Skip to content
vsMars
Head-to-head

Lenovo - ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 vs Minisforum - MS-A1

Last updated · How Mars Score works
ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5LENOVORENDER
Probe A
Lenovo
ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5
66.4/ 100C
Core59· 60%
Form & I/O77· 40%
MS-A1MINISFORUMRENDER
Probe B
Minisforum
MS-A1
64.1/ 100C
Core59· 60%
Form & I/O72· 40%
Quick verdict

Between the ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 and MS-A1, the ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 comes out ahead in tdp and thunderbolt, while the MS-A1 wins on several specs. Overall, the ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 scores 66.4 and the MS-A1 scores 64.1 on our Mars Score.

Buying advice

Which should you buy?

These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (66.4 vs 64.1). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.

Pick the ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 if you care most about tdp and thunderbolt. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp, thunderbolt, volume.

The MS-A1 similarly doesn't carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.

Both ship with comparable ram, storage, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.

Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.

Why Lenovo - ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5 wins

  • TDP — 15.00 W less. 85 vs 100.
  • Has Thunderbolt.
  • Volume — 0.25 L less. 1.35 vs 1.6.

Why Minisforum - MS-A1 wins

  • No decisive advantages.
Full readout

Spec comparison

Core

SpecLenovo - ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5Minisforum - MS-A1
CPUIntel Core Ultra 9 185HAMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
RAM32 GB32 GB
Storage1024 GB1024 GB

Form & I/O

SpecLenovo - ThinkCentre M90q Gen 5Minisforum - MS-A1
Volume1.35 Llead1.6 L
Weight1.32 kglead1.4 kg
TDP85 Wlead100 W
USB ports67lead
Thunderbolttrueleadfalse
Reader questions

Frequently asked

Drill down

Spec-level deep dives

By manufacturer

More from the same brands

vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.