Mini PCs · Head to head

Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) vs MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)

Full Mini PCs comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Asus and MINISFORUM sites.
2026 verdict
When the job is a wired home lab, the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) is the mini PC to buy of these two.
MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)
Winner
MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)
$1919.00

Last recorded price

Buy on Amazon USA
It brings four wired network ports, two of them 10G SFP+ plus 10GbE, a 16-core Core Ultra 9 386H with vPro remote management and 64GB of DDR5 in upgradeable SODIMM slots, and it adds a half-height PCIe slot and three M.2 bays. The Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) remains the better value and the simpler office machine: a three-year warranty, dual 2.5G Ethernet, a VESA mount, a Kensington lock and memory that also reaches 128GB. Choose the MINISFORUM MS-03 for servers, routing and storage, and the Asus NUC 16 Pro for a managed Windows desk.
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FeatureAsus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)Winner
Price$1547.53$1919.00Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)
Rating4.84.9MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)
Warranty3 years2 yearsAsus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)
Memory Capacity16 GB64 GBMINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)
Storage Capacity512 GB1 TBMINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)
CPU ModelIntel Core Ultra 7 356HIntel Core Ultra 9 386HDifferent strengths
GPU ModelIntel Graphics (4 Xe-cores)Intel GraphicsDifferent strengths
NPU ModelIntel NPU 5Integrated NPU (50 TOPS)Different strengths
Memory ConfigurationDual-channelDual-channelTie
Memory TypeDDR5DDR5Tie
Memory Speed5600 MT/s5600 MT/sTie

What the differences mean

Wired networking

The MINISFORUM MS-03 carries four wired ports: two 10G SFP+ cages, a 10GbE RJ45 and a 2.5GbE RJ45 with vPro. The Asus NUC 16 Pro has two 2.5G Ethernet ports, which suits redundancy on a normal network rather than ten-gigabit work.

Memory capacity

The MINISFORUM MS-03 ships 64GB of DDR5 across two SO-DIMM slots, and the Asus NUC 16 Pro ships 16GB the same way. Both accept up to 128GB, so the MS-03 simply starts further along.

Processor and management

The MINISFORUM MS-03 runs a 16-core Core Ultra 9 386H with vPro, which permits remote management and recovery, plus a 50 TOPS NPU. The Asus NUC 16 Pro's Core Ultra 7 356H is a lower tier with its own NPU but no vPro.

Expansion inside the box

The MINISFORUM MS-03 adds a half-height PCIe x16 slot wired at PCIe 4.0 x4 and three M.2 NVMe slots, two of them PCIe 5.0. The Asus NUC 16 Pro has to make do with its single M.2 2280 storage slot.

Warranty

The Asus NUC 16 Pro carries a three-year warranty, while the MINISFORUM MS-03 is covered for two years. For a machine deployed in an office, the extra year on the NUC is worth noting.

Power and mounting

The MINISFORUM MS-03 uses an external 240W brick and has no VESA bracket in the box, while the Asus NUC 16 Pro uses a 150W adapter and includes a VESA mount. The NUC hides behind a monitor more easily.

Which one to buy if

  • you are building a router, NAS head or virtualisation host
    MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)

    The MINISFORUM MS-03's two 10G SFP+ cages, 10GbE port, 2.5GbE port and PCIe slot are exactly what a home lab node needs.

  • you need a Windows office desktop with a long warranty
    Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)

    The Asus NUC 16 Pro ships with Windows 11 Pro under a three-year warranty, with dual 2.5G Ethernet and a VESA mount.

  • your network runs at ten gigabits
    MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)

    The MINISFORUM MS-03 is one of the few small machines with 10G SFP+ and 10GbE built in, all without an expansion card.

  • you want to mount the PC behind a monitor
    Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)

    Only the Asus NUC 16 Pro includes a VESA mount, and at 910g it is light enough to hang.

  • you want the longest coverage
    Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)

    The Asus NUC 16 Pro comes with a three-year warranty against the two years on the MINISFORUM MS-03.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)
  • MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) or MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)?

For a home lab, server or storage node the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) wins, with four wired network ports, a PCIe slot, three M.2 bays and 64GB of memory. For a managed Windows office desktop the Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) is the better value, thanks to its lower cost and three-year warranty.

How many network ports do the Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) and the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) have?

The Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) has two 2.5G Ethernet ports. The MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) has four wired ports: two 10G SFP+ cages, a 10GbE RJ45 and a 2.5GbE RJ45 with vPro. Both offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Can the memory of the Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) and the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) be upgraded?

Both use two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots and support up to 128GB. The Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) starts at 16GB and the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) starts at 64GB.

Which of the Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) and the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) can take more storage?

The MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB) has three M.2 NVMe slots, two at PCIe 5.0, alongside its 1TB drive. The Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB) has a single M.2 2280 slot.

Who should buy the Asus NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)?

Buyers who want a compact Windows 11 Pro office desktop with a three-year warranty, dual 2.5G Ethernet, a VESA mount and memory that expands to 128GB.

Who should buy the MINISFORUM MS-03 (Ultra 9 64GB + 1TB)?

Anyone building a home lab, software router, ten-gigabit NAS head or virtualisation host who needs four wired network ports, a PCIe expansion slot and three M.2 bays in a small box.

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