The ASRock A320TM-ITX Motherboard: Thin-ITX For AMD APUs
by Gavin Bonshor on April 24, 2019 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- AMD
- SFF
- NUC
- APU
- Bristol Ridge
- A320
- Raven Ridge
- Thin-ITX
- A320TM-ITX
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ASRock has introduced its new Thin Mini-ITX platform designed specifically for AMD APUs, the A320TM-ITX. After ASRock officially announced its Intel-based Mini-STX platform back at CES 2019, the AMD offeringallows users to use AMD's Zen and A-series based APUs up to a TDP of 65W into a Thin Mini-ITX chassis. Other notable features include dual HDMI 1.4 outputs and a Realtek RTL8111 1 GbE networking chip.
The ASRock A320TM-ITX motherboard is based on the Thin Mini-ITX form factor which has a small 170 x 170 mm footprint. While the smaller Thin-ITX form factor is usually still compatible with a regular Mini-ITX chassis, users can make use of smaller cases such as the Silverstone PT13B Petit and the AKASA Cypher which comes included with a 120 W power supply. Some of the notable features of the A320TM-ITX includes support for up to 32 GB of DDR4-2933 SO-DIMMs; the two RAM slots themselves feature angled SO-DIMM slots which allows for a lower height. While there is limited space available for componentry, ASRock has included two front panel USB 2.0 headers which offer an additional four ports.
While conventional motherboards use a 20/24-pin ATX motherboard power input, the A320TM-ITX uses a 4-pin 19 V power connector which is designed to save space. The power delivery is advertised to feature a 5-phase configuration and neither the CPU VCore or SoC element is covered or cooled by heatsinks. Other connectors include two 4-pin CPU fan headers, a header for front panel audio and one LVDS connector for LCD controllers which also is complemented by two jumpers; one for backlight power and one for panel disablement. The storage capability is comprised of a single SATA connector and a single M.2 2260/2280 slot which does support the use of an NVMe SSD as a boot disk.
The rear panel on the ASRock A320TM-ITX is shortened to reduce the overall height of the system. Featured are four USB 3.1 G1 Type-A ports, a D-sub for the LVDS, a single HDMI 1.4 out, with a second HDMI 1.4 output located on the top edge of the PCB. Rounding off the rear panel is a single RJ45 LAN port powered by a Realtek RTL8111 Gigabit network controller and two 3.5 mm audio jacks which are powered by a jow-jack Realtek ALC233 audio codec.
Both the pricing and availability are currently unknown for the ASRock A320TM-ITX motherboard, but we expect ASRock to unveil more details in the near future, especially with Computex around the corner.
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nathanddrews - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
AT: New thin ITX AMD boardMe: Orly?
AT: no HDMI 2.0 output
Me: Pass.
Why immediately nerf what would otherwise be a great 4K HTPC?
neblogai - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Wait for customer reviews on this- most AMD boards give out HDMI 2.0 signal just fine, as long as APU is giving it- even if that is not specified.nathanddrews - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Anything is possible, I guess.jeremyshaw - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Except for Asrock's AB350 mITX board, from experience. HDMI 1.4 is HDMI 1.4. No 2.0, even with HDMI sinks that work fine with other HDMI 2.0 sources. Annoyingly, it has two HDMI 1.4 ports. The newer B450 version of this board fixed both complaints. HDMI 2.0 + DP 1.4, though unlike Asrock Intel mITX boards, it has the HDMI and DP side by side (Z270 ITX has them stacked, and a TB3 port...), so it has two fewer USB connectors as a result. For my mITX setups, USB and portability are really at a premium, so I'd really rather not have to resort to external hubs (and FP headers are scarce on mITX boards/cases).Same with my Thinkpad E485 (Ryzen APU). HDMI 1.4. Doesn't support HDMI 2.0 at all. Same chip in the more expensive A485 does support HDMI 2.0. I don't know if it came down to escape routing, redriver, LSPcon, whatever. In the end, no HDMI 2.0 (4k30 really isn't that great for desktop work). Luckily, the laptop does have a single USB-C port with DP-alt mode (though it's also the laptop's sole charging port).
Lucky Stripes 99 - Sunday, May 5, 2019 - link
No HDMI 2.0. No DisplayPort 1.4. No DisplayPort over USB-C. So basically no way to get 4K/60p out of this board. That makes it obsolete from inception in my book.jardows2 - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Finally! I've been wanting something like this for a long time. Being Asrock, there should be some North American distributorship for this, making it much easier to get than the Onda product.peterfares - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Couldn't that second HDMI have fit above the first and still been less tall that the USB ports?DanNeely - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
Probably, but it wasn't placed there because it didn't fit to the rear. Thin-ITX is intended to be used for building AIO systems, so they put a video header there so that the chassis build in display would be connected internally.BigDragon - Thursday, April 25, 2019 - link
The ports would physically fit, yes. However, most cables wouldn't be able to attach with the HDMI ports that close. There is too much housing/padding at the ends of most HDMI cables.jtd871 - Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - link
What is the purpose of the 4-pin power connector immediately behind the barrel connector?