MSI has released the Cubi NUC AI 1UMG, a tiny PC with Intel’s latest hardware and enough power for demanding productivity work. If you need a Mac Mini-style computer that can run regular Windows or desktop Linux, it’s worth considering.
MSI announced its new Cubi NUC AI Seriesback in January, and now the NUC AI 1UMG is finally arriving at retail stores. It’s a compact desktop computer designed to sit horizontally or vertically, with optional VESA mount support. It’s sold with either an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, both of which use the integrated graphics instead of a discrete GPU. Someother tiny PCsmight have NVIDIA RTX graphics cards, but not this computer.
There’s an M.2 2280 PCIe slot for the primary solid state drive (SSD), and MSI included one more M.2 2242 slot that is ready for further expansion. There are two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots for up to 64GB RAM, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, three more 10Gbps USB ports. One interesting choice is the two 2.5G Ethernet LAN ports, making this a potential option for a DIY router orsuper-powered Pi-Hole.
MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business
Intel Core 7 processor 155H
Intel Core 5 processor 125H
1x M.2 2280 SSD (PCIE, factory pre-installed)
1x M.2 2242 SSD (PCIE, free slot)
2x DDR5 SO-DIMMs, up to 64GB
Support dTPM 2.0 & Kensington Lock
2x Intel I226V (2.5G)
Wi-Fi
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 / Intel® Wi-Fi 7 BE200 / Realtek WiFi 6E RTL8852CE CG
5.3 (for AX211) / 5.4 (for BE200) / 5.3(for RTL8852CE)
2x USB 10Gbps Type A
Back I/O
2x Thunderbolt 4 (DP 1.4 alt-mode up to 4K@60Hz / PD-out 15W)
2x RJ45 (2.5G)
2x HDMI out (supports 4K @60Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1 & supports MSI Power Link)
0.51 Liter (1.08 pint)
Dimensions
119.60 x 115.20 x 37.50 mm (4.71 x 4.54 x 1.48 inch)
0.55 Kg (1.21 lbs)
Gross Weight
1.48 Kg (3.26 lbs)
This desktop seems like a great option for productivity work, web browsing with a lot of tabs, some photo and video editing, andless-demanding PC games. The Intel Ultra processors can also handle some local AI models. TheM4 Mac Miniis still hard to beat, but the MSI Cubi NUC is great if you definitely need Windows or x86 hardware in general. Just don’t expect fantastic gaming or 4K video editing performance on Intel’s integrated graphics.
You canbuy the MSI Cubi NUC from Newegg, but right now it’s only available in one configuration with a Core Ultra 7 155H processor and 32GB RAM. That model also comes with Windows 11 Home, anda Windows 11 Pro option is availablefor a bit more money. Hopefully, the PC will come to more US retailers in less expensive hardware configurations.
