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  1 out of 1 members found this review helpful

  redhatted

  2023-12-12

  Verified purchase

  I have purchased 2 X300. For its form factor, it is value for money!

  2 nvme slots, 2 ssd slots, 2 sodimm slots (up to 64gb)

  In one, I have the 5600G, 16GB RAM & 1TB Nvme for my main PC with Windows 11.
  In the other, Linux with the 3200G, 32GB RAM, 4TB storage as a home server, plex, docker, etc.

  Until the 5600G, the stock cooler from AMD is sufficient. For the 5700G, I would consider an aftermarket cooler.

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• 5

  8 out of 11 members found this review helpful

  alekos_36

  2022-11-28

  Verified purchase

  I have a 5700G with a Noctua Low Profile, completely silent, it performs miracles. For the use I wanted, I built a mini silent PC that you can take anywhere due to its size. That's where things are heading with computers, they will all be mini portable and have incredible capabilities if they can also be turned into fanless. It will be a dream that will become a reality.

  Initially, the Intel NUC 11 Enthusiast NUC11PHKi7C Barebone caught my interest, but it was too expensive at 1,200 euros, so I ended up with this little monster from Asrock that has nothing to envy from the Intel NUC, and all for half the price.

  Guys, 10/10 from me. If anyone wants a powerful and mini PC, this is the way to go. You save on the extra expenses you would have for the PSU.

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• 5

  10 out of 12 members found this review helpful

  ernestom5

  2022-06-14

  Verified purchase

  For anyone who values portability and is not bothered by the graphics card syndrome (can compromise with an APU), it is a unique platform.

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• 5

  119 out of 123 members found this review helpful

  stathis999

  2021-01-24

  Verified purchase

  Well dear friends, I bought the x300 as soon as it was released in the Greek market, being a fan of this super mini series. I already had the a300 (with excellent impressions and with 3200g and 3400g), which is the previous model, but in general, the x300 is the same machine, just with a new chipset supporting the new 4000 generation and overclocking capabilities on the CPU. Unfortunately, there is no difference in ports and video outputs, a point where the equivalent Intel Deskmini H470 was upgraded.

  However, the essence that interests someone who is looking for a super mini, beautiful, and decent PC for office or living room use is that this series from ASRock, in the category it addresses and in relation to the price it offers, clearly CANNOT BE MATCHED by any equivalent mini, especially with a realistic setup with x300 + 3400g + 2x8 3200mhz RAM. I say realistic because for the 4000 series that was created, it does not exist officially in the market, only in pre-built desktops!!!

  Here is a comparison of the 3400g compared to the next generation. In games, we see about a 5 fps difference from the 4750g depending on the game, and sometimes it performs better. It certainly lags behind in processing power and cores, but it compensates for it with better graphics than the Vega 11, which, when combined with overclocked memory, will surprise you!
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul3bqXl3LU4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=RandomBenchmark

  I don't think there will be a user (who doesn't have the delusion of playing new AAA titles on ultra or rendering 4k full effects) who will encounter a problem with the 3400g setup I recommended or from personal experience with Crucial 2666 RAM overclocked to 2933 or HyperX 2933 overclocked to 3200, where they are very stable on both the a300 and x300.

  Do you want RetroArch, Dolphin, emulators in general? It plays EVERYTHING at around 59.90fps (even the 3200g). It also plays RPCS3, Yuzu with dignity. Do you want to play Call of Duty on Memu/Bluestacks Android emulator on high settings? IT PLAYS GREAT. Do you want decent render times in 1080p editing? IT CAN DO THAT. Do you want 30+ tabs in Chrome? IT CAN HANDLE THAT TOO! And with low power consumption in simple tasks/games/browsing, around 30-40 watts.

  * Regarding the WiFi, I have tried the 3168 + 9260 with good performance, but the 3168 ultimately seems more stable. If you can find a cheap AX210, even better. But be careful, NOT the 9560. I should note here that if you are using a router on the 2.4GHz band and you have a Bluetooth speaker or any other Bluetooth device with continuous data transfer (not a keyboard, gamepad, etc.), it will affect your internet speed. This is something that cannot be avoided on any device unless you use a router on the 5GHz band...

  ** Also, regarding the cooler, because a friend asked, I ended up with the Wraith Stealth for the 2600/3200g without the shroud, and I painted the fan white.

  IMPORTANT: There are two versions of the Stealth/Spire coolers, one with 5 blades and 3500 RPM, and the other with 7 blades and 2000 RPM. With the 3200g, use the one with 7 blades, and with the 3400g, use the one with 5 blades, or simply use a better aftermarket 92mm cooler with zip ties.

  Here is a more detailed video about the stock coolers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfrdy3wG_g0&ab_channel=HardwareUnboxed

  The truth is that with the 3400g, it will work at higher speeds and may be bothersome under heavy load. An alternative, as I mentioned, is a better 92mm cooler for the Stealth, and an auxiliary solution is to install a good 12V 4-pin fan for speed control above the grilles to create greater pressure and airflow throughout the entire motherboard, for example, the be quiet! Pure Wings 2 or a more aesthetically pleasing slim fan like Arctic. For overclocking, you have to go for extreme measures, such as cutting the top grille for a larger cooler and many other things.

  As an example, I added an extra 120mm fan on the 3200 and it dropped the temperature by at least 7 degrees. I have 27-28 degrees on 4K YT videos and below 25 degrees while browsing, with dry paste. Another trick is to use an extension on the second 4-pin socket so that you can open and close the extra fan without opening the case, for example, during gaming.

  If you have extra money and only if you have the 3400 (since the stealth is fine for the 3200), install the Noctua L9a/Chromax Black. You will definitely gain less noise and slightly better temperatures, but don't expect miracles. It's the best solution, but with relatively small benefits for its cost. You can improve it by changing the fan to a 25mm one, but again, it's expensive and may not have a significant impact.

  * Firstly, the CM G200P RGB has a molex for power and requires some tricks to make the lighting work on the mini (I don't know if it can be done with an adapter). It also generally has lower quality compared to the Noctua. Here's how it worked for me: [link to YouTube video]

  * Then there are some Chinese options, but do NOT buy them no matter how tempting the price is.

  Also, enable the "cool n quiet" option from the BIOS and optionally, if you want even better temperatures and lower power consumption/longer CPU lifespan, play with the CPU's voltage. Lowering it slightly improves the temperature.

  *** Finally, I attach a photo (with a modified A300) for those who want to place it behind a monitor on an arm. You can do it with something like this [link to product], but it's a bit narrow and may get scratched, so put something underneath (e.g., a small box) to lift the Deskmini. (The LEDs are a 50cm LED strip connected to the rear USB port.)

  * UPDATE regarding the Intel 9260 WiFi card: Many people, including myself, have experienced a problem with the sudden disappearance of Bluetooth with almost all Intel cards on various systems and operating systems. Unfortunately, no BIOS or Windows/Intel update has solved it for me. The only solution that has worked so far - although the problem may reappear depending on the card's mood - is to unplug the power cable, press the power button for a few seconds, plug in the power again, and turn it on. The Bluetooth will reappear in the device manager along with all the paired devices. In an admin command prompt, type "netsh winsock reset" and then restart. Uninstall the drivers/software for the Intel WiFi+BT from the control panel and device manager, uninstall the Intel Driver Assistant if you have it, and restart so that the drivers are automatically installed by Windows. Also, make sure to uncheck the "allow the computer to turn off this device" option in the WiFi card's properties in the device manager, and in the power management - change plan settings, set the card to maximum performance. Finally, there is a trick in this video that I haven't tried yet, which may provide a permanent solution. I have been using Windows drivers for a week and so far, everything is good. [link to YouTube video]

  ******* Unfortunately, the problem reappeared. Finally, the 9260 is giving me trouble on the x300, but surprisingly it shows better performance on the deskmini a300 with rare Bluetooth issues, without the aforementioned problem, and it provides excellent speed on a hundredfold. The only card that does not present problems for me (for a month now) on the x300 is the one recommended by asrock, the Intel 3168 (or the Intel ax210). Stable but does not reach the speeds of the 9260 and has an older Bluetooth version 4.2.

  IMPORTANT and lifesaving for everyone's nerves
  *** If you cannot find a Bluetooth device in the device manager, even though you had it before and it is displayed in the device management, or if it simply cannot be uninstalled, download this > https://bluetoothinstaller.com/bluetooth-command-line-tools/btpair.html
  and then type "powershell" in the search bar, run it as an administrator, and type "btpair -u" to create a new pair.
  Caution: It uninstalls all devices.

  ** UPDATE: lag/jitter/shutter in videos and various issues even in rendering can be resolved by disabling the hardware accelerator wherever it exists. Especially for YouTube videos through Chrome, if you encounter a problem, go to settings - advanced - and disable "use hardware accelerator when available." The same applies to the lav decoder.

  *** UPDATE WINDOWS 11 - If you receive a message that your system does not meet the criteria for Windows 11, enter the BIOS and enable "CPU Configuration -> fTPM Switch," and you're ready to go. The same applies to a300 + x300, whether with 3200g or 3400g.

  **** UPDATE Batocera - LaunchBox Retro gaming. Almost all emulators work exceptionally well with the appropriate settings/resolution, except for 3ds, which does not support Vulkan. Even with 3200g and 8 GB of RAM, it is miles away from the super console x king. Retro enthusiasts, check here: [link to YouTube channel and video]

  ***** I ended up installing the Noctua l9i. As I mentioned in the evaluation, it is definitely quieter than the stock cooler, but there are no significant differences in cooling that justify the cost

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• 5

  aggeliszotis4805

  2023-11-23

  Verified purchase

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• 4

  NIKOLAOS_PALIOUSIS

  2023-09-21

  Verified purchase

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• 5

  Kostas_Dekopoulos

  2024-08-17

  Verified purchase