Compact computers stopped being niche devices a long time ago and are now used everywhere. This fall, manufacturers introduced several new models with Ryzen AI and Intel Core 100U chips, desktop GPUs, and even built-in speaker systems.

This roundup covers five of the most interesting mini PCs from the end of the year: from experimental form factors to workstations with an NPU and Wi-Fi 7 support. A couple of these models are particularly powerful, so they are worth a look.

MSI Cubi 5 1M — a compact PC based on Intel Core 100U (Raptor Lake)

In October 2025, MSI announced a new version of the Cubi 5 mini PC: the Cubi 5 1M. It is an update to the popular lineup, now based on Intel Core 100U-series Raptor Lake chips. The chassis size remains 124 × 124 × 54 mm (4.88 × 4.88 × 2.13 in), which allows it to be mounted behind a monitor or used as a low-noise office PC.

The main difference compared with the earlier Cubi 5 12M is the move to the Raptor Lake architecture and support for up to 64 GB of DDR5-5200 memory. Users can choose between Core 3 100U, Core 5 120U, and Core 7 150U processors. Storage includes two options: an M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and a bay for a 2.5-inch drive.

The I/O set is a little broader than before: HDMI 2.1 has been added, along with a Thunderbolt 4 port with 40 Gbps bandwidth and two network adapters, 2.5GbE and Gigabit Ethernet. Wireless networking is handled either by a Wi-Fi 6E module (Intel AX211) or a more affordable Wi-Fi 5 option (AzureWave).

• Processors: Intel Core 3 100U / Core 5 120U / Core 7 150U (Raptor Lake)
• Memory: up to 64 GB DDR5-5200
• Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot + 2.5-inch drive bay
• Ports: Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps), 4× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps)
• Video outputs: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4
• Networking: 1× 2.5GbE, 1× Gigabit Ethernet
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3 or Wi-Fi 5 + Bluetooth 5.0
• Chassis dimensions: 124 × 124 × 54 mm

The MSI Cubi 5 1M went on sale in October 2025. Depending on configuration, pricing is roughly €330 to €420, or about $383 to $487 at current conversion.

EX1 — a mini PC with Ryzen 7 8745HS in a Bluetooth-speaker-style chassis

In fall 2025, a very unusual mini PC called the EX1 appeared on AliExpress, based on AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS. It stands out not only for its powerful Hawk Point platform, but also for its appearance: the cylindrical body with fabric covering makes it look like a portable speaker.

Inside is an 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 7 8745HS with Radeon 780M graphics (RDNA 3), similar to the 8845HS but without an integrated NPU. The PC supports DDR5 memory and PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, with either one or two M.2 2280 slots depending on the build, and up to two SO-DIMM slots. Interfaces include USB4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and 2.5GbE. A key feature is the built-in audio system: two 10W speakers with a “bass enhancer” and a 24-bit DAC, plus a light ring with configurable colors and lighting modes.

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS (8 cores / 16 threads, Zen 4)
• Graphics: Radeon 780M, RDNA 3 (12 cores)
• Memory: DDR5, up to 64 GB, 2× SO-DIMM
• Storage: up to 2× M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe (sources differ on whether there are 1 or 2 slots)
• Ports: USB4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, 2.5GbE, 3.5 mm audio
• Audio: 2× 10W speakers, bass enhancer, 24-bit DAC
• Lighting: LED ring and logo with 7 colors, breathing and static modes
• Dimensions: 167 × 112 mm (height × diameter)
• Materials: fabric exterior, aluminum top panel
• Power: external power adapter, no built-in battery

Pricing varies on AliExpress and in rebranded versions such as the GTBox T1, ranging from $480 to $950 depending on configuration.

MINIX ER939-AI — a compact workstation with Ryzen AI Max+ 395

The MINIX ER939-AI was shown in October 2025 as a desktop AI station based on AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 from the Strix Halo family. It uses a powerful 16-core Zen 5 processor, integrated Radeon 8060S graphics, and an NPU rated at up to 50 TOPS. The mixed metal-and-plastic chassis measures 205 × 192 × 70 mm (8.07 × 7.56 × 2.76 in) and visually resembles an external hard drive more than a typical mini PC.

The system is designed for sustained compute-heavy workloads, from AI and 3D graphics to multimedia. Thanks to its three fans and configurable 45–120W power range, the mini PC can run under load for long periods without throttling. LPDDR5-8000 memory is soldered, but configurations of up to 128 GB with 256 GB/s bandwidth are available, depending on the model. For data, there are two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slots, one already occupied by a 2 TB SSD, as well as an M.2 2230 slot with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Interfaces include two USB4 ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, an SD 4.0 card reader, and audio jacks. The power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner and lighted control.

• Processor: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16 Zen 5 cores, up to 120W TDP)
• Graphics: Radeon 8060S, 40 RDNA 3.5 cores
• NPU: 50 TOPS
• Memory: up to 128 GB LPDDR5-8000 (soldered, 256 GB/s)
• Storage: 2× M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 (1× 2 TB SSD preinstalled)
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 (RZ717 module)
• Ports: 2× USB4 Type-C, 3× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2× USB 2.0, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, SD 4.0, 2× 3.5 mm audio, DC power
• Cooling: 3 fans
• Chassis: metal and plastic, 205 × 192 × 70 mm
• Extra: fingerprint scanner in the power button
• Power supply: 240W

The device was announced in October 2025. Pricing and exact availability had not yet been announced.

Zotac Magnus EN275060TC — a mini PC with a desktop-class RTX 5060 Ti

The Zotac Magnus EN275060TC is a compact PC with a chassis volume of just 2.65 liters that somehow manages to fit a desktop-class NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti inside. At 210 × 203 × 62 mm (8.27 × 7.99 × 2.44 in), the system is smaller than most gaming consoles while offering the power of a full desktop computer.

At its core is a mobile Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX paired with an RTX 5060 Ti carrying 16 GB of GDDR7 memory. This combination delivers not only strong gaming performance but also up to 792 TOPS of AI compute capability. The mini PC supports up to 96 GB of DDR5 memory (5600/6400 MHz) and includes two M.2 slots: one supporting PCIe 5.0 x4 and the other PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA. Ports include Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort, HDMI, Ethernet, and USB 3.2 Gen 2. Wireless standards include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti (16 GB GDDR7, desktop version)
• Memory: up to 96 GB DDR5-5600/6400, 2× SO-DIMM
• Storage: 1× M.2 2280 PCIe 5.0 x4 and 1× M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA
• Ports: 2× Thunderbolt 4, 5× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 3× DisplayPort, 1× HDMI, 2× 2.5GbE, 3.5 mm audio
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, external antenna connectors
• Cooling: heatsink and fan
• Chassis volume: 2.65 l
• Dimensions: 210 × 203 × 62 mm
• Power: external 330W adapter

The Zotac Magnus EN275060TC was presented in October 2025. Pricing had not yet been announced, but it was clearly expected to land in the premium gaming mini PC segment.

Sapphire Edge AI — a mini PC with Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Strix Point

Sapphire Technology showed an interesting mini PC called the Sapphire Edge AI. It is a full workstation based on AMD Ryzen AI 300-series processors, which combine Zen 5 architecture, RDNA 3.5 graphics, and a built-in 50 TOPS NPU. The chassis is only 30 mm thick and measures 117 × 111 mm (4.61 × 4.37 in), making the Edge AI one of the smallest PCs that supports up to 96 GB of memory and two SSDs.

The Edge AI comes in three configurations: Ryzen AI 5 340 Krackan Point, Ryzen AI 7 350 Krackan Point, and the flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Strix Point. The last of these includes 12 cores (4 large Zen 5 and 8 efficient Zen 5c cores) and Radeon 890M graphics with 16 RDNA 3.5 compute units. The system supports up to 96 GB of DDR5 and includes two M.2 storage slots (2280 and 2242/2230), plus a dedicated M.2 2230 slot for the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module. Connectivity includes two USB4 ports, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two HDMI 2.1 outputs, and 2.5GbE.

• Processors: Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12 cores / 24 threads, up to 5.1 GHz, Radeon 890M, 50 TOPS, 15–54W TDP); Ryzen AI 7 350 (8 cores / 16 threads, up to 5.0 GHz, Radeon 860M, 50 TOPS, 15–54W TDP); Ryzen AI 5 340 (6 cores / 12 threads, up to 4.8 GHz, Radeon 840M, 50 TOPS, 15–54W TDP)
• Memory: up to 96 GB DDR5, 2× SO-DIMM
• Storage: 1× M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe, 1× M.2 2242 PCIe NVMe, 1× M.2 2230 (for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth)
• Ports: 2× USB4 Type-C, 3× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1× USB 2.0, 2× HDMI 2.1, 2.5GbE, 3.5 mm audio, DC power
• Graphics: Radeon 890M / 860M / 840M (RDNA 3.5)
• NPU: 50 TOPS
• Dimensions: 117 × 111 × 30 mm
• Power adapter: 120W (19V / 6.32A)

Pricing and release timing had not yet been announced; the device is expected to be sold as a barebones system.