Between the ROG NUC (2025) and MS-A1, the ROG NUC (2025) comes out ahead in storage and thunderbolt, while the MS-A1 wins on tdp and volume. Overall, the ROG NUC (2025) scores 59.1 and the MS-A1 scores 64.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The MS-A1 edges ahead on the Mars Score (59.1 vs 64.1), but the 5.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the ROG NUC (2025) if you care most about storage and thunderbolt. The biggest gaps in its favor are storage, thunderbolt.
Pick the MS-A1 if you care most about tdp and volume. Its strongest claims are tdp, volume.
Both ship with comparable ram, 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 ASUS - ROG NUC (2025) wins
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 2048 GB vs 1024 GB.
- ▲Has Thunderbolt.
Why Minisforum - MS-A1 wins
- ▲TDP — 70.00 W less. 100 vs 170.
- ▲Volume — 0.90 L less. 1.6 vs 2.5.
Spec comparison
Core
Form & I/O
| Spec | ASUS - ROG NUC (2025) | Minisforum - MS-A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 2.5 L | 1.6 Llead |
| Weight | 1.5 kg | 1.4 kglead |
| TDPⓘ | 170 W | 100 Wlead |
| USB ports | 7 | 7 |
| Thunderboltⓘ | truelead | false |
Spec-level deep dives
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