Time for new DeskMini models, H470 (Intel 10th-gen) and X300 (Renoir!). New front design.

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
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Trying to decide, if I want to go through with a DeskMini upgrade / conversion. I do so love my gaming rigs, even though I don't really game much anymore (do a little mining on the side, and some DC occasionally), but I have some original DeskMini units, and they are fairly sweet little boxes. Desktop CPUs (65W and under), so they have the performance compared to laptop-ish CPUs in things like NUCs and BRIX units.

My dilemma is between the two newest DeskMini units. (They can be seen at ASRock's web site). Neither of them are out at Newegg yet, but I assume that they will be there in Sept.

The Intel one has four rear USB3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and a DisplayPort/USB-C combo port, as well as traditional DisplayPort and HDMI (still 1.4, due to CPU iGPU on 10th-gen, you've got to be kidding me!), and VGA. Along with Wifi, which can either be the Intel 3168 AC 1x1 wifi that's been included in every DeskMini since inception, or the AX200 wifi, optionally, I guess, which is Wifi 6 / AX.

I really want the four USB3.0 ports on the back on the new H470 unit, but ... the fact that the HDMI can only do 4K30 at most, is a bit of a deal-breaker to me. With my original DeskMini units (with Kaby Lake, 7th-gen), I had to use some Club3D Active DisplayPort-to-HDMI2.0 adapters, to get them to work with my 4K UHD TV @ 4K 60Hz.

I don't really want to deal with extra dongles with the Intel. Interestingly, though, I have some (passive, AFAIK), DisplayPort to HDMI cables, which may do 4K60, I'm not sure, when connected to my 4K UHD TV. (Will have to test.)

The AMD X300 unit, appears, chassis-wise, to be identical to the old-school DeskMini units, but has HDMI 2.0a/b and DP and VGA, and one USB2.0 and one USB3.0 on rear, along with Intel 3168 AC 1x1 wifi. However, it will support Renoir (8C/16T goodness, plus decent gaming-capable iGPU), and TWO M.2 NVMe SSDs (but I think that you have to remove the mobo to get underneath it to use the second one, much like the second SATA 2.5" bay.)

Which to choose... so difficult.



 

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
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ASUS PN50-BBR030MD Black Mini / Booksize Barebone System
  • AMD Renoir FP6 Platform Processor, R3-4300U
  • AMD Radeon Graphics
  • 2 x 260Pin SO-DIMM DDR4 3200
 

VirtualLarry

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They had the 4700U and 4800U models listed, from third-parties, but they were sold out.

Love to get a 4800U on the desktop, sounds like fun.
 

JWade

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Oct 9, 1999
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i finally got an a300w with the 3000g in it, like it ALOT! it is far smaller than i thought it would be, which i like a lot. been using it now for a couple weeks now and cant find anything i dont like about it.
 

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
56,343
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i finally got an a300w with the 3000g in it, like it ALOT! it is far smaller than i thought it would be, which i like a lot. been using it now for a couple weeks now and cant find anything i dont like about it.
That's how I felt when I got my first Skylake DeskMini.

IMHO, it's really a shame that these AM4 DeskMini units aren't more well-known or popular.