News ASRock show-off Micro-STX system with MXM & TB3 @CES 2017

Hi All

ASRock are happy to display our new model - Deskmini RX/GTX @CES 2017.
You can get more picture in :https://www.cool3c.com/article/116315/CES-2017-華擎展出具可擴充-MXM-獨立顯示卡的-micro-STX-主機板原型主機

This is prototype of Deskmini RX/GTX
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Considering there are so many SFF enthusiasts still need more powerful 3D graphics performance, why don't we extend Mini-STX to larger board: based on 5x5 screw holes but implement MXM, more video outputs, m.2 connectors, even Thunderbolt 3!

And that is world's firsts' MICRO-STX system:

• Support up to Intel® Core i7 7700K CPU
• Support Intel box cooler
• Intel Z270 (B250) Chipset
• Support MXM Type B, up to 120W
  • RX = AMD RX480/470/460
  • GTX = NVIDIA GTX1060
• Intel® Thunderbolt 3 with Type-C
• 3 x M.2 2260/2280 slots
• 1 x M.2 2230 Wi-Fi slot
• AURA RGB LED connector!
• Support Intel® Optane™ Technology
• 2.x Liter!
• 19V/220W adapter

ASRock planned sell barebones (include motherboard, MXM card, MXM cooler, chassis and adapter) and open mind corporate with system builder to develop new mini PC in micro STX motherboard. It should be launched on 2017 Q2.

 

[Kmpkt]

Deskmini GTX 1060 just went back up on Newegg.com

 

[Brian_Buckley]

Yeah I would be using M.2 to PCIe x4 for an existing Magewell quad capture. Just don't know if there's enough physical space in the chassis for the board and the outputs. Heating could also be an issue since these cards run hot and it'd assumably be right on top of the GPU, but encoding also doesn't require the GPU so both wouldn't be running at the same time

 

[Kmpkt]

All of the M.2 slots on the Micro STX board are on the back of the board, so I wouldn't be that worried about the GPU getting hotter even if the capture card is under it. Probably the biggest concern would be the connector clearance.

 

[VegetableStu]

Additionally there are some M.2 based expansion cards that you can get as well (video capture cards immediately come to mind).

http://www.magewell.com/eco-capture-family

oh nuts that's nice O_O wonder how would it fare on my motherboard though. it's only PCIe 2.0 x2, and the card needs PCIe 2.0 x4

 

[Brian_Buckley]

So with the discussion of TB3 in this board (or lack thereof), and also taking the DeskMini GTX's internals and putting it in an even smaller case, is there a reason not to go with the H110 with the custom case instead? The H110 is the same form factor and has TB3. Are there any drawbacks with that board compared to what's in the DeskMini GTX? Also curious why they didn't just use the H110 in the DeskMini as well.

 

[Kmpkt]

The H110 is Mini STX while the DeskMini GTX is Micro STX. They are two completely different form factors. If you don't need a GPU while using a capture card and you are happy using a TB3 enclosure to game then the H110 makes sense. That being said by the time you buy a GTX 1060, an external GPU enclosure and the H110 you're probably spending as much or more that you would on the DeskMini GTX and will have a substantially bulkier setup. What exactly are you using the capture card for?

 

[Brian_Buckley]

There are two versions of the H110. The H110 is Micro STX and has TB3. The H110M you're referring to is Mini STX and doesn't have TB3. The Micro STX H110 seems to either be really hard to get or just not in stock yet though.

The build is for a streaming PC with a Magewell Quad Capture and a higher powered CPU (probably an i7 8700). I basically just want an encoding machine as small as I can make it, likely with the capture card in an external enclosure like a Sonnet (requiring TB3). It's going to be pretty hard to fit the card inside a SFF build, both for space and thermals but also for needed PCIe x4/M.2 slots. The Micro STX boards have enough M.2 slots that can assumably be adapted into PCIe for the card, but space and thermals are still an issue. Encoding doesn't take graphics processing, but it's still good to have a dedicated GPU instead of integrated graphics (I could maybe get away with integrated graphics in the i7 8700 though). Ideally I can just fit the card and a GPU inside a Micro STX build, but I'm doubtful so I'm looking at external enclosures with TB3 instead.

Let me know if I should just create a separate thread for all this. New around here so don't really know the procedure.

 

[Kmpkt]

Yeah my mistake, I'd forgotten about that board. The H110 Micro STX is an enterprise board put out by another division of AsRock and likely won't be released in channel. If you were going to get one at all you'd likely need to go through one of AsRock's business/industrial distributors to get it.

 

[QuantumBraced]

Yeah I would be using M.2 to PCIe x4 for an existing Magewell quad capture. Just don't know if there's enough physical space in the chassis for the board and the outputs. Heating could also be an issue since these cards run hot and it'd assumably be right on top of the GPU, but encoding also doesn't require the GPU so both wouldn't be running at the same time

There are also some risers that are directly M.2 to PCIe x4 slot, like these:

http://bplus.com.tw/ExtenderBoard/R4 Series.html

They are suitable for M.2 slots on the back of motherboards. But they are pricey and hard to find.

 

[Kmpkt]

Oh wow. It looks like BPlus picked up Vary.Technology's risers. Sweet.

 

[chx]

Oh that's amazing news, Vary tech disappeared completely after a very promising start.

 

[VegetableStu]

Looking through their site, and... how do I order a riser from there?

 

[Kmpkt]

Deskmini GTX 1080 is up on Newegg now!

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...6158060&cm_re=Deskmini-_-56-158-060-_-Product

 

[whum]

Deskmini GTX 1080 is up on Newegg now!

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...6158060&cm_re=Deskmini-_-56-158-060-_-Product

Wow! I've got to say, 1599.00usd is pretty darn expensive. I knew the 1080 version was going to be pricey, and I may be naive here, but I was thinking maybe 1200 tops, if the 1060 version was 800. Are temps on the 1060 even available by any reviewers? I would be curious to see how this little toaster handles the 1060 with say a i7-7700 before even considering a 1080.

 

[Kmpkt]

I agree that is it a pretty tough value proposition, especially considering that Newegg is selling the 1060 version of this unit with a 154.99 G.skill RAM kit for 799.99 (645 USD equivalent). That being said, the 1080 in that volume is pretty amazing. I am thinking that I'll hold out in hopes of a similarly attractive bundle (RAM + M.2 perhaps) from sellers.

 

[QuantumBraced]

I hope they update this to Coffee Lake soon, otherwise the old platform only adds to its being a tough sell. But I think getting the GPU-less version and sourcing your own GPU will always be cheaper.

 

[Kmpkt]

I'm not sure there is a GPU-less version available though.

 

[whum]

I hope they update this to Coffee Lake soon, otherwise the old platform only adds to its being a tough sell. But I think getting the GPU-less version and sourcing your own GPU will always be cheaper.

I was thinking this too. These barebones are pricey but Asrock could really do something special here if they offered the MB by itself and let the SFF community go to town with them.

 

[QuantumBraced]

I thought they said they would offer a version with a 90W brick and no GPU for people who want to avail of all the M.2 slots and use it as a small NAS or something. Wouldn't be surprised if they changed those plans as I can't imagine too many people buying it for M.2 storage... There's gotta be some way to buy just the board though, like with Mini STX. If not at first, then later on. I imagine other board manufacturers will want to make their own if it's successful.

 

[The6A]

Was thinking about getting on of the 1080 versions that just dropped on Newegg. I noticed here that the 7700k 91W TDP is said to be supported? Everywhere else says 65w max (7700 non k)

https://www.asrock.com/nettop/intel/DeskMini GTXRX/#CPU

Can't seem to find what CPU cooler to use. What's the height clearance ? Could you use anything that would keep the 7700k cool?

Here goes the stupid nub question: any chance of water cooling the CPU and gPU to be able to crank them ?