Alright, let’s dive into the messy, human approach here. Buckle up:
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So, MSI, we’ve all heard of it, right? Like, if you’re into gaming—or even if you’re not… MSI’s been there, providing killer graphics cards, motherboards, and whatnot. I mean, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve slapped their gear into my PCs or those of friends. But, plot twist! They’ve been expanding more than I thought. Who knew, right?
Sure, I knew about their gaming laptops—they pop up every Black Friday and Prime Day, affordable enough not to break the bank. Still, the whole mini PC thing? Totally missed it. They unveiled some nifty little MSI “Cubi” models at CES 2025. Why did no one tell me??
Anyway, they dragged me to their London office (figuratively) to check out these new AI-centric mini PCs—yeah, that’s all the rage now. Think of names like MSI Cubi NUC A1 1UM and AI+ 2MG—catchy, huh?
So, side note, Intel came up with this NUC concept ages ago in 2013—feeling old yet? They used low-power “Sandy Bridge” processors then (did we actually call them that?). Now, it’s like every brand’s jumping on it, even ASUS. But MSI? They’re sticking to what works, using Intel’s “Lunar Lake” and “Meteor Lake” processors. Those names, though.
At first glance, the usual mini PC cube thing, but decked out with Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. Just picture it—tiny, but with all the feisty power of a full-fledged workstation. Neat, right?
Oh, and a little tangent here—the sustainability thing. MSI is using recycled materials for both models and plans to cut out plastic in their packaging. Go green or go home, I guess. I like it.
Me skating over to the cool part: the Cubi NUC AI 1UMG and AI+ 2MG are this big. Like, under a liter big. Plus, there’s this quirky detachable power button—gotta love little details like that, makes me think of sticking them behind a monitor with a VESA mount. Super practical.
Okay, backtracking—the AI 1UMG lets you connect four monitors. Yup, four! Imagine running four different menus in a restaurant—not your regular Joe’s PC, right? This thing’s targeting businesses, not your average gamer. But hey, who’s stopping you from grabbing one?
The Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG has some gnarly features: microphone, built-in speakers, fingerprint reader, and even a Copilot button. Yeah, I don’t get that last one either, but it’s there.
Long story short, MSI’s diving into new waters—mini PCs breaking out of CES dreams into reality. And if I had to bet, that AI+ 2MG might actually stick around.
So, there you have it. These aren’t just hype machines; MSI’s doing the whole evolution thing. Good on them. I’m here for it, cheering from the sidelines, messy thoughts and all.
End scene.
