Looking for the best Z370 Mini ITX motherboards for your brand new Intel Coffee Lake, Intel 8th generation CPU? If yes then check out our first top picks before you settle your mind. Right now, only a handful exist today. However, we hope to see many more new motherboards to support the platform.
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It’s been a month since Intel moved one generation up by launching its 8th generation chips. Their 7th gen chips were code-named Kaby (Cabby) Lake where this new 8th generation CPU’s are codenamed Coffee Lake. Following are some highlights about these processors:
- Much faster (20-40%) compared to 7th gen Kaby Lake processors
- Extra number of cores allowing superior multitasking
- Expensive compared to Ryzen CPUs [equivalent] if you take the entire build into consideration
- You will need new z370 chipset motherboard which is not backward compatible
Also Read: Best Z370 Chipset ATX Motherboards
Best Z370 Mini ITX motherboards for Intel Coffee Lake CPU’s
So as the last point above indicates, you will need to purchase a new motherboard, which in some cases means that you will require building an entirely new rig. There are not many motherboards launched for coffee Lake Chipset yet. Today, we will be talking about mini ITX motherboards with Z370 chipset. Currently there Asus, MSI, and ASRock are the only ones to launch the Z370 motherboard with mini ITX form factor. Two of them are available on various online marketplaces where MSI one is yet to be released. We recommend bookmarking this page as we will keep updating the article as new models will be released. Following is a brief discussion:
1. ASUS ROG Strix Z370-I Gaming:
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Right now, this one is the only motherboard from Asus designed for 8th gen Intel Coffee lake processors with mini ITX form factor. It maximizes the connectivity speed to an entirely new level. There is a lot to look forward to including dual M.2 slots (RAID Configurable), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, gigabit lane and IOM technology compatibility. It delivers dynamic system cooling, auto-tuning, FanXpert 4 and 5-way optimization, making it suitable for various types of builds. It comes with ASUS AURA compatibility and additional RGB header, allowing a lot of customization and personalization to your rig. The PCIe slots features on this board are quite sturdy and thus compatible with heavyweight graphics cards. Here is a quick look at some important specs:
Chipset | Intel Z370 Chipset |
CPU Support | Supports all 8th generation core processors from Intel |
Form Factor /Socket Type | Micro ITX form factor Intel Socket 1151 |
Power Connections | 24 pin EATX main power connector 8 pin ATX12V power connector |
RAM slots | 2x DIMM DDR4 slots Supports up to 32 GB of DDR4 main memory |
Storage interface | 1x M.2 socket 3 with M key support [SATA and PCIe 3.0 x4 mode] 1x M.2 socket 3 with M key support [PCIe 3.0 x4 mode] 4x SATA 6 GB/sports With RAID 0/1/5/10 support |
Expansion slots | 1x CPU 2x DIMM 288 pin 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 |
Networking | Intel i219V network controller Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth V4.2 LAN Guard, GameFirst Technology |
Audio | Supreme FX audio Coded S1220A High definition 8 channel audio Sonic Radar III, Sonic Studio III |
USB Ports | 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port 6x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports 6x USB 2.0 ports |
Dimension | 12 x 1 x 8.6 inches |
Weight | 1.5 pounds |
2. ASRock Z370M ITX/ac:
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Important things first, this is a Virtual reality ready motherboard. Since your motherboard is key components that link all your components together, you must look for a VR compatible one to take full advantage of your VR rig. It squeezes most out of your DDR4 memory sticks with hyper DDR4 technology. It comes with dual LAN port with teaming function support allowing plugging two LAN cables at once. For wireless connectivity, it features 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth v4.2. With M.2 slots, you can push our transfer speed up to 32 GB/s. Storage and transfer speed is further enhanced with Intel Optane Storage Technology. High-density glass fabric design is used with less gap between PCB layers to protect against electrical shorts from humidity. Following are some important specs:
Chipset | Intel Z370 chipset |
CPU Support | Supports all 8th gen Intel core processors Supports Intel K-series unlocked CPUs |
Form Factor /Socket Type | Mini ITX form factor Intel Socket 1151 |
Power Connections | 24 pin ATX main power connector 8 pin ATX 12V power connector |
RAM slots | 2x DDR4 DIMM 288 pin slots Supports up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM Supports ECC + non-ECC memory [operates only in non-ECC] |
Storage interface | 6x SATA 6 GB/s connectors Supports RAID 0/1/5/10 1x Ultra M.2 socket Supports M key |
Expansion slots | 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot 1x Vertical M.2 socket for bundled Wi-Fi module |
Networking | Intel 802.11 ac Wi-Fi module A dual band at 2.4/5 GHz Bluetooth 4.2 / 3.2 + High-speed class II Giga PHY Intel i219V controller LAN 100/100/1000 Mbps |
Audio | Realtek ALC 892 audio coded 7.1 channel high definition audio Blue-ray audio support, surge protection |
USB Ports | Rear: 6x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A 2x USB 2.0 Internal: 1x USB 2.0 header 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 header |
Dimension | 6.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches |
Weight | Not specified |
3. MSI Z370-I Gaming Pro Carbon AC:
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If you are planning a fully custom build look wise, this motherboard is exactly what you are looking for. It offers 16.8 million colors and 17 effects with RGB LED. MSI claims that this mobo is capable of taking out the most from 8th gen Coffee Lake processors from Intel. It has various features that give you the slight advantage while gaming such as gaming hotkey support, gaming device port, multi GPU support, 1 second OC, MSI game boost mode, etc. It is equipped with suitable technology and hardware for smooth virtual reality experience. Along with this, it delivers impressive audio quality with MSI audio boost-4 technology. Following are some important specifications:
Chipset | Intel Z370 Chipset |
CPU Support | Supports all 8th generation processors from Intel including Pentium and Celeron processors |
Form Factor /Socket Type | Mini ITX form factor Intel LGA 1151 socket |
Power Connections | 24 pin ATX main power connector 8 pin ATX 12V power connector |
RAM slots | 2x DIMM DDR4 288 pin slots Supports up to 32 GB of DDR4 dual channel main memory Supports non-ECC, unbuffered memory |
Storage interface | 4x SATA 6 GB/sports With RAID 0/1/5/10 SATA supports 1x M.2 slot with Key M and M2_1 support |
Expansion slots | 1x M.2, 2242 / 2260 / 2280, PCIe 3.0 / SATA 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 SATA3 / M.2 support |
Networking | Intel Dual-band Wireless AC Card 802.11 ac Wi-Fi / WLAN Bluetooth 4.2 Intel i219V network controller Gigabit LAN [10/100/1000] |
Audio | Realtek ALC 1220 Codec 7.1 Channel high definition audio S/PDIF output support |
USB Ports | 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C port on back 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A port on the back 4x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports 4x USB 2.0 ports |
Dimension | 6.7 x 6.7 x 1 inches |
Weight | Not specified |
4. Gigabyte Z370N Wi-Fi:
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This motherboard from Gigabyte comes with support to all 8th gen Intel core processors. It has two DIMM slots supporting dual-channel non-ECC, unbuffered DDR4 memory modules. This model is Intel Optane Memory technology compatible. The PCIe x16 slot can be bifurcated in 2 x8 slot mode using a compatible PCIe riser card. The motherboard offers integrated HDMI 2.0 support. You might feel a bit troubled while assembling the build since it offers tight constraints, being a mini ITX board. However, once the build is set up and ready, it just runs flawlessly without any issue, if everything is done right. Following table summarizes all the important specifications and technical details:
Chipset | Intel Z370 Express Chipset |
CPU Support | Supports all 8th generation processors from Intel including Pentium and Celeron processors |
Form Factor /Socket Type | Mini ITX, 17 x 17 cm Dimension Intel LGA 1151 “v2” for 8th generation core CPUs |
Power Connections | 1x 24 pin ATX main power connector 1x 8 pin ATX 12V power connector |
RAM slots | 2x DIMM DDR4 slots Supports up to 32 GB of DDR4 main memory Supports 4400 MHz + Clock speed with Overclocking |
Storage interface | 4x SATA III 6 GB/s 1x M.2 PCIe 32 GB/s or SATA III 6 GB/s 1x M.2 PCIe 32 GB/s |
Expansion slots | 1x PCIe x16 slot (running at x16) |
Networking | 2x Intel GBe LAN Chips (10/100/1000 Mbit) Intel Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, supporting 2.4 / 5 GHz dual band Bluetooth 4.2, 4.1, BLE, 4.0, 3.0, 2.1+ EDR Support for 11acwireless standard and up to 867 Mbps data rate |
Audio | Realtek ALC 1220 Codec High Definition Audio 2 / 4 / 5.1 / 7.1 Channel Audio Support for S/PDIF Out |
USB Ports | 2x USB 2.0 / 1.1 ports available through the internal USB header 8x USB 3.1 Gen1 ports (6 on back, 2 ports through USB header) 1x USB Type C port on back with 3.1 gen 1 support |
Dimension | 8.74 x 7.44 x 3.07 inches |
Weight | 2.08 pounds |
Conclusion
Asrock is the undisputed king of manufacturing pony motherboards. Apart from Asrock, we expect more mini ITX designs from other motherboard manufacturers soon. As on when they are available, we hope to update our list as well.
We hope you like our article on the best Z370 Mini ITX motherboards available on the market. For any questions or suggestions, please feel free to drop us a comment below.
Indrajit
Feedback taken. Tweaked that last line. Cheers!
Ken
Regarding your last statement: "You can get a Snapdragon 835 powered Android device at hal...
Indrajit
6 core 12 threads?