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AMD's new Ryzen 7 processors are already turning out to be very popular with 60 percent of our own polled readers apparently planning to buy one. With that in mind, if any of you happen to be looking at putting together a Mini-ITX build, then it looks like Biostar has you covered with its new X370 GTN Mini-ITX AM4 motherboard.
Biostar has a series of ‘Racing' X370 motherboards planned for Ryzen, including ATX, Micro ATX and Mini-ITX models. The new X370GTN and B350GTN will both be Mini-ITX designs, with individual PCIe x16 slots, two DDR4 RAM slots and four SATA ports for SSDs and HDDs.
Image Source: Computerbase
Both of these Mini-ITX boards feature seven phase power, 100% solid capacitors, 7.1 audio, Realtek LAN, 4x SATA 6Gb/s and 1 M.2 slot. For on-board video users there is a HDMI 1.4 and DVI port and for additional connectivity, you will get two USB 3.1 slots (one Type-A and one Type-C), six USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports. The key difference between the X370 version and the B350 version is M.2 speed, judging by the specs over at Computerbase, the X370 M.2 slot has access to 32Gb/s speeds while the lower-end B350 chipset is limited to 16 Gb/s.
Pricing and availability information isn't here just yet but we should learn more on that front soon as these motherboards get closer to hitting the market.
KitGuru Says: The AM3 socket didn't get much small form factor support so it is good to see that changing right out of the gate with Ryzen and socket AM4. Are any of you thinking of putting together a Mini-ITX Ryzen build this year?
I want a mini-itx X370 but I’ll be a monkeys uncle if I’ll get a Biostar.
For the sake of contrast post-debut, is it possible you can redo the poll regarding Ryzen builds? I’m curious how many people gave up versus maintained faith.
On Topic: If I eventually have need for Windows 10, certainly AMD Ryzen is a better option for SFF since X99 options are just the ASRock board and I’m not sure if they will revisit the form factor for LGA2066.
Too bad they couldn’t have avvoided the checkered flag on their larger boards, this one looks much nicer without it.
What’s wrong with Biostar? I’ve had at least 4 boards by them and the only problems I’ve ever had is I bought DDR4 for a DDR3 board.
No idea why Biostar has a bad reputation. Several old Athlon X2 builds of mine were still running like 5 years after I built them.
I had before Biostar TP35D2-A3 which was the best P35 board in world, than TPower I45 the best P45 board on earth. Curently i use Asus brand but Biostar at me has a great reputation and it’s one of the oldes companies in IT.
Was considering this board, but I need on-board wifi. Gonna wait for the MSI X370I Gaming Pro AC I suppose.
I’m also looking for WIFI built-in module on ITX for my HTPC upgrade
Where are all 82+ AM4 motherboards at launch?
I’ve never owned a Biostar. Why I said what I said is that I’d much prefer an ASUS Impact board with AM4.
Where’s M2 socket? My eyes can’t find that.
My node 202 is ready, i’m just waiting for ryzen R5 and an mITX board !
probably on the back
I had a Socket 7 build with a Biostar mobo (I think it was an M5VNB), and it was pretty flaky. I knew a couple other people who had flaky Biostar K5 and K6 builds as well. I think most of Biostar’s bad rep may come from old-schoolers who haven’t kept up.
Waiting for the ASUS version.
Nothing wrong with Biostar at all, Asus and the likes just market & brand better than they do so like all things, people artificially associate it with quality and performance. Also a small subset that thinks RoG is an actual thing.
Not bad, although with only a 4pin atx it might not be best to OC an R7 on this! and also pity it isn’t white, been so sick to death of Black and Red/Black motifs
and also SFF Vega gpus too!
Going full red team i see. :p not a bad thing tho
bet you wouldn’t hesitate buying an AS Rock board though ? way worse than biostar, a couple of years ago I had endless problems with AS Rock boards, especially back in the day when their boards came with both DDR2 and DDR3 RAM slots, I don’t buy there boards anymore, Biostar, never a problem.
I’ve had boards of pretty much every single board manufacturer, only problem I’ve ever had was when a board came broken in half, but I blame USPS for that one. It’s not a matter of “one thing making the whole company bad”, it’s more of a “stop being an asshole because you had one singular bad experience” thing.
It will be perfect to build a super small ryzen based pc. With a proper mobile monitor can have a workstation pocket sized 🙂
Everything must be ASUS huh?
Well Biostar at one time made some of the worst boards around, they’ve gotten better I hear, but I haven’t touched one since AMD’s socket 462 or 754. Bought 3 different ones in the early 2000s and they never lasted a year or so. Then again Soyo made great boards at the time and went polar opposite after nforce2 chipsets came out and disappeared. MSI used to be regarded as pretty bad and I had a few boards with them just a few years back that all had VRM issues. Now I hear they’re some of the best. Things change.
That said, I haven’t had an issue with any ASUS/Gigabyte stuff over the years. ASUS has had a good reputation back as far as the Thunderbird days with AMD when you had the dip switches for overclocking. Asrock I’ve had great luck with actually for AMD boards (though I bought their highest end ones), for Intel it was a nightmare.
never would buy a biostar board, but glad they are bringing some out, biostar reminds me of those mickey mouse power drills that burn their motor out after 10 mins use. lol
will wait for Asus, Evga, MSI, or Gigabyte
I wanted mini-ITX but I can’t wait on something when I don’t even know when it’s coming! When I order a mATX I bet the next damn day this is in shops..