ASRock DeskMini X300

amazon ASRock DeskMini X300 reviews

In recent years, as MiniPCs are gradually becoming more powerful thanks to new generation processors, their popularity in the market is increasing day by day. With different needs in a limited space or a need for neatness and minimalism, MiniPCs are bringing their values ​​that traditional PCs cannot afford. Realizing the potential of the MiniPC market, several component manufacturers have begun to jump into the race of small computers with the size of a book.

In recent times, the most impressive to me is the MiniPC Asrock Deskmini X300. That is not the first time Asrock has created a compact computer like this, but it has not been popular in the market for many reasons. Therefore, Deskmini X300 can be considered Asrock’s first compact computer capable of reaching end-users in the market.

Asrock’s DeskMini product line-up sells machines as barebone kits with a wide choice of expandability and upgradeability. Except for the chassis and power system, you can customize many things on this machine to serve the right needs and desires.

First of all, let’s talk about AMD’s X300 chipset; this is one of AMD’s three chipsets designed for small PC systems with performance tweaks and features to match size and capabilities processing inside a computer with a low power and heat dissipation system.

One of the great things about the X300 chipset is adjusting the processor’s clock speed.  You can perform the ability to “overclock” the CPU even though the support conditions such as the heatsink, VRM system, power input are not too great. At least it helps users make the most of the capabilities that an APU placed on this system is used to its fullest capacity, and the whole system can bear the burden. Not only the APU but also the RAM benefit from this chipset. How many MiniPCs can “overclock”? Perhaps only DeskMini X300 can give you this in the market.

The X300 chipset also makes it possible for DeskMini to work with at least three different generations of APUs from 2000G series to 4000G series. Users will be proactive about the cost and the actual performance they want. Asrock has also equipped users with an accompanying cooling system suitable for TDP 65W on the above APU models. Still, if users require better heat dissipation, they can choose low top-down heatsink models other profiles with a maximum height of 46mm.

Speaking of RAM, by the way, the DeskMini X300, like many other MiniPC models, uses two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots to save space like in laptops (although many laptop models tend to solder the RAM to the motherboard). Two ram slots can support a maximum capacity of 64GB (32GB each). The RAM bus in the external system depends on the internals of the RAM used and the APU’s ability to support it. With AMD Ryzen 2000 and 3000, you can get 2933MHz bus support, while Ryzen 4000 is a bit more “genuine” when supporting the default RAM level up to 3200Mhz.

Due to the X300 chipset, the number of USB ports is sufficient with four ports, of which three are USB 3.2 gen 1 with two ports are USB Type-A and one port is USB Type C, the other is USB 2.0 and does not Support high-bandwidth USB 3.2 Gen2 devices. That also means that it serves the most basic needs such as transferring data, connecting to peripherals, charging batteries, and more.

Going deeper into the internals, we will see more possibilities that the DeskMini X300 brings. The first is the ability to connect up to 4 SSDs, of which two are plugged in on the M.2 slot, and two are plugged in via the onboard SATA line. Why do you need to equip many hard drives on such a compact PC? From the point of view of a person using this machine for business, the data is extremely sensitive. Multiple hard drives make it easy to use the RAID feature to preserve data in action. If you’re simply a normal user, multiple hard drives save you the trouble of replacing them and wasting time transferring data but just adding new drives until you can’t add any more.

You can see a slot for an additional wifi module on the DeskMini X300 motherboard; it is compatible with some popular wifi cards on the market, like AC-3168 or AX200. However, not just plugging in this module is done; you also need wires and antennas. You can buy this kit directly from Asrock to make it easier to use. If you’re someone who has the patience to tinker, there may be pieces of the puzzle that better suit your needs.

A very nice expansion on the DeskMini X300 can equip an RGB LED system. Are you wondering if you are looking at it wrong? But no, the DeskMini X300 is the most powerfully customizable compact personal computer I’ve ever seen.

Actual performance

The configuration that I use on the DeskMini X300 is a configuration that I think is suitable for the vast majority of users’ needs and the most accessible.

Test configuration

– Barebone: ASRock DeskMini X300

– APU: AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G

– RAM: Kingston SO-DIMM 16GB bus 3200

– SSD: Kingston A2000 NVMe 5000GB

I find that DeskMini is an ideal choice for mid-range APUs like the Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G to work to their full potential. Meanwhile, higher-end APUs like the Ryzen 7 Pro 4750G will be a bit overwhelmed with the cooling system that this MiniPC allows, while the Ryzen 3 Pro 4350G is not up to the mark.

With the ability to support the default RAM bus up to 3200Mhz, I chose a pair of Kingston DDR4 SO-DIMM 16GB bus 3200Mhz RAM to take full advantage of the two RAM slots on the DeskMini X300.

One of the other equally necessary pieces to complete the DeskMini X300’s system is the SSD. However, it can attach up to 4 separate hard drives because it is not equipped with a heat sink for SSDs. I chose a high-speed M.2 SSD in the mid-range segment to both ensure the ability to experience smoothly without worrying about the temperature to maintain the pure performance of the SSD. The Kingston A2000 NVMe with PCIe 3.0 x4 is a perfect fit. At the same time, I also recommend that for those who want to own this DeskMini X300, the SSD that I use in the test system here also helps you balance price and general performance.

Run a round of Cinebench R20 and R23 to test the ability to render images with Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G. I can gently overclock the Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G after a few times to get the best results. Clocked at 4.3GHz for six cores and maintained at 71 degrees Celsius. Of course, you need to put this machine in an ideal temperature environment to let this machine run in pressed mode. Daily continuous pulse. It can handle the equivalent of a Ryzen 7 1700X CPU and can provide multimedia and heavy-duty work very well. If you need to process video or images at an amateur to semi-professional level, the DeskMini X300 above completely meets your needs.

To make good use of the APU inside the DeskMini X300, I also tried to increase the clock speed of the graphics core to 2.4Ghz and achieved a better score than using the default mode.

Suppose a student intends to own this machine to study (mainly) in all industries and have entertainment and gaming needs. That can be a great choice in the price range of less than $450 (including hardware such as a test system). Of course, playing games on this device only stops at eSports games.

The DeskMini X300 is a choice that offers a very good balance between processing performance, customization, and value in a very small box. You don’t need big and cramped Tower PCs; this small box can still provide you with everything you need in a computer. You don’t even need to put them on the table; you can hang them on the wall.

The trend of today’s smart and modern offices. A small space can also become a place for you to create a lot of value for yourself, the team, and society. If you have a larger space, you can completely set up that workspace to become neater by choosing such compact computers to save that limited space for other things.

where can you get a ASRock DeskMini X300 online

CUK AsRock DeskMini X300W Tiny Desktop (AMD Ryzen 3 3200G + Radeon RX Vega 8, 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, No OS) Small Form Factor Mini PC: Buy it now

CUK AsRock DeskMini X300W Tiny Desktop (AMD Ryzen 3 3200G + Radeon RX Vega 8, 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD, No OS) Small Form Factor Mini PC: Buy it now

CUK ASRock DeskMini X300W Tiny Desktop (AMD Ryzen 7 4750G, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, NO OS) Mini Small Form Factor PC Computer: Buy it now