Skip to main content

This ASRock gadget turns your PC case into a proper monitor

If you want a secondary screen but can’t quite fit one onto your desk, you might want to check out ASRock’s latest invention — a PC side panel display.

Large and bright enough to serve as a proper monitor, this is certainly a fun gadget. Unfortunately, many of us won’t be able to use it.

Gamer in front of a PC that has the ASRock side panel screen on it.
ASRock

PC owners have all that space on their chassis, and nothing to do with it. As long as you’re willing to give up being able to easily peer inside the case (and admire the RGB light show, if that’s your thing), you might like ASRock’s 13.3-inch Side Panel Kit. This is essentially a monitor, similar to that in a laptop, that is attached to the inside of your case.

As the panel is installed within the chassis, your case needs to have a side panel made of transparent tempered glass. It has to be sturdy enough to hold the screen, but it also needs to be see-through so that you can see it in the first place.

For a little side monitor, the IPS display sounds decent. It measures 13.3 inches, has a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, and a basic 60Hz refresh rate. The display seems to be fairly bright and suitable for all kinds of things.

You could use it to simply monitor your PC’s temperatures and speeds, or you could turn it into a proper secondary screen for productivity or entertainment. Granted, needing to view it through the case will probably diminish the experience a bit, but it’s still a fun gadget if you’ve got limited desk space and want an extra screen. If you do get one and plan to use it for productivity, you might need to re-think the placement of your PC case to avoid constantly having to turn and look to the side.

With all that said, there’s one catch — not that many people might be able to use this gadget, and that’s all because of the fact that it has an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) connector. This means that it runs both power and video through just one cable, and while that’s handy, most motherboards don’t support this kind of connection.

ASRock 13.3” Side Panel Kithttps://t.co/oVnjP9aQXW pic.twitter.com/61C8LdCIJZ

— 188号 (@momomo_us) November 1, 2022

As of right now, only ASRock boards support this side panel. Tom’s Hardware reports that only some of the best motherboards for Intel and AMD will qualify, including the Z790 PG Lightning, Z790 Pro RS, Z790 Pro RS/D4,  Z790 LiveMixer, Z790M-ITX WiFi, Z790 PG Lightning/D4, Z790 Steel Legend WiFi, B650E PG-ITX WiFi, and lastly, H610M-ITX/eDP.

This availability is likely to affect the popularity of ASRock’s new gadget. However, if you have one of the required motherboards or you’re planning an upgrade soon, it seems like a fun addition to a PC build.

Editors' Recommendations

Monica J. White
Monica is a UK-based freelance writer and self-proclaimed geek. A firm believer in the "PC building is just like expensive…
This HP Pavilion desktop PC had its price cut from $700 to $440
HP PC connected to a monitor.

HP is one of the most reliable sources for dependable desktop PCs at affordable prices. Take this as an example -- the HP Pavilion Desktop TP01, originally priced at $700, is currently available for just $440 following a $260 discount. With a configuration that's more than enough for the usual tasks that you'll do for work or school, this is one of the most attractive desktop computer deals that we've seen in a while. We're not sure how long this offer will remain online though, so you'll have to complete the purchase as soon as possible if you don't want to miss out.

Why you should buy the HP Pavilion Desktop TP01
Let's get it out of the way -- the HP Pavilion Desktop TP01 isn't going to be as powerful as the top-of-the-line models of the best desktop computers. However, with its AMD Ryzen 3 5300G processor, integrated AMD Radeon Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, it's going to be more than enough to handle activities such as doing online research, making reports, and creating presentations. The desktop PC excels in its storage capabilities though, as it's got a 256GB SSD for its primary storage where Windows 11 Home is pre-installed and a 1TB HDD for its secondary storage. That's a lot of space for your files!

Read more
This Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop is discounted from $3,409 to $799
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 front angled view showing display.

If you skip past Lenovo's somewhat disingenuously high estimated value system, there are generally some great laptop deals to check out at the site. Right now, you can buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga for $799. Lenovo reckons that's reduced from $3,409 which seems excessively high and unlikely to us, but we do know that $799 is a pretty sweet deal for this laptop. If you're keen to know more, keep reading while we take you through what to expect from it. Don't forget to hit the buy button if it sounds like the one for you.

Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Read more
Quick — This 32-inch 4K monitor just had its price slashed by 21%
The 27-inch Dell S2721QS 4K monitor on a table.

Dell often has some great monitor deals and the firm has certainly excelled itself with an offer on the Dell 32-inch SE3223Q 4K monitor. Usually priced at $380, it's down to $300 for a limited time only. A fantastic price for a 4K monitor, you might already know to hit the buy button below but if you need some more guidance, keep reading while we explain what it offers.

Why you should buy the Dell 32-inch SE3223Q 4K monitor
Dell makes some of the best 4K monitors around with the Dell 32-inch SE3223Q 4K monitor reflecting many of those qualities. It offers 99% sRGB on its VA panel with 1.07 billion colors overall. There's also the aforementioned 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 wide viewing angles and an anti-glare surface. It also has a response time of as little as 4ms gray-to-gray extreme and AMD FreeSync support. While the response rate isn't perfect for a gaming setup, it's fine for some light gaming with AMD FreeSync ensuring you get smooth browsing while you work.

Read more