ASRock N100M Micro-ATX Motherboard, Intel Quad-Core N100 Processor (up to 3.4 GHz), DDR4, PCIe 3.0, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, Gigabit LAN
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AI Verdict
This ASRock N100M Micro-ATX board with an integrated Intel N100 processor and 6W TDP is for building low-power home servers or basic office PCs.
This board is a solid choice if your needs align perfectly with its integrated Intel N100 processor and its low 6W TDP for silent, always-on operation. The single DDR4 slot and limited SATA ports mean you need to be realistic about its expansion capabilities.
If you need more storage or better network performance, look for N100 boards with more SATA ports or multiple 2.5GbE NICs, even if it means a higher idle power draw.
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Pros
- The integrated Intel Quad-Core N100 processor has an ultra-low 6W TDP, making it energy-efficient for 24/7 operation.
- It features a fanless design with a heatsink, ensuring silent operation.
- Offers triple display outputs (D-Sub, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4) supporting up to 4K 60Hz, which is handy for HTPC setups.
- Includes a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port on the rear panel, providing 10 Gb/s data transfer speeds.
- Achieves a low idle power consumption of 5.1W, which is beneficial for continuous use.
- The N100 processor supports Quicksync, which is useful for video transcoding tasks.
Cons
- Only has one DDR4 DIMM slot, limiting memory upgrades to a single stick up to 32GB.
- The PCIe 3.0 x16 slot operates in x2 mode, which severely restricts bandwidth for add-in cards.
- Comes with only two SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors, which is restrictive for building a multi-drive NAS.
- The Realtek Gigabit LAN controller has reported "weird behavior" when used with operating systems other than Windows 10.
- The Micro-ATX form factor (8.9-in x 7.0-in) might not fit in all compact NAS cases designed for Mini-ITX boards.
Dimension Scores
The 2+1+1 power phase design is robust for the ultra-low 6W TDP Intel N100 processor, ensuring stable 24/7 operation.
It includes a modern USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port and triple display outputs, but the single DDR4 slot and limited SATA ports pull down its overall feature score.
Expansion is limited by only two SATA3 ports, a single DDR4 DIMM slot, and a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot that runs at a restricted x2 mode.
ASRock generally provides a functional UEFI BIOS with GUI support and includes utilities like ASRock Auto Driver Installer, which is standard for the brand.
Best For
- Building an energy-sipping home server for light tasks like file sharing or a basic Plex server without many drives.
- A quiet office PC for web browsing, email, and document editing.
- A fanless home theater PC (HTPC) with 4K 60Hz display output.
- An embedded system or industrial application where low power and silent operation are critical.
Not Recommended For
- A multi-drive NAS requiring more than two SATA drives without additional hardware.
- A gaming PC or workstation needing a dedicated graphics card with full PCIe bandwidth.
- Users who need more than 32GB of RAM or dual-channel memory performance.
Watch Out For
- The single DDR4 DIMM slot means you're stuck with single-channel memory, which can bottleneck performance in some scenarios.
- The PCIe 3.0 x16 slot only runs at x2 speed, so don't expect to drop in a powerful GPU or a high-bandwidth NVMe adapter and get full performance.
- With just two SATA3 ports, expanding storage for a home server beyond two drives means you'll need a PCIe SATA expansion card, which then competes for that limited x2 PCIe bandwidth.
- Some users have reported the Realtek Gigabit LAN behaving oddly on non-Windows 10 operating systems, which could be a headache for Linux-based server builds.
Full Specifications
| ASIN | B0C6HX8XMJ |
| Brand | ASRock |
| Platform | Windows 10 |
| Batteries | 1 C batteries required. |
| CPU Socket | LGA 1151 or compatible |
| Item Weight | 1.41 pounds |
| Chipset Type | Intel Quad-core N100 |
| Manufacturer | ASRock |
| Item model number | 90-MXBK80-A0UAYZ |
| Compatible Devices | Personal Computer |
| RAM Memory Technology | DDR4 |
| Graphics Card Interface | Integrated |
| Memory Storage Capacity | 32 GB |
| RAM Memory Maximum Size | 32 GB |
| Main Power Connector Type | ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) connector |
What Buyers Say
People are really digging this board for its miserly power consumption, with some users reporting idle draws as low as 5.1W, which is a huge win for always-on systems. The fanless design is a big plus for quiet environments, making it a go-to for home servers or HTPCs. However, the limited storage options with only two SATA ports and the single DDR4 slot are recurring points of contention, especially for those trying to build a beefy NAS. The PCIe x16 slot running at x2 mode is also a bit of a letdown if you were hoping for serious expansion.
“Man, I bought this for a little Plex server and it's super quiet and barely sips power, but only two SATA ports? Seriously? I gotta get a whole new card just to add more drives, what a pain.”
Common Praise
- The integrated N100 processor is noticeably quicker than previous generation SoC motherboards.
- Ultra-low 6W TDP keeps electricity bills down for 24/7 operation.
- Fanless design means absolutely no fan noise, which is perfect for living room setups.
- Low idle power consumption of 5.1W is a significant advantage for home server builds.
- Quicksync support on the N100 processor makes video transcoding efficient.
Common Complaints
- Only two SATA3 ports are available, making it difficult to build a NAS with many drives without extra hardware.
- The single DDR4 DIMM slot restricts memory to single-channel mode, impacting potential performance.
- The PCIe 3.0 x16 slot only runs at x2 speed, severely limiting the performance of any installed expansion cards.
- The Realtek Gigabit LAN controller can have "weird behavior" with non-Windows 10 operating systems.
- The Micro-ATX form factor is too large for some compact NAS enclosures.
Ownership Tips
- The fanless operation is genuinely silent, making it disappear into the background noise of a room.
- Boot times are surprisingly snappy for such a low-power system.
- The integrated graphics handle 4K video playback without a hitch, even with multiple monitors connected.
- Setting up a non-Windows OS might require some extra driver hunting for the Realtek NIC if you hit the "weird behavior" issue.
- The single RAM slot means you need to buy the largest single stick you can afford upfront if you want to maximize memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this motherboard support Windows 11?
Yes, the ASRock N100M motherboard supports Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 64-bit.
Can I install a dedicated graphics card in this motherboard?
While it has a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, it only operates in x2 mode, meaning a dedicated graphics card would be severely bandwidth-limited and wouldn't perform optimally.
How many hard drives can I connect to this board?
The board has two SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors and one M.2 (PCIe Gen3x2) slot for storage. So, natively, you can connect two SATA drives and one M.2 SSD.
Is this motherboard completely silent?
Yes, the ASRock N100M features a fanless design for the CPU, relying on a heatsink for cooling, which results in silent operation.
What kind of memory does this motherboard use?
It uses DDR4 memory and has one DIMM slot, supporting up to 32GB of non-ECC, un-buffered memory at 3200MHz.
Buying Guide
When you're looking at motherboards like this, you're usually prioritizing low power consumption and quiet operation over raw performance. Think about what you're actually going to *do* with it. If it's just for basic tasks or a server that runs 24/7, the integrated CPU and low TDP are your friends. Don't expect to build a gaming rig or a massive storage array without hitting some serious bottlenecks.
Intel Quad-Core N100 Processor (6W TDP)
This isn't a powerhouse CPU; it's designed for efficiency. The 6W TDP means it uses very little electricity, like a night light, making it cheap to run all the time and cool enough for a fanless design.
1 x DDR4 DIMM slot
This means you can only install one stick of RAM. Think of it like a single lane on a highway for data. It's fine for basic tasks, but if you need a lot of memory bandwidth for heavier workloads, two sticks (dual-channel) would be faster, which this board can't do.
PCIe 3.0 x16 (x2 mode)
This slot looks like a full-speed slot for a graphics card, but it's actually throttled down to x2 speed, like a two-lane road instead of a sixteen-lane superhighway. Any expansion card you put in here, like a faster network card or a SATA controller, won't get its full potential bandwidth.
2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s connectors
These are your connections for traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs. Two is pretty limited if you're planning a home server with multiple drives for redundancy or large storage capacity. You'll quickly run out of ports if you want more than a couple of drives.
Alternatives
If you need more than two SATA ports for a NAS, look for boards with integrated N100 or similar low-power CPUs that explicitly state 4 or 6 SATA ports. For better expansion card performance, seek boards with a full-speed PCIe x4 or x8 slot, or a CPU with more PCIe lanes.
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