GEEKOM A9 Max vs Minisforum MS-S1 Max
Minisforum MS-S1 Max is the more capable pick; GEEKOM A9 Max is the cheaper one - which wins comes down to the job below.
The verdict
- CPU
- Minisforum MS-S1 Max has 1.5x the CPU throughput (54,895 vs 37,699 PassMark).
- Idle power
- GEEKOM A9 Max idles lower (7W vs 11W) - cheaper to run 24/7.
- Local AI
- Minisforum MS-S1 Max has a PCIe slot for a low-profile GPU - the other needs a DIY build for local LLMs.
Which wins for each job
| Job | GEEKOM A9 Max | Minisforum MS-S1 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Plex / Jellyfin | ~5 streams | ~5 streams |
| Frigate NVR | add a detector | add a detector |
| Proxmox / VMs | 37,699 PassMark | 54,895 PassMark win |
| Firewall / router | 2 NICs | 2 NICs |
| Local AI / LLM | no slot | PCIe GPU slot win |
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 | GEEKOM A9 Max | Minisforum MS-S1 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price (list) | $999 | $1,999 |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 |
| Cores / threads | 12 | 16 |
| PassMark | 37,699 | 54,895 |
| iGPU | Radeon 890M (RDNA3.5) | Radeon 8060S (RDNA3.5) |
| NICs | 2 | 2 |
| NIC model | Realtek 2.5GbE dual | Dual 10GbE |
| RAM max (GB) | 128 | 128 |
| M.2 free | 1 | 1 |
| PCIe slot | none | x16 |
| Idle (W) | 7 | 11 |
| TDP (W) | 54 | 130 |