GMKtec NucBox K11 vs Minisforum MS-A1
Minisforum MS-A1 is both faster and cheaper here - the default pick unless you need something specific from the other.
The verdict
- CPU
- Minisforum MS-A1 has 1.1x the CPU throughput (31,519 vs 29,273 PassMark).
- Idle power
- GMKtec NucBox K11 idles lower (10W vs 15W) - cheaper to run 24/7.
- RAM ceiling
- Minisforum MS-A1 takes more RAM (96GB vs 64GB).
Which wins for each job
| Job | GMKtec NucBox K11 | Minisforum MS-A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Plex / Jellyfin | ~5 streams | ~5 streams |
| Frigate NVR | add a detector | add a detector |
| Proxmox / VMs | 29,273 PassMark | 31,519 PassMark win |
| Firewall / router | 2 NICs | 2 NICs |
| Local AI / LLM | no slot | no slot |
Approximate - capacity estimates from curated specs, the same logic as the recommender. Verify against your exact setup. Prices move; check the retailer.
Full specs
| Spec | GMKtec NucBox K11 | Minisforum MS-A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (list) | $649 | $259 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | AMD Ryzen 7 8700G |
| Cores / threads | 8 | 8 |
| PassMark | 29,273 | 31,519 |
| iGPU | Radeon 780M (RDNA3) | Radeon 780M (RDNA3) |
| NICs | 2 | 2 |
| NIC model | Intel I226-V dual | Realtek RTL8125 |
| RAM max (GB) | 64 | 96 |
| M.2 free | 1 | 1 |
| PCIe slot | none | none |
| Idle (W) | 10 | 15 |
| TDP (W) | 54 | 65 |