MINISFORUM G1 Pro Review: A Desktop RTX 5060 and a 16-Core Ryzen 9 in 3.8 Litres
The MINISFORUM G1 Pro is a small desktop that fits a genuine low-profile NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX into a 3.8-litre vertical chassis, with an internal 350W power supply instead of a power brick. It handles modern games comfortably at 1440p with DLSS, stays quiet in everyday use and opens with two screws so owners can add memory or a second SSD. The trade-offs are its small-form-factor price, a bundled control app that some antivirus tools flag, and memory that ships as two modules. For buyers who want real graphics in a box that fits on a desk or in a bag, it earns its place.
- 1440p gamers
- Small-form-factor desk builds
- Living-room and travel gaming
- Content creators
- Multi-monitor work
Pros
- Full-power desktop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 with 8GB of GDDR7
- 16-core, 32-thread AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX up to 5.4GHz
- Integrated 350W power supply, so there is no external power brick
- Two M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slots with a spare heatsink included and easy access
- Dual-channel DDR5 expandable to 96GB
- Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and 5Gb Ethernet
- Up to five display outputs: two HDMI 2.1, two DisplayPort 2.1 and one DisplayPort 1.4
- Compact 3.8-litre vertical chassis with customizable RGB lighting
- Stays quiet in everyday use and cool enough under load for its size
- Ships with Windows 11 Pro
Cons
- Bundled control app uses an older executable that some antivirus tools flag
- 32GB of memory ships as two 16GB modules, so upgrading means replacing both
- Only five USB ports, and both USB-C ports are data only
- No Thunderbolt
- Tight interior makes upgrades fiddly
- Runs warm during long gaming sessions
- No built-in speakers or microphone
- No SD card slot, fingerprint sensor or Kensington lock
- Premium small-form-factor pricing
Who is the MINISFORUM G1 Pro for?
This is a machine for people who want desktop-class graphics without a tower. A full-power, low-profile NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 with 8GB of GDDR7 sits next to a 16-core, 32-thread AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, so it fits gamers moving up from a console, creators who render and edit on a small desk, and anyone who needs several displays and a fast network in a compact box. Because the power supply is built in, there is no brick to hide, and the chassis can stand vertically on its base or lie flat. It suits a living room, a dorm, a small apartment or a bag for someone who works away from home.
What the MINISFORUM G1 Pro offers
The core of the machine is a desktop-grade RTX 5060 with 8GB of GDDR7 and a Ryzen 9 8945HX, a combination rated for a 245W combined load and cooled by MINISFORUM's third-generation Glacier system, which the maker rates at up to 300W of dissipation with five copper heat pipes and dual-side exhaust. Memory is 32GB of dual-channel DDR5-5200 across two SO-DIMM slots and can be taken to 96GB, and storage is two M.2 2230/2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slots holding a 1TB drive, with a spare heatsink for the second slot in the box. Output is generous for the size: two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port support up to five displays and 4K video on several of them at once. Networking is current with 5Gb Ethernet over a Realtek RTL8126, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and there are three USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A and two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports, a 3.5mm combo jack and customizable RGB lighting. It ships with Windows 11 Pro.
What owners say
Reviews are strongly positive and cluster around performance and build. Buyers repeatedly call the G1 Pro powerful for its size, note that modern titles run smoothly at 1440p with DLSS and that older games run maxed out, and several compare it favourably with a compact console. The integrated power supply is a recurring point of praise, as is how easy it is to open and upgrade: owners describe swapping in a second SSD in about ten minutes and installing their own memory, helped by the included second-slot heatsink. Good thermals and low noise under normal use come up often, with one owner reporting CPU temperatures in the eighties and GPU in the seventies under sustained play. The most common complaint is the bundled MINISFORUM control app, whose older executable some antivirus tools flag, with owners split between removing it and replacing it with third-party fan or RGB software. Other notes are that the interior is tight to work in, that the USB port count is modest enough that a hub helps, and that the machine can get warm during long sessions.
What to know before you buy
A few specifications shape the experience. The 32GB of memory arrives as two 16GB modules, so expanding to the 96GB maximum means replacing both sticks rather than adding one. The two USB-C ports carry data only, there is no Thunderbolt, and with five USB ports in total some owners add a hub. There are no built-in speakers or microphone, so audio comes from headphones, powered speakers or the display, and there is no SD card slot, fingerprint sensor or Kensington lock. Because the graphics card and processor are desktop-class, the machine runs warm inside its small volume under long gaming loads, though owners generally report it stays controlled. The bundled performance and lighting app is the one software caveat, since some antivirus tools flag its older executable; it can be removed or replaced without losing the hardware's function.
Is the MINISFORUM G1 Pro worth it?
The value case is density and upgradability. What a buyer pays for is a real desktop RTX 5060 and a 16-core Ryzen 9 that stay cool in under four litres, with a built-in power supply, Wi-Fi 7, 5Gb Ethernet, five display outputs and two user-accessible M.2 slots for later expansion. Against a full tower the same class of graphics costs less and upgrades further, and against a gaming laptop this machine gives up a battery but keeps bigger cooling and easier upgrades. For someone who wants strong 1440p gaming and real work performance in a footprint that fits a small desk or a bag, and who values being able to add memory and storage later, it is a well-rounded choice.
Frequently asked questions
What CPU and GPU does the MINISFORUM G1 Pro use?
It pairs an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, a 16-core, 32-thread processor that boosts up to 5.4GHz, with a full-power low-profile NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 carrying 8GB of GDDR7. The two are rated for a 245W combined load and cooled by the third-generation Glacier system.
Can you upgrade the memory and storage on the G1 Pro?
Yes. It ships with 32GB of dual-channel DDR5-5200 and supports up to 96GB across two SO-DIMM slots. Storage uses two M.2 2230/2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slots with a 1TB drive pre-installed, and a spare heatsink for the second slot is included. Note that the 32GB ships as two 16GB modules, so a larger kit replaces both.
Does the MINISFORUM G1 Pro have an internal power supply?
Yes. It has a built-in 350W power supply, so there is no external power brick. Only a power cable and the chassis take up desk space.
How many monitors can the G1 Pro drive?
Up to five displays at once, through two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DisplayPort 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port. Several of those outputs support 4K at high refresh rates.
Does the G1 Pro support Wi-Fi 7 and 5Gb Ethernet?
Yes. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4, and the wired port is 5Gb Ethernet based on a Realtek RTL8126 controller.
What operating system does the G1 Pro come with?
The 32GB plus 1TB configuration ships with Windows 11 Pro. A barebone version without memory, storage or an OS licence is also sold.
