SFF.Network CES 2019: ASRock

Content created by Drew Duncan (@3lfk1ng )

I was looking forward to this one. ASRock has been a strong supporter of the SFF world for some time, let's see what they have on show at CES 2019!

Read more here.

 

[xcrco]

am4 stx deskmini! finally a capable really small decent e-sport gaming system, hopefully asrock delivers 1st quarter release! love the sff support!

 

[Samsquamptch]

Was the front of the DeskMini a300 plastic again?

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

That article says $119 and next month release: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/asrock-am4-motherboard-ryzen-amd,38391.html

 

[confusis]

Guess what I'm buying next month

 

[Blakfetha]

Any info on the Deskmini Z390? Thanks a lot for your coverage.

 

[confusis]

And info on the Deskmini Z390? Thanks a lot for your coverage.

I'm not at the show, I'm just ghostwriting on @3lfk1ng 's behalf. Hopefully he can answer or @ASRock System

 

[rfarmer]

I know there are a lot of people interested in an AMD STX form factor, this is good news.

 

[Blakfetha]

I'm not at the show, I'm just ghostwriting on @3lfk1ng 's behalf. Hopefully he can answer or @ASRock System

It's ok, I just wanna know when it will be available so that I can decide on whether I should wait for it or just get the z370 version, thank you for your help.

 

[Therandomness]

I'm buying that motherboard as soon as possible. And maybe an Athlon 200GE, it's enough for my needs The two M.2 NVMe slots are extremely useful
Wait... Does this mean that crossfire is now possible?

 

[Mortis Angelus]

Finally! I just hope it will support 65W tdp so one can use the 2400G

I also send my thanks indirectly to AsRock:

 

[ChainedHope]

Very nice. $119 is definitely a steal.

 

[Mortis Angelus]

Very nice. $119 is definitely a steal.

Don't tell them that.

 

[Boil]

Very nice. $119 is definitely a steal.

160 bucks for a Ryzen 5 2400G APU...
150 bucks for 16GB of DDR4-2933 CAS 17 RAM (2 @ 8GB SO-DIMMs)...
80 bucks for a 250GB M.2 NVMe SSD...
Probably 30 bucks for the ASRock CPU cooler...?

Figure some taxes & shipping, one could put together a pretty nice system for less than 600 bucks...

And the fact that you can have two M.2 NVMe SSDs in RAID, and two 2.5" SATA III SSDs also in RAID, pretty nifty...

I think I would run a mirrored boot/system array & a striped games/media array...

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Wouldn't it be better to get RAM with the lowest possible CAS since OC' is not possible ?

3200MHz CAS14 are not cheap, but that would be my goto for an APU (just have to clarify the max RAM frequency on that Deskmini).

 

[Boil]

Wouldn't it be better to get RAM with the lowest possible CAS since OC' is not possible ?

3200MHz CAS14 are not cheap, but that would be my goto for an APU (just have to clarify the max RAM frequency on that Deskmini).

The Deskmini A300 uses SO-DIMMs, good luck finding DDR4-3200 CAS 14 SO-DIMMs...

The RAM I listed is the fastest DDR4-2933 RAM on Newegg, and it is unclear if 2933 is the fastest RAM the A300M-STX will recognize (and THEN you can OC the RAM to 3200). or if one can just go straight to DDR4-3200 RAM...

I say unclear because the ASRock website for the Deskmini A300 states that 2933 is the fastest RAM one could use with the Raven Ridge APUs, but then has graphics touting being able to OC the RAM to 3200+...

If DDR4-3200 can be used from the get-go, then you are looking at CAS 16 for a 16GB kit & CAS 18 for a 32GB kit (keep in mind this is all just pulled from Newegg US)...

Samsung has their 32GB DDR4-2666 SO-DIMMs out there, probably what the Mac mini is using...

The Ryzen 5 2400G lists 64GB as the maximum supported amount of memory, but the A300M-STX states that it can run 32GB maximum...

I would love, Love, LOVE to see Samsung make some nice B-die DDR4-3200 CAS 14 SO-DIMMs in a 32GB capacity, so we can throw 64GB of RAM into the Deskmini A300...!

 

[Boil]

Probably 30 bucks for the ASRock CPU cooler...?

Upon further contemplation of the ASRock CPU cooler designed for the Deskmini A300, I would have to pass on it...

It is because of that silly fastening mechanism, I just do not like that 'flip fastener'...

Until I move the A300M-STX motherboard to a custom chassis (with the PSU internal to the chassis, as proper SFF should be), it will be the Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 CPU cooler for me...!

 

[Boil]

Is this possibly the A300 chipset...?

 

[Therandomness]

Is this possibly the A300 chipset...?

Spoiler

It's too small and chipsets are almost always custom pieces of silicone on packages or whatever words are used. What you've circled is most likely just some chip for supporting circuitry.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Is this possibly the A300 chipset...?

Nope, this is a Nuovoton chip.