Minisforum PC Features Ryzen 9 7945HX3D and External GPU Interface

[AleksandarK]

During its "Xiamen HighFun" event in China, Minisforum announced the latest addition to its compact series of gaming PCs, this time with no official name. The 6-liter system, code-named "Project RPFXI" for Intel and "Project DRFXI" for AMD, will support up to 100 W TDP and utilize the most powerful Ryzen CPU, the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. This hybrid mobile/desktop processor combines the desktop-level performance of 16 Zen 4 cores with 144 MB of 3D V-cache, all within a 55 W power limit. Minisforum confirmed the 7945HX3D would be available in the AMD platform version, positioned as a premium model compared to the existing 7945HX system.

Interestingly, the GPU support is literally external, as the potential GPU needs to be attached to the outside part of the case, which is then secured using screws. The case could accommodate the fastest GPUs like NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 with a powerful enough power supply. The 6-liter mini PC is expected to launch in late 2023, either in 24-core Intel (HX line) configuration, of 16-core AMD configuration.



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[Chaitanya]

Would have been far more interesting if Miniforum were to sell it as m-ITX board for PC DIY Market.

 

[lemonadesoda]

I think two separate boxes, two separate power supplies, linked over thunderbolt 4 would be a more attractive (and robust) solution.

 

[Zareek]

People with children or cats, stay far away! I foresee many hurt fingers and paws. I guess it's not much different than an open air. To me, they seem like a problem waiting to happen. I'd like to see the same concept but with an actual PCIe bay on the upper section where the GPU is slotted in the picture. I would seriously consider that.

 

[phanbuey]

top heavy and fragile... just how I like my SFF builds.

 

[Guwapo77]

Not one of the most attractive builds I have ever seen, but probably pretty damn effective. That GPU gets all the air flows.

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

I think two separate boxes, two separate power supplies, linked over thunderbolt 4 would be a more attractive (and robust) solution.

Thunderbolt 4 is not fast enough anymore especially with high-end GPUs, now if there were an option to use a PCIe 4.0x4 m.2 adapter and OCuLink cable so that you get twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt, that might be something worth doing.

Personally though, I think just having a female x16 slot on the outside of the chassis like they're doing here is the better option. Or if you're dead set on "two boxes", they should just use one of the enterprise PCIe x16 external cables, or SlimSAS 16i cables, or whatever they have to do to have a full x16 link and not the mere 32Gbps that Tbunderbolt 4 can do which is just x2 lanes of PCIe 4.0 bandwidth

 

[lemonadesoda]

Agree. But last time I mentioned the use of the new fibre optic PCIe link, or use of external PCIe cables, I was told "TB 4.0" does that, and good enough. I guess is depends on how much you want to push your GPU and for what purpose/usage scenario.

 

[Karti]

Thunderbolt 4 is not fast enough anymore especially with high-end GPUs, now if there were an option to use a PCIe 4.0x4 m.2 adapter and OCuLink cable so that you get twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt, that might be something worth doing.

Personally though, I think just having a female x16 slot on the outside of the chassis like they're doing here is the better option. Or if you're dead set on "two boxes", they should just use one of the enterprise PCIe x16 external cables, or SlimSAS 16i cables, or whatever they have to do to have a full x16 link and not the mere 32Gbps that Tbunderbolt 4 can do which is just x2 lanes of PCIe 4.0 bandwidthView attachment 310352

Kinda yes - but also people are forgetting or maybe ignoring other facts about TB/USBC and Oculink

Yes, Oculink DOES provides now higher PCIE bandwidth - Gen4 x4 instead of TB4 Gen3 x4
But... that is all that Oculink does better

You cannot power your device with just Oculink, you cannot transfer data from HUBS, you cannot pass Video output with it... while all of those things can be done, and IS done by TB4/USBC :/

Docking station for laptops or handhelds that can power your device, add additional ports and allowed for video outputs on like 3 devices? TB4 / USBC all the way in

FOR NOW yes, Oculink is better pick JUST for high end GPU transfer onto small devices... but that is all

In a time when TB/USBC gonna get updated it will be on the same speed (or maybe higher?) as Oculink + all the things mentioned above
what about Oculink? all it can be updated with is just higher pcie bandwidth, nothing else, nothing more