Thanks to the collaboration of ASRock today we present the review of the new passive motherboards ASRock J5005-ITX with Intel Pentium Silver J5005 processor and ASRock J4105-ITX board with Intel Celeron J4105 processor, both of the new Intel Gemini Lake generation. This processors are the most powerful of this new family of products designed for low consumption desktop system and provides a small jump in power compared to the previous generation. This motherboards can be a good fanless solution and we will compare with these new models with the previous versiones in our usual tests.
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ESPECIFICATIONS
| Model 1 | ASRock J5005-ITX |
| CPU | Intel Pentium Silver J5005 Quad core a 1.5 GHz / Turbo 2.8 GHz |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 605 @ 250/800MHz – 18EU |
| Model 2 | ASRock J4105-ITX |
| CPU | Intel Celeron J4105 Quad core a 1.5 GHz / Turbo 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 600 @ 250/750MHz / 12EU |
| BIOS | AMI UEFI |
| Format | MINI ITX |
| RAM | Not included. 2x DDR4 2133/2400 SO-DIMM máximo 8GB |
| Audio | Intel HD Audio for HDMI Realtek ALC892 con sonido 7.1 for rear audio panel |
| Bluetooth | Not included. M.2 2230 socket available (Intel CNVi support) |
| Wifi | Not included. M.2 2230 socket available (Intel CNVi support) |
| Ethernet | Si, Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit |
| External connections | 2x USB 2.0 2x USB 2.0 1x RJ45 Gigabit 1x Rear audio 7.1 panel 1x Optical audio 1x HDMI 2.0 – 4K@60fps (chip iTE IT66317) 1x VGA 1x DVI-D 1x PS/2 |
| Internal connections | 2x SATA III 6GB/s 2x SATA III 6GB/s ASMedia 2x USB 2.0 1x USB 3.0 1x M.2 (Key E), 2230 type for WiFi/BT 1x COM 1x Frontal panel audio 1x PCI E 2.0 1x |
| Power | 1x 24 PIN ATX |
| Content | 2x SATA cables 1x Rear plate 1x Manual 1x CD Drivers |
PACKAGE CONTENT
These new motherboards ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX have exactly the same hardware configuration, the only point that changes is the SoC that mounts under the aluminum heatsink. The content of the box is the same and only the data printed in the specifications change.
Inside the cardboard box we find the manual with a driver CD, a back plate for our chasis and two SATA 3 cables, one straight and one angled. We also have a small screw to fix the wifi card in the M.2 2230 slot that has this board.
ASSEMBLY
Components list
To assemble the set we have opted for the following elements:
| Component | Reference | Price |
| Motherboard model 1 | ASRock J5005-ITX | $116 |
| Motherboard model 1 | ASRock J4105-ITX | $86 |
| RAM | Corsair 2x 4GB DDR4 @2133MHz * | $96 |
| Power supply | PicoPSU 160W | $28 |
| Power adapter | Generic 12V 6A | $10 |
| Chasis | Cooler Master Elite 130 | $38 |
| Wifi | Intel Wifi M.2 | $20 |
| Storage option 1 | Hard disk 2TB Seagate | $60 |
| Storage option 2 | SSD Silicon power 256GB | $57 |
| Price set 1 | With mechanical disk | $425 |
| Price set 2 | With mechanical disk | $395 |
- We have compatibility problems with some DDR4 modules, check the compatibility list to ensure the correct functionality. Maybe a BIOS update can increase the compatibility list in the future.
CONNECTING THE DEVICE
Startup
For reference in the review we will see in detail the motherboard ASRock J5005-ITX. These motherboards are built in High Density Glass Fabric PCB, on the side of the plate we have four SATA III connectors, two of them with ASMedia controller, the front audio panel, external USB connectors, slot M.2 2230, PCIE 1x , COM, TPM, frontal leds and buttons.
In the back area we have two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 connectors, PS2 connectors, Gigabit Ethernet network and audio panel that supports 7.1 sound with ELNA capacitors system that reduce noise in the signal output. Regarding the video connections, we have DVI-D, HDMI 2.0 that allows 4K video at 60fps through an iTE IT66317 chip and VGA adapter that allow us to use up to three monitors at a time. The ports are protected with the ASRock Full Spike Protection system to avoid overloads that can damage the hardware.
This board has two slots for SODIMM DDR4 memory, with a consumption of only 1.2V a model of memories that help the system to be more efficient and lower the temperature a bit. This equipment supports up to 8 GB of memory in Dual Channel configuration up to 2400MHz.
Near the BIOS stack we have a M.2 Socket slot (Key E) with support for 2230 format in which we can connect a WiFi / BT module, a system that is also compatible with Intel CNVi boards that take advantage of the internal modem of the SoC Gemini Lake. On the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX boards we have installed the passive heat sink that always assembles the brand in this type of products. In front of the heatsink we can see the ATX 24 pin power connector where we could install a PicoPSU power source.
Startup and BIOS
As usual in the BIOS of the ASRock boards we always find a wide range of options and how could it be otherwise in this model we also have them, the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX boards have a UEFI graphic bios that You can control it with the mouse and we can put it in different languages.
- Check if you have the BIOS P1.30 to fix the HDMI 4K video output
Inside the Advanced settings we have different sections that allow us to configure in detail the behavior of the board, we will list the most outstanding options of each section.
- CPU: We have control over the supported power states of C1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and a new C1E mode
- Chipset: GPU settings and integrated sound, auto power-on when connect the power source and S5 status
- Storage: Control of connected SATA and ASMedia drives
- Super IO: Control of the serial port
- ACPI: Suspend mode in RAM, Power-on modes from peripherals or internal clock / OS.
In the Tool settings we have different modes to update the BIOS, this board supports only Windows 10 and Linux native.
In the menu of H/W Monitor we can see the values of temperature and consumption of the hardware, in addition to control of fans.
In the Security section we have control over the boot modes of the device.
From the Boot menu we can change the boot behavior and change the boot priorities, in the Exit menu we have the Boot Override mode that allows us to boot from an external unit automatically without changing the sequence.
Drivers and utilities
It is the web of the boards with integrated CPU ASRock we can download all the drivers and applications necessary for this product, we also have the manuals that are always interesting to consult them to know our hardware better.
We recommend downloading the ASRock APP Shop utility that helps us keep our drivers and BIOS updated in a very simple way, and also offers us a selection of applications that may be useful to us, a way to manage the software of our system quite interesting.
Another application that can be useful is the so-called Restart to UEFI that helps us to quickly go to the BIOS of the system in a very comfortable way without crushing the ESC key.
User experience
Using the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX motherboards we have a very good user experience in Windows 10, something that depends a lot on the selected components. If we are going to navigate by opening many tabs, we recommend installing 8GB of RAM, a fast SSD will also be useful to speed up the loading of system and apps. In general, the two motherboards with these processors have sufficient power to navigate, play multimedia or use office automation applications at a general level.
Remote control
To remotely control the ACEPC T9 we can install remote control app on the the mini PC, and then we can use our mobile or tablet to control it installing the Android or iOS app. We can use tactile gestures, virtual mouse or remote keyboard, we just have to have both devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
Linux
We perform our usual test with the latest version of Ubuntu and check that it boots perfectly with the default options of the BIOS, all components are detected without problems. We can also try LibreELEC although some adjustments are still missing to be fully compatible with Gemini Lake.
HARDWARE REVIEW
Processor
In the ASRock J5005-ITX board we find the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 Quad Core SoC that moves at 1.8 GHz and turbo mode reaches 2.8 GHz. For the graphical section we have the new integrated Intel HD Graphics 605 GPU with a clock speed maximum of 800Mhz in turbo mode and 250Mhz in normal mode, in this model we have 18 execution units (EU).
On the ASRock J4105-ITX board we found the Intel Celeron J4105 Quad core SoC that moves at 1.5 GHz and in turbo mode reaches up to 2.5 GHz. For the graphical section we have the new integrated Intel HD Graphics 600 GPU with a speed of 750 Mhz clock in turbo mode and 250 Mhz in normal mode, in this model we have 12 execution units (EU).
RAM
The memory that we have selected Crosair 2x 4GB 2133 MHz DDR4 is mounted in the two SODIMM slots with 4GB modules, so the Dual Channel function is used. We have a good performance, the working speeds correspond well with the bus to our memory, it a shame that we do not have 2400 MHz because they would still be better. As we can see we have a very good performance in Dual Channel, if you want to play and watch video in very powerful formats we recommend this memory configuration.
The memory works in Dual Channel although the software mistakenly detects it as Single Channel, the values are quite good compared to previous generations.
| ASRock J5005-ITX | ASRock J4105-ITX |
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Temperature
We perform our thermal tests and observe that the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX maintain a correct temperature, as is logical the Pentium model give us something more temperature, where we have a greater number of execution units in the GPU and something more of clock speed. In rest state we have a temperature of 53 / 54ºC and during a work session or basic game we reach 66 / 65ºC, some better figures than in the previous generation Apollo Lake.
- Ambient temperature in measurement 20ºC
If we take the motherboard to a high load scenario (full) with several synthetic tests we do not reach the limit temperature of 105°C in both models we are at a maximum of 87°C, so we can use this hardware without any fear in this scenario, the performance remains high and we do not have falls.
We also do test running DOTA 2 to have a more real result in a performance scenario, as we can see the processors reach the maximum speed without problems in a timely manner, the temperature stays at 70ºC.
We observe with our thermal camera how the motherboards behave and as we see all the heat is centered in the CPU cooler, in the other components of the board we only have heat in some controllers.
Power consumption
In the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX boards we have similar power consumptions that differ only when the GPU is squeezed. As we can see at rest (Stand-by) the system has a consumption of 0.4 W which varies if we have activated the Wake on Lan or Wake on Wan systems, something that can be deactivated. All the hardware has a consumption on the Windows desktop of 12 W and performing common tasks we get up to about 19 W. Forcing the system to the maximum load we reach up to 31 / 33W, a scenario that we will not have as usual since it only occurs when we play demanding games.
PERFORMANCE TEST
We check the performance of the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX motherboards with Gemini Lake technology, as we can see we have a notorious increase in both the performance of the CPU cores and the GPU, which is quite surprising because Intel is usually much more conservative. As we can see in the graphic section, the 18EU that the J5005 assembles with respect to the J4105 are quite noticeable and we have a substantial improvement in 3D performance. With both models we will be able to use the PC perfectly at the desktop level, surfing, using office programs, casual games and running applications at a medium level will not be a problem within its limitations.
Benchmarks
PCMark
With this test we can see the performance of the device in an office environment and common desktop use.
3DMark
Graphic performance test where we can see the gross performance capabilities in this environment and compare the performance of GPU’s historically.
Geekbench
This benchmark in SoC offers a fairly reliable numbers of CPU’s working in a single core or multiple cores ate the same time, it also has a section of GPU computing that gives us an overall result of the processing capacity.
Cinebench
A brute force tests on both CPU and GPU, this benchmark always help us to see a very clear reference of power.
Games
We performed several performance tests on these ASRock Gemini Lake motherboards, in the case of the GPU of the J5005 model we have more performance compared to the GPU of the model J4105. As it is logical if we want to play powerful games from last generation we will have to go for a model with dedicated GPU, if we are not demanding in the games settings maybe we can enjoy some titles with the correct settings, for example with DOTA 2 in J5005 in low adjustments we will have a good experience. Interestingly, the popular Fortnite game does not start, it seems that it is not compatible with the Apollo Lake and the Gemini Lake processors, perhaps it will be fixed in a future update.
Test environment
- GTA V, Low settings, 720p resolution
- Overwatch, Low settings, 720p resolution
- DOTA 2, Low settings, 1080p resolution
- Fortnite, Low settings, 720p resolution
- World of Tanks, Medium settings, 1080p resolution
In the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX motherboards we have found compatibility problems with the HDMI output, our video recorder does not work with this hardware and we are limited to put only DOTA 2 screenshots. In the model J5005 we can have a game perfectly fluid since the average is 48 fps, playing with the J4105 we reach an average of 32 fps which is quite acceptable but we have some fall at 28fps when there is action.
As we see, with this hardware it is advisable to play simple titles such as those found on Android phones by downloading them from the Microsoft Store. Also indie 2D titles or have a basic load in 3D, emulators are also feasible but at most we are in some simple Wii titles.
VIDEO AND AUDIO TESTS
Video playback
In the section of video reproduction, the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX boards with the Intel HD Graphic 605 and 600 GPUs have a very good performance both with h.265 codec and VP9 Profile 2 that now support it by hardware. Unfortunately this hardware is left alone in the HDMI 2.0 connection protocol so we do not have HDR mode, although we can reproduce these formats without problems as we see in our tests in SD color.
A problematic point is the HDMI 2.0 connector that gives us issues and we have only been able to output video signal at 1080p at 60fps, when we put the 4K mode our TV goes black, it seems a problem of hardware drivers for the iTE IT66317 chip, we are waiting for some solution from ASRock.
- NOTE: ASRock fix the HDMI 2.0 4K Playback since the BIOS P1.30 check the update tutorial
- Tutorial: Playback 4K videos with HEVC and VP9 seamlessly on Android and Windows
- TUTORIAL: How to install an add-on in KODI in a simple way
Test results
| H.264 format | Resultado |
| BBB – H.264 8bit – Simple@L1 – 1080p@25fps – 7 Mbps | Correct |
| Samsung Oceanic Life – H.264 8bit – High@L5.1 – 1080p@30fps – 40 Mbps | Correct |
| Timelapse – H.264 8bit – High@L5.1 – 4K@24fps – 43 Mbps | Correct |
| Anime – H.264 10bit – High 10@L5.1 – 1080p@24fps – 10 Mbps | Correct |
| H.265 format | |
| Tears of steel – HVEC 8bit – Main@L6.2@Main – 1080p@24fps – 17 Mbps | Correct |
| Samsung UHD Dubai – HVEC 10bit – Main 10@L5.2@Main – 4K@24fps – 51 Mbps | Correct |
| Jellyfish – HVEC 10bit – Main 10@L6.1@High – 4K@30fps – 392 Mbps | Minimal frameskip |
| Anime – HVEC 10bit – Main 10@L4@Main – 1080p@24fps – 21 Mbps | Correct |
| HDR format | |
| Life of Pi HDR10 – HVEC 10bit – Main 10@L5.1@High – 4K@24fps – 45 Mbps | Correct* |
| LG Demo – Dolby Vision – HVEC 12bit – Main 10@L5@Main – 4K@24fps – 30 Mbps | Correct* |
| Planet Earth II – HDR HLG 10bit – Main 10@L5@High – 4K@25fps – 31 Mbps | Correct* |
| The world in HDR – VP9 Profile 2 10bit – 4K@60fps – 20 Mbps | Correct* |
- The MKV, Blu-ray ISO and BDRemux formats are only containers, inside we can have different codecs, resolutions, audio channels, chapters or subtitles. To play the Blu-ray format menus we need KODI or a compatible program.
- * HDR mode is playback only in SD color mode.
Audio format test
Testing the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX using a Yamaha RXV-577 AV receiver we check that this motherboards supports DD and DTS 7.1 pass through. We recommend, as always, to update all the drivers with Windows Update to the latest before connecting the device to our AV receiver.
- NOTE: some formats work better since the BIOS P1.30 check the update tutorial
- TUTORIAL: Basic concepts and configuration for multichannel audio on Windows
Test results
| Audio format | HDMI | SPDIF |
| Dolby Digital 5.1 | OK | OK |
| Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 | Core | Core |
| Dolby True HD 7.1 | OK | Core |
| Dolby Atmos 7.1 | OK* | Core |
| DTS 5.1 | OK | OK |
| DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 | OK | Core |
| DTS-HD High Resolution 7.1 | OK | Core |
| DTS-X 7.1 | OK* | Core |
- PCM – Stereo downmix from DD or DTS
- Core – Only the core of the format Dolby / DTS is played
- * Our AV receiver does not support these native formats but we check that it does downmix fine
STREAMING
Youtube
We play streaming for test some content on the ASRock J5005-ITX and J4105-ITX motherboards in the usual channels like YouTube or other sources and we verified that we have no problems when playing videos. In YouTube we can play content with the VP9 codec without problems, as we see both the CPU and the VPU do not suffer with this codec.
Streaming services with subscription
We check the most common streaming services playback various contents and we verified that all work properly, the power of this device is more than enough to see any kind of content with them. In Netflix we get to FullHD quality without complications, in the rest of services we get the maximum resolution possible.
| Service | Video Quality | Audio Quality |
| Netflix | FullHD (1080p) | 5.1 |
| HBO | FullHD (1080p) | Stereo |
| Amazon Prime Video | HD (720p) | Stereo |
CONCLUSIONS
Opinion
As we can see the new passive motherboards ASRock J5005-ITX and ASRock J4105-ITX continue to offer an efficient product and with good results in general lines, an ideal hardware for build a desktop miniPC or HTPC. As we have verified the performance with the processors Gemini Lake has improved substantially with respect to the Apollo Lake, something that surprises us because the jumps of Intel are usually smaller in this aspect, the GPU works perfectly decoding video in new generation format h.265 and VP9 Profile 2, unfortunately, HDR information is not supported in the video output.
As we see in the review ASRock solve the initial HDMI 2.0 4K problems, you need to check or update de BIOS version. In general these passive motherboards are a very good solution as a platform to mount our PC ultra quiet, you can work perfectly as as desktop PC with the office apps, 4K media player and low consumption HTPC.
WHERE TO BUY
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Components list
To assemble the set we have opted for the following elements:
| Component | Reference | Price |
| Motherboard model 1 | ASRock J5005-ITX | $116 |
| Motherboard model 1 | ASRock J4105-ITX | $86 |
| RAM | Corsair 2x 4GB DDR4 @2133MHz * | $96 |
| Power supply | PicoPSU 160W | $28 |
| Power adapter | Generic 12V 6A | $10 |
| Chasis | Cooler Master Elite 130 | $38 |
| Wifi | Intel Wifi M.2 | $20 |
| Storage option 1 | Hard disk 2TB Seagate | $60 |
| Storage option 2 | SSD Silicon power 256GB | $57 |
| Price set 1 | With mechanical disk | $425 |
| Price set 2 | With mechanical disk | $395 |
- We have compatibility problems with some DDR4 modules, check the compatibility list to ensure the correct functionality. Maybe a BIOS update can increase the compatibility list in the future.
ASRock J5005-ITX / ASRock J4105-ITX _
Pros
- Good performance
- Support from ASRock
- HDMI 2.0 4K and audio 7.1
- M.2 port
- Low price
Cons
- Limited compatibility with RAM
How would the J4105 work in a NAS setup? I’m looking at using it as a Plex server as well.
Sure.
Linux-wise:
even these little (proprietary) Android TV Boxes can only support fake32, NTFS, and exFAT(which can not even share/write with other Linux devices, PC’s…)
But with Linux-friendly ITX motherboards such as these, the skies the limit when it comes to supporting any and ALL external storage/NFS/raid-media devices, filesystems, …, from ext4 to xfs, …, and any and all future codecs.
A micro Linux motherboard has always been our best bet afterall.
So now it’s time for AMD to enter this ring
How does the J5005 compare to the AsRock N3700?
I Have the N3700 now and wonder if this is a suitable upgrade.
According to the spec. this one has 0.1Ghz lower base clock but 0.4Ghz higer boost/turbo.
Also the graphics is DX12/UHD instead och D11/HD.
Is this enough of an upgrade to make a IRL difference? I want to do minor video editing and surfing watching youtube etc.
Hi,
Is the memory used in the test “Crucial 2x 4GB DDR4 @2133MHz ” (description) or “CORSAIR ValueSelect 4GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 2133 (PC4 17000) Laptop Memory Model CMSO4GX4M1A2133C15 ” (actually hidden under this link)?
If “Crucial”l is, please provide exact data, model.
Is the Corsair model. Fix.
Hi, do I really need PicoPSU 160W, can I go lower like 60 W, I have:
AsRock J5005 + same exact memory sticks = 31 – 33 W
2 x ST4000VN008 with average power consumption of ~4.8 W = 9.6 W
128G M.2 for OS, GSM2NE8128GNTD = Average : R : 2.51 W ; W : 1.85 W
+ W lost during AC->DC
I will use this config as a NAS device.
it will offer DLNA, for my TV
it will offer storage for my IPcam
it will offer storage for my desktop+all devices.
Thank you
//George
You can go lower but the price of the PicoPSU are the same 60 or 120W usually 🙂
Hey Kim, it is very strange indeed that ur config has 12W AC consumption, is this maybe because the PicoPSU is not at all efficient on lower loads?
some test with a efficient power adapters: https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeServer/comments/6smzrq/high_efficient_external_12v_power_supply_for/
I saw ur using a 75W AC power brick this mainly answers my 1st question 🙂
Yes maybe.
Hi! The 12W power consumption during idle, was it measured on the AC or on the DC side? That is, does it include or exclude potential losses from the AC/DC converter? I’m mostly interested on the power consumption (/current) on the 12VDC side. Also, which devices were connected during that measurement? I’m especially interested in the power consumption without HDDs and without a Wifi adapter (which I believe would draw a few Watts). I’m currently having some super cheap, slow & ugly “NAS” with a Pi3 and 5x 2.5″ HDDs connected via USB, with an extra USB hub. Which is… Read more »
It is the measurement to the wall outlet with the component listed. Greetings.
According to:
https://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/disc/manuals/enterprise/Constellation%203_5%20in/100516232f.pdf
the HDD already takes >6W on idle, making the idle power consumption testing here mainly testing the components, but not the board.
The test are with the ssd option.
So this is confusing, does HDR work or not?
No, HDR is downgrade to SD color.
Hi. ASROCK HAVE FIRMWARE 1.30 WHICH UPDATES THE ITE CHIP. HAVE YOU TRIED THIS VERSION ?
I MENTIONED YOUR REVIEW TO ASROCK SUPPORT.
THANKS.
Hello.
This is new.
Where is the file?
http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/J5005-ITX/index.us.asp#BIOS
I will try if i found it.
Thanks for the info.
Hi, which RAM module did not worked? Did the motherboard refused to boot with other RAM? I bought one and it doesn’t boot at all. Got it replaced and it still do the same thing. I have 2x4gb Kingston DDR4 2400 modules.
You have the compatibility list in the product site, as any other motherboard.
Managed to make it work with a single 8gb module at 2133mhz. What a pain. This motherboard works with very few ram module.
Update the BIOS, can increase the compatibility. But yes the compatibility list is short.
Dear, my brand new J4105 ASROCK PC configuration does just light-up the power LED and nothing else. I only can power it off when pressing the power button several seconds. There is neither keyboard operation nor video output at all, even the internal loudspeaker won’t beep. I tried out a lot of configurations, I always observe the same behavior, even when removing everything from the system including the RAM (i.e. just mainboard + power supply). Please can you confirm this can be a memory compatibility problem (I use HyperX Impact HX424S14IBK2/8 with a ASROCK J4105B-ITX motherboard) or could be as… Read more »
Look like RAM issue, check in the Asrock site compatibility tables.
If you can test with other RAM modules it the best option. You can buy in amazon to try, you always can send it back.
KCP424SD8/16 test with one module and is accepted and all test pass.
model board j4105-itx