The cheapest 16-core Dragon Range motherboard is here Updated: Oct 1, 2024 12:10 pm WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more Table of Contents Table of Contents Minisforum is known for its mini ITX boards that come with preinstalled and non-replaceable AMD “Dragon Range” processors and coolers. Previously, we saw Minisforum’s BD790i mini ITX board which had the AMD 7 7945HX. While these mini-PCs are not the best in terms of performance and upgradability, the cost is what reels in the budget-conscious consumers. This time, Minisforum is providing us with another great offering – a 16-core Dragon Range motherboard for just $359. The new Minisforum BD790i SE mini ITX motherboard costs just $359 The BD790i SE is Minisforum’s latest addition to their mini ITX Dragon Range motherboards and comes with AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX. The Ryzen 9 7940HX offers a full 16-core Zen 4 configuration similar to the previous 7945HX. While this processor has been a popular choice for making affordable laptop gaming systems, this is the first time it will be introduced for desktops. The BD790i SE has two versions; the 8-core which comes for $399 and the new 16-core which will cost you only $359. This way, you get an additional 8 cores at $50 less. Minisforum BD770i/BD790i. Source: Minisforum Via Videocardz When compared with the previous 7745HX version, the new 7740HX board has its ups and downs. In terms of cores, the board still offers 16 cores but now at a lower frequency than the 7745HX. For context, instead of 5.4 GHz, you get 5.2 GHz with the 7740HX. Apart from a lower frequency, the rest is pretty much the same in terms of cache configuration and integrated graphics (Radeon 610M). The rest of the specifications for the BD790i SE board With the processor details out of the way, the board itself comes with a full PCIe 5.0×16 interface, allowing you to add discrete external graphic cards. On the storage side, the board comes with PCIe 4.0 SSD slots instead of PCIe 5.0. Since the board is focused on more budget-oriented customers, PCIe 5.0 SSDs cost more than 4.0, which is why Minisfroum went this way. Overall, the new BD790i SE is well-priced and offers promising specifications such as a 16-core processor for only $359. For a much more hands-on experience, we still have to wait as the board just popped up on the website and Minisforum has not started to send out any PR materials yet. Source: Minisforum
