Review: MSI PRO DP21 11MA

MSI has been producing quality desktops and mini PCs for years now. Its Pro series of desktop PCs are especially known for their tiny footprint in terms of taking up valuable desk space and at the same time not skimping at all on the overall performance. Though the MSI PRO DP21 11MA is being marketed as a desktop PC for business and productivity in industries such as BFSI, FMCG, Healthcare, and so on, it can also be used as an editing rig by content creators, for instance.

The overall design is very unique – MSI has given a lifestyle-focused look and feel to the PC. The build quality is also top-notch. Under the hood, the PC comes packed with up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11700 processor and up to 64GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory. The test unit we received for this review came with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400 processor running at a clock speed of 2.60GHz. The test unit also came with 16GB of DDR4 memory.

The PC runs on Microsoft Windows 11 Pro operating system. In terms of I/O ports, you get lots of options. On the front, you get the Power button, an LED indicator, one Headphone-out, one Mic-in, and four USB 2.0 Type-A ports. At the rear, you get the DC Power Jack, one HDMI out, one DisplayPort, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, one RJ45 port, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, one Mic-in, one Line-out, and one COM Port.

The MSI PRO DP21 11MA also allows for easy maintenance and upgrades. You can easily upgrade one M.2 SSD, two 2.5-inch HDD/SSD, and two DIMMs of memory by disassembling the side covers. Since the PC is also VESA mountable, you can hook it up at the back of a monitor to reduce clutter and maximise the use of your desk space.

The PC also supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax wireless technology for seamless connectivity, and Bluetooth 5.2 version. The PC comes with support for TPM (Trusted Platform Module) technology. This has been designed to provide hardware-based security-related functions. You can store your sensitive data and passwords with encryption keys for advanced security.

Since the MSI PRO DP21 11MA comes with a DisplayPort and an HDMI port, it can be hooked up with a dual-display setup. A dual display setup is essentially useful for content creators, the stock market and fintech experts, and so on. What’s more, the MSI PRO DP21 11MA also supports 4K UHD displays.

Due to its solid specs, performance is not an issue. You can perform all sorts of day-to-day computing jobs on it with ease. It can also be used for video editing and other content creation jobs, watching movies, online streaming, and you can even indulge in some gaming.

While there is no shortage of PCs on the market, your choices may be limited if you are looking for compact solutions that also offer performance. But thanks to MSI, it does offer a wide range of dependable mini PCs that don’t compromise quality. For a price of AED 3500, the MSI PRO DP21 11MA comes across as highly recommended, since it offers a great design and build quality, solid specs, upgrade options, and overall good performance.

Price: AED 3500