Changwang Releases MoDT Mini-ITX Motherboard for Ryzen 7000 Mobile Processors

[T0@st]

Changwang has released an interesting looking Mobile on Desktop (MoDT) Mini-ITX motherboard in China—as spotted by HXL—for AMD Ryzen 7000 series mobile processors. The manufacturer has chosen to forego with a short plus catchy model name—Changwang's product page lays out the basic facts within the board's title. This a 170 x 170 mm compact form factor board that is NAS and storage oriented—with an AMD FP8 socket that accommodates Zen 3+ "Rembrandt" and Zen 4 "Phoenix" processors. At present, the only available options to purchase are Ryzen 7 7840HS configurations (with or without an air cooler). The specification sheet lists other processor options, including the recently launched "Hawk Point" Ryzen 7 8845HS model, as well as Ryzen 9 7940HS, Ryzen 7 7735HS (Zen 3+ Rembrandt), and Ryzen 5 7640HS.

You are limited to SODIMM (up to 5600 MT/s with the 7840HS config), due to Changwang choosing a mobile processor platform for a compact desktop motherboard that offers little in terms of upgradability. As pointed out by Tom's Hardware: "These motherboards with integrated Ryzen 7000 "Phoenix" processors might have been pretty killer a few months ago, but just days ago, AMD launched its Ryzen 8000G series APUs for the desktop, which use the same Phoenix chip that the Ryzen 7040HS chips use. Ryzen 8000G chips are a little faster, more customizable, and can be installed and upgraded like regular desktop chips, which are all significant points against Changwang's motherboard...However, when it comes to price, Changwang has the advantage. With a cost of 2888 RMB or about $400, the Ryzen 7 7840HS-equipped board looks pretty decent. A Ryzen 7 8700G retails for $329, and the cheapest AM5 Mini-ITX boards cost $130 at minimum (and come with the A620 chipset)." The Changwang board also offers an unprecedented number of interface options—its unique selling points include support for nine SATA drives, four 2.5 Gbit NICs, Thunderbolt 4, USB 4, PCIe Gen 4x4, etc.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[ncrs]

The Changwang board also offers an unprecedented number of interface options—its unique selling points include support for nine SATA drives, four 2.5 Gbit NICs, Thunderbolt 4, USB 4, PCIe Gen 4x4, etc.

USB4 is accounted for, but Thunderbolt 4 is not mentioned on their site as far as I can see.

 

[hsew]

The cost comparison is moot. Show me a comparable mITX AM5 board with 4x2.5gbe and 9xSATA. I’ll wait. This would be excellent for OPNsense. I’m willing to bet this will run significantly cooler than that hypothetical mITX rig too. The only question is how these alibaba brands are about RMA or FW updates though...

 

[trsttte]

This would have been a more interesting idea before the 8700G was available, now not really that interesting. Price wise it's cheaper than buying the desktop+motherboard seperately, but that also allows for more flexibility with standard coolers, regular DIMMs and perhaps ECC if you're lucky.

Could they also make a decision: are they making a nas board (9 sata), router board (4 nics) or neither of them (high power CPU)?

Show me a comparable mITX AM5 board with 4x2.5gbe. I’ll wait. This would be excellent for OPNsense.

It's an interesting choice but so are the mini computers from the likes of CWWK and others that are fully assembled, cheaper and loaded with intel nics. How are the ports here attached and what kind of nics are they using?

 

[hsew]

This would have been a more interesting idea before the 8700G was available, now not really that interesting. Price wise it's cheaper than buying the desktop+motherboard seperately, but that also allows for more flexibility with standard coolers, regular DIMMs and perhaps ECC if you're lucky.

Could they also make a decision: are they making a nas board (9 sata), router board (4 nics) or neither of them (high power CPU)?



It's an interesting choice but so are the mini computers from the likes of CWWK and others that are fully assembled, cheaper and loaded with intel nics. How are the ports here attached and what kind of nics are they using?

A quick glance at CWWK’s listings show them using 12th-gen E cores and older, 6W J-series pentiums in their designs (about the only thing that would fit in those tiny boxes, forget the SATA connectors). If I wanted NGFW capabilities and the ability to run proxmox, I’d go with the 7840, or consider something like this…

The Fanless King Intel Core i5 6x 2.5GbE System Review by CWWK

It may have some strong quirks, but this Intel Core i5-1235U system with 6x 2.5GbE NICs is now the king of the cheap fanless PC realm

www.servethehome.com

 

[trsttte]

A quick glance at CWWK’s listings show them using 12th-gen E cores and older, 6W J-series pentiums in their designs (about the only thing that would fit in those tiny boxes, forget the SATA connectors). If I wanted NGFW capabilities and the ability to run proxmox, I’d go with the 7840, or consider something like this…

The Fanless King Intel Core i5 6x 2.5GbE System Review by CWWK

It may have some strong quirks, but this Intel Core i5-1235U system with 6x 2.5GbE NICs is now the king of the cheap fanless PC realm

www.servethehome.com

To each his own, if you want something to do multiple jobs this board is great but for me personally I'd rather have multiple devices each doing it's own thing.

 

[regs]

The cost comparison is moot. Show me a comparable mITX AM5 board with 4x2.5gbe and 9xSATA. I’ll wait. This would be excellent for OPNsense. I’m willing to bet this will run significantly cooler than that hypothetical mITX rig too. The only question is how these alibaba brands are about RMA or FW updates though...

CWWK AMD-7940HS/8845HS 8-bay/9-bay NAS/USB4/40G rate 8K display 4 network 2.5G/9 SATA/PCIe x16 ITX motherboard

Motherboard core features Equipped with AMD "Zen 4" architecture Ryzen ™5/7/9 series high-performance processors 17x17 standard Mini-ITX form factor compatible with 1700 series CPU coolers 1 PCI-E x16 slot PCle4.0 x8 signal supports expansion of graphics card/network card etc. 2 M.2 NVMe(PCle4.0...

cwwk.net

Obviously not AM5, as they are all BGA, but still Zen 4. Judging by photo this one is FP7 socket version.
They seem to be in stock in Topton and KingNovy on AliExpress. Cost ~$480 with cooler and SFF-SATA cables.