Build your own supermini PC with this $338 AMD AM5 barebone workstation that features OCuLink, two 2.5Gb LAN ports, and can power four 8K monitors when you add a GPU to the dock
- Minisforum’s customizable MS-A1 has an AM5 socket for Ryzen CPUs
- Compact design with up to 16 TB of storage, including OCuLink port
- Wi-Fi 6E, USB4 and advanced cooling for high performance
The Minisforum MS-A1 is the latest addition to the company’s line of powerful mini PCs and is the spiritual successor to the MS-01 model.
Unlike its predecessor, the MS-A1 introduces the ability to swap CPUs, using an AM5 socket to run various AMD Ryzen processors, including AMD’s 7000 series, 8000 PHX architecture (8700G/8600G) and possibly the AMD 9000 series after a BIOS update. It supports up to AMD 8700G APU for graphics.
The Minisforum MS-A1 is available as a barebone system (without CPU or OS) from $259 or as a pre-configured model. Right now there’s an offer to save $20, bringing the barebones price down to $239. You can add the Minisforum Deg1 OCuLink graphics docking station when you purchase the workstation for an additional $99, bringing the system up to four 8K displays can control at the same time.
Stay cool
The mini PC supports up to 16TB of storage via four SSDs using PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots. There are five USB Type-A ports, a USB4 port with a speed of 40 Gbps, the OCuLink interface and dual Ethernet RJ45 ports that support up to 2.5 Gbps each.
For display outputs, the device has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 connections, with the USB4 interface also supporting screen output. Without an eGPU, it can still drive three 8K displays. For wireless connectivity, the Minisforum MS-A1 offers WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
The housing of the mini PC is compact and made of a mix of metal and plastic. The Cold Wave cooling system, with dual fans and four heat pipes, prevents overheating, even under load.
With customizable CPU options and affordable eGPU support, the Minisforum MS-A1 offers a flexible mini PC solution that’s ideal for users looking for a compact yet powerful workstation for content creation, multitasking, gaming or general productivity .