MSI Cubi 5 10M: Peppy, Quiet Mini PC

Call it a tale of two mini PCs. In many ways, the MSI Cubi 5 10M is the opposite of the Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini 5i we tested just before it.

- MATTHEW ELLIOTT

The Lenovo offers an attractive design complete with fabric top panel; the Cubi 5 looks like an OEM part that MSI grabbed off the shelf. The IdeaCentre uses a Core i5 processor from Intel’s desktop series; the Cubi’s Core i5 is a mobile chip. To keep its CPU cool, the Lenovo relies on a fan that whirs nonstop. With a more efficient laptop processor, the MSI is able to keep its thermals in check with much less fan noise. Unless you need a mini PC for media editing, the Cubi 5 is the better pick for office work. It’s smaller, quieter, and more than capable of providing a smooth Windows 10 experience for basic productivity tasks. Its advantages in size and acoustics also make it the better pick for a living-room media streamer.

A MINI AMONG MINIS

Our Cubi 5 test configuration features a Core i5-10210 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. If you’re eyeing it as a media streamer only, either of MSI’s $509 models should fit the bill with a Core i3 CPU, the same amount of memory, and either a 1TB hard drive or a 256GB SSD. The top-end model costs $860 and combines a Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM with the 512GB SSD.

All of the processors are mobile parts from Intel’s 10th Generation “Comet Lake” series, and each model features the same generic enclosure. The system is matte-black with a small silver MSI logo on the top panel and a glossy black stripe on the front panel where the front ports and power button are located. The top and sides are made from a single piece of plastic, and the bottom panel is metal. MSI includes a mounting plate that you can attach to the bottom panel to secure the system to a wall or the underside of a desk.

MSI Cubi 5 10M

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