ASRock Mars is a compact desktop PC with Intel Whiskey Lake

The latest mini-desktop from ASRock looks like something straight out of 2012, but it features modern specs including an 8th-gen Intel Whiskey Lake-U processor and a USB Type-C port.

The ASRock Mars is a compact computer that measure 7.5″ x 5.9″ x 1″ but under the hood there’s room for dual storage devices — an M.2 2280 SSD and a 2.5 inch hard drive or SSD.

ASRock will offer models with a choice of 15 watt Intel chips including:

• Intel Celeron 4205U (2 cores / 2 threads)
• Intel Core i3-8145U (2 cores / 4 threads)
• Intel Core i5-8265U (4 cores / 8 threads)

Most other features are pretty much the same for all models, including an M.2 2230 slot for a WiFi and/or Bluetooth module, a 65 watt power adapter, support for up to 32GB of DDR4 memory (thanks to two SODIMM slots), and a “proprietary fansink” for active cooling.

Each model has the same set of ports, including:

• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (5 Gbps)
• 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)
• 2 x USB 2.0
• 1 x HDMI (4K @ 30 Hz)
• 1 x VGA (1080p)
• 1 x line out
• 1 x microphone
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet
• SD card reader

There’s no word on pricing or availability yet. According to the product website, the ASRock Mars Series of mini PCs “may not be sold worldwide.”

thanks @FanlessTech!