	combo
Fanless	No	No	No	No	No	No
VESA Mount	No	No	No	No	No	No
In the Box	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.	MS-A1 main unit, 240W external power supply, HDMI cable, M.2 to U.2 conversion plate, opening tool, user manual.
Expandability	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.	Socketed AMD AM5 CPU (user-replaceable, supports Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 series up to 65W TDP), 2x DDR5-5200 SODIMM slots (up to 96GB), 4x M.2 NVMe SSD slots, OCuLink port for external GPU expansion.

Detailed Insights into the MINISFORUM MS-A1

The MINISFORUM MS-A1 measures 7.46 x 7.32 x 1.89 inches and weighs 3.97 pounds, making it noticeably larger than ultracompact mini PCs but still far smaller than any traditional desktop. The chassis uses a sturdy aluminum construction with the Minisforum “Coldwave Pro” cooling system, featuring dual fans and four heat pipes that keep the desktop-class processor running comfortably at its 65W power envelope. The front panel provides two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 2.0 port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack, while the rear is packed with one HDMI port (4K@60Hz), one DisplayPort 2.0 (4K@144Hz), one USB4 port (40Gbps), one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, one USB 2.0 port, dual 2.5GbE Ethernet jacks, and the distinctive OCuLink port. This triple-display setup supports up to 8K output through the USB4 and DisplayPort connections.

At the heart of the MS-A1 lies the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, a desktop APU with 8 cores and 16 threads running at a base clock of 4.2GHz and boosting up to 5.1GHz. With a PassMark CPU Mark score of approximately 31,671, it delivers serious multi-threaded performance that outclasses the mobile Intel Core i9-13900H found in the sibling MINISFORUM MS-01. The integrated Radeon 780M GPU handles 1080p gaming at playable framerates and provides capable hardware acceleration for media transcoding. Because the MS-A1 uses a standard AM5 socket, ambitious users can swap in processors from the Ryzen 7000, 8000, or 9000 series, including chips like the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X, though the BIOS limits TDP to 65W regardless of which CPU you install.

Connectivity options include WiFi 6E (802.11ax) wireless, Bluetooth 5.2, and dual 2.5GbE Ethernet ports with Realtek controllers supporting link aggregation. The USB4 port provides 40Gbps bandwidth when used with the Ryzen 8000G series processors, though it drops to 10Gbps USB 3.2 speeds if you swap in a non-Phoenix architecture CPU from the Ryzen 7000 or 9000 lines. Storage expansion is exceptional, with four M.2 2280 NVMe slots that accept drives up to the maximum 4TB capacity each, plus a M.2 to U.2 conversion plate for enterprise-grade storage. The four slots run at different speeds depending on your CPU: with the 8700G you get two PCIe 4.0 x4 slots, one PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, and one PCIe 4.0 x1 slot, so plan your drive placement accordingly.

Reviewer Insights on the MINISFORUM MS-A1

ETA PRIME’s Perspective

ETA PRIME tested the MS-A1 with a focus on its gaming capabilities and OCuLink eGPU potential. He found the Radeon 780M integrated graphics handled 1080p gaming “respectably” on its own, but the real excitement came from connecting an external GPU through the OCuLink port. He noted that “with this mini PC we can get a lot more out of it because we’ve got that OCuLink port around back,” demonstrating impressive performance gains with a GPD G1 eGPU dock. His main criticism was the BIOS-locked RAM speed: “RAM is locked at 5200 MHz, really no way to change it from within here, kind of wish it was at least at 56.”

The Phawx’s Perspective

The Phawx delivered an enthusiastic technical breakdown, calling the MS-A1 a revolutionary product. He demonstrated the CPU upgrade path by swapping in a Ryzen 9 7950X 16-core processor, finding the cooling system handled it impressively: “The cooling I’m super happy with — in a mini PC like that we’re pulling 65 watts, we’re not thermally throttling.” He praised the engineering, saying “to make something like that is absolutely genius… the design is absolutely fantastic.” His concerns centered on the networking downgrade from 10GbE to dual 2.5GbE compared to the MS-01, and the difficulty of removing RAM due to thick thermal pads.

Hardware Canucks’ Perspective

Hardware Canucks provided thorough benchmarks and thermal testing, noting the 8700G’s impressive single-core performance and calling it “entirely overkill for general computing on its own.” They appreciated the easy disassembly for upgrades, the strong thermal management, and the versatile I/O including USB4 and DisplayPort 2.0. However, they pointed out the larger physical footprint compared to competing mini PCs, the bulky external power brick, and the confusing documentation regarding M.2 slot speeds, noting the asymmetric bandwidth allocation across the four slots.

NASCompares’ Perspective

NASCompares compared the MS-A1 directly against the Intel-based MS-01, concluding that the AMD model’s desktop architecture gives it a clear advantage in compute and graphical benchmarks. They highlighted the “full AM5 desktop socket along with an AMD Ryzen 7 8700G 8-core CPU” and praised the support for high-capacity U.2 enterprise drives. Their main criticism was the more complicated disassembly process compared to the MS-01’s tool-less design, and they noted that Radeon integrated graphics are less compatible with certain server applications like Plex hardware transcoding compared to Intel QuickSync.

XDA Developers

According to XDA Developers, the MS-A1 is “less so a mini PC and more of a very compact PC,” rating it 8 out of 10. Reviewer João Carrasqueira praised its “great all-around performance for different kinds of workloads” and the ample upgrade headroom, while noting it sits in “an awkward middle ground” between a true mini PC and a full desktop. The review flagged the absence of an SD card reader and the 240W external PSU that limits CPU choices to 100W models.

Virtualization Howto

Virtualization Howto reviewer Brandon Lee evaluated the MS-A1 specifically as a home server platform. He praised the AMD Ryzen 8700G’s uniform core architecture as better suited for virtualization than Intel’s hybrid approach: “I really like the uniform Ryzen processors over the Intel hybrid core processors for home lab workloads.” However, he called the networking “the big disappointment,” noting the Realtek 2.5GbE adapters lack native VMware ESXi compatibility, making the MS-A1 better suited as a Proxmox host.

Across multiple reviews, the consensus points to the upgradeable AM5 socket and quad M.2 storage as the primary strengths, while the networking downgrade from 10GbE and the bulky external power supply appear consistently as areas for improvement. Reviewers generally agree this is an excellent platform for home labs and workstation use, though opinions differ on whether the larger chassis is a fair tradeoff for the desktop-class CPU.

Customer Reviews of the MINISFORUM MS-A1

Amazon customers have rated the MS-A1 between 4.3 and 4.4 out of 5 stars across its various configurations. The most praised aspects include the OCuLink port for eGPU expansion, the ease of assembling the barebone unit, and the impressive performance from the desktop-class processor. One buyer successfully paired theirs with a Ryzen 9 7950X and 96GB of RAM, reporting “impressively fast boot times and stable thermals” while calling the OCuLink eGPU experience “plug and play.”

However, some customers report issues with fan reliability, with one noting the main fan intermittently stops working and requires a full system restart. Others have found the system louder than expected under heavy CPU load, and a few experienced stability issues that Minisforum customer service was slow to address. The barebone version receives particular praise for its reasonable total build cost, though buyers should factor in the price of a CPU, RAM, and storage.

Overall, customer sentiment is positive, with most buyers finding the MS-A1 delivers exceptional value for home lab, virtualization, and compact workstation use cases. The ability to choose your own components with the barebone model and upgrade the CPU over time resonates strongly with the enthusiast audience this product targets.

Conclusion

The MINISFORUM MS-A1 stands out as a genuinely unique product in the mini PC landscape, offering desktop-class CPU power and upgradeability in a form factor that fits on any desk. Its combination of a socketed AM5 processor, four M.2 storage slots, OCuLink eGPU support, and dual 2.5GbE networking makes it particularly well-suited for home lab enthusiasts, Proxmox and virtualization users, and anyone who wants a compact workstation they can grow with over time. The Ryzen 7 8700G delivers strong performance out of the box, and the ability to upgrade to faster AM5 processors adds long-term value that no other mini PC in this class can match.

That said, users who need 10GbE networking for VMware ESXi or high-speed NAS connectivity should look at the Intel-based MINISFORUM MS-01 or consider the newer MINISFORUM MS-A2 which adds SFP+ ports. Those who prioritize a truly compact footprint may find the MS-A1’s 7.46 x 7.32-inch chassis and external power brick larger than expected. And while the OCuLink eGPU option is compelling, bandwidth limitations mean it won’t fully replace a dedicated desktop GPU for serious gaming or professional rendering.

For those comparing options, see our Mini PC Comparison Chart to find the best match for your needs.

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