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Servers Minsiforum enters the mini server market - laptop processor packing box bristles with network connectivity starting at $549 News By Roshan Ashraf Shaikh published 28 December 2023 Two 10G SFP+ ports and two 2.5G ports are provided for wired networking. * * * * * * * Comments (4) Minisforum MS-01 Mini WorkStation (Image credit: Minisforum) Minisforum has launched its first mini workstation, aptly called the MS-01, powered by laptop processors going up to the Intel Core i9-13900H. The Mini Workstation's primary purpose is for those who need the fastest possible network speeds, good expansion options, and plenty of internal storage in a compact form factor. Currently, the Minisforum has the MS-01 on pre-order but according to the official press release the device will be available for retail on Jan. 23, priced from US$549. Minisforum states that its first mini workstation is tailored for 'tech-savvy gamers' who can choose from three CPU variants and up to 96EU Intel Iris Xe graphics. The MS-01 can be configured with the Intel Core i9-13900H or the 12900H, both with vPro Enterprise support, or the Core i5-12450H. Thanks to the 2.5G LAN ports and two 10G SFP+ ports, you have ample options for wired network connectivity. These SFP+ ports also support link aggregation. There are multiple USB port configurations. Users can channel video output through the USB4 ports, and the USB4 ports in the rear I/O section allow simultaneous support for 20 Gbps Thunderbolt Ethernet. There is also an HDMI-out for video output. An active cooling system is fitted for the mobile H-series CPU, rated for cooling up to 80W, which should be fine for handling the laptop CPUs central to the Minisforum Mini workstation MS-01. The cooler also provides direct contact for the two SO-DIMM DDR5 RAM modules. Image 1 of 2 Minisforum MS-01 Mini WorkStation's internal design Minisforum MS-01 Mini WorkStation's internal design(Image credit: Minisforum) Minisforum MS-01 Mini WorkStation's I/O options Minisforum MS-01 Mini WorkStation's I/O options (Rear)(Image credit: Minisforum) Swipe to scroll horizontally Full MS-01 specifications are as follows: Sub Models S1390/S1290/S1245 CPU S1390: Intel Core i9-13900H (With vPro Enterprise Support) Row 2 - Cell 0 S1290: Intel Core i9-12900H (With vPro Enterprise Support) Row 3 - Cell 0 S1245: Intel Core i5-12450H GPU S1390/S1290: Intel Iris Xe Graphics eligible Row 5 - Cell 0 S1245: Intel UHD Graphics Max Memory 64GB DDR5-SODIMM Size Max # of DIMMs 2/ 2 / Channels ECC Memory No Supported Storage 1 x M.2 2280 NVME SSD (Alt U.2)(PCIe 4.0x4) Row 10 - Cell 1 x M.2 2280/22110 NVME SSD (PCIe 3.0x4) 0 Row 11 - Cell 1 x M.2 2280/22110 NVME SSD (PCIe 3.0x2) 0 Wireless/ Yes/ Yes Bluetooth Video Output HDMI x1/ USB4 x2 Audio Output HDMI x1/ Audio Jack x1 Ports & 10G SFP+ Port x 2 / 2.5G Ethernet RJ45 Port x 2 Buttons Row 16 - Cell USB3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port x2 / USB3.2 Gen1 Type-A Port 0 x2 / USB2 Type-A Port x2 / USB4 Port x2(Alt DP) / Row 17 - Cell HDMI x1 / Audio Jack x1 0 Expansion 1 x PCIe Port (Support to half height single slot x16 width) (Speed up to PCIe 4.0x8) Power DC5.5 x 2.5 (19V-9.47/12.6A) System Windows 11 Home (Supports Windows 11/Linux) Product Dimension/ 196 x 189 x 48mm / 1.42kg Weight Internally, there is a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot but due to the limitation on the form factor, you can only use a half-height single-slot PCIe card like the NVIDIA RTX A2000 GPU, though one would be curious if it can fit a fanless version made by an enthusiast. In addition to the three M.2 storage slots, you can also use a U.2 drive which provides PCIe 4.0 x4 bandwidth. Due to the configuration of the MS-01, this looks to be very versatile for a home server. This is Minisforum's first venture into a mini workstation so it will be interesting to know what would people use this for and what their experience is with respective CPU variants. As mentioned in the intro, product pre-orders can be made via Minisforum's website. Stay on the Cutting Edge Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news -- and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox. [ ][ ]Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands[ ]Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors[Sign me up] By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Roshan Ashraf Shaikh Social Links Navigation Freelance News Writer More about servers Hainan UDC China begins building underwater data center with performance equal to 6 million PCs -- aims to save 122 million KWh of electricity and nearly ten soccer fields of land The AMD EPYC Instinct MI300. An EPYC Miss? Microsoft Azure Instances Pair AMD's MI300X With Intel's Sapphire Rapids Latest Nvidia GeForce game ready driver update GeForce RTX 40-Series Super memory configs confirmed by listings at regulatory authorities See more latest > See all comments (4) [ ] 4 Comments Comment from the forums * bit_user Minsiforum enters the mini server market... ECC Memory SupportedNo Fail. Reply * rluker5 With the network /storage expansion option with the pcie4x8 slot this seems like a pretty OP mini home server. I like it when some company like Minisforum just opens up all of the capabilities a CPU has since it makes everybody else look like they were milking us for things like all that little box has. Shame I don't have a use for it. Reply * ingtar33 rluker5 said: With the network /storage expansion option with the pcie4x8 slot this seems like a pretty OP mini home server. I like it when some company like Minisforum just opens up all of the capabilities a CPU has since it makes everybody else look like they were milking us for things like all that little box has. Shame I don't have a use for it. no, it's not an op home server -windows home (doesn't even have the right OS) -no ECC memory -no RAID card -tiny box, granted you could set up a SCSI drive in a networked solution for it's storage, but that again, highlights what a failbox this is. Reply * thestryker bit_user said: Fail. Yeah, thanks Intel! The only laptop CPUs that support ECC are ones with R in the suffix. rluker5 said: With the network /storage expansion option with the pcie4x8 slot this seems like a pretty OP mini home server. I like it when some company like Minisforum just opens up all of the capabilities a CPU has since it makes everybody else look like they were milking us for things like all that little box has. Shame I don't have a use for it. It's not bad, but the lack of ECC kneecaps its potential. It'd be decent for router and local service hosting, but I wouldn't want to use it for storage or anything critical. 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