Key Takeaways
1. Minisforum has launched the N5 and N5 Pro, with the N5 featuring a less powerful AMD Ryzen 7 255 APU compared to the Pro model.
2. The Ryzen 7 255 has 8 Zen 4 CPU cores, operates between 3.8 GHz and 4.9 GHz, and has a TDP of 45 W, but lacks advanced NPU capabilities found in the Ryzen 7 260.
3. The N5 supports dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, allowing up to 96 GB of RAM, but does not support ECC RAM unlike the N5 Pro.
4. Both models feature similar I/O options, including 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps LAN connections, and compatibility with Linux, MinisCloud OS, or Windows 11 Pro.
5. The starting price for the Minisforum N5 is $553, with an option for 16 GB of pre-installed RAM for an additional $48.
Minisforum has launched the N5 globally, alongside the more robust N5 Pro. As indicated by their names, the N5 is equipped with a less potent APU compared to the Pro version. At this time, the N5 can only be set up with the AMD Ryzen 7 255, which Minisforum describes.
Ryzen 7 255 Specifications
The Ryzen 7 255 is also found in the Minisforum AI X1 (currently priced at $377.90 on Amazon). However, it does not appear on AMD’s global site. Instead, it is listed on the Chinese website as the Ryzen 7 H 255, featuring 8 Zen 4 CPU cores that operate between 3.8 GHz and 4.9 GHz. The Ryzen 7 255 falls under the Ryzen 200 and Hawk Point series, boasting a default Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 45 W, which can be adjusted by manufacturers within a range of 35 W to 54 W.
Performance Considerations
Interestingly, the Ryzen 7 255 lacks the 16 TOPS NPU that AMD provides with the Ryzen 7 260. This suggests that the Ryzen 7 255 may be a rebadged version of the Ryzen 7 8745HS, which is a lower wattage variant of the Ryzen 7 8745H, available only in China. Consequently, the Ryzen 7 255 is expected to perform notably worse in artificial intelligence tasks. Additionally, a 100 MHz downclock could lead to minor performance reductions in CPU and GPU operations compared to the Ryzen 7 260.
Features of the Minisforum N5
In other aspects, the Minisforum N5 shares core components with the more powerful N5 Pro model. For example, the N5 includes dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, allowing for a maximum of 96 GB of 5,600 MT/s RAM. One key difference is that the N5 does not support ECC RAM, unlike its Pro version.
The other I/O options remain largely the same, featuring 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps LAN connections, a PCIe x16 (PCIe 4.0 x4) slot, and OCuLink connectivity. Additionally, the N5 is compatible with Linux, MinisCloud OS, or Windows 11 Pro. As of now, the Minisforum N5 starts at $553 with the coupon code NAS30 at checkout, which does not include RAM but does come with 64 GB of storage. Alternatively, there is a version available with 16 GB of pre-installed RAM for an additional $48. For further information, visit Minisforum’s website.
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