Minsforum MS-02 Revealed – 25GbE, Intel i9, ECC, 4x M.2, Gen5 PCIe

The Minisforum MS-02 Workstation – FINALLY A MS-01 KILLER?

Note – Massive thanks to PCWatch for their coverage of the Japan IT Week 2025 Event. They made an excellent article on the Minisforum MS-02 HERE and was the source for today’s article. Check them out!

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is a compact 4.8-liter workstation revealed at Japan IT Week Autumn 2025, marking a major upgrade over the earlier MS-01 model. Built around Intel’s 24-core Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, it merges high-end mobile CPU performance with features traditionally reserved for full-size desktops. The system includes support for up to 256 GB of ECC DDR5 memory, four PCIe 4.0 NVMe slots, and three PCIe expansion slots, one of which supports PCIe 5.0 ×16. Network connectivity options extend up to dual 25 GbE SFP28 ports, alongside 10 GbE and 2.5 GbE (vPro) Ethernet. Designed to serve as a workstation or mini-server, the MS-02 Ultra incorporates an internal 350 W Flex PSU, a slide-out chassis for maintenance, and advanced front-to-rear cooling architecture.

Minisforum MS-02 – Internal Hardware

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is built around Intel’s Arrow Lake-HX platform, with the Core Ultra 9 285HX serving as its central processor. This 24-core CPU combines eight performance cores and sixteen efficiency cores, reaching up to 5.5 GHz while maintaining a 140 W thermal design power. It incorporates an integrated Intel Arc GPU with four Xe cores and an NPU capable of up to 13 TOPS for AI acceleration. The CPU provides 24 PCIe lanes in total, which are distributed among the system’s multiple expansion and storage options.

Memory capacity is one of the most notable upgrades over its predecessor. The MS-02 Ultra offers four DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 256 GB of 4800 MHz memory, with full ECC functionality for stability in continuous workloads. Two modules are located on the CPU side of the board, and two on the reverse, optimizing thermal spacing and service access. This capacity places it closer to entry-level server configurations than typical mini PCs, reinforcing its suitability for virtualization or compute-heavy tasks.

Storage expansion is handled through four M.2 2280 NVMe slots, each supporting PCIe 4.0 ×4 bandwidth. Combined, these slots can accommodate up to 16 TB of SSD storage. The system’s slide-out chassis design allows quick installation or replacement of drives, simplifying maintenance. Minisforum has also introduced a small debug LED and clear CMOS button on the board, indicating that the model is targeted toward users familiar with system-level configuration and troubleshooting.

Expansion flexibility extends far beyond most small form factor workstations. The system includes three PCIe slots: one PCIe 5.0 ×16, one PCIe 4.0 ×16 (often occupied by a 25 GbE NIC in standard configurations), and one PCIe 4.0 ×4. The top slot can host dual-slot desktop graphics cards, drawing up to 140 W through an included 8-pin auxiliary connector. This allows for the addition of mid-range GPUs such as the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada or workstation accelerators, while still retaining physical compactness.

Power delivery is managed through a built-in 350 W Flex PSU that eliminates the need for an external brick. This internal supply was a deliberate shift from the MS-01’s external adapter and helps sustain higher CPU and GPU draw without additional clutter. The unit supports 100–240 V AC input, giving it universal deployment flexibility for both workstation and light server scenarios.

 

Minisforum MS-02 – Ports and Connections

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra includes a broad range of connectivity options intended to support both workstation and server workloads. Front access is optimized for frequent use, featuring two USB4 Version 2.0 Type-C ports offering 80 Gbps bandwidth each, a 10 Gbps USB Type-A port, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack, and the system power button. These front USB4 v2 ports also support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and Power Delivery up to 15 W per port, making them suitable for high-speed data transfer or direct monitor output without additional adapters.

The rear I/O layout is designed for permanent peripheral and network connections. It includes a third USB4 Type-C port rated at 40 Gbps, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports at 10 Gbps each, and a single HDMI 2.1 output supporting up to 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz. For network communication, the MS-02 Ultra integrates four ports in total: two 25 GbE SFP28, one 10 GbE RJ-45, and one 2.5 GbE RJ-45. The 2.5 GbE interface uses Intel’s i226-LM controller and supports vPro remote management for BIOS-level administration, which is beneficial for enterprise or headless operation.

Wireless connectivity is provided by an M.2 2230 E-Key slot supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 modules, enabling flexible configuration for wireless networks or peripheral pairing. The combination of USB4 v2, multiple Ethernet options, and RDMA capability positions the MS-02 Ultra as a system ready for both high-performance workstation setups and compact server deployments. Its port layout, with both front and rear accessibility, ensures straightforward use in horizontal or vertical orientations.

Minisforum MS-02 – Cooling and Temperature Management

The cooling system of the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra is designed to manage sustained high thermal loads while maintaining compact dimensions. The chassis follows a front-intake and rear-exhaust airflow pattern, similar to rackmount servers. A six-heatpipe radiator combined with phase-change material (PCM) ensures efficient heat dissipation from both the CPU and expansion slots. This design enables the system to maintain stable operation at a 140 W CPU TDP, even when fully populated with PCIe cards and NVMe storage. Airflow direction also varies depending on the unit’s orientation, with side-mounted intakes feeding the expansion slots and rear vents handling exhaust when the unit is placed horizontally or vertically.

The internal layout is structured to prevent thermal overlap between major components. The CPU and memory modules are cooled through a direct-contact heat spreader, while GPU and add-in cards draw intake air from the left side and expel it from the right or top, depending on placement. The inclusion of an internal 350 W Flex PSU was balanced with this design, ensuring sufficient clearance and airflow. This approach allows the MS-02 Ultra to sustain continuous high-load performance without external cooling solutions or the noise levels typical of larger tower workstations.

Minisforum MS-02 Ultra Workstation – Worth waiting for?

The Minisforum MS-02 Ultra represents a substantial progression from the original MS-01 workstation, addressing nearly every limitation of its predecessor. The earlier model, released in 2023, gained attention for integrating desktop-class performance into a small form factor but was constrained by its single-slot PCIe design, limited memory capacity, and reliance on an external power brick. The MS-02 Ultra resolves these issues with four DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 256 GB ECC memory, a dual-slot PCIe 5.0 ×16 slot for graphics or accelerator cards, and a fully internal 350 W Flex PSU. These refinements, along with the addition of 25 GbE networking and USB4 v2 connectivity, elevate the system into a new category that bridges high-end workstation and compact enterprise server design.

Performance and versatility are at the center of this system’s concept. The inclusion of a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX CPU and up to four PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives positions it for continuous workloads such as virtualization, software development, or AI inference without the thermal or structural compromises typical of small PCs. Minisforum’s decision to adopt ECC memory and RDMA-capable networking also underlines a shift toward reliability and professional usage scenarios rather than enthusiast or gaming audiences.

In terms of market placement, pricing has yet to be confirmed, but early indications suggest the MS-02 Ultra will likely start around $1,500, with higher configurations approaching or exceeding $2,000 depending on memory, storage, and NIC options. This aligns it with compact workstations like the ASRock DeskMeet X600 and high-end mini servers from OEM integrators, though the Minisforum model’s density and component flexibility set it apart. Overall, the MS-02 Ultra shows how far the brand’s SFF engineering has advanced since the MS-01, turning a well-liked prototype concept into a fully realized professional-grade workstation built for sustained heavy use.

Note – Massive thanks to PCWatch for their coverage of the Japan IT Week 2025 Event. They made an excellent article on the Minisforum MS-02 HERE and was the source for today’s article. Check them out!

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