ASRock has launched two new similar low-cost Alder Lake-N motherboards powered by a 3.4 GHz Intel Processor N100 quad-core CPU with the N100M micro-ATX motherboard featuring a 24-pin ATX connector for power, and the N100DC-ITX mini-ITX motherboard getting powered through a DC-in jack compatible with 19V power adapters.
Both motherboards have very similar specifications with support for up to 32GB DDR4 single-channel memory, M.2 NVMe SSD and two SATA drives, and offer multiple video outputs including HDMI, VGA, and DisplayPort (N100M only), Gigabit Ethernet, up to sixteen USB interfaces, PCIe slots, and more.
ASRock N100M/N100DC-ITX specifications:
- SoC – Intel Processor N100 quad-core Efficient “Alder Lake-N” processor clocked at up to 3.4 GHz with 24EU Intel UHD graphics up to 750 MHz
- System Memory – Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 memory via DDR4 DIMM slot
- Storage
- 1x M.2 socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2242/2260/2280 PCIe Gen3 x2 (16 Gb/s) mode
- 2x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors
- Video Output
- 1x HDMI 2.1 up to 4Kp60 resolution, HDCP 2.2 support
- 1x D-Sub (VGA) up to Full HD (1920×1080) 60Hz
- ASRock N100M only – 1x DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC (compressed), up to 4Kp60 resolution, HDCP 2.2 support
- Audio
- 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC897 Audio Codec)
- Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone audio jacks
- 1x front panel audio connector
- Networking
- Gigabit Ethernet via Realtek 8111H controller
- Optional M.2 WiFi module, 2x antenna mounting points
- USB (with ESD protection)
- ASRock N100M only – 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (10 Gbps)
- 4x USB 3.2 Gen1 ports
- 8x USB 2.0 ports
- 2x USB 2.0 headers for 4x USB 2.0 interfaces
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 header for 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 interfaces
- Expansion
- PCIe
- ASRock N100DC-ITX – 1x PCIe 3.0 x4 Slot (PCIE1), supports x2 mode, can boot system from NVMe SSD
- ASRock N100M
- 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x2 mode can boot system from NVMe SSD
- 1x PCIe 3.0 x1 Slot (PCIE2) can boot system from NVMe SSD
- 1x M.2 Socket (Key E), for 2230 Intel CNVio (Integrated WiFi/BT) only, as other M.2 PCI Express modules are not supported
- PCIe
- 128Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support and the following features:
- ASRock EZ Mode
- ASRock Full HD UEFI
- ASRock Auto Driver Installer
- ASRock Instant Flash
- ASRock Post Status Checker (N100M only)
- Misc
- 1x SPI TPM header
- 1x chassis intrusion and speaker header
- 2x 4-pin chassis/water pump fan connectors supporting up to 2A (24W) fans
- PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard port
- ASRock N100DC-ITX only – 1x Print Port Header, 1x COM1 serial port
- Power Supply
- ASRock N100M – 1x 24 pin ATX power connector
- ASRock N100DC-ITX – 1x DC Jack compatible with 19V power adapters
- Dimensions
- ASRock N100M – 22.6 x 17.8 cm (micro-ATX form factor)
- ASRock N100DC-ITX – 17.0 x 17.0 cm (mini-ITX form factor)
- Certifications
- FCC, CE
- ErP/EuP ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)
ASRock Processor N100 motherboards ship with a user manual, one I/O shield, two SATA cables, and two screws for M.2 modules. The company only provides drivers with Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 64-bit. There’s no mention of Linux in the description or user manual, but I can see a review on Amazon Japan (see below) where one user successfully installed Ubuntu 22.04 Server. Just don’t expect support from ASRock for operating systems other than Windows. The company also provides (Windows) utilities such as the ASRock Motherboard Utility (also known as A-Tuning) for system updates, and ASRock XFast LAN to prioritize internet applications, lower game latency, and so on.
The ASRock N100M and N100DC-ITX motherboards were initially announcedin May, but FanlessTech reports they can now be purchased around the world including Newegg (US) for $119.99 (N100M) and $129.99 (N100DC-ITX), some shops in Europe such as Amazon France, Idealo (Germany), or Inside Tech (UK), as well as Amazon Japan among others. More details including Windows drivers, user manuals, and other documentation can be found on the respective product pages for the micro-ATX and mini-ITX motherboards.
Thanks to “NewsTip” for the tip.
Update: The article was initially published on May 4, 2023, and updated once the mini-ITX motherboard became available for sale.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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So close, yet so far on the mini-ITX board. Why are they wasting multiple PCIe lanes that could have been used either to add two more SATA ports, for a great little NAS board, or to make the PCIe or M.2 slot a full x4 interface? This makes no sense at all.
Aren’t PCIe-to-sata adapters fairly cheap?
> to make the PCIe or M.2 slot a full x4 interface?
If I understood it correctly (questionable) and the CNVio interface doesn’t utilize PCIe then both M.2 and PCIe slot could be made full x4?
Yes, as the chipset has enough lanes, but they’re not being utilised.
Variants with N300 (8 cores) will be nice 🙂
lol
What I’m interested in now is “Strix Halo” in a mini PC or soldered onto a motherboard, since it would be too big for AM5.
Strix Halo = chiplet-based APU with up to 16 Zen 5 cores, 40 RDNA3 CUs
videocardz.com/newz/amd-ryzen-8000-zen5-apus-leak-strix-halo-with-rdna3-5-igpu-to-compete-with-up-to-rtx-4070-max-q
Right totally, some rumour that might just possibly hit the market in two years time totally makes a joke of this actual real product using a released CPU
Yes but unironically.
Hi, can anyone tell me if this board can handle an Intel Arc 380? I want some low power homeserver to run OpenAI’s Whisper at home, almost all the time in a dedicated device. The Arc380 can run the big model, but I don’t know if the CPU would drag it down.
Seems like it’s available @ Taobao (RMB 899 / ~USD 124).
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21n57.1.0.0.32b044612SMNW3&id=721263856411&ns=1&abbucket=0#detail
Kind of hard (yet to see one) to find a vertical mini-ITX casing without wasting any space/volume for ATX power supply (since this is using a 19V external adapter).
Prices are not too bad actually?
I think this is backwards. N100M has a PCIe x16, while the Mini-ITX one does not.
According to Intel’s own specs, 16 GB is the maximum amount of supported RAM by the N100.
So how do they squeeze another 16 into it?
Intel processors’ maximum RAM capacity as reported on Intel Ark has never been accurate. That seems crazy, but it is what it is. The only way to know for sure is to wait for somebody to test it.
In fact it’s very simple, they’re segmenting their market, that’s a very common practice. They don’t want these chips to be used for very large setups, for which they’d rather sell much higher priced chips. So they just write what they’re willing to support. If you contact them saying “I’m getting trouble with my 32GB” they can tell you “that has never been supported”. AMD did the same with their Athlon-XP vs Athlon-MP 20 years ago. They were so much the same chips that the CPUID name changed when booted in a dual-cpu board! The vendor was totally amazed when I showed him after he told me “this will not work” 🙂 I used to have such a dual-XP (reportedly dual-MP) board as my main PC for 5 years or so, never met any issue, but this setup was not officially supported. You’re seeing somewhat the same with temperature ranges BTW: commercial and industrial chips most often are exactly the same, it’s just the extra testing (if at all) and the price that changes.
Intel is known to lie about max memory capacity of Atom chips on ARK.
While many people claim Intel would just be lying about the maximum supported RAM at least with Gemini Lake there were real issues: https://wiki.odroid.com/odroid-h2/hardware/ram#incompatible_ram_modules
Exceeding 8GB (official specs) needed UEFI updates and/or slower DIMMs with higher latency settings.
If Hardkernel comes up with a H4 (with e.g. an i3-N305) we might get a list of compatible DIMMs for Alder Lake-N from their community as well.
True, but in the meantime, if you have a set that works, it works OK, no hidden issues down the road.
My guess is that it a combination of size, latency and… quality of the chips on the DIMMs.
I’m using 32GB with H2/H2+ and 64GB with H3/H3+.
Already curious how many RAM you’ll be using on H4 then 🙂
But at least today there exists no DDR4 SO-DIMM exceeding 32 GB anyway.
why buy something like ASRock N100DC-ITX motherboard
if you can get it at $100 complete with case and 8GB/256G or this one, 2x1GBE, 3xHDMI, 3xUSB3 (https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DCRNQcL)
Perhaps to benefit from a scalable solution (RAM, NIC, SSD disk controller and Wireless AP.)
We can buy N100 mini-pc with 16GB RAM for cheaper. As for scalable, the Asrock just have 1 pcie3.0 x4. I think it’s not that helpful.
Hi,
the N100M (and the N100DC-ITX as well) comes with an undocumented UART1 port (to be seen on the lower left corner of the N100M picture as well). Does anyone know the actual voltage level (1.8V, 3.3V, 5V)?