Has Anyone Built a Desktop PC Using Weird AliExpress Parts?

barge-in hunter on 25/01/2024 - 13:44
Last edited 25/01/2024 - 13:44

Hi everyone

I saw a few YouTube clips on these and thought they were great value for an ITX board with a high powered CPU built in - but definitely kind of weird though.

ERYING ITX Desktop Motherboard Set with Onboard CPU Core Interper Kit i9 12900H SRLD4 i9-12900H 14C20T DDR4 Gaming PC Computers

In short, they've taken a high powered i9-12900h laptop CPU and created a M-ITX standard motherboard out of it. This motherboard includes:

  • 1 x PCIEX8.0 4.0 slot (8 lane pcie 4.0 slot - a little weird, but most GPUs don't use close to 16 lanes' bandwidth anyway)
  • 2 x M2 NVME slots
  • 2 x 6GB SATA ports (like a usual desktop)
  • 2 x Network ports
  • 2 x desktop DDR4 RAM slots

They have a few different CPU variants (and some M-ATX sized boards), but I really like the idea of this i9 version in an ITX build because laptop CPUs generate a lot less heat with lower TDP - while still maintaining very strong performance. At ~$550 (at the time of posting), it seems like a decent bargain too.

So all this got me thinking - has anyone used one of these or any other weird and wonderful Ali-Express parts in a build?

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Comments

  • Horacio on 25/01/2024 - 13:50
    +1

    Yep, sure, just check the ratings and detailed reviews for each part

  • Horacio on 25/01/2024 - 13:51
    +1

    As for something with just one review - I'd give that a miss

  • wiipantz on 25/01/2024 - 14:00
    +3

    No to answer your question in title. To elaborate on that, more what is the intetnion with the build? If it was to game, it's mediocre and has little to no OC or upgrade potential but might be ok depending on expectation. If it's simply for the hell of it, it certainly is an odd little setup and fits right into the 'enthusiast' category and you sorta get what you pay for. If it were for productivity might be a bit weird and janky, also ali parts could be questionable with warranty and stuff I guess.

    Would I do this, nah but each to thier own really… I like ITX boards and have built some weird and wonderful SFX stuff in the past, interesting find but also quite niche.

    • barge-in hunter on 25/01/2024 - 14:29

      Yeah I think you're right - enthusiast market definitely… and definite jankiness with poor driver support I imagine.

  • p1 ama on 25/01/2024 - 14:03
    +2

    They have a few different CPU variants (and some M-ATX sized boards), but I really like the idea of this i9 version in an ITX build because laptop CPUs generate a lot less heat with lower TDP - while still maintaining very strong performance. At ~$550 (at the time of posting), it seems like a decent bargain too.

    It's not really a bargain though.

    The i9 12900H is quite a fair way behind the 13600K (/ KF), e.g. see: https://nanoreview.net/en/cpu-compare/intel-core-i9-12900h-v… - it's actually not even close. The 12900H has 6P/8E 12th gen cores, the 13600K has the same number of cores, but are 13th gen. I wouldn't worry too much about heat, the 13600K is not particularly hot.

    You can get the 14600KF (which is a little faster than the 13600KF) for $435 (https://www.centrecom.com.au/intel-14th-gen-core-i5-14600kf-…), and combine it with an ITX motherboard for $198 (https://www.centrecom.com.au/asrock-b660m-itxac-wifi-lga1700…), which will end up being < $100 more than the AliExpress combo you've listed, but with local warranty, better support, likely better reliability, and of course, better performance.

    Yes, you're pairing a K-series chip with a B660 motherboard, but that's not a big deal these days as the K-series chips are already very aggressively clocked out of the box, so the benefits of overclocking are really marginal. Either way, this B660 board has similar (if not better features) vs. the AliExpress board.

    • barge-in hunter on 25/01/2024 - 14:27
      +1

      Excellent call out - I assumed there wasn't such a big leap between generations. Std desktop parts would probably be better for an ITX build - even if you went with their 13900h version (that one costs $300+ more)

  • rumblytangara on 25/01/2024 - 17:03
    +1

    Bit of a downside to weirdo parts like that is that you can probably forget about firmware updates from Day 1. If there is ever a critical security vulnerability that can only be patched at the firmware level, then you are forever out of luck.

  • Ocker on 25/01/2024 - 19:36

    Not quite sure why you would bother and/or take the risk?

  • Clear on 26/01/2024 - 11:33
    +1

    I've had some fun with the X99 boards with Intel Xeon's before. The Frankenstein GPUs where they take the mobile variants and stick them onto a PCIe board like a desktop GPU is always fun.

    A notable GPU being the Jieshuo RTX A2000 8GB that's similar to an RTX 3060. Then there's the RX550's with 8GB VRAM and RX580's with 16GB VRAM.

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