Minisforum has launched the MS-S1 Max-P495, a mini PC powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 chip, featuring 192GB of unified LPDDR5X-8533 memory. This machine is an upgrade to the existing MS-S1 Max, known for its expandability, and it shares the same processor as GMKtec’s EVO-X5 Pro.
The Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 boasts 16 Zen 5 cores and Radeon 8060S graphics, delivering 131 TOPS of AI performance. This setup is ideal for running large AI models locally, which is crucial for tasks requiring high confidentiality, such as AI-assisted photo editing without cloud involvement.
While the extra memory won’t significantly boost performance for tasks like photo editing or video cutting, it’s essential for handling large AI models. The Minisforum MS-S1 Max-P495 includes an internal PCIe slot for adding a discrete GPU or high-speed networking card, along with 10 Gigabit Ethernet and 2.5 Gigabit networking.
The catch is the price. Minisforum hasn’t confirmed the final retail price, but it’s expected to be around $7,000 or more. This places it in the workstation category, suitable for developers, studios, and businesses in fields like healthcare, finance, or legal that need to handle sensitive data locally.
For photographers and video editors, the MS-S1 Max-P495 might be overkill. The GMKtec EVO-X2 remains a better value, and the EVO-X3 is more than sufficient for most needs. The 192GB Gorgon Halo machine is only justified if running large AI models locally and offline is a critical part of your workflow.
If you were already considering the MS-S1 Max, this is the upgraded version with a higher memory ceiling. For more details, check out the original article on Camera Jabber.
