MSI Cubi NUC AI+ CubNUCAI2MG022 Black 2025

The Cubi NUC AI+ has 32GB of RAM that's in the 92nd percentile, but its GPU is dead last at 11th. It's a compact office workhorse that falls flat for gaming or graphics-heavy tasks. If you need a tiny PC with tons of memory, it's worth a look; otherwise, there are better options.

In our benchmark runs, the Cubi NUC AI+ handled everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and even light coding without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of RAM is a standout, letting you keep dozens of tabs open and multiple apps running simultaneously without any stutter. Storage is solid too, with a 1TB NVMe SSD that hits the 65th percentile, so you'll get decent read and write speeds. The CPU, though, is just middle of the pack. It's not slow, but it won't blow you away in multi-core workloads. And the GPU? That's the elephant in the room. With an 11th percentile score, it's one of the worst we've seen for anything beyond basic graphics. Don't plan on gaming or heavy video editing here.

Compared to the HP OMEN GT22-3080 or Lenovo Legion Tower 5i, the Cubi NUC AI+ is a different animal entirely. Those gaming desktops have dedicated GPUs that score in the 90th percentile, while this thing sits at 11th. In CPU-bound tasks, the Legion Tower 5i's Intel Core i7 or i9 will likely outperform the Ultra 9 288V, which is only at the 48th percentile. The Apple Mac Studio M4 Max, meanwhile, offers a much stronger GPU and CPU, but it's also pricier and not a Windows machine. If you're comparing purely on performance per dollar, the Cubi loses badly. But if you need a tiny, quiet box for office work with tons of RAM, it holds its own against the big towers.

The Cubi NUC AI+ ranges from $1107 to $1595 across vendors, a $488 spread. That's a wide gap, so shopping around matters. At the low end, you're paying for the RAM and compact form factor, which is a fair trade if you need a space-saving office machine. But at the high end, you're overpaying for a system with a weak GPU and average CPU. For the same money, you could get a full-size desktop with a dedicated graphics card that'll crush it in gaming and rendering. The value proposition only makes sense if you absolutely need that tiny footprint and 32GB of RAM.

The MSI Cubi NUC AI+ packs a serious amount of memory into a 0.63kg frame. With 32GB of DDR5 RAM, it sits in the 92nd percentile for memory capacity, which is the absolute best right now for a mini PC. But don't let that RAM fool you into thinking it's a performance beast across the board. The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V lands at the 48th percentile for CPU performance, so it's about average for a desktop, and the integrated Arc 140V GPU is a real letdown at the 11th percentile. This is a machine built for productivity, not play.

If you're a gamer, video editor, 3D modeler, or anyone who relies on GPU acceleration, skip this. The 11th percentile GPU score means it'll struggle with even basic graphics tasks. Also, if you need top-tier CPU performance for heavy workloads like video encoding or large-scale data processing, the 48th percentile CPU will leave you wanting more. And if you're on a budget, the $1107 starting price is hard to swallow for a machine that's only average in most areas. Look at a desktop with a discrete GPU instead.

The MSI Cubi NUC AI+ is a niche product. It's a fantastic choice for a compact home office or a developer who needs 32GB of RAM and doesn't care about graphics. The RAM is best-in-class, and the dual LAN plus Thunderbolt 4 make it a solid networking hub. But if you're a gamer, video editor, or anyone who needs GPU muscle, skip it. The 11th percentile GPU score is a dealbreaker, and the CPU is only average. For $1107 to $1595, you can get a much more capable desktop. Only buy this if the size and RAM are non-negotiable.