Mini-ITX Motherboard Breaks the Mold With Four DDR5 RAM Slots Amid Global Memory Shortage
In the middle of an ongoing RAM shortage, Maxsun has unveiled a surprising new product: the MS-PC Farm B860I, a Mini-ITX motherboard featuring four full-sized DDR5 memory slots. This rare design allows support for up to 256GB of DDR5 RAM on an ultra-compact PCB, making it one of the most ambitious Mini-ITX boards ever announced.
Four Full-Size DDR5 Slots on a Mini-ITX Board? Yes, Really
Mini-ITX motherboards are typically limited by their small footprint, often offering only two memory slots—or relying on laptop-style SO-DIMMs. Maxsun, however, has managed to engineer four standard DDR5 DIMM slots into the MS-PC Farm B860I, a feat rarely seen outside of larger formats like mini-DTX or deep mini-ITX, which are usually reserved for server-grade hardware.
This makes the MS-PC Farm B860I the first true Mini-ITX motherboard with four full-size DDR5 slots, instantly setting it apart from competitors.
Part of Maxsun’s “PC Farm” Series — But With a Unique Twist
The MS-PC Farm B860I joins two other boards in Maxsun’s PC Farm lineup:
MS-PC Farm B760I
MS-PC Farm H770I D5 V2
Among these, only the B860I model includes four DDR5 slots, which is why it’s attracting so much attention from PC enthusiasts, system integrators, and cloud-gaming infrastructure providers.
Intel B860 Chipset and Arrow Lake CPU Support
Powered by Intel’s B860 chipset, the motherboard uses the LGA1851 socket, making it compatible with Intel Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake) processors. It’s also expected to support Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs via future BIOS updates.
While Maxsun hasn’t revealed official memory speed limits, Intel guarantees DDR5-4400 support. Higher speeds will likely depend on the quality of the CPU’s integrated memory controller, similar to how memory overclocking works on other platforms.
Rotated Socket Design Promises Better Cooling and Higher Clocks
One of the most interesting design choices is the 90-degree rotated LGA1851 socket and RAM layout. According to Maxsun, this orientation improves airflow efficiency, potentially reducing CPU temperatures by up to 10°C and enabling clock speed boosts of up to 400 MHz.
While these claims haven’t been independently verified—and Maxsun hasn’t disclosed the test CPU—they suggest serious thermal optimization despite the board’s compact size.
Expected Specifications and Expansion Options
Although Maxsun has not released a full spec sheet, the MS-PC Farm B860I appears to include:
11-phase power delivery
At least one M.2 slot
Four SATA III ports
PCIe x4 expansion slot
Even though the PCIe slot is limited to x4 lanes, if it supports PCIe 5.0, it should perform similarly to a PCIe 4.0 x8 slot—meaning little to no real-world performance loss, even with high-end GPUs.
Not Marketed for Gamers — But Still a Powerful Option
Interestingly, Maxsun isn’t targeting gamers or creators directly. Instead, the MS-PC Farm B860I is marketed as part of a “cloud esports hardware ecosystem.” Still, there’s nothing stopping enthusiasts from building a high-performance gaming PC or compact workstation using this board.
In fact, when paired with a powerful GPU and high-capacity DDR5 memory, it could rival setups often associated with the best gaming laptop, offering desktop-class performance in a small form factor.
Advanced Features: IPMI, MCIO, and 5Gb Ethernet
Additional standout features include:
IPMI 4.0 support for remote management
MCIO interface for PCIe 5.0 expansion
5 Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking
These features further reinforce the board’s appeal for professional, cloud, and enthusiast use cases.
Final Thoughts
The Maxsun MS-PC Farm B860I pushes Mini-ITX design to new limits. With four full-size DDR5 slots, Arrow Lake support, and enterprise-grade features, it’s a motherboard that challenges expectations. Whether used in a cloud esports setup, a compact workstation, or an alternative to the best gaming laptop, this tiny board packs massive potential.
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