ASRock will be showing the world’s first Thin Mini-ITX form factor – RX570TM-ITX/TBT graphics card, which adapts with AMD Radeon™ RX570 graphics card and supports Intel® Thunderbolt™ 3 technology.
The RX570TM-ITX/TBT graphics card is not only the first graphics card with a Thunderbolt™ 3 Type-C interface which supports 40Gb/s transfer rate and power delivery, but it also features 4 USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and SATA 6Gb/s interface. The RX570TM-ITX/TBT graphics card is based on the Thin Mini-ITX concept. With this graphics card, All-in-One PC manufacturers can develop their own Thunderbolt monitors with 3D performance and power charging with less effort. Moreover, it would be able to fit in a mini ITX chassis. By connecting a notebook through Thunderbolt™ 3 Type-C interface, it helps to increase the notebook’s 3D computing power and charge the notebook at the same time.
Going to build one of those up @itsage? Looks like you can get something smaller than your InWin Chopin!!!
The RX 570 is an outstanding card. It's thee middle class card. It's useful for content creating, gaming (FullHD) and lot of other useful things. Of course, you can't play newest games in 4k with highest details, but you can play them. It's big leap from the RX 560, much more than the numbers suggest.
I wonder if it can be put into a TB3 enclosure with full functionality? Or even better: Into a Sonnet Breakaway Puck?
@omardesu There’s a few unanswered questions with this new product. I’m wondering whether ASRock could sell it without an enclosure. Since there’s only one Thunderbolt 3 port, it’s likely for upstream to a host rather than downstream to a TB3 monitor.
This is very very interesting... is it, finally, the answer to all my (eGPU) problems?
@eightarmedpet Unfortunately this does not have a second Thunderbolt 3 port for monitor output. ASRock’s claim of world’s first TB3 graphics card is misleading. It’s a very similar concept to the Sonnet Breakaway Puck mainboard. The ASRock RX570TM-ITX/TBT mainboard is worse in terms of upgradability. Instead of using a MXM card, the GPU looks to be an on-board component. In that case, we have seen Lenovo TB3 Graphics Dock and Blackmagic eGPU.
I think ASRock is marketing this product to monitor vendors rather than directly to consumers. Integrating this board to a monitor would make a lot of sense. You essentially have an AIO like an iMac without the processor.
Ahh rats.. thought it was too good to be true... I was getting quite confused as to what exactly I was even looking at, but you are saying it is what I thought it was - not a TB3 GPU at all, but kind of a Mobo with built in GPU.
Your monitor integration explanation makes sense, thanks for explaining!
”Moreover, it would be able to fit in a mini ITX chassis.”
If true and other vendors follow, then it can be considered as an upgradable eGPU.
Graphics Outputs: 2 x HDMI ([email protected]), 1 x D-sub and 1 x LVDS
How exactly is this the world's first TB3 graphics card if this is just another non-upgrade-able eGPU? By the term, Sonnet did it a long time ago, as did Lenovo.
Want to output [email protected] out of an old system on the cheap? Read here.
Give your Node Pro a second Thunderbolt3 controller for reliable peripherals by re-using a TB3 dock (~50$).
"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it."- Robert A. Heinlein, "Time Enough for Love."
How exactly is this the world's first TB3 graphics card if this is just another non-upgrade-able eGPU? By the term, Sonnet did it a long time ago, as did Lenovo.
Not to mention Apple/BlackMagic. I don't get it...
MBP 2018 15 inch + 2X Aorus gaming box 1080 in BootCamp and MacOS 10.13.6
2011 13-inch MacBook Pro + Razer Core X@10Gbps-TB1 (Zotac RTX 2080 Ti Amp) + Ubuntu 18.04
How exactly is this the world's first TB3 graphics card if this is just another non-upgrade-able eGPU? By the term, Sonnet did it a long time ago, as did Lenovo.
Why do we need PCIe slots? We know that a desktop graphics card is not the ideal form factor in a small enclosure, considering heat dissipation and noise. I understand this idea: you buy an affordable mITX chassis, this card held with four screws, a PSU and that's all.
It would make even more sense, if they sold motherboards with a CPU socket:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/9qv7gw/is_it_possible_to_get_a_miniitx_pc_with/
"However it is possible to design a custom motherboard that can act as both a source and a sink for TB3 and the user can toggle between PC mode and egpu mode but I doubt anyone would make such a thing as the market would be extremely niche."
Hmm. I just put together a Zotac Mini Box and an RX570 ITX card. I am curious about the price of this new thing. If buying an mini ITX case, a PSU and this board + a generic cooler is cheaper, it might have made more sense to go this route...
I think the best would be to release a cheap mini ITX compatible TB3 "motherboard" with a PCI-E port and some usual backplate I/O ports (USB, LAN, etc) and the usual headers for the case (power button, indicator, USB headers, etc). This way everyone could simply build his own eGPU (choosing the appropriate case, PSU and GPU).
Apple Mac Mini 2018 + Zotac AMP Box Mini + Sapphire RX 570 ITX
Actually developing something similar with a few engineer buddies of mine for the DIY, non-TB implementation eGPU. 🙂
ITX (non thin) mobo are 170mm square. Most tiny towers could support the shorter, low-watt cards but securely mounting the GPU's as well as thermal considerations are the challenge.
Sys1: MITX Desktop in InWin Chopin
i5-4570 + 1060 6GB + PCIe 1x adapter (over USB3.0 copper)
Sys2: Dell 15 Latitude 3542
i3-4030U + 1060 6GB + mPCIe adapter for PCIe 1x (over USB3.0 copper)
Sys3:Dell 14 Inspiron E5450
i7-6500U + 1060 6GB + NGFF M.2 A/E --> mPCIe adapter
+ mPCIe adapter for PCIe 1x (over USB3.0 copper)
Sys4:Pending
More info and photos, google translated:
http://www.gdm.or.jp/crew/2019/0528/306684
- It also has a DIN connector for connecting a 19V AC adapter
- the Mini-ITX case manufactured by Cooler Master was used for the exhibition, but we do not know whether it will be commercialized or not.
How exactly is this the world's first TB3 graphics card if this is just another non-upgrade-able eGPU? By the term, Sonnet did it a long time ago, as did Lenovo.
Why do we need PCIe slots? We know that a desktop graphics card is not the ideal form factor in a small enclosure, considering heat dissipation and noise. I understand this idea: you buy an affordable mITX chassis, this card held with four screws, a PSU and that's all.
It would make even more sense, if they sold motherboards with a CPU socket:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/9qv7gw/is_it_possible_to_get_a_miniitx_pc_with/
"However it is possible to design a custom motherboard that can act as both a source and a sink for TB3 and the user can toggle between PC mode and egpu mode but I doubt anyone would make such a thing as the market would be extremely niche."
The reason we need PCIe slots is because we want to use commodity video cards, rather than custom-built solutions that tend to cost significantly more and are also few and far between. Heat dissipation and noise remain of exactly the same concern here as well, since we are using the same GPUs just on a different board.
If this were to catch on, it might be a decent way to make sure of basic slotless mITX cases by replacing the internals, but the pricing and availability will be what makes or breaks this type of solution, and I am not seeing a sufficient appeal to make every GPU maker jump on the bandwagon. This also adds the cost overhead of all the rest of the connectivity to the (possibly) upgradeable board. In a regular eGPU enclosure, we buy the TB3 circuitry once, here we would buy it with every card.
But again, the main question is the price.
Want to output [email protected] out of an old system on the cheap? Read here.
Give your Node Pro a second Thunderbolt3 controller for reliable peripherals by re-using a TB3 dock (~50$).
"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it."- Robert A. Heinlein, "Time Enough for Love."
@steve4332 Yes, good point. The price. My XG Station Pro is quite expensive as an empty enclosure.
Yes. But it is high quality, worth every cent. I wouldn't change it for nothing, except for another XG Station Pro which could power my MacBookPro (only negative point).
IMO it's the best eGPU enclosure. Why?
- Absolutely silent (0db) when idling.
- Great build quality and matching with MacBookPros dark grey.
- 10GBs USB-C Gen 2. Port.
- Relative small fooprint.
- Easy change of GPUs.
Point (1) Silence is the absolute showstopper for other enclosures. Who wants an enclosure to make noise all the time?
More info and photos, google translated:
http://www.gdm.or.jp/crew/2019/0528/306684
- It also has a DIN connector for connecting a 19V AC adapter
- the Mini-ITX case manufactured by Cooler Master was used for the exhibition, but we do not know whether it will be commercialized or not.
It's one dense board. Doesn't look to inexpensive to me. Wonder if one can use a generic CPU cooler on it or not. It is interesting that the memory chips don't seem to have any heatsink at all. Maybe it's preproduction only. No connector for a standard PC PSU on the board (an adapter is needed).
Apple Mac Mini 2018 + Zotac AMP Box Mini + Sapphire RX 570 ITX
I consider this approach better, only if
- the board is sold as a DIY standalone component for consumers and it becomes eGPU standard, all GPU manufacturers making these mITX TB3 cards
- higher end cards such as Radeon VII variant with minimal power delivery available too
- can install standard size PWM coolers, standard headers and standard heatsinks (less noise)
- mITX enclosure + mITX eGPU card is cheaper
But I am just dreaming.
But again, the main question is the price.
Until TB4 or TB5 is reality and you could just buy the new mITX eGPU board, and put the 4 screws back into the corners.
Some bad news.
Asrock wants to sell the RX RX570TM-ITX / TBT from October, according to the responsible product manager Bill Chen. Initially, it is planned to supply only PC manufacturers and system integrators. At a later date, the graphics card could also be used as an external box for end customers. The price has not yet been determined.
Bill Chen said that the reason for choosing Radeon RX 570 is "bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 is a bottleneck even if it is equipped with GPU of Radeon RX 580 or more". As a result, the RX 570 is optimal considering the balance. So, depending on demand, ASRock doesn't seem to think more GPUs at this time.
It also has LVDS and backlight, and a pin header for control panel so that it can be used by incorporating into a TB3 display.
The release was unclear about the power supply, but according to the explanation, it was a 19V / 330W AC adapter.
Sources: https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp, www.heise.de
The RX 570 really the "sweet spot"?