MSI Cubi 5 10M with Core i3-10110U and 27-inch monitor MD271 in review

NUC alternative?

MSI Cubi 5 10M is a compact office PC without many frills. Together with the Cubi 5 10M, we also took a closer look at the MSI Modern MD271 monitor and the MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar.

Sebastian Bade, 👁 Sebastian Bade, ✓ Brian Burriston (translated by DeepL / Ninh Duy), Published 09/01/2021 🇩🇪 🇮🇹 ...

MSI provided us with an office setup for this review, consisting of the Cubi 5 10M, the 27-inch MSI Modern MD271 monitor and a Light Bar

The Cubi 5 10M is a mini-PC based on Comet Lake and somewhat resembles the Intel NUC in shape and size. The SoC in our test device is the Intel Core i3-10110U, a dual-core processor with a total of 4 threads. The installed working memory is a 4 GB SO-DIMM module and can be replaced or expanded if necessary. A total of two SO-DIMM modules can be used. The 256 GB SSD offers NVMe support and thus provides fast read and write rates. Everything is installed in the small case with 124 x 54 x 124 (WxHxD) millimeters (~4.9 x 2.1 x 4.9 inches). This means that the Cubi 5 M10 is only slightly larger in direct comparison with the Intel NUC 10 Performance Kit. If the installed M.2 SSD is too small for you, you can swap it or install another 2.5-inch drive in the device. All necessary screws and cables are included. The Cubi 5 M10 Mini-PC in our test configuration is available for just under 540 Euros (~$638). However, we would like to emphasize that this is not a barebone system, which means that there are no additional costs for RAM, mass storage and operating system.

The MSI Cubi 5 M10 is available in six different configurations. You can find a list here https://de.msi.com/Business-Productivity-PC/Cubi-5-10M/Specification . However, you should be careful since the alternative options are so-called barebone systems. These come without working memory and mass storage. The operating system also has to be purchased additionally, which pushes the price up.

Case & Equipment

The case features a lot of plastic and metal on the inside for stability. The black case is brightened up with a few accents. Fortunately, piano lacquer surfaces are not used. These quickly get scratched over time and make fingerprints visible very quickly. The case is very robust and offers a maintenance hatch on the underside. You can then quickly access the installed components inside. The device can also be attached directly to a monitor, as long as it has a Vesa mount. An optional button can be attached to switch the device on without any problems.

The Cubi 5 10M offers enough options for external devices. A total of five USB-A ports are more than sufficient. Nevertheless, there is also a TypeC port on the front. External screens can be connected via DisplayPort or HDMI.

MSI Modern MD271QPDE with MSI Cubi 5 10M and MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar

Performance - Not much room for improvement

The MSI Cubi 5 10M is equipped with the Intel Core i3-10110U which is quite sufficient for simple office applications. The computing power is sufficient for everyday office work and occasional Internet surfing. However, the installed 4 GB DDR4 RAM could quickly reach its limits if you frequently use many browser tabs at the same time. An upgrade to 8 GB is recommended here, which is quickly done with a second module. Most users should be able to cope with the 256 GB SSD. Thanks to NVMe support, the SSD offers fast data transfer rates and the system is quickly ready to boot.

Processor

The Intel Core i3-10110U offers two native cores and a total of four threads. The SoC belongs to Intel's Comet Lake series and has a base clock of 2.1 GHz. Depending on the load, the SoC can boost up to 4.1 GHz in Turbo for a short time. As a dual-core processor, the Intel Core i3-10110U only offers a comparatively low performance, which is also reflected in the benchmarks. The gap to the somewhat larger Intel Core i5-10210U is enormous, especially in the multi-core benchmarks. Nevertheless, the performance of the Intel Core i3-10110U in the MSI Cubi 5 10M is about on par with our average rates.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	194 Points +20%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	168 Points +4%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	162 Points
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (129 - 172, n=5)	159 Points -2%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	117 Points -28%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	108 Points -33%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	84 Points -48%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	77 Points -52%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1067 Points +238%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	790 Points +150%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (314 - 405, n=5)	352 Points +11%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	316 Points
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	298 Points -6%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	261 Points -17%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	248 Points -22%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	220 Points -30%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	211 (209.9^min - 211.39^max) Points -33%

Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	2.19 Points +17%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1.91 Points +2%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1.87 Points
Average Intel Core i3-10110U ()	1.87 Points 0%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	1.33 Points -29%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	1.28 Points -32%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	0.92 Points -51%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	10.89 Points +203%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	8.66 Points +141%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	3.59 Points
Average Intel Core i3-10110U ()	3.59 Points 0%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	3.26 Points -9%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	3.09 Points -14%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	2.86 Points -20%

Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	480 Points +20%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	428 Points +7%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (400 - 405, n=3)	402 Points 0%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	401 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	200 Points -50%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	171 Points -57%
CPU (Multi Core)
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	2303 Points +210%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1820 Points +145%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (743 - 928, n=3)	808 Points +9%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	743 Points
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	556 Points -25%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	491 Points -34%

Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	2379 Seconds *
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (1174 - 1385, n=2)	1280 Seconds *
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	585 Seconds *
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	468.3 Seconds *

wPrime 2.10
1024m
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	732 s * -35%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	620 s * -14%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	566 s * -4%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	558 s * -3%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	543 s *
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (523 - 543, n=2)	533 s * +2%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	217.8 s * +60%
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	177.4 s * +67%
32m
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	23.1 s * -31%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	19.5 s * -11%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	18 s * -2%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	17.62 s *
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	17.37 s * +1%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (13.9 - 17.6, n=2)	15.8 s * +10%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	6.78 s * +62%
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	5.103 s * +71%

X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 2
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	60.5 (60.4^min - 73.5^max) fps +194%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	49.35 (49.1^min - 51.6^max) fps +140%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (20.6 - 20.7, n=2)	20.6 fps 0%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	20.55 (20.4^min - 20.7^max) fps
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	19.3 fps -6%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	16.75 (16.7^min - 16.9^max) fps -18%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	16.46 fps -20%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	13.75 fps -33%
Pass 1
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	206 (204^min - 208^max) fps +93%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	184.5 (184^min - 186^max) fps +73%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (106.5 - 113.6, n=2)	110.1 fps +3%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	106.5 (106^min - 109^max) fps
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	105 fps -1%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	88.5 fps -17%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	78.9 (77.1^min - 81.7^max) fps -26%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	74 fps -31%

TrueCrypt
Serpent Mean 100MB
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	0.57 GB/s +171%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	0.48 GB/s +129%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (0.21 - 0.23, n=2)	0.22 GB/s +5%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	0.21 GB/s
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	0.182 GB/s -13%
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	0.166 GB/s -21%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	0.142 GB/s -32%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	0.133 GB/s -37%
Twofish Mean 100MB
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1 GB/s +189%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	0.79 GB/s +128%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (0.346 - 0.394, n=2)	0.37 GB/s +7%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	0.346 GB/s
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	0.283 GB/s -18%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	0.266 GB/s -23%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	0.245 GB/s -29%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	0.199 GB/s -42%
AES Mean 100MB
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	4.7 GB/s +147%
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	4.6 GB/s +142%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (1.9 - 2.2, n=2)	2.05 GB/s +8%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	1.9 GB/s 0%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1.9 GB/s
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	1.7 GB/s -11%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	1.5 GB/s -21%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	1.3 GB/s -32%

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	22969 Points
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	13949 Points
Average Intel Core i3-10110U ()	8289 Points
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	5468 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	5066 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	5271 Points
Average Intel Core i3-10110U ()	4455 Points
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	3680 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	2613 Points
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	1922 Points

HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	7.95 fps
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	6.28 fps
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (2.72 - 3.12, n=2)	2.92 fps
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	1.48 fps
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	0 fps

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 multi-loop

During the load test with the Cinebench R15 multi-loop, the Cubi 5 10M can keep the Intel Core i3-10110U in check quite well. The cooling system is not overloaded even after sustained load.

MSI Cubi 5 10M Intel Core i3-10110U, Intel Core i3-10110U: Ø315 (308.88-317.27)

Intel NUC10i5FNK Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø755 (749.68-790.62)

Intel NUC10i7FNH Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel Core i7-10710U: Ø946 (834.01-1067.02)

System performance

The synthetic benchmarks of the System Performance clearly show the disadvantage of the dual-core CPU. The i3-10110U can no longer keep up with the native 4-cores and has to rank behind them with a clear gap. The gap to the average performance in our database is also striking. We suspect the reason for this to be the tight working memory. The MSI Cubi 5 10M does surprisingly well in the measured latencies under load and during playback of 4K video material. We had assumed significantly higher latencies here. The Cubi 5 10M clearly wins the comparison with the Intel NUCs. However, playing high-resolution video material demands a lot of performance from the mini-PC. The SoC should be given a few seconds to buffer. After that, smooth playback is possible.

Maximum latency when opening multiple browser tabs and playing 4K video.

Drivers ranked by longest execution time

Maximum latency after ten seconds of Prime95

PCMark 10 | DPC Latencies / LatencyMon

PCMark 10
Score
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	4418 Points +49%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	4019 Points +36%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (2958 - 3542, n=3)	3287 Points +11%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	2958 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	2391 Points -19%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	1806 Points -39%
Productivity
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	6876 Points +27%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	6494 Points +20%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (5397 - 6758, n=3)	6046 Points +12%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	5397 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	4084 Points -24%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	2928 Points -46%
Essentials
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	9013 Points +45%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	8235 Points +33%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (6210 - 7583, n=3)	6998 Points +13%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	6210 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	5419 Points -13%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	4693 Points -24%
Digital Content Creation
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	3777 Points +80%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	3296 Points +57%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (2097 - 2390, n=3)	2274 Points +8%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	2097 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	1677 Points -20%
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	1165 Points -44%

DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
AC6-M Mini-PC, Intel Celeron J4125 2000 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 600	3767 μs * -138%
Average Intel Core i3-10110U (1581 - 5347, n=3)	3169 μs * -100%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1581 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Mass storage

Our test system is equipped with a 256 GB SSD. This also contains the operating system, which means the user has almost 220 GB available. The SSD used is a fast NVMe SSD in M.2-2280 format from Western Digital. In the test, the SSD impressed with very good read rates, although the write rates could have been a bit better. The bottom line is that the performance is more than sufficient for a simple office PC. A second data medium in 2.5-inch format can still be stored in the case. All necessary connection cables are included in the scope of delivery.

Graphics card

The Intel UHD Graphics 620 is well known. However, the Intel Core i3-10110U only offers 23 of the 24 EUs, which can also be seen in the performance. Furthermore, our test sample only works with one RAM module, which means additional performance is lost. A second RAM module can still provide a small performance boost. Nevertheless, no miracles should be expected. However, the MSI Cube 5 10M is not suitable for gaming. Only very simple casual games can be expected from the office slave.

More benchmarks for the Intel UHD Graphics 620 can be found here.

3DMark 11 | 3DMark

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	2322 Points +76%
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1983 Points +51%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1853 Points +41%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (1144 - 3432, n=244)	1749 Points +33%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	1458 Points +11%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1316 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	1175 Points -11%

3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	79747 Points +94%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (13790 - 102010, n=66)	67871 Points +65%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	61979 Points +51%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	58199 Points +42%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	41037 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	48446 Points +83%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (26409 - 59483, n=71)	42924 Points +63%
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	40670 Points +54%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	40532 Points +53%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	26409 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Intel NUC6i5SYH, Intel Core i5-6260U 1800 MHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540	1479 Points +92%
Intel NUC10i7FNH, Intel Core i7-10710U 1100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1418 Points +84%
Intel NUC10i5FNK, Intel Core i5-10210U 1600 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	1202 Points +56%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (557 - 2608, n=213)	1161 Points +50%
Intel NUC5i5RYH, Intel Core i5-5250U 1600 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 6000	1033 Points +34%
MSI Cubi 5 10M, Intel Core i3-10110U 2100 MHz, Intel UHD Graphics 620	772 Points
Intel NUC5i3RYK, Intel Core i3-5010U 2100 MHz, Intel HD Graphics 5500	770 Points 0%

3DMark 11 Performance		1395 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score		39769 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score		5358 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score		725 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score		342 points
3DMark Time Spy Score		708 points
Help

... in comparison

Emissions & Energy

Temperature

First of all, we can state that the Cubi 5 10M does not have any temperature problems with the installed hardware. The case only heats up slightly under load. The SoC does not get very hot with a maximum of 68 °C (154.4 °F) in the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark. The power limit rather applies here, which slows down the SoC a bit. The base clock of 1.1 GHz cannot be maintained when the CPU and iGPU are loaded simultaneously. As is known, this is 2.1 GHz in the Core i3-10110U. The stress test did not have a sustainable impact on the performance. The result of the 3DMark11 benchmark is on the same level compared to the cold start. We could already determine this in the Cinebench R15 multi-loop. Here, too, the CPU performance remained almost the same in all 50 runs.

Noise emissions

An office PC should be quiet above all else. The MSI Cubi 5 M10 can do exactly that. When idling, we measured 30.91 dB(A), which is only marginally more than in complete silence in the room (30.5 dB(A)). However, the significantly higher noise load is noticeable when we run Prime95 alone as a stress test. Here, the SoC can use all of its power, which means that the cooling unit also has to work harder due to the increased heat development. If both applications Prime95 and FurMark are run at the same time, the SoC can no longer use the full performance because the CPU and iGPU have to share the TDP of 15 watts. With 32 dB(A), the Cubi 5 10M is then significantly quieter, although the maximum 35 dB(A) was not perceived as annoying either. The fan is gently regulated up and down and does not produce any high-frequency noise.

Noise emissions (stress test: FurMark+Prime95)

Energy consumption

The small Cubi 5 10 M can score in terms of energy consumption due to its frugal components. The meter only shows us 8 watts in idle. Nevertheless, it can be up to 46 watts on average under full load. The power supply had to provide a maximum of 66 watts. Thus, it is still sufficiently dimensioned with 65 watts.

Energy consumption during the stress test (Prime95)

Energy consumption during the stress test (FurMark)

Energy consumption in the stress test (FurMark and Prime95)

Power Consumption
Cinebench R15 Multi Efficiency (external Monitor)
MSI Cubi 5 10M	12.9 Points per Watt
1280x720 Prime95 28.10 and Furmark 1.25
MSI Cubi 5 10M	25.3 (24.8^min, 25^P1 - 26.3^max) Watt *
AC6-M Mini-PC	19.4 (19^min, 19.1^P1 - 20^max) Watt * +23%
Prime95 V2810 Stress (external Monitor)
Intel NUC10i7FNH (Idle: 8.4 W)	60 (52^min - 86^max) Watt * -28%
Intel NUC10i5FNK (Idle: 15.7 W)	58.5 (56^min - 69^max) Watt * -25%
MSI Cubi 5 10M (Idle: 8 W)	46.72 (40^min - 66^max) Watt *
AC6-M Mini-PC	17.4 (15.8^min, 16.8^P1 - 18^max) Watt * +63%
Cinebench R15 Multi (external Monitor)
MSI Cubi 5 10M (Idle: 8 W)	24.5 (9.03^min, 19.9^P1 - 25^max) Watt *
1280x720 FurMark 1.19 GPU Stress Test (external Monitor)
Intel NUC10i7FNH (Idle: 8.4 W)	46.6 (45^min - 68^max) Watt * -85%
Intel NUC10i5FNK (Idle: 15.7 W)	37.8 (35^min - 63^max) Watt * -50%
MSI Cubi 5 10M (Idle: 8 W)	25.17 (25^min - 26^max) Watt *

* ... smaller is better

Monitor - MD271 Series for Content Creator

Besides the MSI Cubi 5 10M, MSI also provided us with the new MD271 monitor. This is aimed at content creators and offers a WQHD resolution and a matte IPS panel in addition to the modern design. The measured brightness is 325 cd/m². That is more than what the manufacturer states in the spec sheet (250 cd/m²). The black value of the MD271 is typical for an IPS panel. In combination with the brightness, this results in a contrast ratio of 1,161:1. The illumination of 86% is still good, although a value of over 90% should be aimed for. After all, we are talking about a monitor that is directly aimed at content creators, who often place a lot of value on quality. Nevertheless, the 86% is not annoying in everyday use, which means that there is no visible shadowing. However, the issue of halos, also known as clouding, is already an issue with the MD271. In dark scenes, there are more visibly brighter areas at the lower edge of the screen. The measured response times are good, so that one or two games can be played on the display without problems. However, we would not recommend it as a pure gaming monitor due to the maximum 75 Hz. You should rather look for a good monitor with at least 144 Hz. We couldn't measure any PWM in the brightness control, which is definitely positive. Thus, there are fewer signs of fatigue.


296 cd/m²	307 cd/m²	287 cd/m²
283 cd/m²	325 cd/m²	280 cd/m²
278 cd/m²	296 cd/m²	289 cd/m²

Distribution of brightness

tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2

Maximum: 325 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 293.4 cd/m² Minimum: 29 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Contrast: 1161:1 (Black: 0.28 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.87 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89, calibrated: 2.36
ΔE Greyscale 9.68 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
94.95% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
69.51% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
69.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
95% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
72.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.25

Download ICC File (X-Rite i1Pro 2)

	MSI Cubi 5 10M 2560x1440, 27"
Display
Display P3 Coverage	72.1
sRGB Coverage	95
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage	69.5
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *	20 ?(9, 11)
Response Time Black / White *	14 ?(7, 7)
PWM Frequency
Screen
Brightness middle	325
Brightness	293
Brightness Distribution	86
Black Level *	0.28
Contrast	1161
Colorchecker dE 2000 *	6.87
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *	12.26
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *	2.36
Greyscale dE 2000 *	9.68
Gamma	2.25 ^98%
CCT	8329 ^78%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)	69.51
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)	94.95
Total Average (Program / Settings)

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.

↔ Response Time Black to White
14 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↗ 7 ms rise
14 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↘ 7 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↗ 9 ms rise
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 29 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.

Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8619 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

In the state of delivery, clearly increased Delta-E-2000 color deviations compared to the sRGB color space can be seen. A calibration should definitely be performed here if the display's actual purpose is pursued. After the manual calibration, the Delta-E-2000 color deviations could be clearly improved. However, the colors remain above the target value of 3 even after our calibration. In addition, the slight blue cast could be minimized a bit. In terms of the measured color space coverage, the MSI Modern MD271 does quite well with 95% in the sRGB and almost 70% in the Adobe RGB color space. Thus, nothing stands in the way of semi-professional image or video editing.

MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar as an accessory

With the MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar, the manufacturer offers a suitable extension for the workstation to optimally illuminate the keyboard area. Until the end of September, MSI offers the possibility to receive the Modern LED Lux Lightbar with the purchase of a selected MSI product. Here you can find out more details.

MSI has also provided us with this Lightbar. The product looks and feels very well made. The Lightbar can optionally be installed on many different monitors. For this purpose, the Lightbar is placed on top of the monitor and fixed to the monitor by means of a spring-loaded counterpart. The power is supplied via USB. You can either use a conventional power supply with USB-A port or directly the monitor, if it has USB ports. A corresponding connection cable (USB-A to USB-C) is included.

We can say that the Modern LED Lux Lightbar convinced with a pleasant light in the test. The workplace is well illuminated and good work is possible even in complete darkness. In terms of light color, there is the option to choose between warm white or cool white. It is also possible to combine the two. In our opinion, the latter offers the best option. Likewise, the brightness of the Modern LED Lux Lightbar can be continuously adjusted. Intensity and light color can be selected via the touch-sensitive surface on the front.

Pros

+ sturdy housing

+ very space saving

+ low power consumption

+ many connection possibilities

+ low heat development

+ external power-on button

+ immediately ready for use - RAM, SSD and Win 10 Pro included in delivery

Cons

- only 2 cores and 4 threads

- low working memory (4 GB)

- only WiFi 5

Conclusion - small office PC, solid monitor and useful lightbar

MSI Modern MD271 27-inch monitor, provided by MSI Germany

MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar, provided by MSI Germany

The MSI Cubi 5 10M is a small office PC, but nothing more. The Intel Core i3-10110U is sufficient as an SoC for everyday office work and web browsing. You can live with the working memory, even though the installed 4 GB should really be the minimum for today's work PCs. The option of 8 GB is not expensive and can be done in no time. The system scores better in terms of mass storage. Here, the NVMe SSD could convince with a solid performance. Considering the installed components, a SATA SSD would have done as well. The price difference would probably not be significant. So why not install the better product? Thanks MSI!

The MSI Cubi 5 M10 is a compact office PC. If you can live with the weaknesses, you'll get a full-fledged PC without hidden additional costs.

Visually, the device is quite inconspicuous and cuts a good figure on the desk. Nevertheless, one could consider developing a somewhat flatter version of the Cubi 5 10M. Intel has been doing this with their NUC series for a few years now. A sophisticated design should still make it possible to accommodate two mass storage devices. It doesn't necessarily have to be a 2.5-inch drive. The Cubi 5 10M's performance is where you would expect it to be according to the technical specifications. The external start button serves as a useful feature if you install the Cubi 5 M10 directly to the monitor's VESA mount.

The MSI Cubi 5 10M is currently available for just under 560 Euros (~$661) on Amazon.

The MSI Modern MD271 27-inch monitor is visually modern and offers good equipment. The measured brightness was above the manufacturer's specifications, which definitely deserves praise. Nevertheless, the Delta E-2000 color deviations are much too high in the state of delivery. You won't get around a calibration here if the monitor is to be used for content creation as advertised. The MSI Modern LED Lux Lightbar is a very useful feature. It provides a pleasant illumination of the workspace around the keyboard. And those who buy a selected MSI product until the end of September can secure it. Further information about the promotion can be found here.

Price and availability

The MSI Cubi 5 10M is currently available at Amazon for €630 (~$744).

Zotac ZBOX PI336 pico review: A pocket PC with Intel Celeron N6211 and 4 GB of RAM 07/24/2022

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Editor of the original article: Sebastian Bade - Senior Tech Writer - 576 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2012

I was already interested in technology from an early age, and I was able to study for my dream job as an IT Systems Electronics Engineer. Subsequently, I started 12 years of military service, during which I learned a lot about technology and constantly kept my knowledge up to date with the latest developments. As I like to share my knowledge, I found Notebookcheck was a very good opportunity for this. In addition, I also work a lot with water cooling and network security.

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