ASUS N97T-IM-A – A thin mini-ITX motherboard powered by an Intel Processor N97 Alder Lake-N CPU

The ASUS N97T-IM-A is a thin Mini-ITX motherboard for industrial and embedded use, featuring the Intel N97 Alder Lake-N processor (4 cores, 2.0–3.6 GHz) with up to 16GB of DDR5 memory at 4800 MHz, and two gigabit Ethernet ports using Realtek RTL8111H controllers.

The board also includes two SATA III 6Gbps ports, a PCIe 3.0/2.0 x1 slot, and dual M.2 slots for NVMe and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. It supports HDMI 2.0, DP++, and LVDS video outputs, with optional eDP, and can handle resolutions up to 4K at 60 Hz. Built for durability, the N97T-IM-A is designed for demanding environments with a seven-year product lifecycle.

In one of our last posts, we wrote about the Jetway JNUC-ADN1, another Intel N97-powered SBC, but in a smaller Next Unit of Computing (NUC) form factor and the Jetway JMTX-ADN8 another N97 mini-ITX motherboard. Other than that we have also written about similar motherboards in the mini-ITX form factor including ASUS PRIME N100I-D D4, Radxa ROCK 5 ITX, MW-100-NAS, and ASRock IMB-A8000. Feel free to check if you are interested in mini-ITX motherboards.

Asus N97T-IM-A thin mini-ITX motherboard specification

• SoC – Intel Processor N97 quad-core Alder Lake N-series processor with Intel Gen 12 UHD graphics; 12W TDP; 3.6 GHz Max. Turbo Frequency
• Memory – Up to 16GB DDR5 @ 4800MT/s with In-Band ECC (IBECC)
• Storage
  • M.2 Key-M slot for SATA 3.0 or PCIe x2 for SSD
  • 2x SATA Gen 3.0, Up to 6Gb/s (If an M.2 SSD in SATA mode is installed in the M.2 M key slot, SATA port 2 will be disabled)
• Display
  • HDMI 2.0, up to 4096×2160 @ 60 Hz at 60Hz
  • DP++ 1.2, up to 4096×2160 @ 60Hz
  • LVDS up to 1920×1200 @ 60Hz
  • DP++ 1.4, up to 4096×2160 @ 60Hz (colay with HDMI, optional upon request)
  • eDP up to 4096×2160 @ 60Hz (colay with LVDS)
  • Tripple displays support (HDMI + DP+ LVDS, or HDMI + DP + eDP, DP + DP + LVDS, DP + DP + eDP)
• Audio
  • Code – Realtek ALC897
  • Default Line-out, switch to line-in by retasking
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • Front panel audio header
  • Speaker header
  • 2x internal stereo speaker headers (2-pin, supporting 3 watts per channel)
• Networking – 2x gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports via Reaktek RTL8111H controllers; WOL/PXE support
• USB
  • 2x USB3.2 Gen1
  • 2x USB 2.0
  • 3x internal USB 2.0 headers
• Serial
  • 4x RS232
  • 1x RS232 with Ring/5V/12V select via jumper
  • 1x RS232/422/485 with Ring/5V/12V select via jumper
• Expansion
  • 1x PCIe 3.0/2.0 slot
  • 1x M.2 E-key socket, type 2230 for WiFi/Bluetooth devices, supporting PCIe x1 & USB 2.0 & CNVI
  • 1x M.2 M-key socket, type 2242/2260/2280 (PCIe x2/ SATA mode) supports NVMe
  • 8-Bit GPIO
  • I2C header
• Security – SPI TPM header
• Misc
  • Watchdog Timer
  • Chassis Fan header (PWM Mode)
  • System Panel Header for HDD LED, PWR LED, Power Button, Reset
  • PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse header
  • RTC with lithium CMOS battery
  • Chassis Intrusion
  • Large heatsink for fanless cooling
• Power – 9V-36V DC-in via DC Jack or  4-pin ATX power connector
• Temperature Range – Operating: 0 ~ 60°C; storage: -40 ~ 85°C
• Operating humidity – 10%~95% @ 40°C
• Certifications
  • EMC – CE, FCC, VCCI, BSMI, RCM
  • Safety – CE-LVD
• Dimensions – 170 x 170mm (mini-ITX form factor)

In terms of software, this Intel N97 thin Mini-ITX motherboard supports Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) and Windows IoT Enterprise, as well as Linux distributions like Ubuntu, RedHat Enterprise, and OpenSUSE. It also comes with the ASUS IoT Suite, featuring a HW Monitor, Power Scheduling, Fan Control, Watch Dog Timer, and GPIO. The suite provides both API and GUI options for user interface control. The company provides relevant drivers and tools on the product page.

The ASUS N97T-IM-A thin mini-ITX motherboard is available for $234 including shipping in the official ASUS store. ASUS offers a seven-year product lifecycle for long-term support and availability, along with a three-year manufacturer warranty.

Sayantan Nandy

Sayantan Nandy, an electronics engineer with over four years of hands-on experience in PCB design, circuit development and power electronics, is proficient in EAGLE CAD, Ki-Cad, and Altium. He has a proven track record of delivering efficient and effective systems. His expertise extends from R&D, and prototyping to production support, making him a valuable asset to any engineering team.

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