Elitegoup's new GLKD-HTI motherboard is a rather niche kind of thing. While essentially useless to the average PC gamer, it may be just right for those with very specific custom PC building needs.

This unpowered motherboard does not fit into any specific form factor category, and at an odd 170 x 85mm (6.7 x 3.3in), it is almost half the size of a Mini-ITX mobo (via Chiphell). It will still fit in an average mid-tower case, but may look a bit dumb with all the wasted space around it. It may be best to use a custom case.

Besides, we are looking at a mobo based on Intel's Gemini Lake SoC, which limits you to a dual- or quad-core processor with a Goldmont Plus Atom core and no way to install an Nvidia RTX 3080. In other words, you won't be able to run a Cyberpunk 2077 session on this machine.

Still, the ECS GLKD-HTI has some pretty good features considering its size. It supports HDMI 1.4a at resolutions up to 1920x1200, has up to 8GB of DDR4-2133 memory, has sockets for 2.5" or 3.5" SATA-based HDDs or SSDs, and has room for a single M.2-2280 drive.

There is also a full complement of standard connectivity ports, including a Realtek 8111H GbE port, M.2 for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, four USB 3.0 ports, and two Realtek ALC662 audio ports.

In addition, Durathon Technology is included to ensure the reliability of the ECS. It also features "EDS Protection" to prevent damage caused by electrical surges. So if you are planning an unusual size build or a custom set-top box, the ECS is one to watch.

The market for this type of custom mobo is still fairly small, but given the recent technology boom, we may see more custom form factor PC gear in the near future. Expectations are high.