Minisforum MS-A1 vs Minisforum MS-A2
| Field | Minisforum MS-A1 | Minisforum MS-A2 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 8700G (AM5 socket, swappable) | AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX |
| Cores | 8C / 16T | 16C / 32T |
| Form factor | Virtualization SFF (~1.8 L) | Virtualization SFF (~2 L) |
| Measured idle power | ~11.2 W idle (Windows) wall-measured · Wall meter (Windows idle) · source · 2024-10-18 | ~25 W idle (far higher than the small APU boxes) wall-measured · Wall meter · source · 2025-05-30 |
| ECC memory | No cited source — left blank. | No full ECC support (128 GB non-ECC tested working; 96 GB ECC only 'somewhat working') source · 2025-05-30 |
| NIC chipset | Dual 2.5GbE (Realtek RTL8125) source · 2024-08-09 | 2× SFP+ 10GbE (Intel X710) + 2× 2.5GbE (Intel i226-V & Realtek RTL8125) source · 2025-05-30 |
| RAM ceiling | Up to 96 GB DDR5-5200 (2× SODIMM) source · 2024-08-09 | 128 GB non-ECC tested working (above Minisforum's 96 GB official spec) source · 2025-05-30 |
| IOMMU / passthrough | No sourced passthrough report yet. | No sourced passthrough report yet. |
| AMD reset bug | — | — |
| Price band | $400–600 (barebone) | $700–900 (barebone) |
| Proxmox fit (editorial) | good — Socketed AM5 SFF with ~11 W idle and a 96 GB DDR5 ceiling makes a strong single-host Proxmox box, though the dual Realtek 2.5GbE NICs need driver care under some hypervisors. | good — A powerful 16-core virt SFF with dual Intel X710 10GbE and i226 2.5GbE — near-ideal for a Proxmox cluster, though ~25 W idle is far higher than the small APU boxes and ECC is only partially supported. |
| Where to buy | Amazon Newegg eBay | Amazon Newegg eBay |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Minisforum MS-A1 or the Minisforum MS-A2 use less idle power?
The Minisforum MS-A1 idles at ~11.2 W idle (Windows) (wall-measured); the Minisforum MS-A2 idles at ~25 W idle (far higher than the small APU boxes) (wall-measured). On the cited lower-bound figures, the Minisforum MS-A1 draws less. Idle varies with OS, 120 V vs 240 V mains and power tuning, so treat these as the third-party measured numbers, not a guarantee for your exact unit.
Minisforum MS-A1 vs Minisforum MS-A2: which has the better NIC for Proxmox?
Minisforum MS-A1 NIC: Dual 2.5GbE (Realtek RTL8125) (rated caution). Minisforum MS-A2 NIC: 2× SFP+ 10GbE (Intel X710) + 2× 2.5GbE (Intel i226-V & Realtek RTL8125) (rated solid). Intel i226 is the chipset to want; i225 has a documented dropout history and Realtek RTL8125 works on Linux/Proxmox but not VMware ESXi. Confirm the silicon on the unit you receive with lspci -nn.
Which is the better homelab / Proxmox box, the Minisforum MS-A1 or the Minisforum MS-A2?
Minisforum MS-A1: Socketed AM5 SFF with ~11 W idle and a 96 GB DDR5 ceiling makes a strong single-host Proxmox box, though the dual Realtek 2.5GbE NICs need driver care under some hypervisors. Minisforum MS-A2: A powerful 16-core virt SFF with dual Intel X710 10GbE and i226 2.5GbE — near-ideal for a Proxmox cluster, though ~25 W idle is far higher than the small APU boxes and ECC is only partially supported. These are our editorial verdicts derived from the cited fields above — not a spec.
Cited public information, not purchasing advice. Idle draw depends on OS, mains voltage (120 V vs 240 V) and power tuning (powertop); onboard NIC silicon can differ between production batches of the same model — confirm with
lspci -nn before relying on a NIC or passthrough claim. Full per-model detail and every source on the model pages.