Introduction

ASRock got their start in 2002 with a sole focus on producing motherboards. With their 3C design concept of "Creativity, Consideration, Cost-effectiveness," they have gone from their humble origins to an enthusiast favorite and industry juggernaut. They have expanded their product portfolio to include not only highly regarded motherboards but also graphics cards, networking components, mini-PCs, and industrial systems.


Today, I look at the ASRock 4X4 Box-4800U barebones system with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800U at its core. To test the system, I was provided with two 32 GB (64 GB) Patriot DDR4 SODIMMs rated at CL22 and 3200 MHz along with a Patriot P300 512 GB M.2 SSD. Considering the system's small size and mobile CPU, you won't be seeing insane graphics performance; however, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 IGP should prove more than adequate for daily tasks and light gaming. That said, before heaping on any praise, let's take a closer look at what ASRock is offering with this barebones system.

Packaging and Contents

When it comes to the box, it's not plain in design, but lacks a lot of substance in regards to specifications and information. The top simply reads "Mini PC Series" and "ASRock Industrial." A quick flip to the front is much the same, and the trend continues on the back of the box as well. Suffice it to say, it might look a somewhat pretty, but lacks any substance. While this isn't a problem, it's still nice to see some specifications, or other information.


The 4X4 BOX-4800U comes sealed in a white bag, in a cardboard tray that sits inside a separate tray containing a driver disc, VESA mounting plate, and assorted hardware.


When it comes to the included hardware, ASRock provides the minimum needed to get the system operational once you have your system memory and storage sorted out. As this is a barebones system, you will need those two things to complete it. To test the system, I was sent 2x 32 GB of 3200 MHz CL22 DDR4 memory and a 512 GB M.2 SSD from Patriot. The memory retails for around $110 per stick and the SSD for $60. Obviously, these parts greatly increase the price.

• 4X4 BOX-4800U
• Power brick
• VESA mounting plate
• VESA screws
• Driver disc
• Power brick

A Closer Look

ASRock's 4X4 BOX-4800U has a very glossy enclosure that is quite mundane in design. This isn't a bad thing, but does mean it's not exactly exciting to look at, and it's a fingerprint magnet. The front has 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort 1.2a support, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, and a combo audio jack. The power button is in the top left, which is useful if the system is mounted to the back of a display, compared to the more traditional location on the front.


Taking a look at the back, you will find 2x USB 2.0 ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.2a, 1x HDMI 2.0a, 1x 1 GbE LAN w/DASH, 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, and the power plug. Like the left side, the right side has a vented opening, at least at first glance. However, unlike the left side that does have a few moderate openings for airflow, the right side just has three tiny ones. It will be interesting to see what temperatures look like when the system is heavily stressed, but more on that later.


A closer look at the power button and the assorted I/O demonstrates that while ASRock could be considered a bit stingy in terms of the overall allocation of USB ports, under others, they did make sure to give users good bang for the buck in regards to functionality. With the two USB Type-C ports in the front supporting DisplayPort, the 4X4 BOX-4800U can drive four, yes, that's right, four displays. Meanwhile, there is enough USB connectivity for the mouse/keyboard and external storage.


The power adapter is from AcBel and has a maximum output of 90 watts.