MSI Cubi Cubi NUC Black Review
The MSI Cubi NUC mini PC offers tons of ports and RAM in a tiny box, but weak graphics and awful customer scores make it a risky buy for most.
The 30-Second Version
The MSI Cubi NUC is a compact business PC with great RAM and ports but weak CPU and graphics. Its 98th percentile port selection is the highlight, but its 1.0/5 customer rating is a massive red flag. Not worth the price for most people.
Overview
The MSI Cubi NUC is a tiny desktop that packs a surprising amount of RAM and storage into a box the size of a paperback book. It's clearly built for business users who need a compact, modern machine for office work, not for anyone expecting gaming power or heavy creative workloads.
Performance
With 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, this thing will fly through spreadsheets and browser tabs. The Intel Core 7 150U CPU, however, lands in the 27th percentile in our database, so it's not a powerhouse. The integrated Intel Graphics are predictably weak, scoring in the 38th percentile, which matches the customer complaint about struggling with multiple high-resolution monitors.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Huge 32GB of RAM for a mini PC. 91th
- Loads of ports, including Thunderbolt. 80th
- Extremely compact and lightweight. 76th
- Comes with Windows 11 Pro.
Cons
- CPU performance is mediocre. 12th
- Integrated graphics can't handle multiple high-res screens well.
- Customer satisfaction scores are abysmal.
- Price is high for the performance you get.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core 7 |
| Cores | 10 |
| Frequency | 1.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | Intel Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 32 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Storage Type | NVMe SSD |
Build
| Form Factor | Mini |
| PSU | 120 |
| Weight | 0.6 kg / 1.4 lbs |
Connectivity
| USB Ports | 4 |
| Thunderbolt | 2x Thunderbolt |
| HDMI | 2 x HDMI out (supports 4K@60Hz as specified in HDMI) |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ethernet | 2.5Gbps |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
This is a tough sell. Prices range from $1125 to $1470, and for that money, you're paying a premium for the compact form factor and the generous RAM/SSD combo. The actual processing power doesn't justify the cost unless your workspace is literally the size of a postage stamp. Shop around if you must have it; that $345 price spread is huge.
Price History
vs Competition
Don't confuse this with its competitors. The HP Omen 45L, Dell Alienware Aurora, and MSI Aegis are full-sized gaming desktops with dedicated GPUs—they're in a completely different league. A closer match would be other business mini PCs from Lenovo or Dell. The Cubi's main draw is its port selection, which scores in the 98th percentile, but you can find similar portability for less money if you're willing to sacrifice some RAM.
| Spec | MSI Cubi Cubi NUC | Dell Alienware Dell Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop | HP OMEN HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, Intel Core Ultra 7 | Lenovo Legion Lenovo - Legion Tower 5i Gaming Desktop - Intel | Acer Nitro Acer Nitro 60 Desktop Computer | ASUS ROG ROG NUC (2025) Gaming Mini PC with Intel Core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core 7 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | Intel Core Ultra 7 265F | AMD Ryzen 9 7900 | Intel Core Ultra 9 |
| RAM (GB) | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 2048 | 2048 | 1000 | 2048 | 2048 |
| GPU | Intel Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 |
| Form Factor | Mini | Desktop | Desktop | mid-tower | Desktop | Mini |
| Psu W | 120 | 1000 | 850 | 500 | 850 | 330 |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSI Cubi Cubi NUC | 40 | 46.6 | 79.5 | 91.3 | 76.4 | 41.2 | 12.3 |
| Dell Alienware Aurora Gaming Compare | 97.8 | 87.9 | 86.3 | 99.4 | 93.1 | 71.9 | 93.8 |
| HP OMEN 45L Gaming Compare | 96.5 | 87.9 | 79.5 | 80 | 93.1 | 71.9 | 99.8 |
| Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Gaming Compare | 87.5 | 74.6 | 88.5 | 99.4 | 59.3 | 71.9 | 99.8 |
| Acer Nitro 60 Compare | 86.8 | 84.7 | 79.5 | 77 | 93.1 | 36.1 | 87.1 |
| ASUS ROG NUC Gaming Compare | 92.2 | 87.9 | 79.5 | 85.7 | 93.1 | 41.2 | 89.8 |
Common Questions
Q: Can this PC handle two monitors?
Technically yes, it has two HDMI ports, but real user feedback indicates it struggles with high-resolution displays. For basic 1080p office work, it might be fine, but don't expect smooth performance with 2K or 4K screens.
Q: Is the Intel Core 7 150U processor good?
It's a 10-core chip, but its performance ranks in the bottom third compared to other desktops in our database. It's adequate for everyday tasks but not for anything demanding.
Q: How small is it really?
It's tiny—about 5.3 inches wide and deep, and less than 2 inches tall. It weighs just over a pound, so you can easily mount it behind a monitor or tuck it anywhere.
Who Should Skip This
If you need to do any gaming, video editing, or run demanding applications, look elsewhere immediately. The integrated graphics and middling CPU will choke. Also, avoid this if customer support and reliability are concerns, given the rock-bottom user ratings.
Verdict
Buy this only if your absolute top priority is saving desk space and you need 32GB of RAM for light business applications. It's a niche machine for a very specific user.