Pros & Cons
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- Copilot+ capabilities
- VESA mountable
- Includes external power switch
- Built-in fingerprint reader
- Dual Ethernet jacks
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- Pricey for the performance
- Easily outpaced by less expensive alternatives
- Non-upgradable memory
MSI Cubi NUC AI 2MG Specs
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Desktop Class | Business |
| Desktop Class | Small Form Factor (SFF) |
| Graphics Card | Intel Arc 140V |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| RAM (as Tested) | 32 |
MSI’s Cubi mini desktops are surprisingly capable for their size. Designed for tight-squeeze spaces such as healthcare facilities and digital signage setups, these compact PCs can be mounted behind a monitor or tucked beneath a desk. The latest Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG (starting at $895 barebones; $1,149 as tested in a complete system) incorporates Intel’s “Lunar Lake” Core Ultra 7 processor, earning Copilot+ certification. Notable extras include an external, corded power switch and an integrated fingerprint reader on the case. Still, unless on-chip AI acceleration is essential, the Cubi’s premium may be hard to justify over the more potent Asus NUC 15 Pro+ or the Editors' Choice award-winning Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro).
Configurations: Barebones or Fully Equipped, Both With Copilot+
The Cubi NUC AI 2MG is MSI's take on Intel’s Next Unit of Computing (NUC) mini PC concept, which enables system vendors to issue a "barebones" desktop containing a processor and networking hardware inside at a minimum, leaving the rest to tinkering customers. Packed with a V-class Intel Core Ultra processor, this model puts AI features ahead of high-end laptop-class performance: The 2MG specifically has access to an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V (outside the US), an Ultra 7 258V, or an Ultra 9 288V system-on-a-chip (SoC), each with eight processing cores, Intel Arc integrated graphics, 32GB of onboard memory, and a built-in neural processing unit (NPU). The Core Ultra 9 improves performance via a higher "Turbo Boost" clock speed of 5.1GHz versus 4.8GHz in the Ultra 7 and 4.5GHz in the Ultra 5.
As a NUC, the Cubi is available as a barebones kit, requiring you to supply your own storage and operating system. Unlike traditional barebones systems, its memory is integrated into the SoC and cannot be upgraded.
Along with barebones machines, MSI sells preconfigured models, like our review unit, which includes a Core Ultra 7 258V processor, a 1TB SSD, Windows 11 Pro, and a one-year warranty. This model carries a list price of $1,149, but you can purchase it for $949.99 on Amazon or at Walmart as a complete system, or for $895 as a barebones system. The Core Ultra 9 variant, available on Newegg, costs $1,299.99 as a full build or $999 as a barebones system. Some configurations extend coverage to three years and include advanced replacement, allowing cross-shipping for minimal downtime. The Core Ultra 5 model does not appear to be available in the US.
Key rivals include the Asus NUC 15 Pro+, which misses Copilot+ certification but delivers more potent performance via Core Ultra H-class processors and upgradable memory. Asus' NUC 15 Pro+ barebones pricing starts at $615, with our test unit priced at $1,199. Apple’s Mac mini also enters the fray, driving even faster performance with its M4 Pro chip, assuming you’re open to macOS. The entry model costs just $599, while the M4 Pro models start at $1,399.
Design and Use: Sparse Looks, Abundant Practicality
In terms of appearance, the Cubi NUC AI+ stands out due to its compact size, measuring just 2 by 5.3 by 5.2 inches (HWD). Its footprint is slightly trimmer than the ECS Liva Z7 Plus (2 by 5.5 by 5.5 inches), although both the Asus NUC 15 Pro+ (1.6 by 5.7 by 4.4 inches) and the Apple Mac mini (2 by 5 by 5 inches) surpass it in overall volume.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The Cubi’s size works to its advantage: MSI includes a VESA mount compatible with 75-by-75mm and 100-by-100mm patterns, allowing for discreet installation behind monitors or within kiosks. A Kensington-style lock slot on its left adds a layer of physical security for public or shared environments.
The chassis combines a metal frame with a plastic shell, approximately 37% of which is composed of post-consumer recycled materials. For sustainability, MSI also ships the unit in FSC-certified cartons.
Up front, the Cubi features a power button with an integrated fingerprint reader, a dedicated Copilot button for summoning Microsoft’s AI assistant (in case your keyboard doesn't have one), two 10Gbps USB Type-A ports, a microSD card reader, and an audio jack.
Around back, you’ll find two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 monitor output, and the power input for the laptop-style AC adapter. Dual 2.5 Gbps Ethernet jacks facilitate networking from the rear panel. This networking redundancy in the event of failures can also enable the system to simultaneously connect to an organization's protected intranet and the wider internet.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)MSI added more thoughtful touches to streamline the deployment process for businesses. The HDMI port supports Power Link, enabling compatible monitors to automatically power on the system. The Cubi also features an external power switch on a cable that connects to a dedicated port on the right edge—ideal if you've mounted the Cubi out of reach.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Accessing the internals is straightforward: loosen four perimeter screws on the underside to lift the bottom panel. While the panel remains tethered by a mono speaker cable, that speaker provides basic onboard audio, a rarity in mini PCs. The Cubi also features integrated microphones.
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Inside, the Cubi secures the M.2 2280 SSD beneath a heatsink, while the upgradable M.2 2230 wireless card—an Intel AX211 in our unit—supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The wireless antennas are integrated into the chassis, eliminating the need for external stubs.
Performance Testing: Modest Muscle in a Compact Frame
To briefly set the stage again, our Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG review unit features Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V SoC, paired with a 1TB SSD and Windows 11 Pro. We've lined it up against similarly sized contenders mentioned earlier: Apple’s Mac mini with a 14-core M4 Pro chip ($2,199 as tested), the Asus NUC Pro 15+ ($1,199 as tested), and the ECS Liva Z7 Plus ($499 as tested; barebones). Finally, we included the Snapdragon-powered Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini x ($899 as tested) for a broader architectural comparison.
Given its Lunar Lake V-class CPU, traditionally used in hyper-efficient laptops, we expected the Cubi to land somewhere between the middle and the rear of the pack across most benchmarks, being less potent overall than the H-class Intel Core chips and the Mac’s formidable M4 Pro, both designed for more intense processing. We figured it might come close to (or occasionally surpass) the ECS’s first-generation H-class processor, though it would likely fall behind Lenovo’s Arm-based Snapdragon.
Productivity and Content Creation Tests
Our primary overall benchmark, UL's PCMark 10, puts a system through its paces in productivity apps ranging from web browsing to word processing and spreadsheet work. Its Full System Drive subtest measures a PC's storage throughput.
Three more tests are CPU-centric or processor-intensive: Maxon's Cinebench 2024 uses that company's Cinema 4D engine to render a complex scene; Primate Labs' Geekbench 6.3 Pro simulates popular apps ranging from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine learning; and we see how long it takes the video transcoder HandBrake 1.8 to convert a 12-minute clip from 4K to 1080p resolution.
Finally, workstation maker Puget Systems' PugetBench for Creators rates a PC's image editing prowess with a variety of automated operations in Adobe Photoshop 25. (The Mac and the Snapdragon systems are not compatible with the PCMark tests, so we have no results for those systems on those charts. The Snapdragon desktop also could not complete the Photoshop benchmark.)
PCMark testing applies only to x86-based systems, where the Cubi landed in the middle, trailing the Asus NUC but easily handling the Liva. In CPU-focused benchmarks, the Cubi fell far behind the Asus box and Apple’s Mac mini, and the results look even worse considering their comparative prices. While it held its own in select tests, the MSI couldn’t consistently surpass the Liva's H-class chip either, even at nearly half the cost of the MSI. The IdeaCentre, powered by Snapdragon, also delivered better results overall, finishing just behind the Asus NUC.
Still, it’s worth keeping these numbers in context. All of these systems were relatively swift by today’s standards in testing, and the Cubi handles everyday workloads with ease. Notably, among the Windows-based contenders, only the Cubi and IdeaCentre systems have Copilot+ certification, thanks to their powerful integrated NPUs, which give them a forward-looking edge for AI-enhanced tasks.
Graphics Tests
We challenge each reviewed system’s graphics with a quintet of animations or gaming simulations from UL's 3DMark test suite. Wild Life (1440p) and Wild Life Extreme (4K) use the Vulkan graphics API to measure GPU speeds.
Steel Nomad's regular (4K) and Light (1440p) subtests focus on APIs more commonly used for game development, like Metal and DirectX 12 in addition to Vulkan, to assess gaming geometry and particle effects. A fifth test, Solar Bay, emphasizes ray-tracing performance using Vulkan or Metal APIs at 1440p resolution.
The Cubi ends up in the same spot it did in the previous set of tests, trailing most rivals aside from a few wins over the Liva. Still, it’s important to note that all systems in this comparison rely on integrated graphics, making them ill-suited for content creation, demanding 3D workloads, or gaming scenarios. For day-to-day use in general office work or as a display manager, the Cubi will work just fine.