Minisforum N5 Pro vs TerraMaster F4-424 Max
Minisforum N5 Pro is both faster and cheaper here - the default pick unless you need something specific from the other.
The verdict
- CPU
- Minisforum N5 Pro has 2.4x the CPU throughput (33,292 vs 13,700 PassMark).
- Plex
- TerraMaster F4-424 Max transcodes more 4K HDR streams (~8 vs ~5).
- Idle power
- TerraMaster F4-424 Max idles lower (20W vs 33W) - cheaper to run 24/7.
- RAM ceiling
- Minisforum N5 Pro takes more RAM (96GB vs 64GB).
- Local AI
- Minisforum N5 Pro has a PCIe slot for a low-profile GPU - the other needs a DIY build for local LLMs.
Which wins for each job
| Job | Minisforum N5 Pro | TerraMaster F4-424 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Plex / Jellyfin | ~5 streams | ~8 streams win |
| Frigate NVR | add a detector | ~6 cameras win |
| Proxmox / VMs | 33,292 PassMark win | 13,700 PassMark |
| Firewall / router | 2 NICs | 2 NICs |
| Local AI / LLM | PCIe GPU slot win | 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 | Minisforum N5 Pro | TerraMaster F4-424 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price (list) | $899 | $899 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 | Intel Core i5-1235U |
| Cores / threads | 12 | 10 |
| PassMark | 33,292 | 13,700 |
| iGPU | Radeon 890M (RDNA3.5) | Iris Xe (80 EU) |
| NICs | 2 | 2 |
| NIC model | Marvell AQC113 10GbE plus Realtek 5GbE | Marvell AQC113 10GbE |
| RAM max (GB) | 96 | 64 |
| M.2 free | 3 | 2 |
| PCIe slot | x16 | none |
| Idle (W) | 33 | 20 |
| TDP (W) | 54 | 15 |