14 DAY TRIAL // Another week, another gaming PC, only that this time we aren't looking at one of those huge, colorful contraptions, but a system that is, at the end of the day, really, really small compared to what it can do.
No wonder it bears the qualification of SFF Gaming PC (SFF stands for small form factor). It uses a mini-ITX motherboard after all.
That's actually really impressive, for a motherboard of that size to actually put the Z87 high-end chipset to good use.
The new system, called M8, was created by ASRock and BMW Group DesignworksUSA.
Sadly, it is sold as a barebone system, which means that clients will have to get matching memory, storage and graphics card on their own.
It's not so bad though. In the end, it's not much different from building a PC from scratch. It's just that you get the motherboard and matching case from the get-go.
Speaking of hardware, the M8 has DDR3 slots (two), a standard PCI Express x16 slot (PCI Express 3.0), and six SATA III ports (SATA 6 Gbps).
"Our goal was to create desirability and iconic differentiation in a small Gaming-PC," said Sonja Schiefer, director, Munich Studio, BMW Group DesignworksUSA.
"To enhance the perception of pure power we created a design language focused on superlative and a design solution that is very much an exaggerated mode of expression."
ASRock's M8 is shaped like a very thin square that, nonetheless, sits on its side, not the base. The case happens to possess an octogonal side window and a slot for a thin optical disk drive as well.
As for connectivity, the rear loadout includes four USB 3.0 ports, LAN, a bunch of normal USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, and audio jacks.
Finally, the M8 ships with a wireless module (2T2R 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth v4.0), Creative SoundCore 3D 7.1 CH HD Audio quad-core processor (supports SBX Pro Studio, Crystal Voice, Scout Mode, EAX 1.0-5.0, etc.), and Key Master software (customize mouse/keyboard with macros).
The M8 is accompanied by free XSplit 3-month premium licenses for gamers that like live broadcasting ($24.95 / €18.38 value license bundled with every M8 sold). No price has been given for the PC itself though, sadly.