Between the ROG NUC (2025) and MS-A1, the ROG NUC (2025) comes out ahead in storage / thunderbolt, while the MS-A1 wins on tdp / 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 / thunderbolt. The biggest gaps in its favor are storage, thunderbolt.
Pick the MS-A1 if you care most about tdp / volume. Its strongest claims are tdp, volume.
Both ship with comparable ram, so those specs do not 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 says 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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