The MSI Cubi N ADL is a very modest box that is not suitable for all purposes. Anyone who uses the small computer correctly will be rewarded with some well thought-out functions.

First, let’s describe what the MSI Cubi N ADL is not. This little box is by no means the epitome of productivity, as MSI claims on its website. The mini PC is small thanks to its volume of just under 0.66 liters and a weight of 540 grams, but powerful is not a correct term either.

Unnecessary superlatives

We find it a bit silly that MSI uses such adjectives in the description of the MSI Cubi N ADL, because anyone who believes in it will be disappointed. If you are looking for a small, efficient and economical box that offers enough horsepower for targeted, simple tasks, then you have come to the right place.

Inside we find an Intel processor N100. This is a lightweight Intel chip that is based on a variant of the Alder Lake architecture and does not belong to the Core family. Think of the Pentium and Celeron chips of yesteryear. The chip has four computing cores clocked at 800 MHz with a maximum turbo clock speed of 3.4 GHz, although we never saw a chip peak value above 2.9 GHz in our tests. 2.5 GHz seems to have a long lifespan. The processor is supported by a very modest 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD.

Not a top athlete

Such specifications are nothing to be crazy about. The MSI Cubi N ADL processor is an economical lightweight without multithreading and not a performance monster. In the graphic below you can see the pure CPU performance. The HP EliteOne is an all-in-one device with an Intel Core i5-13500 and we chose the Framework Laptop 13 for this comparison because of its Intel Core i5-1340P: Both chips leave the Intel N100 far behind. MSI maximizes the N100’s capabilities, as you can see with the Asus Expertbook, which uses the same chip but in a laptop body.

It is not surprising that the benchmark values ​​for office work are not that high. The general (Advanced) The value takes into account activities such as light gaming, photo editing and other slightly more complex tasks and is unsurprisingly low. The Essentials This includes the absolute basics: browsing and opening apps. Here too you can see a clear difference to typical Core i5 processors.

We see the values ​​confirmed in daily use. The MSI Cubi N ADL is light. Browsing and editing an Office document can be done at the same time, but that’s about it. If you open several tabs and want to dive into the Windows menu, you have to wait a second. The RAM memory fills up quickly and the chip is not a powerhouse, so you quickly have to wait a second or two when multitasking.

Suitable for targeted tasks

The experience is different when you focus on one task. For example, open and run a single application in your web browser and you will have no problem. Playing a video locally or via streaming also works smoothly, even in high resolutions. If you use the MSI Cubi N ADL for a targeted, not too demanding task, then the device will prove to be powerful.

So we immediately find out what this mini PC is intended for. MSI is not providing a laptop replacement, but rather a lightweight computer that is tailor-made for receptions, retail or the educational sector, for example. Digital signage is also one of the options. When we think of a salesperson having the inventory and ordering system at hand, a hotel receptionist checking our booking, or a classroom where students are running an educational application, we see the MSI Cubi N ADL shine.

Targeted hardware

MSI has also equipped the hardware for this use. If you want to control screens, you get full HDMI and DisplayPort ports as well as USB Type-C with DisplayPort Alt mode so you can also connect a monitor there. 4K is no problem and the Cubi can accommodate up to three screens.

If you use the device in a critical environment such as retail, you can use the two RJ45 ports for redundant connectivity. WiFi is also available if wired Ethernet isn’t an option. On the front we find two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, on the back two old-fashioned USB-A 2.0 ports for peripheral devices.

Quiet, even with a fan

Otherwise, the MSI Cubi N ADL is quiet. We only hear the fan when we really pay attention to it. If that’s still too loud for you, MSI also has an “S” version of the mini PC without a fan, which will probably have slightly less performance.

We think the MSI Cubi N ADL is an excellent mini PC in the lightweight class. Our copy comes with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and that is both useful and in some cases a disadvantage. Finally, we also see this device as suitable hardware for a Linux distribution to support a targeted workload and in this case Windows is not a necessary addition. In other regions the Cubi is available without an operating system, hopefully MSI will take this into account here.

Perfect for everyone who knows what they want

The MSI Cubi N ADL isn’t a powerhouse, but unlike MSI’s marketing department, the engineers know what they’re doing. This mini PC is lightweight and therefore competitively priced, with performance tailored to specific everyday applications in many professional areas. The hardware is very well thought out with the necessary connections for screens, peripherals and redundancy for the network connection. If you’re looking for a compact computer for light work, you’ve come to the right place.

Tested configuration: MSI Cubi N ADL-002EU, Intel N100, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro – 227 euros (plus VAT).