MAXSUN showcased a compact workstation featuring a Z890 Mini-ITX motherboard at Intel Connection 2026. The system utilizes MCIO cables to connect the graphics card, replacing traditional direct slots. This setup was displayed alongside new Panther Lake mini PCs.
The MCIO platform supports PCIe Gen5 links with Z890 and Q870 configurations like x8+x8. In a Cooler Master i100 Air chassis, the motherboard and GPU sit back-to-back. Since consumer GPUs lack native MCIO, an adapter is required to facilitate the connection.
This demonstration highlights a new approach to small form factor design using V850 SFX power and low-profile cooling. While MAXSUN previously teased MCIO boards in June, the company has not yet released official retail pricing or availability dates for the units.