MINISFORUM MINISFORUM UM790 Pro Mini Desktop Computer Review

The MINISFORUM UM790 Pro is a tiny powerhouse for CPU tasks, with its 32GB of RAM in the 82nd percentile. Just don't ask it to game—its GPU sits in the 8th percentile. At $769, it's a niche buy for those who desperately need a small footprint.

The MINISFORUM UM790 Pro is a mini PC that packs a surprising punch for its size, but it's a specialist, not a generalist. Its AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM put it in the 57th and 82nd percentiles for those specs, respectively, which is solid for a compact machine. Paired with a 1TB NVMe SSD (71st percentile), it's built for snappy application loading and multitasking, not for gaming.

And that's the key thing to understand. This isn't a desktop replacement for everyone. It's a tiny box designed for specific tasks where space is at a premium and raw CPU power is more important than graphical muscle. Its gaming score of 10.6/100 tells you everything you need to know about its limitations in that area.

Performance is a tale of two halves. The CPU, an 8-core Ryzen 9 7940HS, is a strong performer for its class, landing in the 57th percentile. That means it's faster than more than half the desktops in our database for processor-heavy tasks like coding, video transcoding, or running multiple virtual machines. The 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM (82nd percentile) is a huge plus here, ensuring you won't bottleneck on memory when you're deep in a project.

But the other half is the graphics. The integrated Radeon 780M is fine for driving displays and light media work, but its 8th percentile GPU ranking is the hard stop. This thing will struggle with modern games at decent settings. It's a productivity and development engine, not a gaming rig. The connectivity, however, is excellent with its 85th percentile port score, featuring USB4 and dual HDMI 2.1 outputs.

At $769, the value proposition hinges entirely on how much you need that mini form factor. You're getting a capable 8-core CPU and a generous 32GB of RAM, but you're also paying a 'small PC tax'. For the same money, you could build or buy a much more powerful traditional desktop tower with a dedicated GPU. But if your desk is tiny, you need a media center PC, or you're building a compact development station, the UM790 Pro bundles strong core specs into a package most towers can't match.

Compared to the gaming desktops in its price range, like the HP Omen 45L or Corsair Vengeance a7400, the UM790 Pro loses badly in raw gaming power. Those systems have dedicated GPUs that will run circles around the 780M iGPU. However, they're also massive. The UM790 Pro wins on size and portability. Against other mini PCs, its 32GB of RAM and Ryzen 9 chip are a strong combo. You're trading the potential upgradeability and raw power of a tower for the ultimate in desk space savings. It's apples to oranges, or more accurately, grapes to watermelons.

Gamers should look elsewhere immediately—the 8th percentile GPU score is a dealbreaker. Anyone wanting a primary, upgradeable desktop for general use should also skip. You can get more power and better reliability scores (this one's at 21st percentile) for the money in a standard tower. If you don't have a specific need for an ultra-compact form factor, you're paying for a feature you won't use.

We recommend the MINISFORUM UM790 Pro if you have a specific, space-sensitive need for a powerful compact computer. Developers, home office users who value a clean desk, or anyone setting up a media server will find its CPU and RAM specs compelling. We cannot recommend it for anyone who even casually games, wants a future-proof main desktop, or is concerned about long-term reliability based on its 21st percentile score there. It's a great tool for a specific job.