DeskPi RackMate T1 8U Network Rack Review

Most buyers arrive from 19-inch thinking, so the format needs saying plainly. 10-inch describes the rack's outer width, not the space for gear. The mounting holes sit on a narrower spacing than a 19-inch rack, and the clear opening between the rails is narrower again, so plan on roughly 8.3 inches of usable width for equipment.

8U means eight units of mounting height at 1.75 inches each. The frame is die-cast aluminum with translucent acrylic side panels; the front, back and top are open, with a vented slot field in the roof. It can stand horizontally or vertically, and it ships flat-packed with the hardware needed to assemble it.

The depth figure is the one that decides whether you buy this rack. Everything else on the sheet is fine; 7.8 inches (19.8 cm) is where gear stops fitting.

The depth check

7.8 inches is the whole story. A 1-quart (1-liter) mini PC is typically around 7 inches deep and fits with a little room; a compact desktop switch is far shallower and fits easily; a small-form-factor desktop or a mini-ITX build does not. Measure your deepest device including its power brick and the bend of its cable. An inline brick behind a device can add an inch or more and turn a fit into a non-fit. If your deepest item is close to 7.8 inches, this rack is not for you.

The width check

Gear wider than the clear opening between the rails will not go in, and 19-inch equipment physically cannot. Most small switches and mini PCs have no 10-inch rack ears at all, so they ride on a shelf rather than bolting to the rails. Budget one shelf per device, not one per rack. The rack is for gear designed for, or small enough for, the 10-inch format.

The height check

Eight units is realistically a switch, a patch panel, three or four mini PCs and a power or fan panel. Note the top position: a full 1U device cannot be mounted in the very top slot, so treat the usable height as slightly under 8U for rail-mounted gear.

The rack arrives flat-packed with all the hardware needed for assembly. The accessory range is a separate purchase: the 0.5U 12-port patch panel, the 1U server rack shelf, the 1U blank panel, the 1U SBC shelf, the 0.5U brush cable manager and the 1U mini-ITX shelf are all compatible, and all sold on their own. Photos of a fully populated rack show accessories that are not in the box, so assume you will add at least one shelf and, if you want cable tidiness, a brush manager.

The aluminum frame, the pre-tapped holes and the included assembly hardware are what justify the price: you are paying for a rigid frame you build once and a mounting system that skips cage nuts entirely.

It goes together like a flat-pack puzzle, and a careful first-timer can have it standing in under an hour. The hardware kit contains several similar-looking screw types, so sort them into piles before you start; mixing them up means taking a side panel off again. The aluminum side bars can be fitted upside down, which blocks the top and bottom mounting positions, so check the orientation against the instructions before tightening anything. The included screwdriver is serviceable, but a decent Phillips driver with a magnetic bit makes the job much quicker, since the included driver is not magnetic and cams out easily. The manual's parts list sits near the back, so find it first.

Once it is built, most of the ownership decisions are about what goes where and how the cables leave.

Mounting

Mount heavy items low, warm items with a gap above, the patch panel next to the switch, and blank panels in unused slots to keep airflow sensible. Most gear will sit on shelves held with hook-and-loop tape rather than bolted to the rails.

Power

There is no purpose-built 10-inch UPS on the market, so plan on a compact surge protector or a small UPS sitting beside or beneath the rack rather than inside it.

Cooling

The open frame and acrylic sides mean airflow is mostly passive, which is fine for a few mini PCs and a switch. If you run something warm, a 1U or 2U fan panel, or a fan zip-tied to the rear, is the usual fix. Leave a gap above the warmest device.

Cables

Use short patch leads, because a long lead in a shallow rack leaves a coil of slack with nowhere to go. Use hook-and-loop, not zip ties. Label both ends as you build, not afterwards.

Placement and care

It can stand horizontally or vertically, and the rubber feet are small, so if you mount a fan underneath, give it more ground clearance. The acrylic panels scratch and hold dust and fingerprints; wipe them with a soft damp cloth, never anything abrasive.

• Solid frame. The die-cast aluminum frame does not wobble, and the rack holds its shape on a desk or shelf.
• Pre-tapped mounting holes. No cage nuts to lose or fumble, and no fiddly clips behind the rails.
• Clean looks and low weight. The translucent acrylic sides keep the about 10.5 lb (4.76 kg) frame light and let you see every device without opening anything.
• Fits tight spaces. It sits on a desk or a shelf, and it can stand vertically when floor space is short.
• A matching accessory range. Shelves, a patch panel, a brush manager, an SBC shelf and a mini-ITX shelf let you build it out in the same family, and the warranty runs 6 months.

• 7.8 inches of depth rules out deep gear, including NAS units and mini-ITX builds.
• The top mounting position cannot take a full 1U device, so rail-mounted capacity is slightly under 8U.
• No door and no lock, and the top is open, so dust settles on everything and the rack is not secure. That matters in an office or a house with pets or small children.
• The acrylic scratches and shows fingerprints.
• The included hardware assembles the rack but does not fill it. Shelves and cable management are extra purchases.
• The 10-inch ecosystem is narrower than the 19-inch one, and 19-inch gear cannot be used at all.
• The SBC shelf is only useful if you are racking single-board computers.