"A single DB15 D-Sub video output is present for users looking to access the system psychically" Surely you don't need any external connections for telepathy?
I've used ASRockRack's mini-ITX server boards for some mobile server setups, and they've been great. This looks nice as well. This article could use a few more details, though, like server OS support, chipset, etc.
Unrelated, I wish the X550 was available on a lot more mini-ITX boards, including AM4 boards. The new ones with 2.5Gb could also get 5/10Gbe if they had this one.
Also, as stated in the article, this is NOT a Mini-ITX Board, it's larger than that.
In ITX, I don't think there's enough space to place 4 DIMM slots either horizontally or vertically, at least not unless SO-DIMM is used. But if you just make the board larger, you got the space for it, which is what has happened here.
It could be done but as most CPU's are limited to dual channel anyway I don't think there is much demand for it when the sacrifices could be as large as losing the x16 slot or a number of other important ports.
It can be done. Lose a few of the sata ports. Desktop ITX never needs all six sata ports. Sodimm memory is another option. Remove some rear ports too if it’s any help.
Yeah, but if SO-DIMM is used, some people will whine about their $200 mITX board (which has HDMI outputs for some reason, when USB-C DP Alt mode would have easily sufficed the few crazy people who spend $200 on a mITX board for APU/IGP HTPC) not having SuPEr MaX RAm 6ghZ OC!
Removing rear IO or SATA ports will do diddly-squat. The problem is traces: DDR needs a bunch of parallel balanced lines, which takes up space and have physical requirements for proximity to and orientation relative to the CPU.
ASRock/ASRockRack have some ITX boards with 4 SODIMM slots. 4 DIMM slots are not possible to fit on an ITX footprint without using an embedded CPU (ASRockRack will sell you some if you want that). Neither is SP3 (hence the non-standard extended board), but ASRock did manage it with Socket P (LGA3647).
It was possible here with a huge socket, even with a PCI-E x16 slot and M.2 2280 slot. What else does one really need besides rear panel ports? A couple of SATA ports? USB3 header for a front panel? I'm grumbling though :)
Sure... because no chipset. The moment you add some VRM and a B550 or X570 or even Intel's Z490 in there -- no space left. As was said earlier -- they should give up some SATA ports
That’s because the cpus have dual channel memory and it would be a waste. The other speculation is silly. I have a mini-itx with a xeon , 4 dimms, 4 sata, 1 uculink, 2x10gbe. On a mini itx you try to put 1 dimm per channel, if you want cheap memory expansion you’re on the wrong platform.
Hard to see what niche this fits into, with 64-core TR topping out at $4k. Sure full Epyc gets you more memory channels and PCIe lanes, but ... this board truncates this support. Presumably the reason they went with Epyc is because you need the chipset for TR...but it’s a big cost premium to dump the chipset, tbh.
That said, there are some really nice niche configs you can do with this (e.g., 128MB cache on 8 cores) that don’t require exotic support/implementations.
Would be nice if it was forward compatible, too, but we’re only one generation away from the end of DDR4, so...
Perhaps this is going after a similar niche as Xeon-D. Low power, single-socket systems with a moderate amount of memory and 10Gb+ networking. Put a lower-end (16-24 core) Epyc into this and stick a bunch of them in a box.
Or hook up 12 NVMe SSDs and a dual 100 Gb NIC and get a crazy storage server I guess...
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gizmo23 - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
"A single DB15 D-Sub video output is present for users looking to access the system psychically"Surely you don't need any external connections for telepathy?
omf - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
Turns out psychic abilities are real, they simply require VGA.bananaforscale - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
Virtual Ghost Access.edzieba - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
Just make sure to have a good barrier-maze before plugging in!romrunning - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
I've used ASRockRack's mini-ITX server boards for some mobile server setups, and they've been great. This looks nice as well. This article could use a few more details, though, like server OS support, chipset, etc.Unrelated, I wish the X550 was available on a lot more mini-ITX boards, including AM4 boards. The new ones with 2.5Gb could also get 5/10Gbe if they had this one.
frbeckenbauer - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
It's a Epyc system, so it has no chipset, and the list of supported OSes is identical to the list for any other Epyc system.skaurus - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
And finding a desktop-class ITX motherboard with 4 memory slots is nearly impossible :(The_Assimilator - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
You do understand that the form factor necessitates sacrifices, right?zepi - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
Yeah, one needs to sacrifice second pair of sim slots to fit more RGB lightszepi - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
Dimm slots - kingdom for an edit button.MenhirMike - Thursday, November 26, 2020 - link
Also, as stated in the article, this is NOT a Mini-ITX Board, it's larger than that.In ITX, I don't think there's enough space to place 4 DIMM slots either horizontally or vertically, at least not unless SO-DIMM is used. But if you just make the board larger, you got the space for it, which is what has happened here.
Samus - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
It could be done but as most CPU's are limited to dual channel anyway I don't think there is much demand for it when the sacrifices could be as large as losing the x16 slot or a number of other important ports.skaurus - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
Ah, you right. Although it is larger in a different dimension, but space is space anyway.Tomatotech - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
It can be done. Lose a few of the sata ports. Desktop ITX never needs all six sata ports. Sodimm memory is another option. Remove some rear ports too if it’s any help.jeremyshaw - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
Yeah, but if SO-DIMM is used, some people will whine about their $200 mITX board (which has HDMI outputs for some reason, when USB-C DP Alt mode would have easily sufficed the few crazy people who spend $200 on a mITX board for APU/IGP HTPC) not having SuPEr MaX RAm 6ghZ OC!edzieba - Saturday, November 28, 2020 - link
Removing rear IO or SATA ports will do diddly-squat. The problem is traces: DDR needs a bunch of parallel balanced lines, which takes up space and have physical requirements for proximity to and orientation relative to the CPU.edzieba - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
ASRock/ASRockRack have some ITX boards with 4 SODIMM slots. 4 DIMM slots are not possible to fit on an ITX footprint without using an embedded CPU (ASRockRack will sell you some if you want that). Neither is SP3 (hence the non-standard extended board), but ASRock did manage it with Socket P (LGA3647).skaurus - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
It was possible here with a huge socket, even with a PCI-E x16 slot and M.2 2280 slot. What else does one really need besides rear panel ports? A couple of SATA ports? USB3 header for a front panel?I'm grumbling though :)
stanleyipkiss - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
Sure... because no chipset. The moment you add some VRM and a B550 or X570 or even Intel's Z490 in there -- no space left. As was said earlier -- they should give up some SATA portsesoel_ - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
That’s because the cpus have dual channel memory and it would be a waste. The other speculation is silly. I have a mini-itx with a xeon , 4 dimms, 4 sata, 1 uculink, 2x10gbe. On a mini itx you try to put 1 dimm per channel, if you want cheap memory expansion you’re on the wrong platform.Samuel Vimes - Thursday, February 11, 2021 - link
Many say it's impossible, and yet ASRock's X299E-ITX/ac welcomes you to 2017:https://www.anandtech.com/show/11474/asrocks-x299e...
Sahrin - Friday, November 27, 2020 - link
Hard to see what niche this fits into, with 64-core TR topping out at $4k. Sure full Epyc gets you more memory channels and PCIe lanes, but ... this board truncates this support. Presumably the reason they went with Epyc is because you need the chipset for TR...but it’s a big cost premium to dump the chipset, tbh.That said, there are some really nice niche configs you can do with this (e.g., 128MB cache on 8 cores) that don’t require exotic support/implementations.
Would be nice if it was forward compatible, too, but we’re only one generation away from the end of DDR4, so...
madmilk - Saturday, November 28, 2020 - link
Perhaps this is going after a similar niche as Xeon-D. Low power, single-socket systems with a moderate amount of memory and 10Gb+ networking. Put a lower-end (16-24 core) Epyc into this and stick a bunch of them in a box.Or hook up 12 NVMe SSDs and a dual 100 Gb NIC and get a crazy storage server I guess...
Pyxar - Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - link
Even server boards ought to be accomodating something that isn't 20 years old for a video standard if nothing else.kingmustard - Sunday, January 24, 2021 - link
LTT video on this board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7U0-CCmgfQ