Mini PC makers are racing to support Open Claw despite major security warnings and rising concerns about sensitive data safety | Tech Radar

Overview

Mini PC vendors jump on the Open Claw bandwagon as Minisforum’s M2 Pro arrives with Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H CPU and 96GB of RAM — but it won’t be cheap

Minisforum says it is considering opt-in options for all third-party apps, including Open Claw

Details

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Minisforum M2 Pro runs AI workloads locally with up to 180 TOPS performance

Hybrid execution balances on-device processing with selective cloud use for privacy protection

Open Claw’s known vulnerabilities raise serious concerns, but Minisforum is taking action

Mini PC makers are increasingly embracing Open Claw, with Minisforum’s M2 Pro following models such as the N5 Max and GMKtec Evo-X2 in supporting the platform, despite warnings from the Chinese government regarding its security vulnerabilities.

The M2 Pro is built on Intel’s Panther Lake platform and is equipped with up to the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H CPU, combined with 96GB of high-speed memory capable of 9600MHz.

This configuration allows for intensive local AI workloads while maintaining strong bandwidth and computational throughput, reaching up to 180 TOPS.

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Hybrid mode aims to balance privacy and performance

The Minisforum M2 Pro is designed to operate in a hybrid mode, which aims to balance privacy and practicality.

Sensitive data can be processed entirely on-device, limiting exposure to cloud systems, while cloud resources are used selectively and with user approval.

According to Minisforum, this hybrid approach preserves full Open Claw agent functionality, enabling AI tasks to interact with external systems while keeping confidential information local.

In effect, the device attempts to combine local-first privacy with scalable cloud capabilities for tasks that require remote computation.

Handling document summarization, retrieval, and reasoning directly on the M2 Pro reduces reliance on cloud tokens, which can be unpredictable and expensive when scaled.

By completing a large portion of AI reasoning and context processing on the device, users benefit from lower and more predictable expenses, while retaining the ability to integrate with cloud-based services when necessary.

Minisforum recommends this method as a way to achieve both cost efficiency and enhanced data security for continuous AI operations.

Minisforum’s MS-S1 Max for AI workloads and demanding professional tasks is $760 off

GMKTec EVO-T2 has more AI firepower than Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mini PC — Core Ultra X9 388H delivers 180TOPS, 50% more than its AMD rival

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Despite its capabilities, this mini PC is not inexpensive, reflecting the high-end hardware and memory configurations it offers.

Its appeal is likely limited to professional users requiring persistent AI workflows, automated content handling, and complex reasoning tasks.

While Minisforum markets the system as its most powerful mini PC, broader security concerns around Open Claw remain.

Analysts caution that adopting this platform — even in hybrid mode — requires careful consideration of potential vulnerabilities.

The software contains known vulnerabilities that could be exploited to access sensitive data and has a history of being used to spread malware through Git Hub repositories.

Microsoft has also recommended against running Open Claw on typical personal or enterprise systems.

After coverage of the Minisforum N5 Max NAS and the potential risks that Open Claw brings, Minisforum is now considering an opt-in option for users.

“Our primary goal in pre-installing Open Claw was to offer users an immediate, out-of-the-box local AI experience that keeps data out of the cloud, enhancing privacy. However, we hear the concerns regarding third-party software pre-installation and recognize that for our users, ‘local’ must also mean ‘trusted,’” a Minisforum PR team member said.

“Moving forward, we are evaluating our pre-installation process to ensure our community always has a clear ‘opt-in’ or a clean-install path for all third-party AI tools. We value this feedback as we continue to push the boundaries of AI hardware.”

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Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master's and a Ph D in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking.

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Key Takeaways

• Mini PC vendors jump on the Open Claw bandwagon as Minisforum’s M2 Pro arrives with Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H CPU and 96GB of RAM — but it won’t be cheap

• Minisforum says it is considering opt-in options for all third-party apps, including Open Claw

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Minisforum M2 Pro runs AI workloads locally with up to 180 TOPS performance

• Hybrid execution balances on-device processing with selective cloud use for privacy protection