In a market where mini-ITX motherboards are synonymous with compromise, particularly in memory capacity, Maxsun has unveiled a board that challenges the status quo. The newly announced MS-PC Farm B860I is a rare breed: a consumer-focused mini-ITX motherboard that incorporates four full-sized DDR5 memory slots, a feature almost exclusively reserved for larger ATX boards or server-specific designs. This launch, detailed at a recent event in China, promises to reshape expectations for what is possible in a small-form-factor build, especially for users who need high memory capacity without sacrificing desk space.
MS-PC Farm B860I Key Specifications & Features
- Form Factor: Mini-ITX
- CPU Socket: LGA1851 (Intel Arrow Lake)
- Memory: 4x DDR5 DIMM Slots (Support up to 256GB)
- Chipset: Intel B860
- Power Delivery: 11-phase VRM
- Storage: At least 1x M.2 slot, 4x SATA III ports
- Expansion: 1x PCIe x4 slot (likely PCIe 5.0)
- Networking: 5 Gigabit Ethernet
- Special Features:
- 90-degree rotated CPU/memory layout for improved cooling.
- IPMI 4.0 support for remote management.
- MCIO connector for PCIe 5.0 expansion.
- BIOS forced flash recovery function.
- Target Market: Cloud esports, internet cafes, specialized compact workstations.
A Breakthrough in Mini-ITX Design
The defining characteristic of the MS-PC Farm B860I is its unprecedented inclusion of four standard DDR5 DIMM slots on the compact mini-ITX PCB. This engineering feat directly addresses a long-standing limitation of the form factor, which typically maxes out at two memory slots. Maxsun achieves this by rotating the LGA1851 CPU socket and the memory slots by 90 degrees. The company claims this innovative layout does more than just save space; it also improves system airflow, potentially lowering CPU temperatures by up to 10°C and allowing for clock speed boosts of up to 400 MHz, though specific test conditions for these claims were not provided.
Specifications and Platform Support
Based on Intel's B860 chipset, the motherboard is built for the LGA1851 socket, making it compatible with Intel's Core Ultra 200S series "Arrow Lake" processors. Future support for anticipated "Arrow Lake Refresh" chips is expected via a BIOS update. While Maxsun has not officially stated the maximum supported memory speed, Intel's platform specifications guarantee DDR5-4400, with higher speeds dependent on the processor's integrated memory controller and memory kit quality. The board's power delivery is an 11-phase design, suggesting solid support for higher-core-count CPUs. Storage options include at least one M.2 slot and four SATA III ports.
Target Market and Unique Features
Maxsun is positioning the MS-PC Farm B860I not for the typical gaming enthusiast, but within what it calls the "cloud esports hardware ecosystem," targeting internet cafes and professional gaming setups. This focus is reflected in its specialized feature set. The board supports IPMI 4.0 for remote management, a tool commonplace in servers that allows for out-of-band monitoring and control—a boon for administrators managing multiple systems. It also includes an MCIO connector for high-speed PCIe 5.0 expansion, likely for adding fast storage, and a 5 Gigabit Ethernet port for low-latency networking. A notable practical feature is a BIOS forced flash function, which can recover the board if the firmware becomes corrupted.
The Trade-Off: PCIe Expansion
This groundbreaking memory capability does come with a compromise. The MS-PC Farm B860I includes only a single PCIe expansion slot, and it is a PCIe x4 interface. Assuming it conforms to the PCIe 5.0 standard, its bandwidth would be equivalent to a PCIe 4.0 x8 slot. For most modern graphics cards, this should not create a significant bottleneck in performance, but it is a conscious design choice that prioritizes memory expansion over multi-card or extensive add-in card support.
Availability and Market Context
As of the announcement on December 18, 2025, Maxsun has not released pricing or specific global availability details for the MS-PC Farm B860I or its sibling models, the B760I and H770I D5 V2. Its launch arrives during a period of industry-wide RAM shortages, making its support for up to 256GB of DDR5 both a compelling technical achievement and a potentially costly proposition for builders. The board stands as a proof-of-concept that the mini-ITX form factor can evolve beyond its traditional constraints, offering a new path for compact workstations and high-memory specialized systems that were previously impossible to build at this scale.