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
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.
 
Last edited:

Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
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Sucked having to keep a lid on this. Now that it's out, what are the chances of getting an MXM to PCIe adapter for this unit? Also 3 M.2 2280 slots is nuts. Are they all PCIe 4x Ultra M.2 slots, or are some SATA only? Lastly, any chance we could get some pictures of the board and specs (dimensions of the motherboard would be awesome). Nice work again pushing SFF limits AsRock.
 

EdZ

Virtual Realist
May 11, 2015
1,578
2,107
Holey moley! A bit of a pain to find MXM modules, but that's a fantastic small machine! And even better news that ASRock will be selling the board barebones, along with MXM modules.
Will the only modules sold be the ones listed as compatible with the prebuilt system (RX480/470/460 & GTX1060), or will other modules be available (e.g. 1070, 1080)?
Is the limit of 120W MXM modules just down to the included PSU? i.e. if you were to use your own larger PSU you could put in a 1080 (or 980, etc) MXM module (if you can find one), or is it a limitation of the board to transfer power to the module?
 

ChainedHope

Airflow Optimizer
Jun 5, 2016
306
459
Is the limit of 120W MXM modules just down to the included PSU? i.e. if you were to use your own larger PSU you could put in a 1080 (or 980, etc) MXM module (if you can find one), or is it a limitation of the board to transfer power to the module?

Would like to know this as well.

On top of that, Any chance at an AM4 uSTX motherboard? I have yet to see anything leaked from CES that wasnt smaller than uATX, so I'm just curious.

(u = micro... for those who might get confused...)
 

ASRock System

Trash Compacter
Original poster
ASRock
Aug 29, 2016
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www.asrock.com
Hi All

Holey moley! A bit of a pain to find MXM modules, but that's a fantastic small machine! And even better news that ASRock will be selling the board barebones, along with MXM modules...

ASRrock provides 19V/220W adapter in default set, considering CPU TDP 65W (up to 80+W in burnung) and MXM Type B VGA around 120W. The total TDP will be over 200 Watts. So our specification will lock to GTX1060 or RX480. In addition, recently there are only one vendor's GTX1060 MXM be the traditional dimension as Type B. Others are proprietary form factor.

BUT! GTX1080 / GTX1070 MXM card has own power connector, so I believe that if you can get larger adapter then it should work.

Would like to know this as well.
On top of that, Any chance at an AM4 uSTX motherboard? I have yet to see anything leaked from CES that wasnt smaller than uATX, so I'm just curious.

This is a good question! It's under planning now, but we need to face to critical power demand from AMD CPU.
 
Last edited:

ChainedHope

Airflow Optimizer
Jun 5, 2016
306
459
Oh, that would be amazing. I'll have to seriously considering designing a case for this then.

I think your a little design crazy as of late lol, but that is definitely a good thing.

Hi All
This is a good question! ASRock is considering now, but we need to face to critical power demand from AMD CPU.

Even if it was locked to the AM4 APU skus or made it available with a 330w power supply for a bit extra, I think it would be a welcome addition. An APU based mSTX or uSTX would actually be quite decent for most people who want a SFF machine with a little more graphics power than an intel iGPU.
 

jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,780
Well, this is supposed to launch Q2 so I'll have both the eGPU dock and my low-profile ITX case done by then.
 

Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
3,382
5,935
Any chance there is an onboard power header on the motherboard for internal PSU or are we limited to using the 4 pin DIN?
 

EdZ

Virtual Realist
May 11, 2015
1,578
2,107
ASRrock provides 19V/220W adapter in default set, considering CPU TDP 65W (up to 80+W in burnung) and MXM Type B VGA around 120W. The total TDP will be over 200 Watts. So our specification will lock to GTX1060 or RX480. In addition, recently there are only one vendor's GTX1060 MXM be the traditional dimension as Type B. Others are proprietary form factor.

BUT! GTX1080 / GTX1070 MXM card has own power connector, so I believe that if you can get larger adapter then it should work.
Fantastic! I haven't actually been exited about a pre-built SFF system in years!
 

Kmpkt

Innovation through Miniaturization
KMPKT
Feb 1, 2016
3,382
5,935
I think this is actually a form factor that was developed alongside Intel as well. Hopefully what that means is we'll see continuing support for the form factor across generations rather than a one-off pre-build motherboard format.
 

BirdofPrey

Standards Guru
Sep 3, 2015
797
493
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
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.
That's EXACLTY what I have been waiting for since I heard about mSTX.

The ability to use a socketed processor always seemed like a more enthusiast oriented feature to me, and the people most interested in the form factor were, indeed enthusiasts, but without graphics horsepower, there's isn't much on offer that can't be fulfilled by any other, proprietary mini-PC barebones (and I personally think the way most companies put the RAM, drives and other user serviceable parts on the underside of the motherboard is also better than how mSTX does it), and, in fact, there are proprietary mini-PCs that have MXM modules in them already.

Are there any plans to sell motherboards and cases separately, or is it barebones only?