Korean DRAM and NAND flash giant SK Hynix brought its latest memory innovations to the 2020 International CES. The star attraction at their booth was the "4D NAND" technology, and some of the first client-segment SSDs based on it. As a concept, 4D NAND surfaced way back in August 2018, and no, it doesn't involve the 4th dimension. Traditional 3D NAND chips use charge-trap flash (CTF) stacks spatially located next to a peripheral block that's responsible for wiring out all of those CTF stacks. In 4D NAND, the peripheral block is stacked along with the CTF stack itself, conserving real-estate on the 2-D plane (which can then be spent on increasing density). We caught two 128-layer 4D NAND-based client-segment drives inbound for 2020, the Platinum P31 M.2 NVMe, and Gold P31 M.2 NVMe. The already launched Gold S31 SATA drive was also there.

Patriot at CES 2020 showcased two new products that will be added to their portfolio in the form of the P210 and P220 SSDs. The company has already built a reputation for themselves with their high-performance VPN100 and VP4100 SSDs in the M.2 form-factor, and are now adding some budget padding to their lineup with the 2.5", SATA-based P210 and P220. The P220 will be available in up to 4 TB capacities and features Phison's S12 controller, whilst the P210 will offer only up to 2 TB maximum storage and an undisclosed next-gen SMI 2259XT Next-Gen controller.

Kingston at the 2020 International CES shows us their upcoming mid-range M.2 NVMe SSD that has the latest PCI-Express 4.0 x4 host interface and NVMe 1.4 protocol, codenamed "Grandview." Later this year, this drive will be launched as a high cost-performance product under the company's marquee or HyperX brand. Available in capacities ranging between 500 GB and 2 TB, the drive is powered by Marvell "Whistler Plus" 12 nm controller that has 4 flash channels, and 1.2 GT/s per channel bandwidth. They wouldn't tell us if it's TLC or QLC NAND flash in use, or the manufacturer-rated performance numbers. The PCIe to M.2 adapter in these pictures will not be part of the package.

Also on display was "Seccos," their new PCI-Express 3.0 x4 drive that uses an unnamed 8-channel controller (likely Marvell), and 3D TLC NAND flash, with capacities ranging between 250 GB to 2 TB. Kingston put out some CDM numbers for the 1 TB model of Seccos: 3,449 MB/s sequential reads, and 2,839 MB/s sequential writes. The manufacturer-rates performance numbers are up to 3,500 MB/s reads, and up to 3,000 MB/s writes.

Phison was first to market with a client-segment PCI-Express gen 4.0 NVMe SSD controller, and as a result, the first wave of gen 4.0 M.2 SSDs have been dominated by the E16-series controller. At CES 2020, we got to see some of the first drives based on PCIe gen 4.0 controllers from other manufacturers such as Silicon Motion and InnoGrit, thanks to ADATA. With begin with the company's latest-generation XPG SAGE M.2 NVMe SSDs with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 interface, which come in capacities of up to 4 TB, and which are powered by InnoGrit "Rainier" IG5236 controller, belting out sequential transfer speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s reads, with up to 6,100 MB/s writes, and up to 1 million IOPS 4K random access. The drive supports the latest NVMe 1.4 protocol.

Next up is the XPG Indigo, another M.2 NVMe PCI-Express 4.0 x4 drive positioned a notch below the XPG Sage. This one uses Silicon Motion's fastest PCIe gen 4.0 client-segment controller, the SM2264. With capacities of up to 4 TB, the drive offers up to 7,000 MB/s sequential reads, up to 6,000 MB/s sequential writes, and up to 700,000 IOPS 4K random-access performance. Lastly there's the XPG Pearl, a high cost-performance model powered by the mid-range SM2267 controller which has a PCIe gen 4.0 x4 interface and DRAM cache, comes in capacities of up to 4 TB, but offers a slightly tamed performance that's comparable to E16-powered drives: up to 4,000 MB/s sequential reads, up to 3,000 MB/s sequential writes, and up to 400,000 IOPS 4K random access. The new-gen XPG Sage, XPG Indigo, and XPG Pearl will release later this year.

Intel's latest NUC (Next Unit of Computing) series of Mini PCs, based on the 10th generation of Intel "Core" processors, is now available for purchase. Dubbed Frost Canyon, this NUC series is featuring Intel's 10th generation Comet Lake CPUs at its base. All of the available configurations are based around the Intel Core i7-10710U processor, Intel i219-V Gigabit Lan, Bluetooth 5.0 and Intel WiFi 6 AX200 networking module. Configurations are varying by the amount of pre-installed RAM and storage and the option of whatever you want OS pre-installed or not.

The NUC 10 supports up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory, while the storage options include space for one 2.5 inch SSD/HDD in smaller variants or two 2.5 inch SSD/HDD drives in taller variants, with one NVMe M.2 SSD slot available in both versions. Pricing starts at $679 for the base models, while higher-end configurations cost upward of $1,295. Additionally, it is worth pointing out that all CPUs inside the new NUC are configured to run at 25 W of TPD, regardless of the model. This will result in higher performance compared to 15 W versions of processors found in most laptop solutions.

Western Digital unveiled the WD Blue SN550 line of M.2 NVMe SSDs. A successor to the WD Blue SN500, the SN550 is updated with a new controller that utilizes PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (compared to just x2 on the SN500). Designed in-house by WD and SanDisk, the controller is based on the same architecture as the one that drives the WD Black SN750, but is DRAM-less, and has fewer flash channels. Speaking of which, WD deployed 96-layer 3D TLC NAND flash, and wants the drive to compete in pricing with QLC NAND-based drives such as the Crucial P1. The 250 GB variant is priced at USD $54, the 500 GB variant $65, and the 1 TB variant $99.

All three variants take advantage of the increased PCIe bandwidth to offer sequential read speeds of up to 2,400 MB/s (the SN500 capped out at 1,700 MB/s). Write speeds vary, with the 250 GB variant offering up to 950 MB/s, the 500 GB variant up to 1,750 MB/s, and the 1 TB variant up to 1,950 MB/s. Endurance figures (TBW) of the three variants are rated at 150 TB for the 250 GB variant, 300 TB for the 500 GB variant, and 600 TB for the 1 TB variant. An interesting design choice with these drives is pushing the NAND flash chip and the controller as far apart on the PCB as possible, for less concentration of heat. All three models are backed by 5-year warranties.

ASUS today rolled out the Pro WS X299 SAGE II, a redesign and refresh of its WS X299 SAGE series quasi-workstation motherboards, designed for those who want to use Intel's 10th generation Core XE "Cascade Lake-X" HEDT processors in a workstation-like environment (CEB form-factor) and can make do without ECC memory. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and two 8-pin EPS power connectors, along with an optional 6-pin PCIe power input to stabilize add-on card power delivery. An 8-phase VRM conditions power for the socket LGA2066 processor. The board employs PLX PEX8747 bridge chips to convert two x16 PCIe gen 3.0 links from the LGA2066 processor to four PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots with full bandwidth, or seven slots with x16/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 wiring.

Storage options on the ASUS Pro WS X299 SAGE II include three U.2 ports, two M.2 slots (one right below the PCH heatsink, and the other vertical); and eight SATA 6 Gbps ports. Network connectivity includes two 2.5 GbE interfaces driven by a pair of Intel i225-LM controllers. USB connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports driven by an ASMedia controller (from which one is type-C), a second such controller driving an internal port, and eight USB 3.2 gen 1 ports from the X299 PCH. A high-grade onboard audio solution featuring Realtek S1220A HDA codec, headphones amp, ground-layer isolation, and audio-grade capacitors, make for the rest of this board. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Akasa are proud to announce partnership with Razer, a leading global gamer's lifestyle brand, for its flagship and award-winning lighting technology: Razer Chroma.

Enabling Akasa's array of addressable RGB products to sync with Razer Chroma brings the full-spectrum of vivid RGB to your build. Taking full advantage of the Razer Chroma software platform and Akasa's addressable RGB devices such as the new Vegas TLY cooling fan and Dual M.2 PCIe SSD adapter with RGB LED light and heatsink, gamers can truly immerse themselves in popular games. Syncing individually addressable LED nodes adds RGB vibrancy and ambience to gamer's systems and surroundings for epic gaming experiences.

Patriot Memory, under its Viper Gaming brand announced the VPR100 RGB line of M.2 NVMe SSDs. Built in the M.2-2280 form-factor, the drive features a wide heatspreader with RGB LED embellishments. You can play with the lighting not just with the Viper RGB app, but also popular lighting software such as ASUS Aura Sync RGB, MSI MysticLight, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, etc. The drive takes advantage of the PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface with NVMe 1.3 protocol. Patriot is kind and brave enough to disclose that enabling RGB LED sync lighting can decrease read/write speeds by up to 20-30 percent. Leaving them unsynchronized (following a preset) leaves drive performance untouched.

Available in 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities, the VPR100 RGB combines a Phison E12-series controller with 3D TLC NAND flash memory, cushioned by a DRAM cache. All four capacity variants offer sequential read speeds of up to 3,300 MB/s, but write speeds vary. The 256 GB model offers up to 1,000 MB/s, the 512 GB model up to 2,100 MB/s, and the 1 TB and 2 TB models up to 2,900 MB/s. Endurance figures (TBW) for the four models are 380 TB, 800 TB, 1,600 TB, and 3,115 TB, respectively. Backed by 5-year warranties, the 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB variants of the VPR100 RGB are priced at 74.90€, 119.90€, 189.90€, and 379.90€, respectively (including VAT), in the EU. Across the big pond, they're priced at USD $94.99, $134.99, $229.99, and $399.99, respectively.

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions unveils the latest cooling kit for the M.2 Type 22110 Solid State Drives. The SubZero M.2 XL is a product of GELID Solution Gamer product line. The SubZero M.2 XL is designed to cool down the M.2 Type 22110 SSD efficiently and prevents thermal throttling. It helps to improve performance, increase durability and enhance data integrity of the M.2 solid-state drives.

The SubZero M.2 XL uses the ultra-slim aluminium heatsink and the specially crafted thermal pads to deliver the best heat transfer and maintain significantly lowered operating temperatures for memory ICs and other electronic components of the M.2 Type SSD. Additionally, the set of 3 ultra-durable silicone ring fixtures is supplied with the SubZero M.2 XL to ensure safe mounting of the heatsink. The SubZero M.2 XL features quick installation and fits all standard M.2 Type 22110 SSD designed for laptops or desktops.

The leading global motherboard & graphics card manufacturer, ASRock, a pleasure to launch brand new compact Mini PC - Mars Series. Supports up to Intel Core i5 Quad-Core processor, 32 GB DDR4-2666 MHz, PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, 2.5-inch hard drive, and wireless connectivity; all implies into 0.7-liter chassis with 26 mm height.

ASRock Mars offers abundant USB devices connectivity, features a total of 7 USB ports, including one Type-C port; In addition, the native SD card reader and dual display outputs to provide more productive and convenience.

Intel late Monday released its SSD 665p "Neptune Harbor Refresh" line of client-segment M.2 NVMe SSDs. The series was announced in September at the company's Storage Day event in South Korea. Built in the M.2-2280 form-factor, the drives feature PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface. They combine a Silicon Motion SMI2263 series controller with Intel's new 96-layer 3D QLC NAND flash memory. The previous-generation SSD 660p series use 64-layer chips. The SMI2263 controller is cushioned by an LPDDR3 DRAM cache.

Intel is debuting the SSD 665p series with just two models, 1 TB and 2 TB, skipping sub-terabyte capacities such as 500 GB. The 2 TB variant offers sequential transfer speeds of up to 2000 MB/s reads and up to 2000 MB/s writes; and random access speeds of up to 250,000 IOPS on both reads and writes. The 1 TB variant offers up to 2000 MB/s sequential reads, up to 1925 MB/s sequential writes, up to 160,000 IOPS random reads, and up to 200,000 IOPS random writes. The company didn't reveal endurance ratings for the drives. The 1 TB variant is priced at USD $125, while the 2 TB variant hasn't yet been priced. Both drives are backed by 5-year warranties.

BIOSTAR today rolled out the M700 line of SSDs in the M.2-2280 form-factor with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 interface, taking advantage of the NVMe 1.3 protocol. The drive combines a Silicon Motion SM2263XT DRAM-less controller with 3D NAND flash, and comes in 256 GB and 512 GB capacities. The 256 GB model offers sequential transfer speeds of up to 1,850 MB/s reads with up to 950 MB/s writes, while the 512 GB model offers up to 2,000 MB/s reads, with up to 1,600 MB/s writes. The controller features native AES 256-bit encryption. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MSI updated its Cubi line of NUC-like mini-PCs with the new Cubi 5 10M, powered by 10th generation Core "Comet Lake" mobile processors. Measuring 124 mm x 124 mm X 53.7 mm (WxDxH), and weighing 550 g (excluding the power-brick), the Cubi 5 10M is powered by a Core i7 "Comet Lake-U" SoC (either i7-10510U quad-core or i7-10710U six-core), with its integrated UHD Graphics putting out pixels. Two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots let you drop in up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory, while your storage options are an M.2-2280 slot with both PCI-Express 3.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gbps wiring, and a 2.5-inch drive bay with SATA 6 Gbps. Connectivity includes USB 3.2 gen 1 type-C and type-A ports along the front panel, next to the audio jacks; additional type-A gen 1 ports at the rear; DisplayPort and HDMI making up the display outputs; a gigabit Ethernet interface driven by an Intel i219-V controller, and Intel AX201 WLAN card that provides 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.0. The company didn't reveal pricing.

The leading global motherboard, manufacturer, ASRock, is proud to announce its latest two AMD powered motherboards that are built on the AMD 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper platform. The ASRock TRX40 comes in two flavors, the TRX40 Creator and the TRX40 Taichi. Both are super cool motherboards that extend the meaning of quality and pushes the boundaries of tech.

Creating content, images or video, requires a stable machine with good specs and reliable components. The TRX40 Creator bears the hallmarks of a sturdy ship powered by AMD's Ryzen chipset and dedicated graphics so all design work flows smoothly without sinking components. Trust ASRock to provide design quality with speed and uncompromising workmanship within a design masterpiece. It stands out in the crowd as it supports NVIDIA's Quadro graphics cards and it fully supports the Quadro SLI which is the best tool for creating VR content.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories is pleased to announce the launch of the ADATA IM2P33E8 PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 2280 SSD. Designed with 5G networking, cloud computing, AI, and IoT in mind, the SSD sports excellent performance, large storage capacities, wide-temperature resistance (-40°C-85°C), and security features. These capabilities combine to offer an ideal solution for applications such as data centers, surveillance, and transportation.

The IM2P33E8 PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 2280 SSD is NVMe 1.3-compliant and delivers read/write speeds of up to 3500/3200 GB per second, making it up to six times faster than standard SATA III SSDs. It is equipped with 3D NAND Flash memory and comes with storage capacities ranging from 256 GB to 2 TB. It is available in normal-temperature (0°C to 70°C) and wide-temperature (-40°C to 85°C) variants. For enhanced security, integrity, and durability the IM2P33E8 features E2E (End-to-End) Data Protection and RAID Engine. What's more, the IM2P33E8 utilizes AES and TCG Opal encryption to keep confidential data away from prying eyes.

Ahead of their launch, low-resolution pictures of two nearly identical MSI TRX40 PRO series motherboards surfaced on the web, the TRX40 PRO 10G, and the TRX40 PRO WiFi. The former is characterized by a 10 GbE wired Ethernet connection through an included add-on card, while the latter features 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 WLAN. The two appear otherwise identical, with a couple of M.2 slots on the board, four additional M.2 slots on a cooled add-on card, four PCI-Express x16 slots, eight DDR4 DIMM slots, and other storage connectivity that includes four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and U.2 port. From the looks of it, the new for the 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper looks identical to TR4, which bodes well for people wanting to use their TR4-compatible CPU coolers or water-blocks on the new platform.

MAINGEAR — an award-winning PC system integrator of custom gaming desktops, notebooks, and workstations — today launched the MAINGEAR VECTOR, a sleek and powerful 15" gaming notebook that delivers high-performance functionality for an unbeatable value.

Combining a weight-saving hybrid aluminium and polycarbonate chassis with an Intel 9th Gen Core i7-9750H 6-core mobile processor and new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, the MAINGEAR VECTOR packs considerable power into a stealthy compact black design that's.78" inches thick and weighs just 4.16 lbs. The MAINGEAR VECTOR meets the needs of gamers and content creators on the go, capable of delivering jaw-dropping game experiences and high-quality game streaming via Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). No stone was left unturned in the pursuit of speed; the VECTOR offers incredibly fast storage options with the addition of top-tier NVMe M.2 SSDs and 16 GB of premium DDR4 memory. A vibrant anti-glare 1080p 144hz 15.6" display and back-lit RGB gaming keyboard complete the overall look of the VECTOR, continuing MAINGEAR's tradition of style and substance.

Western Digital today introduced an array of purpose-built storage solutions for small businesses and home offices leveraging NAS environments. The solutions include the first-ever WD Red SSDs, which enhance performance and caching abilities in a hybrid NAS environment, as well as a 14 TB capacity for the WD Red and WD Red Pro HDDs.

With the increase in virtualization, 10GbE (10 Gigabit Ethernet) and higher connectivity speeds are becoming an essential feature set in modern NAS systems. To help minimize a performance bottleneck, SSD speeds are crucial. To fully support the requirements of these environments, storage device durability, speed and capacity remain heavily in demand. Building on the proven reliability of Western Digital's WD Red product portfolio, the solutions are built to transform pain points to profits for the end user. When utilized as a caching solution in a NAS system, the WD Red SA500 SSD helps to boost performance while the new higher capacity WD Red and WD Red Pro HDDs offer more storage space in the same NAS device.

Just in time for AMD's 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper processors and the AMD TRX40 chipset, GIGABYTE launched the AORUS Gen4 AIC Adapter, an add-on card that converts a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 upstream link to four M.2-22110 slots with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, each. This isn't the first card of this kind, but is certified to work with PCIe gen 4.0 SSDs. The TRX40 platform provides at least two PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slots, from which one can be allocated to your graphics cards, and the other to a fast storage solution like this, so you can use your motherboard's NVMe RAID features. The card is backwards compatible with older generations of PCIe.

The card features a large copper heatsink that cools the drives under the airflow of a fan. The PCB of this card features a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface, four M.2-22110 slots with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, each, and a controller that uses eight thermal diodes to sense drive temperatures and accordingly adjust the speed of the 50 mm lateral-flow fan that pushes air through the heatsink and out of the rear panel. The card also has four LEDs that provide link+activity indication. It meets the electrical specification of PCI-Express gen 4.0, and features gen 4.0 re-drivers. An aluminium alloy shroud and back-plate with brushed-metal finish and diamond-cut edges make for the rest of it. We expect this card to be priced around USD $130. A credible source tells us that the card will also be included with some of GIGABYTE's premium TRX40 motherboards.

Here is the first picture of a motherboard based on AMD's upcoming mid-range desktop motherboard chipset, the AMD "B550A," the ASRock B550AM Gaming. The board was spied inside a pre-built desktop at a Best Buy store. This is the first time we've seen the mid-range chipset being referenced as "B550A" and not "B550." The "A" may not be part of the motherboard's model name as the "M" denotes Micro-ATX and usually succeeds the chipset model in ASRock's nomenclature. The B550(A) will be an important chipset for AMD as it will enable motherboards priced under the $150 mark that support AMD's 3rd generation Ryzen processor's I/O natively.

While the X570 is an in-house development by AMD, the B550 is sourced from ASMedia, and is expected to be a new version of the "Promontory-LP" silicon. The only thing that sets this chip apart from the 400-series "Promontory-LP" is PCI-Express gen 3.0 certification. The chipset talks to the AM4 SoC over a PCI-Express 3.0 x4 link, and puts out up to 8 PCI-Express gen 3.0 downstream lanes. A 3rd gen Ryzen processor on a B550 motherboard still puts out PCI-Express gen 4.0 connectivity, which means you get one PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot, and one M.2 slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring. The rest of the chipset's I/O will be similar to the 400-series, which includes six SATA 6 Gbps ports, up to two 10 Gbps USB 3.1 ports, up to four 5 Gbps USB 3.1 ports, and eight USB 2.0/1.1 ports. If the AM4 SoC installed is a 3rd gen Ryzen, then you'll get a couple more 10 Gbps USB 3.1 ports. AMD partners could use the opportunity to launch some of the more upscale B550 motherboards with the latest 2.5 GbE wired LAN, and 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6.Update (16/10): We learn later down in the referenced Reddit thread, including from comments by AMD's Robert Hallock, that the B550A is a rebranded B450 targeted at OEMs. The B550 (non-A) is what is the upcoming chipset detailed in this article.

The world's leading memory brand, TEAMGROUP releases T-FORCE DARK Z α DDR4 Gaming Memory and CARDEA ZERO Z440 PCI-E Gen4 x4 M.2 Solid State Drive, which are specially made for AMD RYZEN 3000 processor series and the latest X570 platform. With the release of AMD RYZEN 3000 series worldwide, T-FORCE's invincible gaming performance offers the best DDR4 memory and SSD for AMD's next generation platform. The excellent overclocking capability and platform compatibility are created to perfectly release the potential performance of the latest AMD processors.

T-FORCE DARK Z α DDR4 Gaming Memory is an AMD memory specially made for AMD's latest Ryzen 3000 series processor and X570 motherboard. In order to satisfy gamers' experience with AMD 3000 series processor and X570 platform, DARK Z α uses high quality IC chips that are selected through rigorous testing process. With excellent overclocking capability and perfect compatibility, this DDR4 memory can provide extremely superior performance on the new generation platform of AMD. The body of T-FORCE DARK Z α DDR4 Gaming Memory is designed based on the concept of an armored knight. The sacred war rope offers a more complete protection. The tasteful black color is forever classic.Electrolytic anodizing process and metal electroforming logo design are used to echo with T-FORCE logo's energetic tech armor.

As AMD launched the 3rd Gen Ryzen processors and immediately gained lots of attention recently, MSI also released a bunch of motherboards for various use. To fulfill different gamers offer diversified options, MSI is pleased to introduce our new MEG X570 UNIFY motherboard into gaming market. Belonging to the top gaming segment MEG series, MEG X570 UNIFY is our brand new premium product with modest and pure black design, emphasizing on the true value of the motherboard instead of fancy LED decoration.

By eliminating all the redundant RGB LED from the motherboard and adopting the UV black printing, the heatsink shows the gleam and the shining reflection of the dragon to symbolize a mysterious and high quality image. For MEG X570 UNIFY motherboard, MSI put great efforts on those essential parts concerned by those enthusiast gamers, enhancing not only the thermal but also power solution to run with the AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen processors. Emphasizing the ultimate performance, MEG X570 UNIFY also brings astonishing overclocking records to enthusiast gamers. With AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor, it is an incredible result to push CPU frequency to 5857 MHz, which is by far the top 1 of all records.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Strix Arion, an external solid-state drive (SSD) enclosure that lets gamers create their own high-speed mobile storage solution. Compatible with M.2 NVM Express (NVMe) SSDs with 2230, 2242, 2260 and 2280 form factors and featuring USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity, ROG Strix Arion enables transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps for ultrafast performance when working with media and other large files. To ensure sustained performance with no throttling, the enclosure is made from aluminium alloy and features integrated thermal pads for effective heat dissipation.

ROG Strix Arion features an innovative design that lets gamers quickly and easily install an SSD without a screwdriver. Sporting futuristic looks with ASUS Aura Sync lighting effects, the enclosure blends perfectly with any gaming setup. ROG Strix Arion comes with a protective holder with a detachable hook for hanging as well as both USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables to ensure out-of-the-box connectivity with a wide range of PCs and devices.

ASUS over the past week rolled out its flagship socket AM4 motherboard for SFF gaming PC builds, the ROG Crosshair VIII Impact. Based on the AMD X570 chipset and supporting the latest 3rd generation Ryzen processors, this board is slightly longer than the Mini-ITX specification, while retaining its mount-hole layout. The logic here is that most ITX gaming PC cases have two expansion slots to accommodate dual-slot graphics cards, and so it would make sense to extend the motherboard's PCB up until there, reclaiming precious PCB real-estate. Technically this board would qualify as mini-DTX, but ASUS believes it should fit in most ITX cases that have two expansion slots. The board's dimensions are 203 mm x 170 mm.

The ROG Crosshair VIII Impact draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning power for the AM4 SoC using a massive 8-phase VRM. The AM4 socket is wired to a pair of DDR4 DIMM slots, the board's sole expansion slot, a PCI-Express 4.0 x16, and the interestingly-named SO-DIMM.2 slot. Physically, this is an SO-DIMM slot that's been re-wired with PCIe gen 4.0 leading up to a proprietary SO-DIMM daughterboard that holds two M.2-2280 slots with PCIe 4.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gbps wiring, each. Four SATA 6 Gbps ports make for the rest of the storage connectivity. The area of the motherboard just below the PCIe x16 slot has another proprietary slot that holds the second daughterboard, this one with the SupremeFX Impact IV onboard audio solution, which has been physically isolated from the main PCB, and has an EMI-shielded Realtek ALC1220 main CODEC, ESS Sabre ES9023P DAC for the main stereo channel, a de-pop circuit, and audio-grade capacitors.