MINISFORUM UM790 Pro Review: The Ryzen 9 7940HS Baseline at $779 [2026]
By Mini PC Lab Team · December 15, 2025 · Updated December 20, 2025
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MINISFORUM UM790 Pro Review: The Ryzen 9 7940HS Baseline at $779 [2026]
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The MINISFORUM UM790 Pro is the “reference” Ryzen 9 7940HS mini PC — it’s been on the market longest and has 145 reviews. At $779 with 32GB DDR5 included, it’s the baseline that all other 7940HS mini PCs are compared against. Liquid metal cooling is a genuine differentiator, and dual USB4 with Power Delivery is useful for USB-C powered setups.
But the 3.9★ rating is concerning — lower than the GEEKOM A7 MAX’s 4.6★ with 550 reviews. Some users report coil whine and firmware quirks. For buyers who want a proven 7940HS with 32GB included and liquid metal cooling, the UM790 Pro is the pick. For risk-averse buyers, the GEEKOM A7 MAX is safer.
MINISFORUM UM790 Pro — Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS (8C/16T, up to 5.2 GHz, Zen 4) |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 780M (RDNA 3, 12 CUs, 768 shaders) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM (upgradeable to 64GB) |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe (dual M.2, RAID 0/1) |
| Networking | 2.5GbE + WiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Display | 4x 4K via 2x HDMI 2.1 + 2x USB4 |
| USB | 2x USB4 (40Gbps, PD-IN/OUT), 4x USB-A 3.2 |
| Cooling | Cold Wave 2.0 liquid metal |
| NPU | None (Zen 4, no XDNA) |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
| Price | ~$779 |
| Rating | 3.9/5 (145 Amazon reviews) |
Design and Build Quality
The UM790 Pro follows MINISFORUM’s established design language — compact aluminium chassis with a premium feel. The chassis is small enough to mount behind a monitor using the included VESA bracket.
The front panel includes a power button and status LED. Port selection is excellent: dual USB4 (40Gbps with Power Delivery IN/OUT), four USB-A 3.2, 2.5GbE, dual HDMI 2.1, and 3.5mm audio. Drive four 4K displays simultaneously or power the system via USB-C PD (65W minimum).
Build quality notes: The aluminium chassis feels premium and dissipates heat effectively. The Cold Wave 2.0 liquid metal cooling is a genuine differentiator — liquid metal provides better thermal transfer than standard thermal paste. Fan noise is minimal at idle and becomes noticeable under load but remains acceptable for office environments.
Coil whine: Some users report coil whine under load — a high-pitched electrical noise from the power delivery components. This is a known issue on some units. MINISFORUM has replaced affected units under warranty. Check within the return window if you’re sensitive to coil whine.
CPU and Performance
The Ryzen 9 7940HS is AMD’s Zen 4 flagship — 8 cores and 16 threads at up to 5.2 GHz boost. For multi-threaded workloads — compiling code, running multiple VMs, batch video encoding — the 8-core configuration delivers desktop-class performance in a mini PC.
For general workloads:
- Office productivity: Handles multitasking with ease
- Web browsing: Smooth even with dozens of tabs
- Light creative work: Handles 1080p video editing well
For AI workloads: The 7940HS lacks a dedicated NPU. It relies on CPU/GPU compute for AI workloads. For Ollama LLM inference:
- 7B models (Q4): ~25-40 tokens/sec
- 13B models (Q4): ~10-20 tokens/sec
- 34B models (Q4): Runs well with 32GB RAM at 10-15 tokens/sec
- 70B models (Q4): Limited by 32GB RAM — needs 64GB+
The Radeon 780M handles GPU-accelerated inference adequately, but without NPU acceleration, AI workloads are slower than on HX370/HX470 systems.
GPU and Graphics / AI Performance
The Radeon 780M with 12 RDNA 3 compute units (768 shaders) is AMD’s previous-gen iGPU — still capable for 1080p gaming at medium settings and light creative work.
For gaming:
- 1080p medium: Handles Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring at 35-45 fps
- Esports titles: Valorant, CS2, League of Legends run at 60+ fps
- Indie games: Most run smoothly at 1080p high
For creative workloads:
- Video editing: Handles 1080p editing well, 4K is possible but slower
- Photo editing: Lightroom and Photoshop run smoothly
For AI workloads:
- LLM inference: See tokens/sec above — the 780M handles GPU-accelerated inference adequately
- Stable Diffusion: Generates 512x512 images in 12-18 seconds
- ROCm support: Solid on Linux for RDNA 3 — we ran Ollama on Ubuntu 24.04 without issues
Memory and Storage
The UM790 Pro includes 32GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM — upgradeable to 64GB. This is the sweet spot for 2026 — adequate for 7B-34B LLMs and heavy multitasking out of the box. Most competitors (like the GEEKOM A7 MAX) include only 16GB at this price.
Why 32GB matters:
- General use: 32GB is comfortable
- 7B-13B LLMs: 32GB is ideal
- 34B LLMs: 32GB is adequate
- 70B LLMs: 64GB+ recommended (upgrade required)
Storage: Dual M.2 slots supporting RAID 0/1. The included 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is adequate for most users. For AI workloads with multiple large models, consider adding a second drive for model storage.
Networking and Connectivity
| Port | Quantity |
|---|---|
| USB4 (40Gbps, PD-IN/OUT) | 2 |
| USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 | 4 |
| HDMI 2.1 | 2 |
| 2.5GbE | 1 |
| 3.5mm audio | 1 |
Single 2.5GbE is standard for this price point. For homelab use with single-NIC setups, this is adequate. For firewall/router builds, consider the GMKtec K11 with dual Intel NICs.
Dual USB4 with Power Delivery: This is a genuine differentiator. You can power the UM790 Pro via USB-C PD (65W minimum), which is useful for UPS connectivity or single-cable setups. The second USB4 port is available for peripherals.
WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are current-gen (one step behind WiFi 7). The 6GHz band provides less congested wireless for compatible routers.
Cooling: Cold Wave 2.0 Liquid Metal
The UM790 Pro’s Cold Wave 2.0 cooling uses liquid metal thermal compound — a genuine differentiator vs standard thermal paste. Liquid metal provides better thermal transfer, keeping the 7940HS cooler under sustained loads.
Real-world impact:
- Lower temperatures under sustained load (~5-10°C cooler)
- Better sustained boost clocks
- Potentially longer component lifespan
- Marginally quieter operation (fan doesn’t need to spin as fast)
For always-on homelab workloads, the liquid metal cooling provides meaningful thermal benefits. For daily use, both liquid metal and standard thermal paste are adequate — but liquid metal is a nice premium feature.
Power Consumption
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Idle (W) | ~7W | ServeTheHome (5-7W measured) |
| Load (W) | ~65W | Community estimate (7940HS platform) |
| Annual Cost (24/7 idle) | ~$7.36/year | At $0.12/kWh |
Running 24/7 at idle, the UM790 Pro costs about $7.36 per year in electricity — about $0.61 per month. This is among the most power-efficient mini PCs in this roundup. Under sustained load, power reaches ~65W — typical for the 7940HS platform.
MINISFORUM UM790 Pro vs. the Competition
The GEEKOM A7 MAX (~$949) uses the same 7940HS but costs $170 more. The A7 MAX has 550 reviews at 4.6★ and a 3-year warranty. The UM790 Pro counters with 32GB included (vs 16GB), liquid metal cooling, and dual USB4 with PD. For risk-averse buyers, the A7 MAX’s 550 reviews justify the premium. For spec-focused buyers, the UM790 Pro is better value.
The GMKtec K11 (~$739) uses the Ryzen 9 8945HS with 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD, dual 2.5GbE, and OCuLink. For $40 less, the K11 offers better networking and storage. For homelab use, the K11 is the clear winner. For daily use with liquid metal cooling, the UM790 Pro is competitive.
The MINISFORUM X1 Pro-370 (~$1,179) uses the Ryzen AI 9 HX370 with 80 TOPS AI compute. For $400 more, you get full AI capabilities. For AI workloads, the X1 Pro-370 is worth the premium. For general computing, the UM790 Pro is better value.
Who Should Buy the MINISFORUM UM790 Pro?
Buy it if you:
- Want 32GB DDR5 included (not 16GB like competitors)
- Want liquid metal cooling for better thermals
- Need dual USB4 with Power Delivery (USB-C power, UPS connectivity)
- Want dual M.2 with RAID support
- Are comfortable with 145 reviews at 3.9★
- Want a proven 7940HS baseline at $779
Skip it if you:
- Need dual NICs for homelab — the K11 has dual 2.5GbE
- Want proven reliability — the A7 MAX has 550 reviews
- Need AI features — the X1 Pro-370 has 80 TOPS
- Want WiFi 7 — the X1-255 has WiFi 7
- Are concerned about coil whine (some units affected)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 3.9★ rating a red flag?
The 3.9★ rating from 145 reviews is concerning — lower than typical MINISFORUM products. Common complaints include coil whine on some units, firmware/BIOS quirks, and quality control variations. MINISFORUM has replaced affected units under warranty. For risk-averse buyers, the GEEKOM A7 MAX’s 4.6★ (550 reviews) is more reassuring.
Does the liquid metal cooling make a difference?
Yes. Liquid metal provides better thermal transfer than standard thermal paste. The UM790 Pro runs ~5-10°C cooler under sustained load compared to standard thermal paste systems. For always-on homelab workloads, this provides better sustained performance and potentially longer component lifespan.
Can the UM790 Pro run local LLMs?
Yes, but without NPU acceleration. The 7940HS relies on CPU/GPU compute for AI workloads. It handles 7B models at 25-40 tokens/sec and 13B models at 10-20 tokens/sec. For 34B models, the 32GB RAM is adequate. For 70B models, upgrade to 64GB.
Is dual USB4 with PD useful?
Absolutely. You can power the UM790 Pro via USB-C PD (65W minimum), which is useful for UPS connectivity or single-cable desk setups. The second USB4 port is available for fast external storage or eGPU (with 20-30% performance loss vs OCuLink).
Is 32GB RAM enough?
For general use and 7B-34B LLMs, yes. The included 32GB is a genuine advantage over competitors with 16GB. For 70B models, plan to upgrade to 64GB (~$80-100 for extra 32GB). The upgradeable DDR5 is a key advantage over soldered LPDDR5X competitors.
What should I do if my unit has coil whine?
Contact MINISFORUM support immediately and document the issue with audio/video. MINISFORUM has replaced affected units under warranty. For Amazon purchases, you can also use Amazon’s return policy within the return window.
Final Verdict
The MINISFORUM UM790 Pro is the baseline Ryzen 9 7940HS mini PC — 32GB DDR5 included, liquid metal cooling, dual USB4 with PD, and dual M.2 with RAID. At $779, it’s exceptional value for buyers who want the 7940HS experience without paying premium prices.
The 3.9★ rating is concerning — coil whine and firmware quirks affect some units. For risk-averse buyers, the GEEKOM A7 MAX’s 550 reviews justify the $170 premium. For spec-focused buyers comfortable with early-adopter risk, the UM790 Pro delivers better value.