Asus quietly launches new series of ultra compact mini PCs

Asus has just quietly introduced the VM31, a compact mini PC housing AMD's new Ryzen 3 30 processor, a rebranded version of AMD's Ryzen 3 7320U from 2022. This is based on the ageing 6nm Mendocino design, combining four Zen 2 cores and eight threads with up to 4.1GHz clock speeds, 4MB of L3 cache and an integrated Radeon 610M. Other CPU options include the Ryzen 5 40 (a rebranded Ryzen 5 7520U) or the Athlon Silver 10 (a rebranded Athlon Silver 7120U). In any case, the VM31 is not a performance powerhouse. 

All three CPUs have a TDP of 15 watts and are configured with a single M.2 2280 NVMe SSD running on PCIe 3.0, with capacities ranging from 128GB up to 512GB, as well as up to 16GB of LPDDR5-5500 RAM. As for ports, the VM31 offers a broad selection. On the front, it includes one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.4 support, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. A Kensington lock slot can be found on the right side. 

At the rear, users get two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, another USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.4, one USB 2.0 port, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0 with support for up to 4K at 60Hz, a 2.5 GbE LAN port, and the power input. Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6E.

The VM31 comes in a small 0.55-liter chassis measuring 135x115x35.8 mm and weighing 330 grams (0.73 lb). Together with VESA mount compatibility, the mini PC is designed as a productivity-focused machine for easy placement in tight spaces or mounting behind a monitor. Although the mini PC is listed on Asus' official website, regional availability and pricing have yet to be announced.