The bizarre Minisforum MC560 mini desktop PC can finally be purchased

It isn't easy to stand out in the desktop PC market nowadays. I mean, we have seen it all already, right? What can possibly be done at this point? Well, Minisforum was able to surprise the world last year when it announced the AMD Ryzen 5 5625U-powered MC560. You see, this mini desktop PC has an integrated webcam. Yes, folks, a 2.5k camera is built into the desktop itself. Is that a smart design choice? Absolutely not. But hey, it is different!

Why wouldn't you want a webcam integrated into the desktop? Because now you have to keep the PC in front of your monitor to properly use the webcam. In other words, you can't hide the PC behind the monitor or under your desk, as that would block the webcam. Having a webcam on a cable that sits atop your monitor is obviously superior. You also can't easily unplug this webcam for added security/privacy. And no, it doesn't have a privacy cover.

Another interesting aspect of the MC560 is the integrated speakers. In theory, this desktop would be great for videoconferencing as it contains a camera and speakers, and I suppose it can be a good choice for that. The problem is, having stereo speakers directly next to each other inside the chassis isn't a good design either. For stereo sound, you want the speakers to be separated more. A traditional set up of wired speakers positioned on each side of the computer monitor is a better option.

Speaking of the unique webcam and audio aspects of the MC560, Minisforum shares the following statement.

It has a 2.5K webcam with HDR support and a 93.8 degree field of view. The adjustable base offers 10°tilt change to the view. With the help of 4Ω/3W dual independent speaker design, the maximum sound distortion does not exceed 5 percent, reflecting authentic human voice. The microphone uses the MEMS dual array with an independent DSP chip for assistance. Combined with the AI intelligence algorithm, it can not only suppress the reverberation, intelligently recognize human voice, but also eliminate environmental noise, thereby accurately restoring human voice.

Despite the possible downsides of an integrated webcam and speakers, the MC560 is undoubtedly an impressive feat of engineering. Thing thing is seriously cool. As you can see above, there is a lot of stuff crammed into the tiny (4.2 x 2.7x 6.0 inches) machine. The RAM and storage are easily accessible too, located right on the front when you remove the casing.

Unfortunately, there are a very small number of ports. For instance, in addition to Ethernet, there is only one HDMI port and one USB port on the rear. The side is home to one USB-A, one USB-C, and a 3.5mm audio jack, however. Shockingly, there are zero ports on the front. Overall, the IO is disappointing.

And now, the previously announced Minisforum MC560 can finally be purchased here. It will begin shipping next month. A 512GB NVME SSD comes standard, and is the only pre-installed capacity being offered. Where you do get choice, however, is with the memory. For RAM, you can opt for the 16GB model for $399 or the 32GB variant for $458.

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