CES Innovation Awards: Early Recognition from Industry Experts

Presented by the Consumer Technology Association, the CES Innovation Awards honor products that demonstrate outstanding design, engineering excellence, and real-world value.

Rather than focusing solely on specifications, the awards recognize solutions that push boundaries through thoughtful system design, technical execution, and practical usability.
The MS-02 Ultra’s selection reflects its ability to combine performance, scalability, and reliability within a remarkably c ompact footprint.

Workstation-Class Capability in a 4.8L Chassis

The MS-02 Ultra is not designed as a lightweight mini PC, but as a compact workstation platform built for demanding professional workloads.

Within its 4.8-liter enclosure, the system can be configured with:

• Up to an Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 285HX processor, with optional Intel® vPro® support

• Up to 256GB of ECC memory for stability-critical tasks

• Up to four M.2 SSD slots for high-speed, flexible storage

• Up to three available PCIe expansion slots, enabling advanced networking, storage, or acceleration cards

This balance of performance density and expandability is a defining characteristic of the MS-02 Ultra.

Engineering for Performance Within Tight Constraints

Sustaining high performance in a compact system requires more than powerful components—it demands careful engineering.

The MS-02 Ultra features a customized cooling solution and integrated power design, enabling stable operation with up to 100W TDP within a small form factor. This approach overcomes traditional limitations associated with compact systems and ensures consistent performance under sustained workloads.

A slide-out internal structure further enhances usability, allowing convenient access for hardware upgrades and maintenance—helping extend product lifespan and reduce long-term ownership costs.

Connectivity Built for Data-Intensive Workflows

Designed for creators, developers, and professional users, the MS-02 Ultra offers strong connectivity options to support modern workflows:

• Up to dual 25GbE high-speed networking for large data transfers and collaboration

• The latest USB4 V2 interface, up to 80Gbps, delivering next-generation bandwidth for peripherals and expansion

• Rich display and I/O options to support multi-monitor and high-throughput setups

Together, these capabilities make the system well-suited for data-intensive and multi-tasking environments.

A Professional Design Language

The MS-02 Ultra adopts a compact aluminum alloy chassis with a reinforced metal frame, balancing durability, thermal efficiency, and understated aesthetics.

Its interface layout follows a clear logic:
front-facing ports for convenience, and rear-mounted ports and expansion slots for scalability. This design ensures the system integrates naturally into professional studios, creative spaces, or enterprise environments without visual distraction.

Why the MS-02 Ultra Earned a CES Innovation Award

From an innovation perspective, the MS-02 Ultra stands out through:

• High integration with exceptional scalability in a 4.8L enclosure

• Advanced connectivity, enabling fast data movement and collaborative workflows

• Thoughtful engineering, prioritizing stability, maintainability, and long-term usability

Rather than pursuing extremes in a single dimension, it delivers a well-rounded platform that addresses real professional needs.

Conclusion

The CES 2026 Innovation Award recognition affirms MINISFORUM’s continued commitment to redefining what compact computing can achieve.

By bringing workstation-class performance, expandability, and reliability into a small-form-factor system, the MS-02 Ultra demonstrates that size no longer dictates capability.

As CES 2026 approaches, the MS-02 Ultra stands as a clear example of how engineering depth—not physical scale—defines true performance.