Very close to perfection. Exactly what I wanted... missing two detais... Vesa mount and internal PSU. I will try to put this behind monitor on vesa. wish me luck
deil, an internal PSU on a computer this size is crazy talk, because it supports up to 95W CPUs. That much power just needs a PSU half the size of this computer itself. If they enlarged the chassis with space for it - you'd be stuck with a hard to replace, proprietary form factor PSU.
That's a fair assessment. Still, the custom PSU would increase costs and AsRock isn't exactly known for their high profit margins, so the extra cost is likely to be somewhat significant to the overall price tag. Can't say for sure until we get a price on these, though.
And twenty years later, USB A and B are STILL better connectors than USB C in almost every respect. Hell, so are the mini-USB connectors.
The age of the design isn't what matters. Sturdiness and reliability matter. Cost of implementation matters. Ease of use matters, and I grant it is a problem with USB A(somehow they figured out the B side needed a key, but forgot about the A side).
USB C is a fragile and complex(thus expensive) form-over-function design that makes me ashamed of what passes for electrical engineering these days. I'd rather have a bare pin header(HexBus!) than USB C. The USB C connector is almost as bad as SATA.
This doesn't compare favorably to HP Elitedesk 800 DM G4 which is practically of identical size, but includes USB 3.1 Gen2 ports, Intel NIC (for those who abhor Realtek), and can be configured with Thunderbolt (or just extra USB-C port) and VESA mount (including mount for the PSU).
The Hades Canyon NUC from Intel actually has 3x USB-C 3.1 gen2 ports (2 of which are also Thunderbolt 3 ports) and the whole system is smaller than this.
I made an account just so I can start commenting on these small PCs.
Please, please, please start putting dual intel nics in these. We literally will not buy any model if it lacks dual intel nics. Please, OEMs, grow a brain and start putting two intel gigabit nics in every small industrial / POS machine you make.
That would actually make sense and increase the options you have for the system. I'm glad that at least someone picked up where Lenovo left off with their "Tiny Desktop" line.
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DanNeely - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Is the 2x USB-C ports an industry first for a non-laptop form factor machine? I don't recall seeing it anywhere else before.shabby - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Definitely a first, it's a miracle!deil - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Very close to perfection. Exactly what I wanted... missing two detais... Vesa mount and internal PSU. I will try to put this behind monitor on vesa. wish me lucksandtitz - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
deil, an internal PSU on a computer this size is crazy talk, because it supports up to 95W CPUs. That much power just needs a PSU half the size of this computer itself.If they enlarged the chassis with space for it - you'd be stuck with a hard to replace, proprietary form factor PSU.
Samus - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
I hate to say it, at the risk of being categorized an Apple fan boi, but the Mac Mini does it, and the PSU's rarely, if ever fail.BurntMyBacon - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
That's a fair assessment. Still, the custom PSU would increase costs and AsRock isn't exactly known for their high profit margins, so the extra cost is likely to be somewhat significant to the overall price tag. Can't say for sure until we get a price on these, though.Devo2007 - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
Mac Mini also doesn't use a desktop processor.edzieba - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
There are a few motherboards with a Type-C on the rear panel plus a Type-C front panel header.HStewart - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
About time, USB A - is so late 90's in designed. Yes they increase to USB 2.0 in 2000 and USB 3.0 in 2008. But no real redesigned until USB-CLord of the Bored - Saturday, September 29, 2018 - link
And twenty years later, USB A and B are STILL better connectors than USB C in almost every respect. Hell, so are the mini-USB connectors.The age of the design isn't what matters. Sturdiness and reliability matter. Cost of implementation matters. Ease of use matters, and I grant it is a problem with USB A(somehow they figured out the B side needed a key, but forgot about the A side).
USB C is a fragile and complex(thus expensive) form-over-function design that makes me ashamed of what passes for electrical engineering these days. I'd rather have a bare pin header(HexBus!) than USB C. The USB C connector is almost as bad as SATA.
sandtitz - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
This doesn't compare favorably to HP Elitedesk 800 DM G4 which is practically of identical size, but includes USB 3.1 Gen2 ports, Intel NIC (for those who abhor Realtek), and can be configured with Thunderbolt (or just extra USB-C port) and VESA mount (including mount for the PSU).BurntMyBacon - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
Hopefully, the difference will be represented in pricing.Eidigean - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
The Hades Canyon NUC from Intel actually has 3x USB-C 3.1 gen2 ports (2 of which are also Thunderbolt 3 ports) and the whole system is smaller than this.https://www.anandtech.com/show/12572/the-intel-had...
Eidigean - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Correction: smaller in one dimension, though larger in the other two.221 x 142 x 39 mm (1.224 L)
vs.
178 x 178 x 34 mm (1.077 L)
Both are considered UCFF.
stanleyipkiss - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
No thunderbolt support? Even on the more expensive one?dualnics - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
I made an account just so I can start commenting on these small PCs.Please, please, please start putting dual intel nics in these. We literally will not buy any model if it lacks dual intel nics. Please, OEMs, grow a brain and start putting two intel gigabit nics in every small industrial / POS machine you make.
Ej24 - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
I have a thin mini-itx system with dual nics, it's the same size as this. I think gigabyte still offers thin mini-itx boards with dual nics.close - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
That would actually make sense and increase the options you have for the system. I'm glad that at least someone picked up where Lenovo left off with their "Tiny Desktop" line.BurntMyBacon - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
My name is BurntMyBacon and I support this message.CheapSushi - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Oh wow, if it would have had just one more ethernet port I think the homelab / home server crowd would have been all over it.BurntMyBacon - Friday, September 28, 2018 - link
Custom router and IDS/IPS crowd might also be interested.