Most of the mini PCs we cover at Liliputing are small systems with low-power processors soldered to the motherboard. But ASRock is one of the few companies that makes compact desktops with sockets for desktop-class processors. And this month the company showed off two upcoming models with AMD’s AM5 socket and support for Ryzen 7000 or 8000 series desktop chips.
The ASRock DeskMini X600 is a 1.92 liter computer with support for up to a 65-watt Ryzen processor, while the ASRock Jupiter X600 is an even smaller 1.1 liter system with a thinner design.
Both computers feature motherboards with AMD’s X600 chipset, two SODIMM slots for up to 96GB of DDR5 memory, and support for multiple storage devices.
But the DeskMini X600 has more room inside, since the computer measures 155 x 155 x 80mm (6.1″ x 6.1″ x 3.1″), compared to the Jupiter X600, which is 179 x 178 x 34mm (7″ x 7″ x 1.3″). So the thinner model relies on built-in cooling and supports up to two SSDs, but only a single SATA HDD, while the larger model has room for up to two SATA hard drives and an 47mm or smaller AMD AM4/AM5 cooler.
ASRock hasn’t posted information about the upcoming computers on its website yet, but Tom’s Hardware got a sneak peek at CES. So while we don’t know how much these mini PCs will cost or when you’ll be able to get your hands on one, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what kind of features they’ll pack.
| ASRock Jupiter X600 | ASRock DeskMini X600 | |
| CPU | AMD AM5 socket for Ryzen 7000/8000 (up to 65W) Integrated graphics only | |
| Chipset | AMD X600 | |
| Cooling | Integrated | Supports AMD AM4/AM5 cooler (47mm max height) |
| RAM | 2 x SODIMM slots DDR5 Up to 96 GB | |
| Storage | 1 x SATA 3 connector 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4 | 2 x SATA 3 connector 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 5×4 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4 |
| Wireless | 1 x M.2 2230 slot for WiFi & BT module | |
| Ports (front) | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A 1 x 3.5mm mic input 1 x 3.5mm combo audio | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x 3.5mm combo audio |
| Ports (rear) | 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 1 x HDMI 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet 1 x COM | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet |
| Power Supply | 120W/19V power adapter | |
| Dimensions | 179 x 178 x 34mm | 155 x 155 x 80mm |
| Volume | 1.1 liters | 1.92 liters |
Fun fact: we’ve been waiting for the DeskMini X600 for over a year: information about this model first started making the rounds in late 2022.
It is utterly insane that ASRock has not used all those years to improve the DeskMini X600 beyond what they had in the A300/X300. It still comes with a VGA Port like it’s 1998 and you want to use a CRT Monitor. And despite it’s huge size compared to the real Mini-PCs like the NUC and the NUC-alikes they don’t even use the additional space to at least give you decent USB Ports in the back. Two is not enough. I would love to use the X600 as a great Office-PC with decent performance but with 2 USB at the back after connecting the webcam and the headset all (hidden) ports are occupied. Then add an Logitech Unifying/Bolt Receiver in the front and suddenly you have ZERO free USB-A Ports. It’s so sad how they ruin a promising product every single time. And why not three digital outputs? Would not cost more than the VGA ports and the iGPU should easily be able to handle that.
There are Knockouts on the left front side and mounting holes for 2 optional extra USB Ports On the X300 Desk Mini!
But I want the X600 Desk Mini to offer some case Knockout for some OCulink Port and a Optional M.2 to OCuLink adapter so that can be supported there sans any extra STX MB re-engineering required from ASRock! All ASRock would need to do is modify the Metal Case in a spot that has sufficient clearance for the OCuLink Port to get mounted and also ASRock has to engineer a compatible M.2 to OCuLink adapter for that with support for at least PCIe 4.0 signaling!
But currently ASRock does not even have a website entry for the X600 Desk Mini as there’s only one for the X600 DeskMeet that I want no part of anyways. I’d rather build an InWin Chopin with my choice of Mini-ITX MB than go with the X600 DeskMeet(Ugly Abomination) and that solution!
It’s supports 7000/8000G series processors? But only the 7000 series desktop processors with only the RDNA2/2CU I/O die based graphics and other I/O Die connectivity options have any PCIe 5.0 lanes as the Ryzen 8000G “desktop” APU platform is the same as the mobile Ryzen 7000/BGA platform for I/O connectivity! And on the 8000G Die(7000 series Mobile APU Based with clock tweaks) it’s just Packaged for Socket/AM5 instead of FP7/FP7+/FP8 BGA. So Ryzen 8000G has no PCIe 5.0 lane support AFAIK.
Also I own an ASRock X300 Desk Mini and that can house 2, Internal 7mm SATA Hard/SSD Drives as well as having 2 PCIe 4-lane M.2 Slots. And the X600 Desk Mini looks exactly the same on the outside as the X300 Desk Mini.
But really ASRock needs to include an OCuLink knockout on their X600 Desk Mini’s Metal case just like they provided an extra USB knockout on the X300 Desk Mini’s case for some optional USB kit. And the OCuLink knockout would be for folks wanting to wire on some M.2 to OCuLink adapter in the 2nd M.2 slot on the Desk Mini.
But AMD’s mobile Platform PCIe and I/O connectivity support pales in comparison to Intel’s Mobile Platform support that gets the latest PCIe generation supported same as Intel’s desktop platform. And AMD’s “Desktop” APUs are the same Die designs and tape-outs as the Mobile Ryzen APUs and that’s why the connectivity options for the “Desktop” APUs are Lacking compared to the Desktop only Ryzen processors that have actual desktop platform support for the latest PCIe generation.
I’m very Disappointed that Intel did not at least socket package one or two
Meteor Lake SKUs for ASRock Desk Mini(STX) or Inwin Chopin(ITX) builds as I really Wanted Meteor Lake for the iGPU Compute API support on Linux where OneAPI/Level-0 was tested by Phoronix and that worked just fine there as opposed to AMD’s ROCm/HIP that Phoronix stated had no ROCm/HIP support for Radeon iGPUs.
And because Ryzen 8000G is really just Ryzen 7000 Mobile APU based but in Socket Packaging, I’ll bet that there will be no Chip-Set included BIOS Flashback supported there like on regular AM5 platform with the extra external chip set options! And that’s because the STX based Desk Mini SKUs usually just use the SOC provided I/O connectivity. So can You please verify any ASRock X600 Desk Mini BIOS Flashback support.
Stop featuring products from companies like Asrock that violate consumer protection laws.
A simple look into postings of BOTH AMD and INTEL offerings by ASRock in the “Mini” and “Meet” form factory’s show that ASRock is HORRIBLE with BIOS updates and bug fix’s.
Stay away as far as possible, ASRock has abandoned the Mini systems far too often to trust again.
I have owned many AMD offerings from ASRock and know others with Intel who have these issues, first hand experience, you can also confirm with the A300 which never got AGESA v2 and still suffers from TPM and USB issues due to this.
Asrock is huge in the server space, but as far as consumer products go — I consider them the Walmart of computer — worse than Acer, which is a pretty low bar in itself.
I have 3 pentium Deskminis and 1 5600 Deskmini.
They all suffer from and cause trouble with the terrible internal sata connectors.
I have to use external storage drives, which is not helped by the lack of usb connectors.
I see this new one hasn’t changed.
I”ll never use Asrock again.