ASRock Industrial proudly presents its latest lineup of industrial edge computing platform powered by Intel Core Series 3 processors (Wildcat Lake-U), designed to bring power-efficient computing and integrated AI acceleration to mainstream industrial and embedded edge applications. Featuring integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU compute engines with up to 40 platform TOPS, the new platforms support up to 64 GB DDR5 6400 MHz memory, high-speed expansion and storage, rich I/O connectivity, and multi-display capabilities. Spanning industrial motherboards, NUC motherboards, and compact NUC BOX systems, ASRock Industrial's Intel Core Series 3 portfolio provides right-sized computing options for industrial control, HMI, intelligent gateways, smart retail, digital signage, and other mainstream edge applications.

NUC Core 300 BOX Series: Compact, Power-Efficient Edge Computing
The NUC BOX-320 and NUC BOX-304 integrate Intel Core Series 3 processors into compact fanned embedded BOX PCs, powered by the Intel Core 5 processor 320 and Intel Core 3 processor 304, respectively. The systems support up to 64 GB of single-channel DDR5 6400 MHz memory with In-Band ECC. For expansion, the systems provide one M.2 Key E (2230) slot with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity. Networking includes one Intel 2.5 Gigabit LAN and one Realtek 2.5 Gigabit LAN. Storage configuration includes one M.2 Key M (2242) slot with PCIe Gen 4 x1 and one M.2 Key M (2242/2280) slot with PCIe Gen 4 x2 for SSDs. I/O connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C and three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. The series supports triple-display output up to 4K through two HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a outputs from Type-C. Intel PTT and a 19 V/90 W power adapter further support secure, ready-to-deploy system integration. Built in a compact 117.5 x 110 x 49 mm fanned chassis with VESA mounting support, the NUC Core 300 BOX Series provides a space-efficient computing platform for smart retail, digital signage, kiosks, HMI, and other mainstream edge applications.

a leading producer of industrial motherboards, has announced the release of the MIX-PTLWV1, its first Mini-ITX motherboard featuring Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors (formerly Panther Lake). The MIX-PTLWV1 is available with a number of processors from across the series, ranging from 15 W to 25 W, and provides support for up to 128 GB of DDR5 (6400 MHz) via two C/SO-DIMM slots. With the hybrid AI acceleration offered by the Panther Lake series' integrated Intel Arc GPU, Intel AI Boost NPU, and disaggregated CPU architecture, AAEON has indicated that the MIX-PTLWV1 is positioned for use in edge AI applications across machine vision, robotic automation, and industrial inspection.

The board's I/O provides two rear I/O 2.5GbE LAN ports (Intel Ethernet Controller I226 series) by default. However, AAEON states that the board comes with the option of an additional two 10GbE LAN ports (Intel Ethernet Controller E610-XAT2) on top of this, although this configuration is SKU-dependent. Alongside these, the board hosts four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (5 Gbps), and four display ports, each offering 4K resolution at 60 Hz.

SilverStone has quietly listed the CS240, a Mini-ITX NAS chassis first shown at Computex 2026 back in June, built around four hot-swappable 2.5-inch U.2 drives in a compact 21.65-liter footprint. The chassis measures 211 x 285 x 360 mm and is built from aluminium (front door), plastic (front panel) and steel. The four external bays support tri-mode operation, NVMe U.2 (SFF-8639), SAS, and SATA, with drives up to 15 mm thick, connected via a backplane with dual SlimSAS 8i (SFF-8654) connectors running PCIe 4.0 x4. An additional internal bay takes one 3.5-inch or two 2.5-inch drives. The chassis supports Deep Mini-ITX and Mini-DTX motherboards, with two expansion slots and GPU clearance up to 300 mm length and 168 mm width. Moreover, the case features an integrated GPU support bracket.

For cooling the case comes with three 120 mm fans pre-installed, one at the rear and two on the side, with the side positions also supporting three 80 mm fans as an alternative. A 120 mm radiator can be mounted at the rear of the case. CPU coolers up to 182 mm tall are supported, while for power it uses SFX or SFX-L PSUs up to 140 mm. The front I/O panel features one USB Type-C, and two USB 3.0 ports, and a combo audio jack. No official pricing or availability has been announced, however, the SilverStone CS240 has already appeared on European retailer Alternate listed at €349.More pictures follow.

With launch pricing putting a damper on the hype for Valve's Steam Machine, it's no surprise that gamers are looking to more affordable or better value alternatives to the Steam Machine. One French PC vendor, LDLC, has officially announced its pre-built answer to the Steam Machine in the new "PC Box" pre-built PC. Somewhat comically, the PC was previously being referred to as the "Stim Machine" but has seemingly been rebranded as the PC Box in the meantime. The LDLC PC Box appears to be almost perfectly optimized to edge out the Steam Machine in performance, even if pricing is somewhat higher in the pre-built configuration.

The PC Box is available from LDLC as a pre-built PC for €1039.99 or as a DIY kit you can assemble yourself for €999.99, and its basic specs include an AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, 16 GB of dual-channel DDR5 memory, an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB, a 512 GB SSD, and a 350 W 80+ Bronze certified PSU, all built into a small form-factor SilverStone Sugo SG13B case. The most noticeable performance difference between the Steam Machine and the PC Box is that the latter has a significantly more powerful and modern GPU, which should deliver around 70% better GPU performance in many cases, based on currently available data on the Steam Machine hardware. One obvious drawback to the more powerful hardware is that, even though it is a Mini ITX case, the SilverStone Sugo SG13 is larger than the Steam Machine, at 222 (W) x 181 (H) x 285 mm), compared to the Machine's 152 × 162.4 × 156 mm.

SAMA, a global leader in performance PC hardware, announces the S50, a compact ATX case that balances space efficiency, airflow, and high-end hardware support. The S50 features a tempered glass side panel and high-density mesh on the front and top for strong, balanced airflow. Its innovative front-mounted PSU compartment reduces the chassis footprint, enabling a compact size without sacrificing compatibility or cooling capacity. The S50 comes pre-installed with four 120 mm ARGB PWM fans for strong out-of-the-box airflow and lighting. It supports ATX, microATX, Mini-ITX, and back-connect ATX and microATX motherboards, along with graphics cards up to 410 mm, CPU coolers up to 165 mm, and ATX power supplies up to 180 mm. For expanded cooling and easier building, the case supports up to eleven 120 mm fans, a top-mounted 360 mm radiator, tool-less quick-release panels, 47 mm of cable management space, and a removable storage bracket.

We've already covered a number of DeepCool's latest innovations at Computex 2026, from its latest CPU and AIO coolers to its new silent daisy-chain fans, but the brand has also shown off a new prototype SFF PC that flips the script on PC building. The as-yet-unnamed mini PC packs the motherboard and main hardware into a small chassis with a cutout over the CPU where one of DeepCool's new Assassin V coolers sticks out into the open air. This protruding CPU tower cooler presents two main advantages: The CPU always has unfettered access to fresh, cool air, and CPU performance is no longer constrained by the size of the cooler that can fit into the case.

Of course, there are obvious drawbacks, namely that there is a giant hole in the case, where dust will undoubtedly enter the mini PC, and that the air being forced through the tower cooler isn't filtered, so dust and debris will eventually accumulate on the CPU cooler. In addition to the CPU cooler that sticks out of the case, DeepCool's prototype mini PC has a GPU module, which is a separate compartment entirely that connects to the CPU/motherboard module with a PCIe riser cable and slots in under the base module. The compartmentalization of components would likely help with cooling, but also serves to enhance the aesthetics of the mini PC somewhat. It's unclear if and when the prototype mini PC will launch, but it will likely have to compete with the likes of the Steam Machine if it does make it to the mass market. DeepCool also didn't give any indication of what sort of internals we could expect from this prototype, but given the standard cooler compatibility and full-length PCIe riser, it seems likely that the modular mini PC is hiding an ITX or microATX motherboard.

Maxsun has officially shown off its new iCraft Z890 ITX motherboard at Computex, with active chipset and VRM cooling in an ITX form factor. The Z890 ITX is built for the Intel LGA-1851 socket, with support for Intel's Core Ultra 2 series CPUs in mind. Maxsun claims that the Z890 ITX is capable of powering a CPU with a 250 W TDP, thanks to an 8+1+1 power circuit design, making it powerful enough even for the likes of the Core Ultra 9 285K at stock clocks, according to the testing in the TechPowerUp Core Ultra 9 285K in-depth technical review. Pricing and a launch date have not yet been revealed for the Maxsun iCraft Z890 ITX Wi-Fi motherboard.


Physically, the new motherboard sports a full-length PCIe 5.0 ×16 slot and two DDR5 memory slots for dual-channel memory configurations, and it has active cooling on both the VRM and in the M.2 heat sink under the PCIe slot. It supports 1× PCIe 5.0 ×4 M.2 SSD on the front of the motherboard, 1× PCIe 4.0 ×4 M.2 SSD in a rear-mounted M.2 slot, and 4× PCIe 4.0 Slim SAS SFF-8654 4i SSDs. As for network connectivity, the motherboard sports Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7, as well as Realtek 5G LAN, and the rear I/O has both DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1, 3× USB Type-C 20 Gbps ports, 6× USB Type-A 10 Gbps ports, 2× USB 5 Gbps ports, and 4× USB 2.0 ports. The motherboard also features a built-in 5 v ARGB connector for case and fan customization purposes.

Walking the Computex show floor, we stopped at the Apeer2 booth where the company had its ITX Case on display, an unusual Mini-ITX chassis that looks more like a concept at first glance, but is already up for preorder. The whole idea revolves around mounting your monitor directly onto the case instead of using a separate stand or arm. The integrated VESA extension has three fixed positions and supports height adjustment, tilt, and portrait rotation, essentially turning the case and monitor into a single unified desk unit. The main feature is the integrated VESA mount extension with three fixed positions, supporting height adjustment, tilt and portrait rotation. The case itself is made from anodized aluminium with magnetic side panels for tool-free access. Cable management clips are built in.

The case measures 266 × 222 × 478 mm, weighs 8.27 kg and has enough internal space for graphics cards up to 370 mm long. It can accommodate CPU coolers up to 95 mm tall and SFX/SFX-L power supplies up to 150 mm in length. 240 or 280 mm radiator support and two 80 mm and two 92 mm fans positions are available. Worth mentioning the perforated panels that should help with the airflow.

The industrial world is transforming fast. As AI moves from the cloud to the edge, demand is rising for high-performance, low-latency computing that can operate reliably in real environments—powering everything from real-time defect detection in smart factories to advanced patient monitoring in healthcare. Edge AI needs hardware that's both intelligent and resilient. To meet this shift, GIGAIPC introduces a versatile lineup of motherboards based on Intel Core Ultra desktop processors (Series 2), enabling flexible system designs across diverse industrial scenarios and helping businesses deploy AI-ready solutions at scale.

Accelerating Industrial AI with Intel Core Ultra Series
Built around the Intel Core Ultra desktop processor (Series 2), this platform brings higher efficiency, stronger performance, and expanded connectivity to industrial and edge applications. This new architecture reduces package power by up to 58% in typical workloads, enabling IPC and embedded system developers to build more energy-efficient, thermally optimized, and reliable products for space-constrained and demanding environments. At the same time, performance improves over the previous generation, with up to 6% faster single-thread and up to 14% faster multi-thread performance to support real-time control, edge analytics, and multitasking workloads. Furthermore, the Intel 800 Series chipset extends platform compatibility with up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, 8 SATA 3.0 ports, and 10 USB 3.2 ports, empowering industrial systems with superior scalability for I/O expansion, storage, and diverse connectivity.

SilverStone Technology today announced the RM100, a 1U rackmount server chassis designed for space-constrained server environments. Despite its compact 1U form factor, the RM100 supports up to ATX motherboards, providing system integrators and enterprise users with a flexible and efficient platform for building rackmount systems.

The RM100 is engineered with system configuration flexibility in mind. Its reversible chassis design allows users to choose whether the I/O ports face the front or the rear of the rack, making it easier to adapt to different rack layouts and installation environments. The power supply position can also be adjusted to suit various deployment requirements. In addition, components such as the rail kit, handles, drive bays, and power module are designed to be reversible, offering greater convenience and adaptability during system integration and installation.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, small form factor PCs, power supply units, and AIO liquid coolers, today highlights the gaming performance potential of the DeskMeet Series platform when paired with the Intel Arc A380 Challenger ITX 6GB OC graphics card.

As GPU and memory prices continue to fluctuate, gamers are looking for smarter ways to build high-performance systems without exceptional value. ASRock recommends the DeskMeet Series platform paired with the Intel Arc A380 Challenger ITX 6GB OC graphics card, delivering a balanced configuration that achieves strong performance and outstanding value for mainstream gaming.

Not too long ago, Colorful released its iGame Lab Vulcan NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs, which feature a clean white design language. Now, the GPU maker has announced a new Mini-ITX case to go with those GPU designs. The Colorful iGame Lab Vulcan Armor chassis is a 617 × 186.6 × 210 mm, or roughly 24 L in volume. Colorful specifically lists compatibility with its iGame RTX 5070 Ti Vulcan W OC, 5080 Vulcan W OC, 5090 D v2 Vulcan W OC 24 GB, and 5090 D Vulcan W OC 32 GB, since those are the GPUs that feature the shroud design that fits into the dedicated cutout on the side of the chassis, which exposes the GPU intake fans to fresh air.

The chassis offers support for up to 240 mm radiators—and comes with a 240 mm radiator, rated at 240 W TDP, with slim fans pre-installed—and SFX PSUs up to 110 mm long. While the chassis is technically designed for Colorful's own GPU shrouds, it technically fits 3-slot GPUs up to 373.2 mm long—an enterprising modder could likely fairly easily 3D print a bracket to fill make up for any discrepancies between the case cutout and the GPU shroud on third-party designs. The case also sports a magnetic attachment base on the top panel for attaching things like the Colorful Vulcan screen. Front I/O consists of a USB 3.2 Type-C port and dual USB 3.0 ports. International pricing and launch dates have not yet been confirmed at the time of writing.

Akasa, a leading provider of thermal solutions, announced the Pascal MX, an IP65-rated dust-tight and water jet resistant aluminium fanless case designed for Mini-ITX and Thin Mini-ITX motherboard systems operating in industrial, outdoor or mission-critical environments. The Pascal MX addresses one of the core challenges in harsh-environment embedded computing: maintaining system reliability where conventional fan-cooled cases fail due to dust ingress and moisture. For engineers and system integrators attending Embedded World 2026 in Nuremberg from 10 to 12 March, the Pascal MX will be on display at Hall 1, Booth 640, alongside Akasa's wider range of fanless cases, CPU coolers, heatsinks, and thermal solutions.

At the heart of the Pascal MX is Akasa's patented spring-loaded CPU mounting system, which maintains consistent, uniform contact pressure across all supported sockets (Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, and LGA1200). This enables the same chassis to support Intel Core processors from 10th-14th Generation and the latest Intel Core Ultra (15th Gen) processors, all at up to 65 W TDP. Heat from the CPU and M.2 2280 SSD is conducted into the aluminium chassis via dedicated thermal modules, dissipating passively through the external fins. With no fans and no moving parts, the Pascal MX eliminates the primary sources of mechanical failure and particulate ingress that limit system uptime in demanding deployments.

ASRock Industrial announces new industrial motherboards supporting AMD EPYC 4005/4004, Ryzen 9000/8000/7000, and Ryzen Embedded 9000/7000 Series processors, expanding its platform portfolio across IMB-A1700, IMB-A1302, IMB-A1003, and IMB-A1002. Powered by AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors with up to 16 cores and 32 threads, delivering high-performance and energy efficiency for edge servers and enterprise workloads, alongside Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 Series for exceptional computing power and Ryzen Embedded 9000 Series for long-term availability in reliable edge computing. Supporting ATX, microATX, and Mini-ITX form factors, these platforms feature DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen 5 expansion, multi-display capability, and rich industrial I/O to enable flexible system designs for computer vision, video analytics, AI-enhanced workloads, software development, gaming platforms, and professional-grade productivity systems.

IMB-A1700 Series: ATX Motherboard for high-performance
The IMB-A1700 ATX motherboard supports AMD EPYC 4005/4004, Ryzen 9000/8000/7000, and Ryzen Embedded 9000/7000 Series processors, delivering robust computing performance for demanding workloads. The board features four DDR5 5600 MHz ECC/non-ECC U-DIMM slots supporting up to 256 GB of memory, providing a stable foundation for high-throughput and multitasking environments. Expansion capability includes two PCIe x16 (Gen 5) slots, configurable as either one PCIe x16 (Gen 5) or two PCIe x8 (Gen 5), one PCIe x4 (Gen 4), and four PCIe x1 (Gen 4) slots, enabling flexible integration of GPUs, AI accelerators, and add-on cards. Storage support includes one M.2 key M for NVMe SSD and four SATA3 ports with RAID 0/1/10 support, enabling high-speed storage deployment. I/O connectivity is comprehensive, featuring seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, and six COM ports, complemented by three 2.5G LAN and one 1G LAN. Supporting quad-display output via HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.2++ and built in an ATX form factor (12 x 9.6 inches), the IMB-A1700 is well-suited for AI-driven video analytics platforms, computer vision servers, high-end development systems, and performance-focused computing deployments.

If you were in or around the PC building space in 2020, you'd have at least heard about the fire risk related to the PCIe riser cable on the original NZXT H1 mini ITX case, which eventually resulted in a recall and replacement PCIe riser kits being sent out. Since NZXT has launched the newest iteration of the SFF case, the H2 Flow—which TechPowerUp has reviewed—the PC case maker has seen fit to publish a blog post explaining the engineering changes it has made to the new H2 Flow's riser cable to avoid the same issues from popping up again. NZXT starts things off by reminding us that the problem with the original H1's PCIe riser cable was that the mounting screw made contact with an internal power plane in the riser cable's PCB, resulting in a short circuit that could lead to a fire.

The brand goes on to explain that the issue has been avoided in the new PCIe riser cable with two safety measures. First, there is a physical boss, or "shoulder" that extends into the PCB through-hole to protect the PCB from the screw threads and to ensure that there is a consistent and guaranteed gap between the screw and the PCB. Secondly, NZXT has changed the design of the PCB such that there are no power planes or traces surrounding the screw hole—every trace around the screw is grounded, and that ground plane extends externally to a copper screw pad on the top and bottom of the PCB, adding another layer of protection. NZXT notes that the screw pad may be missing in some early review samples, which is something you can observe in our review of the H2 Flow, but it is included in the final mass production versions of the case. NZXT claims that these measures have eliminated the failure mode that caused issues with the original H1 chassis.

NZXT, a leading brand in PC gaming components and prebuilt systems, today introduced the H2 Flow Mini-ITX Case and the C850 SFX Power Supply, two compact solutions designed to bring high-performance PC builds into smaller spaces without compromise. With a focus on airflow, compatibility, and ease of installation, these products make small form factor (SFF) systems more powerful and accessible than ever.

For players who want the performance and design of the H2 Flow without building it themselves, NZXT is also launching the H2 Mini PC, available for a limited time, exclusively in the United States. This prebuilt option delivers the same compact footprint and performance-focused design in a fully assembled, ready-to-play system, making small form factor PC gaming more accessible to a wider audience.

[Editor's note: You can read ourin-depth review of the NZXT H2 Flow Mini-ITX case here]

At Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 in Barcelona, Akasa showcased its latest solutions that embed LCD screens in passively-cooled cases. There are three versions, including "Kepler," "Maxwell Pro Plus," and "Euler CMX," all of which come with an LCD screen for monitoring or providing a visual interface that a user might need. First on the list is the new "Kepler" chassis, which is a 2U rack-mountable design with support for microATX and Mini-ITX boards, compatible with either Intel LGA1851 or LGA1700 sockets, capable of running anything from 12th to 14th Generation Intel Core processors, or Core Ultra in the latest 15th Generation "Arrow Lake." The system limits the CPU TDP to 35 W, which makes sense since it is a completely passively cooled enclosure. Kepler includes a 150 W AC-to-DC converter to power the system, and there is the possibility to install up to four single-slot low-profile PCIe cards or anything that fits within four slots of low-profile PCIe space.

ASUS Republic of Gamers has teased the imminent arrival of a spun-off STRIX B850-I GAMING WIFI motherboard model. The standard black version has been out for almost a year, but a pale sibling will be added to the Taiwanese manufacturer's collection of small form factor (SFF) mainboards. A cute mascot pixel art-themed teaser was released prior to the discovery of a single product promo render. In the early hours, realVictor_M uploaded this lone image to social media. As expected, the forthcoming white Mini ITX product—dubbed "ROG STRIX B850-I Gaming WIFI7 W"—deploys a familiar layout.

The ASUS mainboard design team has revised a small portion of visual elements; mainly on the I/O and M/2 covers/shrouds. Branding and graphical themes are slightly different, when compared to material printed on the standard black SKU. We expect similar visual updates to be present on the white edition's rear surface, but this morning's leak did not include any additional shots of the motherboard's back and sides. At the time of writing, official ASUS web presences do not list this SKU. It is possible that the leaked render was sourced from an inadvertent webstore entry.

Antec Inc., a global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the FLUX M Case. Stock is due to land in Europe week commencing 17th November.

The FLUX M features a multi-directional vent layout that includes large intake openings at the front, bottom, and right side, combined with top ventilation to create a dedicated F-LUX airflow path. The case comes equipped with six high-performance PWM fans, including three 120 mm PWM ARGB fans and three 120 mm PWM reverse fans, providing strong intake and optimized cooling around the graphics card.

MSI has officially announced the latest entries in its Inspire GPU line-up, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Inspire ITX and the RTX 5050 Inspire ITX OC. As the name suggests, the RTX 5050 Inspire ITX line-up is designed for small form-factor PC builds, so both models feature the same compact two-slot design as the RTX 5060 version we recently reported on, measuring in at just 147 × 120 × 45 mm. Both versions of the GPU also feature the same cooling solution, with a single-fan cooler design with a Torx Fan 5.0 and a single heat pipe.

The only notable difference between the two versions is the clock speed, with the vanilla RTX 5050 Inspire ITX topping out at 2587 MHz in Extreme Performance mode (2572 MHz regular boost clocks), while the OC version is capable of 2617 MHz in Extreme Performance mode while boosting to 2602 MHz ordinarily. Both ITX cards feature three DisplayPort 2.1b ports and a single HDMI 2.1b port and have a rated power consumption of 130 W, supplied via a single 8-pin power connector. Users can select between Gaming and Silent modes in MSI Center or dive deeper into customization and overclocking in MSI Afterburner. No pricing information has been announced for the new ITX GPUs.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, proudly announces the launch of a comprehensive portfolio of industrial computing solutions built on Intel Core 200S series processors. These new platforms deliver major gains in AI performance, energy efficiency, and I/O flexibility—empowering next-generation applications in industrial automation, infotainment, edge AI systems, and immersive computing.

The new upgrade spans form factors Mini-ITX, ATX, PICMG 1.3 boards, edge AI systems, and COM-HPC modules, engineered to leverage the hybrid-core architecture and AI-enhanced compute of the Intel Core 200S series processors.

darkFlash has announced the FLOATRON F1 microATX case designed with a floating extended base for better airflow and hardware compatibility. The chassis measures 431 x 240 x 421 mm, is made from 0.8 mm SPCC steel and it is available in Black and White versions. It supports microATX and Mini-ITX motherboards, GPUs up to 350 mm in length, CPU coolers up to 185 mm in height, and offers five PCIe slots. Storage support includes up to three SSDs and three HDDs. For cooling the case offers support for up to nine fans and radiators up to 360 mm mounted at the top. Fan mounts are available at the top (3x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm), side (2× 120 mm or 2x 140 mm), rear (1x 120 mm or 1x 140 mm), and bottom (3x 120 mm). The case uses a vertical air duct layout to improve thermal performance and includes open ventilation at the side, top, bottom and rear panels.

The FLOATRON F1 also adopts a clamshell-style side panel with a screwless, tool-free design for easier access. The floating extended base increases airflow around the GPU, which the company claims can reduce temperatures by 5-7 °C, and doubles as a display platform for custom lighting or decorations. Front I/O connectivity includes one USB Type-C port, two USB 3.0 ports, HD audio, and dedicated power and reset buttons. darkFlash did not specify an exact date of availability in stores or an exact retail price.

DFI has listed on its website a new ITX motherboard, the PTH171/PTH173, featuring Intel's upcoming Panther Lake-H processors. However, we should not be too excited, as the motherboard uses a 25 W TDP soldered CPU clearly oriented toward embedded systems rather than desktop usage. The lack of x16 PCIe slots indicates that all graphics processing relies on Panther Lake-H's integrated graphics capabilities. The motherboard offers one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort connection, one USB Type-C output, and one M.2-A display extension port supporting eDP, LVDS, HDMI, DVI, VGA, and DisplayPort interfaces. DFI PTH171/PTH173 motherboard feature two SODIMM slots that support DDR5-6400 and DDR5-7200 speeds, with a maximum of 128 GB. For storage and expansion, there is one PCIe Gen 5 x4 slot and several M.2 interfaces: an M Key for NVMe storage, a B Key for 4G/5G modules with a SIM slot, an E Key for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and an A Key for expanding display and USB options. Two additional M.2 slots are reserved for networking modules.

The I/O options are extensive: three Intel 2.5GbE connections, two COM ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one USB Type-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 15 W power delivery, five USB 2.0 headers, two SATA 3.0 connections, and stereo audio with 3 W speaker output. For industrial use, the board includes full EXT-OOB support via DFI's own carrier board system to expand functionality, including optional internal RJ45 connectivity, CNVi integration, and compatibility with Intel vPro. DFI provides a 10-year lifecycle guarantee until Q1 2036, in line with Intel's roadmap. So far, we know that Intel's Panther Lake-H (PTL-H) is a mobile-focused chip that will debut on the Intel 18A process, alongside the main Panther Lake lineup and later Nova Lake CPUs. DFI's listing of a motherboard with a soldered PTL-H processor suggests that Intel has already begun shipping Panther Lake batches to partners, reinforcing the company's roadmap of a launch in the second half of 2025 followed by mass availability in 2026.

Chinese ODM Sixunited has introduced its STHT1 Thin Mini-ITX board, bringing AMD's Strix Halo "Ryzen AI MAX" APUs to the PC enthusiast market for the first time. Previously available only in high-end laptops and compact PCs, these Zen 5-based SoCs feature up to 16 CPU cores, an enhanced RDNA 3.5 Radeon 8060S GPU with up to 40 CU, and an integrated AI engine. Sixunited's non-socketed design allows builders to select any Ryzen AI MAX model: from the six-core, 16-thread 380 to the top-tier 16-core, 32-thread 395+ SKU, each supporting a configurable TDP range between 45 and 120 watts. To fully leverage this performance, the STHT1 ships with 128 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory soldered directly onto the board. This unified memory pool feeds the CPU, GPU, and AI engine, ensuring sufficient bandwidth for tasks such as LLM inference and real-time rendering in a compact footprint.

The STHT1 MoDT (Mobile on Desktop) platform offers plenty of connectivity and storage options. Dual M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots accommodate high-speed NVMe drives, while an M.2 2230 socket supports Wi-Fi modules. The rear panel features HDMI 2.1, a user-selectable DisplayPort, VGA, or COM output, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, additional USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and audio jacks. Internally, a robust 16-phase voltage regulator module powers the SoC, alongside a 4+1-phase arrangement for auxiliary components. Supporting the board are two fan headers, a standard four-pin ATX power connector, and a 19-volt DC-in plug, all housed on a 170×170 mm PCB.

Cooler Master has introduced the new NR200P case now in its V3 iteration. The NR200P V3 is a Mini-ITX case designed for compact builds requiring high-performance cooling solutions. The case measures 378.2 x 185 x 292 mm with protrusions (18.62-liter volume) while supporting full-size components. The exterior combines aluminium, SGCC steel, mesh panels, and ABS plastic components. The CNC-machined aluminium side panels feature magnetic latching mechanisms for tool-free access. Large mesh side panels facilitate airflow while maintaining component visibility. The NR200P V3 accommodates 240 mm and 280 mm AIO liquid coolers through top-mounted radiator support. Additional cooling options include dual 120 mm or 140 mm fans at the top. Bottom ventilation supports up to two 120 mm slim fans (maximum 15 mm thickness) when no 3.5-inch drive is installed, or one 120 mm slim fan with a drive present.

It can accommodate CPU coolers up to 70 mm in height and supports graphics cards up to 361.5 mm in length, 160 mm in height, and 78.5 mm in width (3.8 slots). A PCIe 5.0 x16 riser cable enables vertical GPU mounting, with an included GPU support bracket for stability. Power supply compatibility covers SFX and SFX-L form factors. Storage capacity includes one 3.5-inch HDD bay (expandable to two) and one 2.5-inch SSD bay (expandable to two). Front I/O provides two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port, and a 3.5 mm headset jack. The Cooler Master NR200P V3 ships in black finish with a two-year warranty (retail pricing was not yet disclosed) targeting users requiring maximum performance in minimal desktop space.