Getting “Back to School” Ready With MSI Cubi N

There’s no shortage of high-end gaming PCs, powerful hardware, and all that jazz; throw a stick in any direction and I could find you something expensive and powerful. However, that’s not what everyone needs, or can afford either. That’s where more compact systems like the MSI Cubi N come into play. These are modest all-in-one systems, not wholly unlike a laptop in terms of hardware, but in a small form factor mini-PC case instead, making them well suited for home and business users. You may already have a gaming PC in the house, and having room for two, or settings up a small office workspace under the stairs, in the back of the living room or in the spare bedroom can come with limitations of its own. However, at under half a litre in volume, finding a space for the Cubi N might not be so difficult.

MSI Cubi N comes in a wealth of configurations for storage, memory, CPU and more. However, the model I have features the Intel Pentium N6000, a 128GB SSD, 4GB of RAM, 802.11 AX WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1 and even comes with Windows 11. You get all that for £250-£300 too, given it’s pretty much plug-and-play ready, which certainly adds to the appeal for your average family users and small businesses looking for a quick and easy setup. To complete the set, I’ll be pairing it with the MSI Pro MP242C, a 24″ 1500R curved monitor that’s going to make a perfect partner for the Cubi N, as you’ll see in a few minutes.

Back to School or “Back to School”

Well, in truth, this isn’t a gaming PC setup, we know that, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun with it. So while this is easily a system you could buy your kids homework or for your own work, I’m going to see just how much procrastination it’s capable of too… Work is easy, open up a Google Doc and get to it, I’ll bet my head it can do that. So we’ll skip right over the “work” part where possible. As for the MSI Dragon toy? That’s my daughters, he’s just here to visit the office today.

Cubi N Features

• Compact Size – Only 0.45 litres volume, easy to place and carry anywhere
• Easy to Upgrade – Easy to access and upgrade components to keep the system up to date with the latest hardware
• Ultra 4K HD – Experience the incredibly sharp and crisp images, movies and gameplay etc., to meet your sensory needs
• Wi-Fi 6 – Support 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 160MHz, which is 3x times faster than the Ethernet LAN
• Matrix Display – Supports the Multi-display mode and the surround view mode
• VESA Mountable – VESA mountable design makes the PC completely invisible on your desk

MSI Pro MP242C Features

• 23.6-INCH FHD Curved Panel – The PRO MP242C features an immersive, distortion-free 23.6-inch curved VA panel with Full-HD (1920×1080) resolution; A superior 75Hz refresh rate improves the day-to-day visual experience with smoother, faster frame rates
• The PRO MP242C supports a 98% sRGB colour gamut (8-bit, 16.7M colours) and an excellent contrast ratio (3000:1) while providing an array of eye-friendly features for improved productivity
• TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort certified features include Less Blue Light filters, anti-flicker technology, and anti-glare screen finishing; Includes built-in speakers (2 x 2W) & a tool-free assembly design
• The MSI Display Kit App unlocks additional display & colour settings; The monitor comes with 100mm VESA brackets for wall or arm mounting (e.g., MSI VESA Arm MT81)
• Supports dual sources with HDMI 1.4 (1920×1080/75Hz) & D-Sub/VGA (1920×1080/60Hz) ports; Includes Kensington lock