ASRock Tiny Titans: Next-Generation DeskMini PCs Deliver Desktop Performance (and Your Preferred CPU)
ASRock's DeskMini series has been a longtime favorite with builders who crave just that. These aren't your average mini PCs cobbled together with mobile CPUs. Nope, the DeskMini series lets you bring your own full-size desktop CPU to the dance, all stuffed into a ridiculously small 1.92-liter body – that's just 6.1 inches square and about 3 inches high.
Just in time for the upcoming Computex show, ASRock gives us our first glimpse of two new additions to this mighty mini family: Intel-driven DeskMini B860 and the AMD-based DeskMini X600/USB4.
Meet the DeskMini X600/USB4: A Timeless Companion with a Twist
Let's take the AMD option first. If "DeskMini X600/USB4" sounds too descriptive, you're right. It's more like an upgrade of the previous year's hit DeskMini X600. So, what's new here. ASRock has substituted the outdated D-Sub/VGA port for a newer and more versatile USB4 port. A slick upgrade for connectivity needs in today's world.
Other than that, it still retains the things that made the X600 a hit:
- It features an AMD M5 socket, looking forward to welcoming AMD Ryzen desktop processors up to 65-watt TDP.
- You get two SODIMM slots, supporting a whopping 96GB of DDR5 memory.
- There's plenty of storage space in the form of two SATA ports and two M.2 2280 slots – one blisteringly-fast PCIe Gen 5 and one even-faster PCIe Gen 4.
The DeskMini B860: Intel's newest in a compact form
Over on the Intel side of the aisle, we have the DeskMini B860. This one looks to continue the line of the earlier DeskMini B760.
While ASRock is withholding some details until Computex, they've provided us with some teasers about what to anticipate:
- It's to utilize Intel Core Ultra processors – bringing Intel's latest architecture to this small form factor.
- Thunderbolt 4 support is offered, with high-speed data transfer and display support.
- You'll have the ability to support up to four displays, perfect for productivity monsters.
- It includes CSODIMM memory support. This new type of SODIMM includes a clock driver chip, something ASRock asserts should provide improved performance and stability in certain scenarios.
Both of these new DeskMini PCs continue the ASRock legacy of delivering incredible flexibility and power in an incredibly small package. If you're thinking about putting together a powerful but small desktop, keep watching for more as Computex rolls on.
