Friday, September 6th 2024
MSI Intros MS-CF13 Mini-ITX Fanless, Ultra Low-Power Motherboard
We are excited to introduce the MS-CF13 Mini-ITX motherboard, a groundbreaking solution designed to meet the demands of modern applications with its fanless, low-profile, and ultra low-power features. Powered by the Intel Alder Lake-N SoC series, the MS-CF13 offers exceptional performance while maintaining energy efficiency, making it an ideal choice for a variety of industries.
Key Features:
The MS-CF13 Mini-ITX motherboard is particularly well-suited for these industries due to several key features:
1. DIGITAL SIGNAGE
Source:
MSI
Key Features:
- Powered by Intel Alder Lake-N Processor: The MS-CF13 is equipped with Intel Alder Lake-N PC Client & Embedded Series SoC, delivering reliable and efficient performance for diverse applications.
- High-Speed Memory: Featuring a DDR5 4800 MHz SODIMM slot, the motherboard supports up to 16 GB of memory, ensuring robust data handling capabilities.
- Triple Independent Displays: Supports DP, HDMI/DP, and LVDS/eDP, making it perfect for applications that require multiple high-resolution screens.
- Enhanced Network Connectivity: Includes 2 2.5 GbE LAN ports with RJ-45, providing high-speed network connections for data-intensive tasks.
- Versatile Expansion and Storage: Offers 1 M.2 E Key slot, 1 M.2 B Key (with SIM Holder, B+M key supported) and 1 SATA 3.0 port, ensuring extensive expansion and storage capabilities.
- Comprehensive I/O Ports: The MS-CF13 features 2 USB 10 Gbps, 1 USB 5 Gbps, 3 USB 2.0, 6 COM, GPIO, Audio, and a 3 W amplifier, facilitating seamless connectivity with various devices.
- Advanced Security: Onboard TPM 2.0 provides enhanced security features, crucial for sensitive applications.
- DC-IN 12 V: Supports a stable 12 V DC input, making it suitable for environments with consistent power requirements.
The MS-CF13 Mini-ITX motherboard is particularly well-suited for these industries due to several key features:
1. DIGITAL SIGNAGE
- Fanless Design: Ensures silent operation, which is crucial for environments where noise can be disruptive.
- Multiple Display Outputs: Supports triple independent displays (DP, HDMI/DP, LVDS/eDP), allowing for dynamic and high-resolution digital signage.
- Low-Power Consumption: Reduces energy costs and is ideal for installations that require continuous operation.
- Low-Profile Form Factor: Fits into compact medical devices where space is at a premium.
- High Reliability: The fanless design reduces the risk of mechanical failure, ensuring consistent performance.
- Enhanced Connectivity: Multiple USB and COM ports facilitate the connection of various medical instruments and devices.
- Ultra Low-Power Consumption: Essential for edge devices that need to operate efficiently in remote or power-constrained environments.
- Robust Processing Power: Intel Alder Lake-N SoC provides the necessary computational power for real-time data processing and analytics.
- Multiple Display Outputs: Supports multiple high-resolution displays, which is critical for monitoring and surveillance applications.
- High-Speed Network Connectivity: 2 2.5 GbE LAN ports ensure fast and reliable data transmission for video feeds.
- Fanless Design: Enhances reliability and reduces maintenance needs, which is important for 24/7 surveillance systems.
12 Comments on MSI Intros MS-CF13 Mini-ITX Fanless, Ultra Low-Power Motherboard
For home use, there are a number of sub-$200 ADL-N or sub-$300 ADL mini-pcs which are smaller, more flexible, and more upgrade-able than their Apple counterparts.
However, I can understand businesses being more comfortable purchasing from a well known company like MSI vs the loads of much less well known outfits that also sell them.
I wonder what's the reason the board is specified as only supporting up to 16GB of memory, when 24GB/32GB/48GB modules are available. Power? Actual utility given the use case?
www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/231805/intel-core-i3n305-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-80-ghz/specifications.html
This is going to go and do something a Mac literally never will.
About a year ago I looked long and hard for an Alder Lake N based solution for a relatively low power NAS/SAN box with the ability to use a SAS HBA, 2.5GbE or 10GbE, and the ability to host a couple of VMs or docker containers . In the end it became clear you could have one or two of those things but not all of them due to the lack of PCIe lanes. There's a few boards out there that appear like they have all that, but they use PCIe bridges to share lanes which is less than ideal.
Devices like this tick 2 of the boxes (mostly) and have limited storage options. www.servethehome.com/intel-core-i3-n305-and-n100-2-port-10g-2-port-2-5gbe-appliance/
In the end I went with a used Xeon W based workstation for my homelab. Not nearly as power efficient but so much more flexible while still being inexpensive!