MINISFORUM NAD9

Updated on January 26, 2026

The MINISFORUM NAD9 is a storage-oriented Intel mini PC built on the Core i9-12900H (14 cores, 20 threads), aimed at productivity, media hosting, and emulation. Expandability is the main draw, with two 2.5-inch SATA bays plus an M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slot and DDR4 memory upgradable to 64GB. Connectivity covers Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, a 2.5GbE port, dual HDMI, and USB-C with DisplayPort for up to four displays.

The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics handle 4K playback, light gaming, and emulation up to a point, but they are not built for modern AAA titles or the heaviest emulation. There is no Thunderbolt port either, so an external GPU is not an option.

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MINISFORUM NAD9 Comparison Chart

	MINISFORUM NAD9	MINISFORUM NAD9
Price	List Price: $659.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $469.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Version	32GB/1TB/Intel Core i9-12900H	32GB/512GB/Intel Core i9-12900H
Performance Rating	9.3	9.3
Operating System	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro
Processor	Fourteen-core 3.80 Ghz (max 5.00 Ghz) Intel Core i9-12900H	Fourteen-core 3.80 Ghz (max 5.00 Ghz) Intel Core i9-12900H
GPU	Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics	Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM	32 GB	32 GB
Internal Storage	1 TB	512 GB
Dimensions width x length x thickness	8.2 x 7.1 x 2.6 inches (208.28 x 180.34 x 66.04 mm)	8.2 x 7.1 x 2.6 inches (208.28 x 180.34 x 66.04 mm)
Weight	2.6 lbs (1.18 kg)	2.6 lbs (1.18 kg)
WiFi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet	1 Ethernet port at 2.5 Gbps	1 Ethernet port at 2.5 Gbps
HDMI	2 Full-Size HDMI Ports	2 Full-Size HDMI Ports
DisplayPort	No DisplayPort	No DisplayPort
VGA	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports
USB Ports	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 3 USB-C (2 USB-C ports on back support DisplayPort)	2 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3, 3 USB-C (2 USB-C ports on back support DisplayPort)
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No
OCuLink	No	No
Internal SATA Ports	2 SATA ports, includes 2.5" drive bay (Supports two 2.5 " SATA 3.0 6.0Gb/s drives)	2 SATA ports, includes 2.5" drive bay (Supports two 2.5 " SATA 3.0 6.0Gb/s drives)
Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader
Headphone Jack	combo	combo
Fanless	No	No
VESA Mount	No	No
In the Box	Mini PC, power adapter, stand, screws, HDMI cable, user manual	Mini PC, power adapter, stand, screws, HDMI cable, user manual
Expandability	Supports up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, 2x2.5 inch SATA HDD slots, and 1x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe4.0 SSD.	Supports up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, 2x2.5 inch SATA HDD slots, and 1x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe4.0 SSD.

Three drive slots and memory that goes to 64GB

The NAD9 runs the Intel Core i9-12900H, a 12th-gen chip with 6 performance and 8 efficiency cores (14 cores, 20 threads) that turbos to 5.0 GHz, paired with integrated Iris Xe graphics and Windows 11 Pro. It carries two 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s bays plus one M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slot, and DDR4 across two SODIMM slots to 64GB. At 8.2 x 7.1 x 2.6 inches it is larger than a typical mini PC and ships with a stand for vertical placement. Ports include dual HDMI, three USB-C (two rear with DisplayPort, one front data-only), USB-A, USB 2.0, and a 2.5GbE jack. Inside is an MXM slot, which PhilsComputerLab found is not currently supported for a discrete GPU.

Reviewer Insights

ETA Prime: no Thunderbolt rules out an external GPU

ETA Prime leaned on the i9-12900H’s CPU strength, measuring a Geekbench 5 multi-core score of 9,538 and finding it strong for emulation: “when it comes to high-end emulation on this Mini PC, it definitely doesn’t disappoint. The CPU is putting out some great performance.” But he was clear on the graphics ceiling: the integrated Iris Xe struggles with modern games like Cyberpunk 2077 even at low settings, and the lack of Thunderbolt rules out an external GPU. His pick is for buyers who want CPU power in a small box for emulation, 4K playback, and productivity.

Retro Game Corps: Xbox 360 and PS3 emulation is beyond it

Russ at Retro Game Corps liked the boxy look (“it just looks like a smaller version of a desktop tower”) and the quiet, well-ventilated cooling. On gaming and emulation he was more reserved: it handles lighter games and Switch emulation but struggles with modern AAA titles and heavy emulation like Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. He felt it is overpriced for gaming next to cheaper Minisforum boxes (he named the UM690, now the UM690S) and the HX99G, concluding it suits general tasks and media rather than gaming.

PhilsComputerLab: Ethernet and Wi-Fi underperformed the Intel silicon

PhilsComputerLab benchmarked it as “the fastest Mini PC that we tested,” with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11,007, a record on his channel at the time. The Iris Xe cleared 60 fps in 720p-low titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Strange Brigade. His criticisms were the recessed front USB-C port and Ethernet and Wi-Fi that underperformed despite the Intel components, and he noted the internal MXM slot for a discrete GPU is “not supported” at present. Overall he rated it a strong, quiet CPU machine for productivity and media.

Customer Reviews

Verified buyer Victor V. called it an “Amazing little system,” citing the power, the configurable hardware, and room to expand storage: he added two 4TB SSDs and reported it “Maintains its cool.” J W Gibbs, another verified buyer, kept it brief with a four-star “Computers were great!!”

Verified buyer Stephen B. Foskin downgraded his rating to two stars after running into stability issues, warning that the “NAD9 DOES NOT support HDCP so some streaming services will not function” and that Intel chipset and video driver updates “cause system instability that requires frequent restarts.” Verified buyer The Avants reported a hard failure after ten months (“I woke up this morning to a dead unit. It won’t power on”) under the title “DO NOT BUY.” A four-star reviewer named Sean, whose purchase was not verified and was bought refurbished, liked the value and the quiet operation but noted it “runs a bit warmer than I’d like” and that the front USB-C port “is recessed too deep and barely connects.”

A quiet i9 box for media servers and emulation

The 14-core i9-12900H, two 2.5-inch SATA bays alongside the M.2 NVMe slot, and DDR4 to 64GB cover a small workstation or a media server, and both ETA Prime and PhilsComputerLab landed on productivity and media as the fit.

Gaming and heavy emulation are the wrong job for it, since the Iris Xe graphics and the unsupported MXM slot leave no route to a discrete GPU; a box like the Minisforum HX99G is the better gaming buy. The machine does not support HDCP, which can break some streaming apps, and Stephen B. Foskin traced repeated instability to Intel chipset and video driver updates. To compare it with other models, use Starry Hope’s Mini PC Comparison Chart.

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