MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro Barebone Mini PC Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | No RAM/SSD

The MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro barebone is a mini PC chassis with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor (12 cores, 24 threads, up to 5.1 GHz), Radeon 890M graphics, and a 50 TOPS NPU, shipped without memory, storage, or an operating system. You add two DDR5-5600 SO-DIMMs (up to 128 GB total) and up to three M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs. It has dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two USB4 ports, and an OCuLink port for an external GPU. It is for people who already own RAM and an SSD, who want to pick their own parts, or who plan to run Linux and a local AI stack on hardware they configured themselves.

Who the AI X1 Pro barebone is for

• Local AI builders who want to fill both SO-DIMM slots with 64 GB or 96 GB and run larger quantized models through Ollama or similar tools
• Linux and home-server users who do not want to pay for a Windows license they will wipe on day one
• Anyone with spare DDR5 SO-DIMMs and NVMe drives from a laptop upgrade
• Small offices that want a quiet desktop with dual 2.5 GbE and a fingerprint reader, configured to a specific memory and storage spec
• Gamers and creators who plan to attach an external GPU over OCuLink later

Key features

• AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370: 12 cores, 24 threads, 2.0 GHz base, up to 5.1 GHz boost
• Radeon 890M integrated graphics at 2900 MHz, sharing system memory with the CPU
• 50 TOPS NPU (80 TOPS combined across CPU, GPU, and NPU per MINISFORUM)
• Two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots rated 5600 MT/s, up to 128 GB total (sold empty)
• Three M.2 2280 NVMe slots: two at PCIe 4.0 x4 and one at PCIe 4.0 x1, up to 4 TB per slot (sold empty)
• Quad display output: HDMI 2.1 (8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz), DisplayPort 2.0 (8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz), and two USB4 ports (4K at 60 Hz each)
• Dual 2.5 GbE RJ-45 ports for a router, NAS, or a separate management network
• WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 built in
• OCuLink port (PCIe 4.0 x4) for an external graphics card dock
• Built-in power supply (19 V, 7.1 A, 134.9 W), so there is no external power brick
• Fingerprint reader, SD card slot, 3.5 mm combo jack, dual speakers, dual microphones, Kensington lock

Specifications

What "barebone" means

A barebone PC is a finished case, motherboard, processor, cooler, and power supply with no memory, no drive, and no operating system installed. You open the chassis, seat two DDR5 SO-DIMM modules and at least one M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, then install Windows or Linux from a USB stick. MINISFORUM sells the same AI X1 Pro preconfigured; the barebone is the route for buyers who want to choose exact part brands, pair 64 GB or 96 GB kits for local AI, or avoid paying for an OS they will replace.

Running local AI on the AI X1 Pro

The Radeon 890M has no dedicated video memory; it draws from the same DDR5 pool as the CPU, so the amount of RAM you install sets the largest model you can load. A rough rule: a 4-bit quantized model needs a little over half its parameter count in gigabytes (a 14B model needs roughly 9 GB, a 32B model roughly 20 GB, a 70B model roughly 40 GB) plus a few gigabytes for context and the operating system. With 32 GB installed, 7B to 14B models run with room to spare and 32B models fit at 4-bit. With 64 GB or more, 70B models at 4-bit fit in memory, though they run far slower than on a discrete GPU. Our mini PC tier guide for local AI places this class of hardware in context, and this guide on whether a mini PC can run a 70B model covers memory math and realistic expectations. The OCuLink port is the upgrade path if you later want a discrete GPU for faster inference.

Common questions

How much RAM can the AI X1 Pro take?

Up to 128 GB across two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots at 5600 MT/s, per MINISFORUM's specification. Use a matched pair for dual-channel bandwidth, which matters for both the Radeon 890M and local AI inference.

Can the AI X1 Pro run local AI models?

Yes. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 runs Ollama, LM Studio, and similar tools on the CPU and integrated GPU. The model size you can load depends on installed RAM: 32 GB covers up to roughly 32B models at 4-bit, and 64 GB or more covers 70B models at 4-bit. Larger models run slowly without a discrete GPU.

Does the barebone come with Windows?

No. MINISFORUM lists the barebone configuration as no RAM, no SSD, and no operating system. You install Windows 11 or a Linux distribution yourself.

How many SSDs fit in the AI X1 Pro?

Three M.2 2280 NVMe drives: two slots at PCIe 4.0 x4 and one at PCIe 4.0 x1, up to 4 TB each.

Does the AI X1 Pro have a 2.5 GbE port?

Yes, two of them. Pair one with a 2.5 GbE switch or a router with a multi-gig LAN port to move large model files and backups at full speed.

Can I add a graphics card?

Yes, through the OCuLink port (PCIe 4.0 x4) with an external GPU dock, or over USB4 with a Thunderbolt-style enclosure. OCuLink is a cable standard that carries PCIe lanes outside the case.