Minisforum M2 Pro: Panther Lake power in a palm-sized box — when it arrives
Minisforum's M2 Pro mini-PC was one of the most interesting announcements at CES 2026, yet five months later it remains unavailable — while a more affordable sibling, the standard M2, quietly went on sale. The M2 starts at $575 for a barebones unit or $1,039 configured with 32 GB RAM and a 1 TB drive. The M2 Pro, expected sometime in Q3 2026 from $699, is still a waiting game, as LiliPuting documents.
What's inside
Both machines run Intel's Panther Lake-H platform. The standard M2 carries a Core Ultra 7 356H chip that delivers 90 TOPS of AI performance — split between a 50 TOPS neural processor (NPU) and 40 TOPS from the integrated GPU. The M2 Pro steps that up to 180 TOPS total, pairing the more powerful Core Ultra X9 388H with discrete-class Arc B390 graphics. Intel's Xe3 GPU architecture brings roughly a 50% graphics performance improvement over last year's Lunar Lake generation, which already punched well above its weight.
For anyone who finds integrated graphics limiting, there's an OCuLink port — a direct PCIe connection that lets you attach an external GPU with far less overhead than Thunderbolt. That turns this compact box into a workstation or even a light gaming rig without dominating your desk.
Local AI without the cloud
The headline feature for both models is on-device AI processing. Running a large language model like DeepSeek-R1 locally at 90 or 180 TOPS means your data never leaves your network — a real advantage for businesses or anyone wary of cloud dependencies. Minisforum has also added a dedicated Microsoft Copilot button and a built-in microphone array for voice control, per TechRadar Pro.
Ports and build
The rest of the spec sheet holds up. Both models support up to 128 GB of LPDDR5X RAM — important for running larger AI models — alongside three M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots for storage. Connectivity includes three USB4 ports, three USB-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, and an SD card slot. Networking covers both a 2.5 Gb and a 10 Gb Ethernet port. The metal chassis supports VESA mounting, so it can disappear behind a monitor entirely.
The wait
The standard M2 is the sensible buy right now if Panther Lake's AI credentials appeal and you don't need discrete-level graphics. The M2 Pro — with Arc B390 and 180 TOPS — remains the more compelling machine on paper, but there's no firm release date beyond "Q3 2026." Minisforum has form for ambitious CES reveals that take time to ship, so patience is still required.
