MSI PRO DP21 11MA mini-PC Review

Working from home, homeschooling, remote this, lockdown that. There’s a lot of changes to our way of life in the last two years. Yes, it really has been that long. Bringing home the work laptop and sitting at the kitchen table may work for the occasional bit of isolation, but it’s certainly not ideal. From my own personal experience, I know many people have been working to set up new workspaces in and around their homes. In the garage, in hallways, under the staircase, in the spare bedroom, etc. Space is often a factor, and having another full-size desktop system can be a limiting factor for many. That’s where MSI come in, with their latest range of MSI Pro PCs. All of them come in a tiny 2.6L form factor, making them versatile for tight spaces, but also reasonably portable for when you do have to travel or move things around.

MSI PRO DP21 11MA mini-PC

MSI has been creating high-performance PC products for many years now. From enthusiast desktop PCs and components to high-performance laptops. Their latest range of mini-PCs lend knowledge from all of that, in that it is a desktop PC, but it’s still trying to put that hardware into such a small form factor. It’s available with up to an Intel Core i7-11700 processor, however, my sample is the mid-range i5-11400 model which is likely more than enough for most users. With a 256GB M.2 SSD, 8GB of RAM (available and upgradeable to 64GB), and it even comes with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. So basically it’s compact and ready to rock right out of the box, which should make the installation and setup very user friendly and fast.

For in-depth features and specifications, please check out the official product page here.

Features and Specifications

• Windows 11 Home – MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business
• Up to Intel Core i5-11400 (up to i7-11700 available)
• Supports dual 4K UHD Displays
• Wi-Fi 6 (Optional) puts more emphasis on transmission security with speed up to 2.4Gbps
• With a complete array of I/O ports, it can connect all devices that you need and support dual display.
• Customize your own user mode and increase the efficiency with MSI Center app
• Easy to access and upgrade components to keep the system up to date with the latest hardware.
• TPM design secures your confidential data with encryption keys
• Supports standard VESA-mount