Minisforum unveils new NAS and mini PCs with AMD Strix Halo, Intel Panther Lake, and Intel Wildcat Lake chips
Minisforum is expanding its compact computing lineup with a fresh wave of NAS systems and mini PCs powered by next-generation AMD and Intel hardware. The new range includes the high-end N5 Max NAS with AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395, the fanless All-Flash S5 NAS with Intel Core Series 3 processors, and several new mini PCs built around Intel Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake platforms.
The biggest announcement is the Minisforum N5 Max, a flagship NAS designed for users who want high-capacity storage, strong networking, and local AI performance in one compact system. Powered by the AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395, the N5 Max supports up to 64 GB of unified LPDDR5X-8533 memory and combines powerful CPU, GPU, and AI capabilities for demanding home lab, creator, and small business workloads.
Storage is one of the key highlights of the N5 Max. The system features five HDD bays and five SSD options, allowing a total storage capacity of up to 200 TB. The five hard drive bays support up to 32 TB each, reaching 160 TB through 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives. For fast solid-state storage, Minisforum includes multiple M.2 slots, including three Gen4x1 2280 slots supporting up to 8 TB each, along with additional 2230 and 2280 Gen4x1 support and a Gen4x4 slot for higher-speed storage needs.
The N5 Max is also positioned as an AI-focused NAS. Minisforum describes it as an AI Agent NAS built to run AI models locally, enabling features such as semantic search, AI-powered photo albums, smart tags, smart indexing, and smart search. This makes it more than just a storage box, as it is intended to help users organize, search, and manage files with on-device intelligence rather than relying entirely on cloud services.
Connectivity is another strong point. The N5 Max comes with two 10GbE LAN ports for high-speed networking, alongside USB4 and USB4v2 support. Its display and I/O options include HDMI, one USB4 port, and two USB4v2 ports capable of up to 80 Gbps. The system has a maximum power rating of 250W and measures 199 x 202.4 x 252.3 mm, making it a compact but powerful storage and AI platform.
Minisforum also introduced the All-Flash S5 NAS, a smaller and quieter alternative focused entirely on SSD storage. This model uses Intel Core Series 3 processors with up to 6 cores and 6 threads, 6 MB of cache, and boost clocks reaching up to 4.4 GHz. Instead of traditional hard drive bays, the All-Flash S5 includes five M.2 Gen4x1 slots, supporting up to 40 TB of total SSD capacity.
The All-Flash S5 is designed with a fanless all-aluminum chassis, using the body itself as the main heatsink. This should make it appealing for users who want a silent NAS for offices, studios, home media setups, or edge storage environments where noise is a concern.
Despite its compact and fanless design, the All-Flash S5 offers a strong connectivity package. It includes 10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN, two USB4 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and HDMI 2.1. Wi-Fi 7 support can also be added through the M.2 2230 CNVio3 slot. Power delivery reaches up to 120W through the DC adapter, while the USB Type-C input supports up to 65W.
Alongside its NAS lineup, Minisforum is preparing new mini PCs based on Intel’s upcoming mobile platforms. The Minisforum M2 Pro sits at the top of this group and uses Intel Panther Lake SoCs, with configurations going up to the Core Ultra X9 388H. It supports up to 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory, includes three M.2 slots, and offers a broad selection of I/O ports. The M2 Pro is rated for up to 135W, suggesting it is built for users who need strong performance in a small form factor.
The company also showed the Minisforum M2, a more mainstream Panther Lake mini PC. This model comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 356H configuration, featuring 16 cores and integrated 4Xe3 graphics. It includes dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, two M.2 slots, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, Wi-Fi 7, and USB4 Type-C connectivity. With a power rating of up to 120W, the M2 is aimed at users who want a compact desktop for productivity, media, networking, and light creative workloads.
The smallest new system in the lineup is the Minisforum M2 Air-304, based on Intel Wildcat Lake SoCs. This mini PC is designed as a more efficient and accessible option, offering a single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot with support for speeds up to 6400 MT/s, one M.2 slot, Wi-Fi 6, dual 2.5GbE LAN, and three USB ports, including a USB4 Type-C connector. It runs in a 65W power configuration, making it suitable for everyday desktop use, business deployments, and compact workstations.
With these new systems, Minisforum is clearly targeting a wider range of users, from AI-focused NAS buyers and all-flash storage enthusiasts to compact PC fans looking for next-generation Intel performance. The N5 Max stands out as the most ambitious product thanks to its AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor, 200 TB storage support, dual 10GbE networking, and local AI capabilities. Meanwhile, the All-Flash S5 brings silent SSD-based storage in a fanless body, and the new M2 mini PCs expand Minisforum’s lineup with Intel Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake options.
