This review is on the Biostar X370GTN Mini ITX motherboard which was the first mini-ITX motherboard released on the AM4 platform for AMD Ryzen and Bristol Ridge processors The X370GTN joins a very short list of mini-ITX form factor AMD Ryzen compatible motherboards To read specifically about the X370/B350 chip/platform and the specifications therein, our deep dive into what it is can be found at this link the cost is in paying for the privilege of a smaller This should be more prevalent in AMD's recent product portfolio as the size of the socket offers zero favors when it comes to layout: when the socket is large known for being at the cheaper end of the market is attempting to combine the smaller form factor with a small price compared to other mini-ITX boards on the market.  One very interesting implementation from Biostar is the Realtek RTL8118AS Gigabit controller which Realtek calls their 'Dragon' network controller in direct competition to the Killer network controllers we see on other boards aside from the controller being relatively rare on consumer motherboards is that (we were told) this is the physically smallest network controller available for consumer use So there is some thought behind controller choice other than cost Biostar uses 5k solid caps rather than the 10k/12k models we see on most other motherboards which is a clear sign of cost-cutting (despite 5k being supported in the specification manuals) Biostar and Realtek advertise the Realtek 'Dragon' network controller as favorable for games as it is 'optimized' to offer better performance for traffic with small data packets We asked about the information behind this when we saw an earlier controller on a competitor's board Another Realtek addition on this board is the inclusion of the ALC892 audio codec which is generally found on the more budget-orientated motherboards and I’m not entirely surprised to see it used here The X370GTN has four SATA connectors, which is fairly standard for ITX motherboards; these ports allow the use of RAID 0 Biostar has included a single PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 port on the rear of the PCB which allows for use with SATA and PCIe use and there are also additional USB headers for front panel connectors.  Biostar has advertised that the Biostar X370GTN is designed with gamers in mind placing inside its 'Racing' line of motherboards it will be an interesting scenario to see if the board can perform Biostar is not as prevalent as certain other motherboard vendors in overclocking based on personal testing their recent offerings, they have been showing great promise with each iteration The idea of hammering out lots of MHz on an ITX board doesn’t exactly sound plausible users may expect at least some element of headroom to play with It should be noted that the Biostar X370GTN only allows overclocking through the BIOS when it has been updated to at least AGESA 1006 BIOS The X370GTN is as simple to overclock as virtually any other motherboard with a changeable multiplier and basic voltage control but it lacks some of the finer tuning of other motherboards (especially if a user wants to go for extreme sub-zero cooling). The overclocking settings are in a screen titled O.N.E Apparently it keeps all the core overclocking settings in O.N.E easy place A caveat I have with the BIOS is with regards the voltage adjustments for overclocking The only option for adjustment is via offsets This can mean that for users already familiar with the platform the overclocker can end up second-guessing themselves with respect the voltage that actually needs to be applied One way around this is to use the Ryzen Master overclocking software which should translate a voltage value into a specific offset for the BIOS although for experienced users this is not an ideal scenario.  Our standard overclocking methodology is as follows We select the automatic overclock options and test for stability with POV-Ray and OCCT to simulate high-end workloads These stability tests aim to catch any immediate causes for memory or CPU errors based on the information gathered from previous testing starts off at a nominal voltage and CPU multiplier and the multiplier is increased until the stability tests are failed The CPU voltage is increased gradually until the stability tests are passed and the process repeated until the motherboard reduces the multiplier automatically (due to safety protocol) or the CPU temperature reaches a stupidly high level (100ºC+) which should push overclocks higher with fresher (cooler) air I managed to push our Ryzen 7 1700 CPU to 3.9GHz with 1.375v set according to Ryzen Master This is actually a limitation of our processor rather than the board - regardless of voltage (within reasonable temperature) at 4.0GHz OCCT showed variable instability at all times giving some of the known limits of AMD's silicon (a steep voltage requirement around 3.9-4.2 GHz for most silicon) I do have to mention I probably wouldn’t go much further than 3.9/4.0 GHz on this specific board with this chip anyway even if it were capable. The small power delivery heatsinks were already getting pretty warm at load and there was a level of personal discomfort running a sub-$110 board to such a degree There is also only a single 4pin 12V CPU power connector which may become a limiting factor pushing further The base Ryzen 7 1700 processor we are using has a 3.0 GHz base and a 3.7 GHz turbo Our stock load power numbers were surprisingly low (more about that later in the review) but when overclocked to 4.0 GHz (during brief periods of stable) the overall power consumption taken at the wall was pushing above 185W Eat & Drink Author:   Юлия Миронова What do you need for a good start of the day? Fine breakfast! Here is the list of our favorite places to go in the morning in Minsk to eat fresh croissant tender scrambled eggs and some more refined dishes From democratic coffee shops to restaurants with author's cuisine – choose what is closer to your heart   Instagram  A brand new place near Plošča Pieramohi metro station Moby Dick is a small coffee shop with a cool interior where The menu includes croissants with different fillings you can take a glass of sparkling wine (if the morning promises to be tender).  the cafe sometimes arranges themed brunches: for example Follow them on Instagram to keep up with the updates ButterBro is a gastro pub with a pretty bohemian interior but a friendly and unpretentious atmosphere Here you’ll drink a decent glass of wine in the evening and have a decent breakfast in the morning There are pretty classic breakfast options: cottage cheese pancakes omelettes and other variations on the theme of eggs pancakes with cheese mousse and caviar or pumpkin pancakes Low budget breakfast option in ButterBro is oatmeal with honey the most expensive is a Viennese breakfast called "Like in a hotel" for € 12.5   Instagram Head for Bistro de Luxe for a luxury morning meal: there are snow-white tablecloths starched napkins and the atmosphere of a refined French cafe The breakfast menu is pretty traditional: syrniki English breakfast for € 12 is especially popular here Bistro de Luxe also offers a fancy breakfast "A La Russe" – pancakes with black caviar and a glass of champagne the menu of which differs slightly from breakfast and includes also snacks   Instagram which is worth visiting in Minsk not only for breakfast The cafe is located on Kastryčnickaja Street – the most vibrant street of the city So you can not only eat a decent breakfast or dinner here but also find yourself in the epicenter of the Minsk creative life and take photos of numerous murals Enzo cooks like to experiment and change positions in the menu   Instagram  La Crete d’Or positions itself as a French café: there is a large selection of croissants with different fillings and excellent desserts There is plenty breakfast options to choose from as well: classic cheese cakes and pretty unusual dishes for the morning menu vegetables and bread will cost about € 6.5 But the specialty of the place is the desserts A cup of espresso in La Crete d’Or costs € 1.3   Instagram A minimalistic and stylish cafe by the creators of Enzo and Simple which is associated with a simple hashtag #breadwinelife Kastryčnickaja street gets filled with the smell of fresh pastries: all because of  Let it be one more feature of the restaurant is breakfast which can be ordered here all day (except for cereals, they are cooked only from 8 a.m but it's enough: every dish here is self-sufficient and wonderful croissants with prosciutto or granola – at first glance but each option has its own peculiarity: whether it is some kind of flavored cheese or gourmet sauce we recommend an almond croissant – it is beautiful   Instagram A democratic and very sincere place hidden on a secluded street in the center of Minsk make good coffee and bake perfect croissants with different fillings you get a c set of a coffee and granola for € 2.6 If you want to enjoy your morning quietly and listen to a couple of records take something more substantial: a ciabatta or a salmon toast.    Instagram It is a popular French bakery where you can try not only baguettes For breakfast they cook porridges and syrniki (from € 2.3) scrambled eggs (from € 1.6) and other typical morning meals There are also combo-breakfasts in the menu: for example coffee plus a croissant for € 2.3 or baguette with butter plus coffee and orange fresh for € 4   Instagram Alternative brewing techniques and cozy places to chill Cheap places for those who want to feel Belarusian soul Cool designer products to bring from Belarus nature venues and holiday camps in the most famous resort region of Belarus ‘A village should have everything that a city has The city that has experienced a lot of disturbance throughout its long history Exploring secrets and legends of one of the largest cities in Belarus We’re traveling to the ancient capital  of Palessie A new episode of our audioseries is about Turaŭ  A trip to the ancient capital of the Grand Dutchy The rock capital of Belarus has a lot of stories to tell E-mail: 34travelby@gmail.com The reference to source is obligatory if you use materials of the site 34travel.me does not bear responsibility for the advertisements.