MINISFORUM Mini PC MS-A2 Barebone with AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (16 C/32T, 64 MB L3, up to 5.2GHz), PCIe × 16, HDMI/2XUSB-C (8K@60 Hz), 2 x SFP+ 10 G,2xLAN 2.5 G,3xSSD M.2 (2280/22110/U.2),No RAM/SSD/OS

The "MinisForum" presents a visually captivating design, embodying both aesthetic appeal and substantial power. Upon closer inspection, I found myself intrigued by the intricate design of the device. It is evident that the construction is not only advanced but also exceptionally well-organized, reflecting a high degree of technological craftsmanship. The interior layout showcases a modular design that facilitates easy access and customization, indicating a thoughtful approach to user experience and functionality. Upon utilizing the computer, I was thoroughly impressed by its operational performance. The efficiency and speed with which it processes tasks demonstrate its formidable capabilities. Indeed, this device can be aptly characterized as "A Small Monster," conveying not only its compact size but also its impressive ability to handle demanding applications with remarkable ease. Overall, this computer represents a noteworthy achievement in modern technology, combining aesthetic charm with robust performance in a seamless package.

I recently purchased the **Miniforums MS-A01** for my home lab, and I couldn't be happier! The sleek and compact design fits perfectly in my workspace, making it not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. This little powerhouse handles everything I throw at it—from running virtual machines to hosting my personal website—smoothly and efficiently. It operates quietly, even under heavy loads, thanks to its effective cooling system. This is a huge plus for a home environment! If I could change one thing, it would be to switch the SFP ports to Ethernet. While SFP is useful for certain applications, having more Ethernet options would enhance versatility for home users. Overall, the **Miniforums MS-A01** is a fantastic investment for anyone needing a powerful, easy-to-manage home lab server. Highly recommended!

((((update - swapped out my indium foil on the amd 9600x cpu in minisforum ms-a1 chassis with thicker foil 8-10c lower at idle, 7-10c lower at load 66c igpu without extra fans 63.8c igpu with extra fans 80-83c cpu temp (core) not bad for such a iffy cooler / heat block design for full socket going to try it in my ms-a1 that has a 7950x3D next - end update)))))) rare setup. very attractive. Pros: * cpu socket * removeable wifi/bluetooth chip * runs old win10 and many *nix os * amazing connectivity port options * bios reset button is hidden for basic security * bios battery wires have a connector to disconnect current to hard reset bios * extreme mobility * barebones option * price Cons: * bios lacks maturity * bios lacks features * bios will not properly reboot after conflicting option changes, meaning you need to take the front flash cover off to access the bios reset button * bios battery appears to be hard to replace as it has some plastic shrink wrap around it. wires might be soldered. idk. * minisforum website drivers appear to only work for win11. there are win10 amd drivers for cpu igpu that work on old win10 * heat sink sucks. 9600x idles around 78 celsius with indium foil, even at 30 watt limited ppd, 7950x3D idles around 90 celsius with a low quality thermal pad from amazon. i aim to customize mine for the new ice giant 360 cooler coming june 2025. however, amd software reports the gpu side of the 9600x to idle at 58 celsius. i ran furmark 2 and Prime95 stress tests for 20 minutes each. igpu max temp 78-80 celcius, cpu max temp 91-92 avg 90 celsius. i think since the igpu reads lower temps on the same die as cpu heat sensor that cpu temp might be a core temp. however amd did say the 9950x3D would have a revised layout so some heat generating parts wont overheat the chip by placing them closest to the surface of the chip... so who knows this heat issue could partly be the combined fault of amd, the bios, and the cooler. custom solution required or dont buy. * many linux distros dont have compatible firmware for network card or graphics, etc. some do though. including older versions of distros oddly. * as ive read online updating the bios is a chore and not for averagw users who have never touched a command line overall, for what it is, i highly value this unique product. it is for niche users, but i own 2.. one from amazon and one ordered from minisforum website. 5 Stars given, but i would deduct 1 for bios and drivers, especially linux drivers and old win10 driver availability. the heat issue deserves 1 star deduction but since i will customize i will allow a pass.

I originally tried to buy 3 via their official store, but they seemed unwilling or unable to ship after WEEKS (and then also unable/unwilling to cancel until I threatened a chargeback). This sales/support experience will be important later. So I ended up get 3 from Amazon (with next-day delivery!) for the same price as direct from their store. These little systems are real powerhouses. I have all three (i5 barebones) setup as a Proxmox cluster with Ceph (using 64GB of RAM, 2x 8TB NVME drives for Ceph storage, and a smaller SSD for the OS), and making real good use out of the dual 10Gb SFP+ ports. These have been GREAT... except when one of them failed a month later (while I was on a 2-week vacation). Now, this wasn't an issue (everything that was running on them came up on the other two in the cluster). And when I said "dead", I mean no lights, nothing. And replacing the power brick did not resolve the issue, so it was something with the power components on the board itself. Given my experience with their sales support, I bought a 4th (on Amazon) before attempting RMA of the broken unit. But it turns out, other than them trying to tell me to use a pin to press the non-existent reset button, their post-sales return/RMA process wasn't too bad, though I did have to pay for the return shipping (~$16). But they were quick to agree to replace it, and gave me a shipping address to send it to, and the replacement was shipped out the day after it was received. I've ended up using the 4th now for a desktop (replacing my 12-year-old desktop), with 10Gb fiber connection back to the rack for access to the Ceph storage pool. So so far, 1/4 died after 1 month of use, but their RMA support is pretty good, even if their site sales support was VERY poor. In all, I'm pretty happy with these for my homelab. They only take about 55W each and are more than sufficient for their workloads. And they're quiet. All around really good systems, and the option for an i9 (which supports up to 96GB of RAM) is available for those needing more power. And all for a really good price (really, the 2x8TB SSDs were the most expensive part of the project). So in general, I can definitely recommend these, especially if buying on Amazon (or at least not the OEM's official site)... especially if you need (or can use) 10GbE networking.

Very impressed! Hits all my requirements with 3x M.2 slots, Oculink connection, 2x 2.5 GbE ports, and fast ports for an external drive. Installation was easy and it seems to run cool though I haven't pressed it under load yet. Works perfectly for my needs.

I absolutely loved this as a homelab machine when it was working, it's a very capable server computer in a very small footprint. The problem was that one of the 10G network ports started malfunctioning. I contacted Minisforum support, went through the troubleshooting steps with them, and they determined that they would send me a replacement after receiving the defective unit. I sent the unit back per their instructions, and never received a message in response, after many messages over several weeks requesting status. I am now out $700 for a computer I returned on the assurance it would be replaced. If you get one, just hope it never breaks.

I am giving this a five star but wish I could give 4.5 instead. First, I got the bare version (CPU, but no memory, disk or OS). Overall, this is a great system, especially for a homelab (or in my case, a small hosting datacenter) for use as a virtual server (Proxmox 8.4.x in my case). However, you will want to be aware of a number of caveats in function vs. marketing. 1. The x16 PCIe slot in the device is only wired to x8, but it is x16 in size 2. The two SFP+ 10g ethernet connection are only wired to x4, whereas they would require x8 if they were to need to operate under full 10g load. This means that under heavy network load, your OS will experience 'network flapping' and intermittent momentary outages/pauses (which in a virtual environment for HA in particular is problematic) 3. Thermals are TERRIBLE at the default configuration. First, the paste applied at the factory/during assembly is either way too much, or way too little (I have three of these, have seen both). In order to prevent this device from hitting thermal loads that cause a shutdown, you need to pop off the CPU cooler, clean off the factory paste, and redo it correctly using a good paste. Make sure you change the fan speed in BIOS to always be full and as an extra precaution, reduce the CPU power draw from the default 75w to 55w (you can go as low as 45w). With these changes and the addition of an Intel 10g x8 network card, I was able to complete an hour of full load on both the CPU cores AND network while keeping temps under 85'C, while normal virtual loads didn't exceed 70'C If you understand and are prepared for all of that, you cannot beat the size and performance of this device for that kind of use case.

The Minisforum MS-01 is hands-down the best mini PC I’ve ever used for a home lab/server setup, and I’ve gone through more than a few (N100 minis, old Intel NUCs, used ThinkCentre tinies, etc.). This thing is a beast in a ridiculously small package. What makes it the “ultimate” for homelabbers: • CPU: The i9-13900H (or 12900H version) absolutely flies. Running Proxmox with a dozen VMs and LXCs (Pi-hole, Home Assistant, Plex, Nextcloud, WireGuard, etc.) and it barely breaks a sweat. Pass-through of the iGPU to a Jellyfin/Immich VM works flawlessly for hardware transcoding. • I/O is insane: Dual 10GbE SFP+ ports AND dual 2.5GbE RJ45. Finally a mini PC that doesn’t choke my network. The PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x4 electrically) let me drop in a real quad-port 10GbE NIC without any compromises. • Expansion: Two M.2 2280 slots + one M.2 22110 + a U.2 NVMe connector. I’m running 12 TB of fast storage inside with zero external drives. Hot-tier, warm-tier, cold-tier—all in one tiny box. • Build quality & thermals: Surprisingly quiet under normal load, and even when I push all cores it never thermal throttles. The cooling solution is clearly over-engineered in the best way. • Power draw: Idle at ~18-22 W with everything running (Proxmox + services). That’s stupidly efficient for this much performance. Minor nitpicks (because nothing is perfect): • It’s not exactly cheap, but you get what you pay for. • The internal USB header situation is a little awkward if you want to run a Coral TPU or something similar. • BIOS is still getting updates—some early quirks with sleep/resume are mostly fixed now. If you’re tired of outgrowing every “mini PC” after six months and don’t want to run a loud 1U rack server in your apartment, the MS-01 is pretty much the endgame. I wish I bought two. Highly recommended for anyone serious about self-hosting or building a compact, high-performance home lab. 11/10 would buy again. Lots of ports,games ok, fast speed and easy to setup