This Windows mini PC gave my Mac a run for its money, and it’s on sale

ZDNET’s key takeaways

I remember when PCs were massive, hulking beige boxes that weighed a ton and dominated your desk. Today, however, we have PCs that are exponentially more powerful yet small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. 

Also: What is an AI PC exactly? And should you buy one in 2025?

The best part is that you don’t have to sacrifice power for size. The Minisforum AI370 EliteMini is proof of that — it’s one of the most powerful mini-PCs on the market, and weighs barely over a pound. 

The AI370 EliteMini is a sleek, silver matte device measuring 5.12 x 5.0 x 1.85 inches, designed to fit into even the smallest workstations. Its size contrasts with its power, however, as it features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor with four full-size Zen 5 performance cores capable of speeds up to 5.1 GHz and eight Zen 5c “compact” 3.3 GHz cores. 

The Zen 5c cores are designed to take up 25% less space on the processor die compared to standard Zen 5 cores, making them perfect for handling less demanding tasks. This design not only improves power efficiency but also allows for more compute power to be packed into the chip.

Also: I converted this Windows 11 Mini PC into a Linux workstation – and didn’t regret it

This AMD processor is optimized for AI workloads, delivering up to 80 TOPS overall and 50 NPU TOPS, enough to allow the PC to run Microsoft Copilot+ AI tools in Windows 11, and be able to call itself a “AI PC” by Microsoft standards. 

For the GPU, it houses an AMD Radeon 890M with 16 graphics cores, capable of supporting up to four displays and resolutions as high as 8K (7680 x 4320) at a 60Hz refresh rate. As a device that is designed to sit on a desk (but not take up too much space), the AI370 has no problem projecting onto multiple displays. 

Storage, RAM, and upgradability

Backing up the processor is 32GB of LPDDR5 7500MHz RAM and 1TB of M.2 SSD storage. If you need more storage, the system is surprisingly easy to upgrade. Just remove four screws, lift the lid, and swing the fan assembly out of the way to access a second M.2 slot for expansion. However, storage is the only user-upgradable component.

Connectivity

The AI370 EliteMini has multiple connectivity options on both the front and back of the device:

Front: One USB-C port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack.
Back: Two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, one DisplayPort 2.0 port, one HDMI 2.1 port, and two 2.5G RJ45 LAN ports.

It also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.

The system in action

When it comes to performance, the AI370 EliteMini is a capable system that punches above its weight. 

During my Benchmarking of the system, I got respectable scores in Cinebench R23: just under 24,000 for multi-core performance and over 2,000 for single core performance. Since gaming relies heavily on single-core performance, this system is on par with a desktop system running an Intel Core i9 13900F.

Also: This mini Windows PC I tested competes with gaming laptops twice the price

I pushed the system hard during testing, and didn’t have any problems with instabilities or crashing. Additionally, overheating doesn’t seem to be an issue either, with the cooling system able to keep the processor consistently within a healthy temperature range, something I was concerned about given the device’s diminutive size. 

Also, Minisforum seems to have improved its fan hardware, as the fan on the AI370 lives up to its claims of being quiet; so much so that I couldn’t tell when it was running in most of the time. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

Let’s get down to brass tacks: price. At $1,170, the Minisforum AI370 EliteMini isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s far from overpriced. For that investment, you’re getting a highly capable PC that can handle high-end software, gaming, and even AI workloads with ease. The only drawback is that you’ll need to supply your own peripherals and monitor. 

Here’s the good news — you can currently save $234 by simply clicking the on-page coupon, bringing the price down to a much more competitive level. At this discounted price, the AI370 EliteMini offers incredible value for its performance and features.

If you’re in the market for a compact PC but don’t want to compromise on power, the AI370 EliteMini is absolutely worth considering. It’s a small machine that delivers big results.