AsRock 1U4LW-C252 1U Rackmount Server Barebone
The AsRock 1U4LW-C252 is a 1U rackmount server barebone built around a single Socket H5 (LGA1200) platform with 4 drive bays — a compact foundation for integrators building out VMS servers, recording nodes, or edge compute boxes where rack space is scarce and airflow discipline matters. At 36.22 lb and a 31.10 x 25.20 x 9.06 in footprint, the 1U4LW-C252 fits standard 19-inch racks alongside network video recorders and PoE switches without eating a second rack unit. This is a barebone chassis-plus-platform product, not a fully configured server — you supply the CPU, memory, storage, and OS to match the workload.
Overview
Security integrators and IT architects speccing a dedicated recording or analytics server in a 1U slot need a chassis that balances drive capacity against rack density. The 1U4LW-C252 answers that with 4 drive bays in a single rack unit — enough for a small RAID array supporting a VMS instance or a mid-size camera count, without stepping up to a 2U enclosure. Because it ships as a barebone, the 1U4LW-C252 (often searched as 1U4LW C252) gives integrators control over CPU tier, RAM sizing, and drive selection to match the exact workload rather than paying for a fixed configuration that overshoots or undershoots the job.
Key Features
- Single Socket H5 (LGA1200) platform: Supports Intel's LGA1200 CPU generation, giving you a defined upgrade and sourcing path for the processor instead of a soldered or proprietary socket — useful when you need to match CPU class to expected camera count or analytics load.
- 4 drive bays: Room for a 4-drive array — enough to configure redundancy (RAID 5/10 depending on your controller) for a VMS database or recording volume without moving up to a bulkier chassis.
- 1U rack form factor: Occupies a single rack unit, so a rack built for high camera counts can stack more compute and recording nodes before running out of vertical space — a real constraint in shared network closets.
- 36.22 lb chassis weight: Light enough for a single technician to rack-mount without a lift, which matters when you're doing after-hours install work in a customer's server room.
- Compact depth at 9.06 in (height dimension per spec): Confirm rail and cable-management clearance against your specific rack depth before ordering rails — shallow racks in retrofit closets are a common mismatch point.
Integration & Compatibility
As a barebone unit, the 1U4LW-C252 is built to be finished out with a compatible LGA1200 processor, memory, and drives selected for the target workload — a VMS recording server, an analytics appliance, or general edge compute in a security rack. Pair it with network video recorders in the same rack for a hybrid recording architecture, or route camera PoE separately through dedicated PoE switches so switch load doesn't compete with server networking. If you're scoping how many recording channels a 4-bay platform like this can realistically support, a storage and retention planning guide is worth reviewing before finalizing drive count and RAID level. For the broader lineup this barebone belongs to, see the AsRock server and motherboard catalog, and for rack planning context, browse the rack mount servers category alongside server racks and enclosures to confirm fit before you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What CPU socket does the AsRock 1U4LW-C252 use?
A: The 1U4LW-C252 uses a single Socket H5 (LGA1200) platform, supporting the corresponding Intel LGA1200 processor generation.
Q: How many drive bays does the 1U4LW-C252 have?
A: It has 4 drive bays for storage configuration.
Q: Does the 1U4LW-C252 include a CPU, RAM, or drives?
A: No — this is a barebone chassis-and-platform unit. CPU, memory, storage, and operating system are supplied separately by the integrator.
Q: What rack space does the 1U4LW-C252 require?
A: It occupies a single 1U rack space, with chassis dimensions of 31.10 x 25.20 x 9.06 inches and a weight of 36.22 lb.
Q: Where is the 1U4LW-C252 manufactured?
A: The unit's country of origin is Taiwan (TW).
The AsRock 1U4LW-C252 crosses my desk whenever a customer wants a dedicated recording server that doesn't hog a whole 2U slot. Four drive bays in a single rack unit is the headline spec here — enough for a real RAID array without the depth and weight penalty of a bigger chassis.
Technical Highlights:
- Single Socket H5 (LGA1200): gives you a known, sourceable CPU platform rather than a locked-down proprietary board — you pick the processor tier to match expected channel count.
- 4 drive bays: supports a small RAID 5 or RAID 10 array in 1U, which is the sweet spot for a mid-size VMS deployment that doesn't need blade-level storage.
- 36.22 lb chassis: light enough for one person to rack without a second set of hands or a server lift — worth noting for solo field techs.
Deployment Considerations:
- This ships as a barebone — budget separately for the LGA1200 CPU, RAM, drives, and OS license before quoting a turnkey price to the customer.
- At 31.10 in listed length, double-check your rack's usable depth and cable arm clearance before ordering rail kits — this isn't a shallow-depth chassis.
Best fit: a mid-size VMS recording node in a shared IT/security rack where 1U of space is all that's available and 4 drives covers the retention target without over-provisioning.
