Montech’s Air 100 offers a tidy Micro-ATX package with lots of RGB, but it could use a bit more refinement.
For
+ Great Looks
+ Compact Size
+ Includes 4 A-RGB Fans
+ Affordable
Against
– A few unsightly details
– No PWM support
– No intake air filtration
– Tight cable management space
Features and Specifications
Montech is a newcomer to the US PC parts market, having recently asked us to take a look at its new Air 100 ARGB chassis. While its design is fairly standard, and its Micro-ATX size means its appeal is limited, when we heard about the price, we were happy to heft this compact tower onto our test bench.
The Air 100 chassis comes in Lite and ARGB variants, with the latter on deck today carrying a price tag of $70 for the black version. Going white will cost about $5 to $10 extra, and cutting the RGB drops the base price down to about $52.
Without further ado, lets find out if this surprisingly affordable chasis deserves a spot on our Best PC Cases list.
Touring around the outside of the chassis, it’s clear that this is a case with very simple, straightforward design language, and I quite like it. There’s no fuffing about with extravagant shapes, just clean and simple, with three intake fans as the most aggressive design feature – but they look quite good.
Around the top of the case you’ll find the exhaust for the top fans or radiators, along with the IO. The exhaust isn’t recessed for a sleek finish once fans are installed, and although a filter is included to place over it, this top area doesn’t look particularly refined.
IO is very complete though, with two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, dedicated microphone and headphone jacks, and power and reset switches – though the reset switch is wired to the RGB controller from the factory to control the lighting. I’ve been hard on cases for doing that before, but because it’s not actually marked as a reset switch on the outside of the chassis here, I see no reason why that would be a problem with this case.
The case’s panels all come off quite easily – the glass panel has a handle to easily swivel it out, after which you can lift it off its hinge, and the front panel is held in with magnets, so it comes off with just a light tug — a bit too light though, the magnets aren’t very strong.
The panel on the right side of the chassis comes off by removing two thumbscrews, though they don’t stay fixed to the panel like many other cases do.
In the main compartment of the chassis, you’ll find room for up to Micro-ATX motherboards and GPUs up to 12.9 inches (330mm) long. Other than that, there’s not much going on here that’s worth mentioning, though I do appreciate the rubber cable grommets for keeping things tidy.
Along the rear side of the chassis we spot room for the ATX power supply, a single 3.5-inch hard drive and two 2.5 inch SSDs, though you can secure another drive to the top of the drive cage.
At this point we haven’t reached testing yet, but cooling should be one of the Air 100’s strengths – it comes with four 120mm RGB fans, has room for CPU coolers up to up to 6.3 inches (161mm) tall, and can fit up to a 240mm radiator at the top or a 360mm unit at the front (the spec sheet lists a 280mm max, I don’t see why a 360mm radiator wouldn’t fit), albeit at the sacrifice of some GPU space. The fans come with a 1x 3-pin to 4x 3-pin splitter so that you can connect all fans up to a single header.
I would like to thank Silverstone for supplying the review sample.
SilverStone has a pretty diverse range of FARA cases, with the B1 Pro variant we are reviewing today offering a semi-translucent, solid front and small air vents along with four ARGB fans. Otherwise, it is meant to be a mainstream chassis with just a black version available, but you may opt for the non-Pro version, which is cheaper as it lacks ARGB fans. Besides the B1, there are also the V1 M for mATX boards or the R1 with a mesh front, for example.
Specifications
SilverStone FARA B1 PRO
Case Type:
Mid-Tower
Material:
Steel, plastic, and tempered glass
Weight:
5.75 kg
Slots:
7
Drive Bays:
1x Internal 3.5″ 4x Internal 2.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX
Dimensions:
207 mm (W) x 446 mm (H) x 401 mm (D), 37 Liters
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (3x 120 mm ARGB fans pre-installed)
Popular memory maker G.Skill just announced its first PC case ever, the Z5i, a mini-ITX enclosure that features dual tempered glass side panels and a vertical form factor, with enough room to fit a triple slot RTX 3090. So, not-so-mini-ITX I guess.
G.Skill’s first go at building an ITX chassis looks very competitive against other rivals in the market. The layout of the case is both conventional and rather unique. The chassis functions on a dual-chamber design, with one chamber dedicated to the mini-ITX motherboard and SFX PSU, and the other is completely dedicated to a discrete graphics card.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: G.Skill)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: G.Skill)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: G.Skill)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: G.Skill)
On both sides of the case, you have angled tempered glass side panels that are 4mm thick. They swing out like doors when opened and can easily be taken off their hinges by pulling them upward. The rest of the case is made out of a single piece of brushed aluminum. The front I/O is made up of dual USB 3.0 ports and a single 3.1 Type-C port.
For cooling, there are two 140mm intake mounts for dual 140mm fans or a single 280mm radiator, depending on your configuration. Again, not so mini-ITX in practice, but it’s a nice option for people that want a powerful PC in the most compact form factor possible. The intake is aluminum but features a lot of triangle-like holes, so airflow shouldn’t be a problem. At the top is a full mesh opening, allowing hot air to escape.
For storage, the Z5i has three 2.5-inch slots for SSDs or smaller HDDs. The first two are located directly behind the intake fans and sit in between the two chambers, the final one is located inside the graphics card chamber.
The case also includes a G.Skill logo with RGB lighting, as well as an RGB light bar that bounces light off your desk. All told, it’s an attractive looking take on a large ITX case.
Pricing and availability are unknown at this time, but we’ll see about reviewing one when they become available.
I would like to thank Lamptron for supplying the sample.
Lamptron has been around since the early 2000s and is well known for its slew of fan controllers. In recent years, with the disappearance of external 5.25″ slots, Lamptron has started to expand the line-up to internal components for both fan and RGB control, as well as several LCD monitors and RGB accessories. In this article, we will take a quick look at the Lamptron ATX201 RGB Frame, which, as the name implies, is a unique RGB lighting element to give your motherboard that extra visual appeal. Lamptron also offers mATX and ITX variants.
Packaging and A Closer Look
The ATX201 frame comes packaged in a brown cardboard box with a sticker of the frame in action on front, so you know exactly what you are receiving.
The frame itself is as simple as can be. In essence, it is a translucent plastic frame with a black cover on one side. There are cutouts around where the motherboard standoffs for an ATX form factor would be, and a 5 V 3-pin RGB cable comes out of the corner for you to connect to your controller or straight to your motherboard.
The connector is completely traditional, so you should run into no problems when interfacing it with any modern header on a board or generic controller. If you look closely at the translucent side of the frame, you can see the LEDs on a strip that essentially wraps all the way around inside the frame. The black layer is then glued on to keep everything in place.
Frame in Use
Installing the Lamptron ATX201, if you can call even call it an installation, simply means placing the frame into the case before installing your motherboard. As you can see in the first picture, the ATX201 aligns nicely with the mounts. Once we dug up an open-frame case, we were also able to take a shot of the frame sandwiched between the chassis and the motherboard.
We connected the frame to the MSI Z390 and Zalman Z3 Iceberg’s generic 5 V RGB controller, which was in turn plugged straight into the motherboard. Using the MSI Dragon Center software, the board’s dim backlight was turned off to showcase the ATX201 as an add-on for those with a board without that feature in the first place. While I am not a fan of RGB, the indirect lighting is actually pretty nifty in my opinion. As you can see, the frame emits quite the potent glow all around the motherboard, with nicely diffused illumination—all while syncing up with the rest of the components just fine.
To showcase some basic colors, we went through the RGB set—red, green and blue. Naturally, you have a lot of creative freedom when utilizing software, and the MSI Mystic Light app offers a variety of animations and multi-color settings as well, all of which comes across very nicely on the Lamptron ATX201.
We also shot a quick 10 second video of a full-on RGB animation to give you a real-world sense of what to expect.
Conclusion
The Lamptron ATX201 is a really simple, yet pretty darn nifty RGB add-on to your system. It adds lighting to an area in your system you will have a hard time illuminating otherwise; that is, unless your motherboard already has rear-mounted LEDs. For those who do not have that luxury, the ATX201 is a potent and super simple element that just works and does so extremely well.
That is it. There really is not much else to be said about a product that is made out of a plastic frame and an embedded LED strip. All the ingenuity is in the shape of the frame itself and, thus, its placement. Quite honestly, I am fine with that since it is, in turn, affordable, and the end result is pretty stunning.
From a pricing perspective, things are currently not very clear. Lamptron mentioned an MSRP of $39, which seems quite high for a product that utilizes such a simple list of materials. We suggested a $20–$25 price tag, so hopefully, it will be more affordable once it hits retail.
I would like to thank ssupd for supplying the review sample.
ssupd is a sister brand of Lian Li, and their first case, which we get to review here, is the Meshlicious. ssupd stands for “sunny side updesign” because “nothing beats the feeling of cooking the perfect sunny side up egg and the warm feeling and satisfaction you feel after eating it. We hope building PCs will bring the same warm feeling”.
This case doesn’t hide its core functional design aspiration as it comes with fine mesh panels on all but a side, which allows for a compact ITX case with excellent cooling potential while still offering as much dust filtration as possible. You may pick from either white or black, and ssupd also offers the black variant in a bundle with a PCIe 4.0 riser cable.
Specifications
ssupd Meshlicious
Case Type:
SFF ITX Chassis
Material:
Steel, fine mesh and tempered glass
Weight:
N/A
Slots:
3 (up to 4 wide)
Drive Bays:
3x 2.5″ SSD (2x with full-ATX PSU) 2x 3.5″ HDD or 4x 2.5″ SSD (with Small Form Factor GPU)
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX
Dimensions:
245 mm x 166.4 mm x 360 mm, 14.67 L
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
2x 120 or 2x 140 mm (1x 120 mm fan pre-installed)
Rear Fans:
N/A
Top Fans:
N/A
Bottom Fans:
N/A
Side Fans:
N/A
Front Radiator:
up to 280 mm
Rear Radiator:
N/A
Top Radiator:
N/A
Bottom Radiator:
N/A
Side Radiator:
N/A
I/O:
1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C 1x USB 3.0
Fan/LED Controller:
N/A
Compatibility:
CPU Cooler: Up to 73 mm height with 3-slot GPU / 53 mm height with 4-slot GPU Full length GPU: Up to 334 mm length & 155 mm tall Small Form Factor GPU : Up to 211 mm length PSU: 170 mm SFX, SFX-L or ATX PSU (with front fans) / Up to 160 mm ATX PSU (with traditional AIO position)
In a world where the vast majority of all-in-one and small form-factor PCs rely on proprietary motherboards, the Thin Mini-ITX form-factor is not particularly widespread, making it difficult for PC shops and DIY enthusiasts to build AIO and SFF computers. However, Thin-Mini-ITX motherboards are not going the way of the dodo, and ASRock’s recently announced AM4 X300TM-ITX is a good example of continued interest in the platform.
The ASRock X300TM-ITX platform combines compatibility with AMD’s Ryzen APUs (up to Zen 2-based Ryzen 4000-series) with an expansive feature set, including a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C connector, a COM port, and an LVDS header, all of which are rather exotic for what are typically inexpensive Thin Mini-ITX motherboards.
Furthermore, the COM port and LVDS header make this platform useful for commercial systems that actually need these types of connectivity. ASRock doesn’t officially position the motherboard for business or commercial PCs, but it does support AMD Ryzen Pro APUs, so you can certainly use it to build a PC with Pro-class features.
As the name suggests, ASRock’s X300TM-ITX motherboard is based on a rather dated AMD X300 chipset that was originally designed for entry-level systems aimed at overlockers, but it still supports the vast majority of AMD’s APUs with an (up to) 65W TDP (except the upcoming Ryzen 5000-series processors). The board also supports up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 memory across two SO-DIMM memory modules, an M.2-2280 slot for SSDs with a PCIe 3.0x or a SATA interface, and one SATA connector.
(Image credit: ASRock)
ASRock aims the X300TM-ITX motherboard at thin entry-level systems that don’t typically use discrete graphics cards, so it doesn’t have a PCIe x16 slot for an add-in card. Instead, the platform uses AMD’s integrated Radeon Vega GPUs. Meanwhile, the LVDS header supports resolutions of up to 1920×1080 at 60Hz, whereas the HDMI 2.1 connector supports HDCP 2.3. There is no word about DisplayPort support over the USB Type-C connector, and you should be aware that HDMI-to-DisplayPort adapters may not work with all displays.
ASRock’s X300TM-ITX has an M.2-2230 slot for a Wi-Fi card along with a GbE port. It also has USB Type-A connectors as well as a 3.5-mm audio input and output.
The platform is already mentioned on the manufacturer’s website, so it should be available for purchase soon. Unfortunately, ASRock didn’t touch on pricing in its press release.
After almost a decade of total market dominance, Intel has spent the past few years on the defensive. AMD’s Ryzen processors continue to show improvement year over year, with the most recent Ryzen 5000 series taking the crown of best gaming processor: Intel’s last bastion of superiority.
Now, with a booming hardware market, Intel is preparing to make up some of that lost ground with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors. Intel is claiming these new 11th Gen CPUs offer double-digit IPC improvements despite remaining on a 14 nm process. The top-end 8-core Intel Core i9-11900K may not be able to compete against its Ryzen 9 5900X AMD rival in heavily multi-threaded scenarios, but the higher clock speeds and alleged IPC improvements could be enough to take back the gaming crown. Along with the new CPUs, there is a new chipset to match, the Intel Z590. Last year’s Z490 chipset motherboards are also compatible with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors, but Z590 introduces some key advantages.
First, Z590 offers native PCIe 4.0 support from the CPU, which means the PCIe and M.2 slots powered off the CPU will offer PCIe 4.0 connectivity when an 11th Gen CPU is installed. The PCIe and M.2 slots controlled by the Z590 chipset are still PCI 3.0. While many high-end Z490 motherboards advertised this capability, it was not a standard feature for the platform. In addition to PCIe 4.0 support, Z590 offers USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 from the chipset. The USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 standard offers speeds of up to 20 Gb/s. Finally, Z590 boasts native support for 3200 MHz DDR4 memory. With these upgrades, Intel’s Z series platform has feature parity with AMD’s B550. On paper, Intel is catching up to AMD, but only testing will tell if these new Z590 motherboards are up to the challenge.
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-I Gaming WiFi is a compact power house featuring a robust 10-phase VRM with top of the line power stages and a substantial VRM cooling solution. BIOS flashback has also been included, as well as ASUS’s excellent BIOS designed to provide an optimal, stress-free overclocking experience. The ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-I Gaming WiFi also offers great connectivity with WiFi 6, 2.5 Gb/s Ethernet, and Thunderbolt 4. All of this performance is packed into an ITX form factor with some clever engineering to make it all fit.
Let’s take a closer look at what the ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-I Gaming WiFi has to offer.
1x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB Type-C® port 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C® port 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port 4x USB 2.0 ports 1x HDMI™ port 1x ASUS Wi-Fi module 1x Intel® I225-V 2.5 Gb Ethernet 3x Gold-plated audio jacks 1x BIOS FlashBack™ button
After putting the Mirror Maze system together last fall, I needed a break from all the work that goes into a high-end custom build. Plus, I had plenty of PC cases to review. So when Singularity Computers reached asking if we were interested in checking out its Spectre III chassis, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. But the more I thought about the case, the more I envisioned just what a system in this stunning case could look like, and the itch to build just wouldn’t go away. So I agreed to take on the case, started getting together a list of other parts I’d need and, well, here we are.
I’ve been planning ‘Blue Shift’ for the last few months, and in contrast to what we would usually do, this build doesn’t use the latest next-gen hardware. I don’t have a Ryzen 5000 CPU or an RTX 3000 GPU, and I’d rather the limited stock of those parts go to one of our readers. With everything going under waterblocks in this build anyway, does it really matter if the silicon is hiding underneath is the absolute latest and greatest?
Because this is a more fun (and far more complex) build than we typically do for case reviews, I’ll slow the pace down and look at each step in detail. I’m also leaving the full parts list till the end, because it’s last-generation hardware, and regardless, this build is all about cooling and aesthetics. So without further ado, lets dig in.
Most cases cost about $100, stepping up to $200 if you’re shopping premium, and $300 if you’re shopping for a premium ITX case. But Singularity Computers’ Spectre III is a jaw-dropping $1400.
That’s expensive. Really expensive. But the Spectre III is also unlike most other cases out there. For one, it’s designed solely for custom liquid cooling. And instead of being a sealed box for your parts, it’s an open chassis meant to show off your hardware as attractively as possible. Featuring CNC-machined, anodized aluminum and an absolutely massive acrylic reservoir/distribution plate, this case really is unlike anything else that’s out there.
The case also comes flat packed. For details on what that looks like and how to assemble the chassis, check out our Assembling Singularity Computers’ Spectre III feature.
Theme Reveal
If you haven’t guessed already from the build’s name (Blue Shift), the central color theme for this build is going to be blue. Red is a color that I feel is overused in gaming product design. I could have chosen green, but settled on blue as a classic choice with oddly calming qualities.
Of course, I could have chosen any number of other colors, or gone with opaque or exotic cooling fluids, but out of respect for the Spectre III’s absolutely stunning, material-focused design I decided to dial the unconventional styling of the Mirror Maze build back and go for a more classic and timeless theme. Because of this, I’ll be sticking to EKWB’s Nickel-plated Torque fittings, paired with transparent blue fluid – a classic color combination that you simply cannot go wrong with.
Yep, you read that right. We have to prepare the CPU block. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with EKWB’s Magnitude CPU block, but in service of the Blue Shift theme. So, I popped off the top of the block so that I could swap the accent plate from the pre-installed silver color, to blue.
This plate sits below the acrylic cover, which makes it perhaps a bit scary to replace as it requires not only breaking the factory-tested seal of the CPU block’s internal gasket, but also re-tightening the acrylic afterwards. Acrylic can crack easily, so I was careful not to overtighten the block’s top upon re-installation. But you shouldn’t be getting into custom watercooling with this amount of acrylic if you’re aren’t prepared to take things slow and steady.
I already had the 12-Core AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, 32GB of Corsair memory, and two 1 TB Samsung SSDs installed onto the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Formula motherboard, but I had two other things I still needed to do here: install the CPU block and disconnect the chipset fan.
You see, as this is an open system, I wanted it to be as quiet as possible. The chipset fan, which sadly shows up on nearly all AMD X570 motherboards, generally isn’t very loud compared to most systems, but I found that in the Mirror Maze system, it was the loudest component, and that was in a closed chassis. So naturally, I did the only sensible thing: tear the board apart so that I could disconnect it. Whether this is wise with regards to thermals remains to be seen, but I’ll be sure to touch on that again in the testing section later on.
Meanwhile, while I had the motherboard’s shroud off anyway, I also routed the EKWB Magnitude CPU block’s D-RGB cable underneath it for a tidier end result.
Dropping the motherboard into the Spectre III case was simple. First, I had to install the standoffs. The holes for these are pre-threaded in the acrylic, so I had no fear of having to work these in. Then, I placed the case on its back, laid the motherboard in place, and fastened it with the required screws. I also connected up the GPU riser cable.
Installation of the GPU was a breeze too. It simply slotted right into the GPU riser I had installed earlier and fastened with a spacer and two screws on the IO bracket. I already had the waterblock installed on the GPU from the last build, but if you’re curious how to go about that, check out our how to install a GPU waterblock feature using this specific card.
I then proceeded to install the radiators. First, I installed the Noctua NF-A12 Chromax.Black.Swap fans onto them, using four black anti-vibration grommets per fan. I made sure to pay careful attention to where I wanted to route my cables: behind the radiators.
Then, I dropped the radiators into place. For the front radiator, I aligned its height to have its ports match the height of the ports on the distribution plate so that I could easily achieve clean tubing runs here later. The top radiator I simply placed in the middle, where I liked it most aesthetically, though I did have to move this later in the build to line up with ports.
Of course, at this point I also had to tidy up the cables for the fans. Luckily, the Spectre III comes with a neat little fan and RGB hub, which has D-RGB and PWM fan inputs, with outputs for six PWM fans and three D-RGB devices. I connected up all six fans here, along with the three RGB strips of the Spectre III.
Then, I shoved all the cables neatly behind the radiators, using zip ties where necessary to keep things in place and looking tidy. These zip ties can be fixed in place using the long screws the fans use to attach to the radiator.
For power, I went with the new be quiet! Dark Power 12 power supply. On-hand we have a 750W unit, which isn’t overly powerful, but it’s perfectly enough for powering our Ryzen 9 3900X and RTX 2080 Super, along with the six fans and RGB devices in our system.
Because I’m planning on using an external power supply when filling time comes, I’m happy to get all the cables installed at this stage already. So, I removed the cover on the rear and got to work.
First, I test-fit the cable combs to ensure I was using the correct ones. They come with an adhesive backing, which I removed to stick them in place. Then, I proceeded to install the custom Cablemod ModFlex cables with Pro aluminum combs, which was an oddly meditative task. It was time-consuming, but with a beautiful end result.
That said, although I’m pleased with the end result, in hindsight I would get cables with more combs. For this set of Cablemod cables, I got three aluminum combs on the 24-pin ATX cable, two on the EPS cable, and five on the PCIe power cable. I’d bump those numbers up by one more just so you can chuck a comb at the bottom of the cable, after the Spectre III’s cable management system near the power supply, as it’s quite a messy view going into there, and one comb on each cable could do wonders to tidy it up without making a lot more work of it.
I also connected up the D-RGB cables of the CPU and GPU blocks using an EKWB D-RGB splitter, connecting it to the bottom D-RGB header of the motherboard. I also hooked up the power button, power LED, and water pump headers at the bottom of the motherboard. The case does not have any front IO, so there was none of that to worry about.
At this point, the system was looking great, and I decided to call it a day. Building the custom loop would have to wait for the next day. But for you, that’s just a click away to the next page.
For those looking for the best motherboard for a compact Rocket Lake build, we’ll be diving deep here to examine and test three Mini-ITX motherboards based on Intel’s latest mainstream chipset, Z590. We’ll take a close look at the ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB4 (~$350), Asus ROG Strix Z590-I Gaming WiFi ($369.99), and the Gigabyte Z590I Aorus Ultra ($321.49). We couldn’t get our hands on the MSI Z590I Unify Gaming ($369.99) in time for this article, but we expect that board to arrive in the coming weeks and post a review when we can.
When you’re shopping for a Mini-ITX motherboard (see more on motherboard form factors here), chances are the case you use is going to be compact as well. This means limited CPU cooling options and, due to the size of the board, fewer Memory and PCIe slots and M.2 sockets. That said, these tiny builds can be portable powerhouses when done right. But you need to have solid power delivery and cooling and pick the right ITX board for your needs, as using an add-in card (beyond the GPU) to supplement any missing ports isn’t possible. We’ll take a detailed look at the three boards we have and see which is the best option overall.
In our testing, all boards performed well, easily mixing in with our other test results, including full-size and more-expensive options. Out of the box, the ASRock board is the most hamstrung by Intel’s power limits, while the other boards tend to run a bit more free in comparison. But all you need to do to get the ASRock up to par with the other boards is to raise its power limits. The performance difference was negligible outside of the long-running tests, where the turbo time/limits come into play. Gaming performance was similar among all the boards, as was memory bandwidth and latency testing. Outside of a couple of outliers, all boards performed similarly, especially when the playing field was leveled by removing the stock limits.
All three of our Mini-ITX boards include two DRAM slots, a single PCIe slot, two M.2 sockets, 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi. The difference between these boards boils down to appearance, Wi-Fi speeds, audio codec, SATA port count, power delivery capability, rear IO port type/count and price. We’ll dig into the features and other details on each board below, starting with the ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB4. Below are the specifications from ASRock.
Along with the motherboard, the ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB4 box includes a slim collection of accessories, though there’s enough to get you started. Below is a complete list of all included extras.
Support CD / Quick installation Guide
Wi-Fi Antenna
(2) SATA cables
(2) Screw package for M.2 sockets
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
After we took this little guy out of the box, we see a densely packed Mini-ITX board that comes with almost all of the features typically found on a full-size motherboard. The ITX/TB4 sports a matte-black PCB, along with a heatpipe-connected heatsink for the VRM. You can spot the Phantom Gaming theme easily, with branding located above vent holes on the rear IO as well as the chipset/M.2 heatsink, just above the PCIe slot. On the RGB LED front, the Z590 PG-ITX/TB4 has three LEDs on the underside of the board, behind the PCIe slot. ASRock’s Polychrome Sync application controls the lighting. Overall, I like the board’s appearance. It’s is improved over the last generation and won’t have any issues fitting in with most build themes.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Typically when discussing motherboards, they’re split into the top half and bottom half. But since these boards are so small, we’ll work in a clockwise motion starting on the left with the IO cover. Here we see the metal cover hiding all of the rear IO bits, as well as a small fan designed to dissipate heat. The top and the rear IO plate have holes in them to circulate the air from the fan.
Across the top of the motherboard is the 8-pin EPS connector (required) to power the CPU. Just to the right is a 3-pin ARGB header and three 4-pin fan headers. The CPU and Chassis fan headers support 1A/12W, while the CPU_Opt/Water pump connector doubles that to 2A/24W. ASRock states the CPU_OPT/W_Pump header auto-detects if a 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use. I would like to see all of the fan/pump headers auto-detect what’s attached.
Moving past the VRMs to the right side of the board, there are several headers, ports and slots. Starting with the two unreinforced DRAM slots, support is listed to 64GB with speeds up to 4266+(OC). Surprisingly this is lower than many ATX size boards (typically, these smaller boards offer better RAM clocking capabilities) and lower than the other two boards in this roundup. That said, the ASRock board ran our DDR4 4000 sticks with minimal adjustments (that same VccIO Memory +0.10 for the ASRock board we looked at previously), so for the majority of users, the limit (on paper) won’t be an issue.
On the right edge, from top to bottom, is the 24-pin ATX connector for board power, front panel header and 4-pin RGB header, USB 3.2 Gen 1 header, three SATA ports (supports RAID0, 1, 5 and 10), and a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C header. Above the 24-pin ATX are the debug LEDs that tell you where the board got hung up in the POST process. Since there isn’t any room for the 2-character LED that provides you more detailed information, this is a good value-add for troubleshooting.
On the bottom of the board is the single reinforced (ASRock Steel Slot) PCIe slot with extra anchors, a better latch, and signal stability improvements (according to the company). The slot runs the full PCIe 4.0 x16 bandwidth when using an 11th generation CPU. Located above the slot is a USB 2.0 header and the front-panel audio header.
The bottom-left corner holds the audio bits. Visible are a couple of audio capacitors (in yellow) while the Realtek ALC1220 hides the IO cover. While this is a premium audio chip, it’s last generation’s flagship; I would like to have seen the newest codec used as we see on the Asus. That said, this solution will still be sufficient for most users.
Just above this slot is a dual-purpose heatsink designed to keep the southbridge chip and an M.2 module cool. Simply unscrew the two visible screws and it exposes the PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) M.2 socket. The second M.2 socket sits on the back of the board, supports both PCIe and SATA-based modules, and does not have a heatsink on it. Both sockets support 80mm drives. The M.2 sockets support RAID0 and 1. The manual doesn’t list any lane sharing, which makes sense considering the three SATA ports here, when the chipset provides six natively.
(Image credit: ASRock)
ASRock chose an 8-phase configuration for Vcore on this little board. You won’t find any VRM doublers as in this direct setup. Power flows from the 8-pin EPS to a Renesas ISL69269 12-channel (X+Y+Z=12) controller, then on to the 90A ISL99390 Smart Power Stages. The 720A available for the CPU is enough for stock operation and even overclocking our Core i9-11900K processor (with ambient cooling).
Typically we list all of the buttons and headers along the bottom of the board, but due to the Mini-ITX design, we covered this already during the motherboard tour above.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Taking a look at the integrated rear IO plate, we see it sports the same styling found on the Z490 version: primarily a grey-and-black background with some red highlights matching the Phantom Gaming theme. From left to right are the DisplayPort (v1.4) and HDMI (v2.0) ports for use when working off the integrated GRAPHICS in your CPU. Next are four USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) port and one ultra-fast Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) Type-C port. In blue is the Killer E3100G LAN port and a small Clear CMOS button. In the middle, we see holes for venting air from the hidden fan (which is inaudible, by the way), the Wi-Fi 6E antenna mounts and the 5-plug + SPDIF audio stack.
Firmware
The BIOS theme in the Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB4 matches the Z590 PG Velocita we recently reviewed, sporting a black/red theme. As usual, we capture a majority of the BIOS screens to share with you. ASRock includes an Easy Mode for high-level monitoring and adjustments, along with an Advanced section. The BIOS is organized well, with many of the more commonly used functions accessible without drilling down multiple levels to find them. Here you adjust the Memory, Voltage, and CPU details in separate sections, but it’s all on the first page of each section. In the end, the BIOS worked well and was easy to navigate and read.
Image 1 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 6 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 7 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 8 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 9 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 10 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 11 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 12 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 13 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 14 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 15 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 16 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 17 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 18 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 19 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 20 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 21 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 22 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 23 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 24 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 25 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 26 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 27 of 27
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Software
On the software side, ASRock includes a few utilities that cover overclocking and monitoring (PG-Tuning), audio (Nahimic 3), software for updating drivers and downloading applications (App Shop), and of course, RGB control (Polychrome RGB). We did not run into any issues in our limited use of the applications.
Image 1 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 6 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 7 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 8 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 9 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 10 of 10
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Before we get to the performance for this board and its competitors, we’ll detail the other two models as well. Next up is the Asus ROG Strix Z590-I Gaming WiFi.
I would like to thank Zalman for supplying the review sample.
The Zalman X3 has been around for a hot minute, but that does not make us less excited to review it. Released in early 2020, the X3 represents Zalman’s approach of including some unique DNA to have their case stand out in the crowded case market. It is available in black or white, with the white variant our sample for this review.
Minisforum is known for its ultra-compact form-factor (UCFF), highly integrated PCs primarily designed for offices or living rooms. Apparently, the company does not want to stop there. This week, it introduced a rather extraordinary product for itself. Not only is the Minisforum GameMini an attempt at cracking our best gaming PCs list, but it’s also an open-case gaming PC aimed at enthusiasts.
The Minisforum GamiMini appears to be quite a powerful rig. It uses Gigabyte’s Aorus B550I Pro AX motherboard carrying an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (6 CPU cores,12 threads, clock speed of 3.70 GHz – 4.60 GHz, 32MB of L3 cache, 65W). The board also packs 32GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 RAM and a 1TB Kingston KC2500 M.2 SSD. The system is also equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card sitting on the opposite side to the motherboard. The PC is powered by SilverStone’s SX650-G power supply, so it can be upgraded fairly easily.
Since the GamiMini is an open system, Minisforum doesn’t have to worry too much about cooling the Ryzen 5 5600X, a 65W CPU that can pretty hot, or the rather power-hungry Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card that’s rated for up to 230W TGP. Both components use rather modest air coolers.
As far as connectivity is concerned, Minisforum’s GameMini has everything that we come to expect from a Mini-ITX PC these days. The Aorus B550I Pro AX motherboard has a Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 module, a GbE port and multiple USB connectors.
Minisforum traditionally funds development of its PCs using a crowdfunding platform, so it hasn’t yet discussed pricing of its GameMini or a final release date.
A Twitter user has shared the first photographs of the AMD 4700S Desktop Kit. The 4700S processors are widely thought to be defective chips that didn’t make their way into the Xbox Series X, but AMD has declined to comment on that aspect.
AMD doesn’t officially list the 4700S on its website, so the processor’s specifications are unknown to the public. However, a couple of convincing benchmarks and retailer listings helped us put the pieces together. Based on the Zen 2 microarchitecture, the AMD 4700S wields eight cores and 16 threads with a 8MB L3 cache. We’ve spotted the 4700S operating with a 3.6 GHz base clock and a boost clock that peaks at 4 GHz. The octa-core chip is paired with 16GB of what appears to be GDDR6 memory.
According to a retailer’s listing, the AMD 4700S is slower than the Ryzen 7 4750G (Renoir) in both single-and multi-threaded performance. Although the 4700S loses to the Core i7-9700 in single-threaded performance as well, the AMD chip delivers higher multi-threaded performance.
Image 1 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 2 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 3 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 4 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 5 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 6 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 7 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 8 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 9 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
Image 10 of 10
(Image credit: Disclosuzen/Twitter)
The AMD 4700S Desktop Kit resides on a tiny, green motherboard, although we’re uncertain if it conforms to the standard mini-ITX form factor. It draws power from a standard 24-pin connector and 8-pin EPS connector. The motherboard doesn’t offer memory slots of any kind, which seems to confirm our suspicion about the usage of soldered GDDR6 memory chips. It features a custom heatsink and a small cooling fan. Given the size of the heatsink’s backplate, the GDDR6 memory chips may be located at the backside of the motherboard.
Like the typical mini-ITX motherboards on the market, the AMD 4700S Desktop Kit provides a single PCIe 3.0 x16 expansion slot for you to add a discrete graphics card. We suspect that AMD added the slot because the iGPU inside the 4700S is either disabled or defective.
There are a total of eight USB ports on the AMD 4700S Desktop Kit. The black ones are obviously USB 2.0 and the red ones are likely USB 3.0, although we don’t know the exact specification of the latter. The motherboard also provides three 3.5mm audio connectors and one Ethernet port.
We’ve seen the AMD 4700S Desktop Kit selling for around $317.38 at a Finnish retailer. Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to find the kit in the U.S. market to verify its pricing. And since AMD’s keeping a tight lip around the 4700S, we’ll just have to wait until the next clue pops up.
ASRock’s Z590 Taichi is a well-rounded premium mid-range motherboard, with more-than-capable power delivery, Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, three M.2 sockets, Intel- and Killer-based networking, including Wi-Fi 6E.
For
+ Unique style
+ Killer 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6E Networking
+ Robust 90A power delivery
+ 2x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports (40 Gbps)
Against
– Last gen audio codec
– Only eight rear USB ports
– PCIe 4.0 M.2 compatibility issues
Features and Specifications
The latest in a long line of Taichi boards, ASRock’s Z590 Taichi for Intel’s latest Rocket Lake CPUs includes improved power delivery, fast Killer-based networking, eight SATA ports, native PCIe 4.0 for the GPU and M.2 socket, and improved aesthetics. Landing at $459.99, this upper-midrange board may be out of range for some users. But if you want to spend this much, this is a feature-rich and capable Z590 board.
ASRock’s Z590 lineup is similar to the previous-generation Z490 product stack. At the time we wrote this, ASRock had 12 Z590 motherboards listed. At the top is Z590 Taichi, followed by the PG Velocita we’re looking at here, and three Phantom Gaming boards, including a Micro-ATX option. Additionally, there are two professional boards in the Z590 Pro4 and Z590M Pro4, two Steel Legend boards, two Extreme boards (also more on the budget end), and a Mini-ITX board rounds out the product stack. Between price, size, looks, and features, ASRock should have a board that works for everyone looking to dive headlong into Rocket Lake.
Performance testing on the Taichi went without a hitch, producing results aligned with the other tested boards. Game performance was on the slower side of things, but the meager difference will be tough to notice unless you’re benchmarking. The memory, which uses Gear 1 on the latest BIOS, is where the Taichi shined. That said, outside of the benchmarks, again you won’t notice the difference. Overall, the Taichi performed well compared to other tested Z590 boards.
The Z590 Taichi is a nice improvement over the previous Taichi, between the improved appearance and cool moving gear feature, it is one of the better-looking Z590 boards. But looks aren’t everything. The Taichi comes with two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports (40 Gbps), eight SATA ports, Killer-based Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5 GbE, and a graphics card support bar. We’ll check out these details and other features below. But first, here are the full specs from ASRock.
Specifications – ASRock Z590 Taichi
Socket
LGA 1200
Chipset
Z590
Form Factor
ATX
Voltage Regulator
14 Phase (12+2, 90A MOSFETs)
Video Ports
(1) HDMI (2.0)
(2) Thunderbolt 4
USB Ports
(2) USB 4.0 Thunderbolt 4 Type-C (40 GB/s)
(2) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-A (10 Gbps)
(3) USB 3.2 Gen 1, Type-A (5 Gbps)
Network Jacks
(2) 2.5 GbE and 1 GbE
Audio Jacks
(5) Analog + SPDIF
Legacy Ports/Jacks
✗
Other Ports/Jack
✗
PCIe x16
(3) v4.0 x16, (x16/x0/x0, x8/x8/x0, or x8/x8/x4 (PCIe 3.0)
Inside the box, along with the motherboard, you’ll find cables, the graphics support bar and even a second VRM fan and an additional bracket to add your own 40mm fan. The included accessories should get you up and running without having to scramble and head to the store. Below is a complete list of all included extras.
Support DVD / Quick installation Guide
Graphics card holder
Wi-Fi Antenna
(4) SATA cables
(3) Screw package for M.2 sockets
(3) Standoffs for M.2 sockets
Wireless dongle USB bracket
3010 Cooling Fan with bracket
4010 Cooling Fan bracket
Wireless dongle USB bracket
ASRock Screwdriver (Torx)
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)
After removing the Z590 Taichi from the box and setting it up, one of the first things I noticed was the addition of the moving gears above the IO area. During POST, the watch-like gears rotate, which gives this board a unique design aesthetic–although your system will need to be sitting at eye level with a clear side panel to notice this. The VRM heatsinks are connected via heatpipe and use active cooling (in the form of a small integrated fan) to keep temperatures in check. The bottom half of the matte-black, 8-layer PCB is covered in heatsinks and shrouds for the M.2 sockets.
You’ll find RGB lighting elements under the IO cover, chipset heatsink, and on the right edge of the board. The RGBs are bright and saturated, adding a significant glow from under the board. Control over the RGB is provided by ASRock’s Polychrome Sync software. In the end, the Z590 Taichi’s appearance has improved over the last generation and shouldn’t have issues fitting in with most build themes.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Focusing on the top half of the board and starting on the left side, we get a closer look at the unique gear design. The black half gear/counterweight slowly ticks when powering the board up and stops once POST completes. The cogwheel spins either clockwise or counterclockwise via a small motor. In the BIOS, you’re able to adjust the time between rotations (5/10/30/60 minute intervals and off). Although this is clearly a gimmick, it’s truly a unique design aesthetic. Just below this is the Taichi name lit up by RGB lighting.
The VRM heatsinks are large and actively cooled with a small fan hidden inside the left bank. Just above this are the two 8-pin EPS connectors (one required) for powering the CPU. Just to the right of the socket area are the unreinforced DRAM slots. The board supports up to 128GB of RAM at speeds listed to DDR4 5000 when using an 11th generation CPU (lower with a 10th gen). Just above the DRAM slots is the first RGB header. In this case, it’s 3-pin ARGB.
Just to the right is the first 4-pin fan header. This particular header happens to be the Chassis/Water Pump connector and supports 2A/24W. The CPU fan headers are located mid-board above the first M.2 socket. The CPU connector supports up to 1A/12W, while the CPU_Fan2/WP3A supports 3A/36W. The rest of the connectors support up to 2A/24W. These headers have plenty of available power to connect your fans and water pump, without overloading the board.
Making our way down the right edge, we find the 24-pin ATX connector for board power, two front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers (one vertical, the other horizontal) and the front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C header. Last, in white, is the first 3-pin RGB header.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Z590 Taichi sports a 12-phase VRM setup for the CPU. The 8-pin EPS connector(s) send power to the Renesas ISL69269 12-channel (X+Y+Z=12) controller, then on to six ISL6617A phase doublers. Last but not least is the 12 90A Renesas ISL99390B Smart power stages. This configuration supports up to 1080A for the CPU, which is plenty for stock and overclocked operation, including extreme (read: sub-ambient) overclocking. The power delivery on this board will not get in your way. Again, this board also includes an additional fan for the VRM. After testing without it, we chose not to use it as there wasn’t a need and it would only increase the noise profile, which was quiet without it. Temperatures were well within operating range throughout all testing.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Moving down to the bottom half of the board, we’ll again start on the left side with audio. Hidden below a plastic shroud is the Realtek ALX1220 codec – a last-generation flagship solution. I would like to have seen the latest generation codec (not that most will notice the difference) for this price. We can also see the audio separation line from the other parts of the board and the red WIMA audio caps. The Taichi also includes an ESS ES9218 Sabre DAC supporting up to 600 Ohm headphones and 130dB SNR.
In the middle of the board are three full-length, reinforced PCIe slots along with a single x1 size slot. Between them are heatsinks for the three M.2 sockets and shrouds covering the board. When using an 11th gen CPU, the top two PCIe slots support PCIe 4.0 speeds. The top PCIe slot runs at x16 while the second slot runs at a maximum of x8 — both are CPU connected. The bottom full-length slot is connected to the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x4. The board supports AMD Quad CrossfireX, 3-Way CrossFireX and CrossfireX. No mention of NVIDIA SLI, even though the board is wired to support it.
On the M.2 storage front, the Taichi includes three sockets. The top M2_1 is the Hyper socket (PCIe 4.0 x4, 64 Gbps) and supports 80mm PCIe-based modules. M2_2 supports both SATA and PCIe modules up to PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps), up to 80mm long. The bottom socket, M2_3, supports 110mm SATA or PCIe modules up to PCIe 3.0 x4. M2_2 shares lanes with SATA port 0/1. If either one is in use, the others are disabled. M2_3 shares lanes with SATA ports 4/5 and the bottom PCIe slot. If either is in use, the others will be disabled. You can have three M.2 devices and up to 4 SATA ports running concurrently.
Note, though, that I had trouble with the PCIe 4.0-based Phison drive we use for testing. Using the latest BIOS, version 1.63 for me, the top M.2 socket that runs PCIe 4.0 doesn’t recognize the drive. The Phison storage drive works just fine on all of the other PCIe 3.0 sockets and other boards’ PCIe 4.0 M.2 sockets. We’re not sure if this is limited to the Phison drives, as they are the only PCIe 4.0 M.2 drives I have in-house. We’ve let ASRock know and they are working on the issue. It’s likely that a BIOS update will resolve this problem.
Finally, to the right of the PCIe slots and M.2 sockets is the chipset heatsink. Here we get a close look at the unique pattern found on the heatsinks. It’s almost like a rough wood grain type of finish, quite unique. To the right of it are the eight SATA ports, two of them managed by an ASMedia ASM1061 controller, with the rest connected to the southbridge. Just below are two more fan headers. The included GPU support bracket mounts in this area to the ATX screw holes in the middle and bottom of the board. This is a nice value-add in these days of huge and heavy cards. Now if only ASRock could do something about how much modern high-end cards weigh on our wallets.
Across the board’s bottom are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers and more. Below is the complete list, from left to right:
Front-panel audio
RGB and ARGB headers
(2) Chassis fan headers
Clear CMOS jumper
TPM
(2) USB 2.0 headers
Dr. Debug LED
Reset/Power buttons
Clear CMOS button
Temperature sensor, water flow headers
Front panel header
(Image credit: ASRock)
Looking at the rear IO, we see the pre-attached IO plate matches the colors and design theme of the rest of the board. One thing that jumps out is the 5-plug plus SPDIF audio stack’s location: It sits in the middle. Typically this is on the right edge/bottom, but in most cases the odd placement shouldn’t be a cause for concern. From left to right, we have the BIOS Flashback button to flash the bios without a CPU, the Wi-Fi antenna connections and an HDMI (v2.0) port for the integrated video. Next are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and the audio stack mentioned above.
On the networking front, the Intel-based Ethernet port is black, while the Killer 2.5 GbE port is blue. Below those are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. At the bottom are two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports that support up to 40 Gbps throughput. They also double as additional video outputs. Curiously, these aren’t labeled as Thunderbolt here. On the far right are the last two USB ports that run at USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds.
I would like to thank AZZA for supplying the review sample.
The AZZA Cast 808 we are reviewing may look like a classic ATX mid-tower with a somewhat open frame design, but there is a bit more than meets the eye. Its two-hinged parts of the outer shell and ability to separate the frame from that shell make the case more than that. AZZA initially designed the Cast 808 with the thought that one could switch out the shell—say, for a modded variant of your own—while keeping all the components within the internal frame untouched. While that may be a bit far-fetched for the ordinary user, you at least get to pick between the white and black version. We are reviewing the black AZZA Cast 808 in this article.
Specifications
AZZA Cast 808
Case Type:
ATX Full-Tower
Material:
Steel, aluminium
Weight:
10.9 kg
Slots:
6x horizontal / 3x vertical
Drive Bays:
1x Internal 2.5/3.5″ 2x Internal 2.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX
Dimensions:
470 mm x 220 mm x 460 mm
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (optional)
Rear Fans:
1x 120 mm (1x 120 mm AZZA Hurricane III ARGB Fan included)
Top Fans:
N/A
Bottom Fans:
N/A
Side Fans:
N/A
Front Radiator:
360 mm / 280 mm
Rear Radiator:
120 mm
Top Radiator:
N/A
Bottom Radiator:
N/A
Side Radiator:
N/A
I/O:
1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C 2x USB 3.0 1x Headphone 1x Microphone
SilverStone Milo 10 is a tiny PC case that supports a Mini-ITX motherboard – and when we say ‘tiny’ what we really mean is ‘less than four litres in capacity.’ You won’t be shocked to learn that Milo 10 does not support a graphics card and requires the use of an external power brick, but despite that you have a number of options and it is surprisingly versatile.
Watch the video via our VIMEO Channel (Below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
Main features
Super small at only 2.7 litres or 3.6 litres depending on configuration
Includes interchangeable top covers for altering case size to accommodate various components
Includes VESA mounting plate for integration with monitors
Supports standard sized Mini-ITX motherboard
Supports slim optical drive with interchangeable bezel
Specification:
Motherboard support: Mini-ITX.
CPU cooler support: Between 29mm and 63mm depending on configuration of storage and top cover.
Expansion slots: None.
Included fans: None
Fan mounts: 1x 120mm/140mm in top cover.
Radiator mounts: None.
Optical drive bay: Slimline laptop ODD.
Internal drive bays: 1x 3.5-inch/2x 2.5-inch.
Front I/O: 2x USB 3.0 ports
Dimensions: 453mm H x 227mm D x 196mm W x 63mm H with standard top cover or 84mm H with Elevated cover.
We faced a dilemma during our build as we have a reasonable selection of Mini-ITX motherboards and a huge pile of CPUs, but finding an APU that is sub-65W nearly defeated us. In essence you can take AMD off the table and are forced to turn to Intel.
When you are working with relatively small items such as the SilverStone Milo 10 the regular form is use a banana for scale, however Leo was determined to get his hands in the picture to better illustrate the tiny size of this case.
This is probably the first (and last) time we will skip thermal testing during a case review as your choice of APU and cooler will make a huge difference to the results, along with the types of workload you perform. If you install an Intel Core i3-10300 and merely update spreadsheets or watch videos on YouTube, you will barely stress the CPU. We felt bad running 3D Mark Fire Strike for the video and simply did not have the heart to run Blender.
Closing Thoughts
Building a PC inside the SilverStone Milo 10 can be a fiddly process, although it gets easier with repetition, and you will find the situation improves if you choose your components wisely.
You will have noted our single biggest gripe with the SilverStone Milo 10 is its reliance on an APU with a relatively low power draw as that is a complete change in direction for us folk at KitGuru. The obvious choices for us would be an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G or Ryzen 7 5700G, however they are not on sale to the public and are exclusively in the hands of system integrators.
For that reason we doubt many home enthusiasts will line up to buy the Milo 10 case and its matching SilverStone AD120-DC DC board and external AC adapter combo kit, unless they have amazingly specific requirements that centre around the tiny form factor of this case.
On the other hand we can easily imagine system integrators using the SilverStone Milo 10 to deliver low powered PCs to offices, hotels and shops where space is at a premium.
While we are all in favour of small form factor PCs, they typically weigh in at 10-20 litres in volume and allow you a fair degree of latitude with your choice of hardware. By contrast the sub-4 litre Milo 10 is a more challenging proposition that is best suited to a customer who is simply unable to compromise in their pursuit of a tiny PC.
You can buy the SilverStone Milo 10 for £44.99 HERE.
Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.
Pros:
Pricing for the case is cheap, but you also have to factor in the DC power converter.
Supports a range of storage up to 3.5-inch HDD.
Supports a 120mm/140mm fan in the top cover.
Cons:
Requires an APU to provide graphics.
Limited to 65W TDP.
Requires an ITX motherboard which is limiting and probably expensive too.
KitGuru says: SilverStone Milo 10 requires the careful selection of an APU, motherboard, cooler and storage.
Become a Patron!
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
