ASRock DeskMini X600 review

pcgamer.com:

If you're looking to do a high-performance scratch-build in miniature, the ASRock DeskMini X600 seems like an intriguing foundation. Most mini-PCs come with a pre-soldered mobile APU running the show, but the DeskMini doesn't ship with a chip. Instead, you can install any desktop AM5 CPU across AMD's 7th and 8th-gen Ryzen range, provided your chosen one doesn't break the 65 W TDP mark.

You'll also need one with integrated graphics and, assuming you'll be using the X600 for some level of gaming, you'll want the best, namely the Radeon 780M. With those thoughts in mind, we decided to test-drive the DeskMini with the Ryzen 7 8700G (4.2 — 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, Radeon 780M graphics, 65 W TDP, 95 °C TJMax) and the Ryzen 5 8600G (4.3 — 5 GHz, 6 cores, Radeon 760M graphics, also 65 W TDP and 95 °C TJMax).

The chassis is a breeze to work with. Undo the four screws on the rear and the internal tray slides out to reveal the motherboard. Within minutes we had the CPU, the bundled cooler, RAM and M.2 storage secured, ready to do the Windows installation dance.

The specs are a curious mix of the cutting edge and the weirdly legacy. It has support for current AM5 CPUs, DDR5 up to 96 GB @ 6400MHz (we installed 32 GB @ 5600MHz), and it can take a fast, PCIe 5.0 M.2 drive plus a second PCIe 4.0 drive. And yet, round the back, I was bemused to find… a VGA port? Perfect for playing Leisure Suit Larry on your CRT monitor, but thankfully, you get DisplayPort and HDMI as well. There's no WLAN/BT card out of the box though; you get an E-Key M.2 socket to install one, but you'll need to provide your own or dongle up.

CPU support: AMD Socket AM5
Max. TDP: 65 W
Cooler support: Max height 47 mm
Memory support: 2x SODIMM DDR5-6400, Max. 96 GB
Rear I/O: HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, D-sub (!?), 2.5 G LAN, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
Front I/O: 1x Mic-in, 1x 3.5 mm audio out, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
Dimensions: 155 x 155 x 80 mm
Price: $190 | £190

I/O options are spartan, with a single USB 3.2