MINISFORUM has unveiled a new line of mini-PCs, coming right on the heels of their launch of the EliteMini AI370, which features AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU. This latest lineup includes the 129i7 and 790S7 models, which primarily differ in their processor designs. The 129i7 is outfitted with Intel's Core i9-12900HK from the Alder Lake-H series.
Processor Differences
On the other hand, the 790S7 is powered by the more modern AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. This processor boasts a greater number of CPU cores, utilizes a more advanced 5 nm manufacturing technique, and has a higher thermal design power (TDP) compared to the Intel chip, leading to an overall enhancement in CPU performance. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the Core i9-12900HK is expected to deliver better graphics capabilities than the Ryzen 9 7940HX, which is against the usual beliefs about AMD and Intel integrated graphics.
GPU and Expansion Capabilities
Both mini-PCs support discrete GPUs through PCIe expansion slots. However, the 129i7 provides PCIe 4.0 x8 speeds, while the 790S7 offers a more impressive PCIe 5.0 x16 bandwidth. As a result, the 790S7 could potentially deliver better performance with discrete GPUs than the 129i7, though the options for GPU upgrades are limited by their 7-litre case sizes and 400 W power supply units (PSUs).
Memory and Pricing
In terms of memory, the 129i7 is compatible with DDR4-3200 RAM, while the 790S7 supports DDR5-5200 RAM. It's not surprising that the 129i7 comes in at a slightly lower price of $399/€419 compared to the 790S7, which is priced at $459/€499 as barebones models. Alternatively, the 790S7 is also available with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD for $939 or €1,039 in Europe. For further details, both mini-PCs come equipped with a variety of ports, which are illustrated in the image below.
