Heard about MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro? The launch happened earlier this year. The chip inside packs a punch with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 comprising a 12-core CPU, 16-core graphics, and a dedicated AI engine (NPU) that boasts 50 TOPS. Impressive, right? But surely, at something around $929, it may not have been an affordable package for everyone.
So, good news for those who were looking for a cheaper entry into the land of AI mini-PCs! MINISFORUM has now launched the MINISFORUM A1 X1. The newer system is rather flexible, with the choice between AMD Ryzen Hawk Point and the newer Strix Point processors, and starting prices as low as $379 for a barebones assembly (at this writing).
Actually, the non-Pro A1 X1 makes its quiet entry in the world some months ago, and by then, it had just an AMD Ryzen 7 260 Hawk Point chip to boast with. Now, MINISFORUM is extending this with three different processor flavors:
- AMD Ryzen 7 255: This one comes with 8 Zen 4 CPU cores (up to 4.9 GHz), 12 RDNA 3 GPU cores (up to 2.6 GHz), and an NPU providing 16 TOPS.
- AMD Ryzen 7 260: A bit higher in chain, with 8 Zen 4 CPU cores (up to 5.1 GHz), 12 RDNA 3 GPU cores (up to 2.7 GHz), and a 16 TOPS NPU.
- AMD Ryzen AI 9 365: The top of the line for the A1 X1, with 4 Zen 5 cores + 6 Zen 5c cores (up to 5 GHz), 12 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores (up to 2.9 GHz), and a hefty NPU at 50 TOPS.
The great thing is they come as barebones kits. So if you have RAM, storage, or want a specific operating system, you can save money. On the other hand, for a fully-configured system with 1TB SSD, Windows 11, and either 32GB or 64GB of RAM, you can purchase the above system from MINISFORUM.
What makes it clear is the fact that the AI X1 Pro, being higher-end with Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, sells only in preconfigured setups (32GB/1TB, 64GB/1TB, and 96GB/2TB), A1 X1, therefore, offers that extra flexibility for the barebone so that it may accommodate lower entry price.
Let us now discuss the barebones price choking A1 X1 models: If the Ryzen 7 255 one starts at $379, the Ryzen 7 260 is $439 and the Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 goes up to $579. Models with included memory and storage, on the other hand, will rise in price to $539 for the Ryzen 7 255 version, $599 for the 260 one, and $829 for the 365 version.
There are few physical and feature differences, apart from processing power and pricing:
- Size Matters: The A1 X1 (non-Pro) measures only 128 x 126 x 52mm, so is very much smaller than the Pro measuring 195 x 195 x 48mm. The reason? The Pro builds in a 135W power supply, while the A1 X1 powers up with the use of an external adapter.
- Storage Slots: The Pro is equipped with three slots for M.2 2280 on speedy PCIe 4.0 x4 SSDs. The non-Pro has two.
- Network: Need dual 2.5 GbE LAN ports? Choose the Pro; the A1 X1 has a single 2.5 GbE port.
Though different in functionality, both A1 X1 and AI X1 Pro have a few features in common. They have all the goodies: two SODIMM slots for DDR5-5600 memory, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and up to four-display driving capabilities. They also feature 40 Gbps USB4, 64 Gbps OCuLink-really fast one-but using that will forfeit a M.2 slot via adapter board-thanks for the insight, Jay!-HDMI, and DisplayPort.
The Pro has some extra bells and whistles: a dedicated Copilot button (love it or hate it) and an integrated fingerprint sensor right up top. But the A1 X1 (non-Pro) cleverly has a built-in speaker which its Pro sibling lacks.
So whether chasing the ultimate mini PC power with AI X1 Pro or going for a more flexible and budget-operating machine with the new A1 X1 options, MINISFORUM seems to be having a compact solution for an ever-growing group of users.
