Minisforum MS-A2 Mini Workstation Enters the World Stage
Great news for those in need of high-performance computing without much space. Minisforum has finally made their MS-A2 mini workstation available worldwide. First revealed in Japan, this small powerhouse features a high-end AMD processor, compatibility with an external graphics card, and lots of room for memory and storage.
What Lies Beneath?
As a follow-up to their MS-A1, the MS-A2 brings the game higher in terms of both the CPU department. It includes the latest AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX processor. This is AMD's "Fire Range" series' high-end chip, which comes with 16 powerful Zen 5 cores. While the onboard Radeon 610M graphics are somewhat underwhelming, that's alright considering the MS-A2 does something different for a PC its size.
Discrete Graphics in a Tiny Chassis? Yes!
One of the most striking things about the MS-A2 is that it will support a discrete graphics card (dGPU). With the inclusion of an integrated PCIe x16 slot that offers PCIe 4.0 x8 speeds, you can upgrade the graphical horsepower. Now, as the case is quite small (only 1.78 liters), you will have to employ a low-profile, single-slot GPU. But the potential is there for those who need more graphics grunt than the built-in option will provide.
Noticeably, this PCIe slot is versatile. It can be split into two configurations of PCIe 4.0 x4, giving you some flexibility to add something like enhanced network adapters or other expansion options if you want.
Ample Room for Memory and Storage
Don't let the smallness fool you as far as memory and storage are concerned. The Ryzen 9 9955HX in the MS-A2 can be paired with a gigantic 96GB of DDR5-5600 RAM. For your files and projects, you get three M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots that support a total storage capacity of up to 12TB. And if you need even more space on one disk, it supports up to 15TB U.2 NVMe drives too!
Connectivity Galore
The MS-A2 is a small form factor build, but do not worry, it does not skimp on ports. You get to enjoy a robust list of ports to connect all your peripherals:
- Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports
- One HDMI 2.1 port
- Two 2.5G LAN ports (one Realtek RTL8125, one Intel I226-V)
- Two 10G SFP ports (ideal for speedy networking)
- One USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port
- Three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports
- One USB 2.0 Type-A port
Pricing and Availability
How much does all that power and customization cost. Minisforum MS-A2 starts at a bare-bones price of $839. If RAM and storage need to be included, it'll set you back $1,103 with a 64GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. Shipping is scheduled to start around the end of May 2025.
If you're searching for an incredibly powerful yet incredibly tiny workstation, the Minisforum MS-A2 looks like a very enticing option.
