Minisforum's new mini-ITX PC lets you mount a GPU on top of the case
Minisforum, a Hong Kong based manufacturer of compact PCs, is working on a new ultra compact yet powerful mini gaming PC with a chassis volume of just six liters. Squeezing a full size GPU into a chassis of that size is a difficult ask without overcoming some serious engineering challenges, yet this still unnamed little PC comes with full size discrete graphics card support.
How does one get around this physical challenge? It's ridiculously simple. Minisforum will allow you to mount a graphics card on the top of the case. That's right, this as-yet-unnamed Minisforum mini-PC concept has a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot proudly sitting atop the case. In the picture below, you can clearly see the PCIe x16 slot as well as a thin slot for what looks like a triple slot metal mounting bracket. It is clear as day if you view the below image at its full size.
The above picture comes from Minisforum's Twitter account (via Videocardz). I have to say I'm very intrigued, though I have concerns about the stability of a card sitting there in the buff like that. A bump at the wrong angle could be catastrophic. Though we'd have to see the system with a card installed to really know, the idea behind the concept is a sound one.
There are a few benefits. Firstly, it frees the card up from the compromising confines of a NUC style chassis. That means better airflow, lower ambient temperatures, lower fan speeds and higher boost clocks.
It also allows a user to easily upgrade GPUs at any time without having to have an engineering degree to disassemble the system. Changing parts in compact systems is almost always more difficult than it is in a regular ATX PC.
Best CPU for gaming: The top chips from Intel and AMD.Best gaming motherboard: The right boards.Bes
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