Of course there are compromises. The processor has 44 PCIe lanes, and only 16 are able to be used thanks to there only being one slot. Even with the riser card and the M.2 slots, there are still compromises with this.
I've had the ASRock X99 ITX for two years. The sole compromise is literally one PCIe x16 slot, which is all 95% of people in the market for this board need. If you need more, you go ATX. Nobody is building ITX systems with SLI or mining in mind. Nobody. With the exception of maybe one SFX PSU, they can't even drive more than one high end videocard with a platform like this, and if you are using a case that holds an ATX PSU, why are you even considering an ITX board? The whole point of the system is to be compact.
In other worse, this X299 follow-up is simply amazing. 9 native storage device ports on an ITX board is unheard of. Many ITX boards still have just 4 SATA ports (which, again, is all most people in the market for an ITX system are looking for since most cases will lack more than 4 storage bays.)
Well, yes and no. I know there are users who have used the x99 with bifurcation, in those 5%. I'd like a small pc in with a top of the line gpu and need a pci-e x1 for an additional feature. The trend for small PCs certainly seems to be growing, so offering additional pci-e possiblities on small M-ITX would be nice, whether through official bifurcation possibilities or other means. I checked the potential to using an M.2 port for a pci-e card, but couldn't find an adapter.
I am so sad that DTX didn't took off. Just a tiny little bit of real estate, most of cases already have two slots for wide GPUs, and so much more options. If this board been DTX with 2x 16x ports, Titan Xp SLI would have been possible out of the box (albeit with water cooling, of course). Or stuff powerful storage controller in one and decent 10G or 40G network card in the other port. Or stuff really anything int he other slot.
You certainly raise a good point. However, there are some cases, such as the Fractal Design Nano S (pretty sweet case, I might add), that only support Mini-ITX and can hold an ATX PSU.
It was not my point that it didn't have a use, but rather that the article is titled "The ASRock X299E-ITX/ac Motherboard Review: An 18-core No-Compromise Mini-ITX" when in fact there is a compromise in order to get to the form factor. I don't like people stating "no compromise" when in fact there is compromise in something.
Am I the only one who is amazed by what the engineers who designed this did? Fitting 4 channels of ram, 3 M.2 slots, VRM to handle a *cough* 165w processor, and all the other features, is really awesome.
Even though I have no interest in using this board, although I would consider it if I was going to use x299, I love seeing the limits pushed of what can currently be done with motherboard.
ASRock's engineers were always on the edge. They are like 'hold my beer' of an IT. Anyone remember H67 board that took Westmere CPUs, despite Intel saying 'It's NOT possible in any way?', or P4 combo, or KxN upgrade with additional S939/AM2/AM2+ expansion boards? Or general notion of having PCI-Express, and AGP on one board? Or general any arcane tomfoolery they are constantly pulling off? Every time they out something like that, I'm amazed. Need storage without dipping in Xeons? Got you covered, X99-Extreme11 with no less than 18 SATA ports. Only thing they have been beaten in so far was a board that decks out full PCIe x16 slots coverage, either ASUS with one of their WS boards or MSI with Big Bang Fusion 9 did it first, I believe.
On a related note, where is review of any X399 board?
I had an ASRock board that had both PCI-Express and AGP as well as DDR2 and DDR memory. I think it was the 4CoreDual-SATA2. It was great for someone that could only afford one upgrade at a time over a few months.
I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment - a totally amazing accomplishment, and I might add for several years now I look forward to what they will come up with next. It is not long now before ASROCK implements hybrid PWM-resonant switching and resonance scaling to build VRMs with >98% efficiency (no heat sinks), where inductors are replaced by a 5mm length of copper wire. Believe it or not the X399 Threadripper will fit on a mini iTX board (expensive though).
Nope, this board is all around a very impressive piece of engineering, and massive and well-deserved kudos go to those who designed and built it. Oh, and then they added overclocking capabilities too.
My only complaint is the use of SODIMMs - while that's a necessary compromise to get quad-channel on a board this tiny, it does mean that if you have existing memory you have to replace it, and any memory you do buy for this board you probably won't be able to reuse in any future builds. If I'd been designing this board, I'd probably have tried to go for 4x full-size DIMM slots on the rear of the motherboard (which would necessitate ditching the pair of M.2 slots, but oh well).
I'm still waiting for the first motherboard manufacturer that puts the power and SATA connectors on wires/ribbon cables from the rear of the board, which would open up a massive amount of real estate on the front side (not to mention help with cable routing).
Rear DIMM slots would also make it incompatible with every ITX (or ATX) case on the market: there is insufficient clearance beneath the motherboard for a DIMM, even lying that with no cosmetic 'heatsink'.
Not an issue if you right-angle the DIMM slots so that they're parallel to the motherboard instead of perpendicular - in the same way that notebooks do.
If you're going to spend the money on this, why would you complain about not being able to use full DIMM just to save money? That's some odd penny pinching. And with your idea, you'd be compromising features just because of that, thus diluting the value of this. Are you planning to spend $$ ONLY to use it for less than a year or something? I don't see the issue. In fact more boards should embrace SODIMMs instead. Full DIMMs are a complete waste on consumer/gaming boards, especially mITX and mATX; much of the PCB is WASTED because of the lack of server features (ECC, buffering, extra voltage ICs, etc); this is often artificially segmented anyway.
I really wish SODIMMs would become the norm on mITX mATX and even ATX for consumer/gamer boards. The DIMM PCB (thus size) is wasted when non-ECC/Buffered.
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dgingeri - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
Of course there are compromises. The processor has 44 PCIe lanes, and only 16 are able to be used thanks to there only being one slot. Even with the riser card and the M.2 slots, there are still compromises with this.Samus - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I've had the ASRock X99 ITX for two years. The sole compromise is literally one PCIe x16 slot, which is all 95% of people in the market for this board need. If you need more, you go ATX. Nobody is building ITX systems with SLI or mining in mind. Nobody. With the exception of maybe one SFX PSU, they can't even drive more than one high end videocard with a platform like this, and if you are using a case that holds an ATX PSU, why are you even considering an ITX board? The whole point of the system is to be compact.In other worse, this X299 follow-up is simply amazing. 9 native storage device ports on an ITX board is unheard of. Many ITX boards still have just 4 SATA ports (which, again, is all most people in the market for an ITX system are looking for since most cases will lack more than 4 storage bays.)
Gadgety - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
"If you need more, you go ATX."Well, yes and no. I know there are users who have used the x99 with bifurcation, in those 5%. I'd like a small pc in with a top of the line gpu and need a pci-e x1 for an additional feature. The trend for small PCs certainly seems to be growing, so offering additional pci-e possiblities on small M-ITX would be nice, whether through official bifurcation possibilities or other means. I checked the potential to using an M.2 port for a pci-e card, but couldn't find an adapter.
Vatharian - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I am so sad that DTX didn't took off. Just a tiny little bit of real estate, most of cases already have two slots for wide GPUs, and so much more options. If this board been DTX with 2x 16x ports, Titan Xp SLI would have been possible out of the box (albeit with water cooling, of course). Or stuff powerful storage controller in one and decent 10G or 40G network card in the other port. Or stuff really anything int he other slot.Gigaplex - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
There's always micro ATX. It's not that different to DTX.Actae0n - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
You certainly raise a good point. However, there are some cases, such as the Fractal Design Nano S (pretty sweet case, I might add), that only support Mini-ITX and can hold an ATX PSU.dgingeri - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
It was not my point that it didn't have a use, but rather that the article is titled "The ASRock X299E-ITX/ac Motherboard Review: An 18-core No-Compromise Mini-ITX" when in fact there is a compromise in order to get to the form factor. I don't like people stating "no compromise" when in fact there is compromise in something.tim851 - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
The single PCI-E x16 slot is not a compromise, it's A FEATURE. That's what you buy an ITX board for.Mr Perfect - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
Yeah, calling out ITX for only having one PCIe slot is kind of missing the point of ITX.mnoi - Wednesday, December 6, 2017 - link
I agree, the two usb-c ports should have been thunderbolt enabled at the very least.mkaibear - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
In before lolicabbage makes his "just buy threadripper, you never need to buy x299x comments....which would be especially funny on this article, obviously...
Hendrix2112 - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
Am I the only one who is amazed by what the engineers who designed this did? Fitting 4 channels of ram, 3 M.2 slots, VRM to handle a *cough* 165w processor, and all the other features, is really awesome.Even though I have no interest in using this board, although I would consider it if I was going to use x299, I love seeing the limits pushed of what can currently be done with motherboard.
Good job Asrock!
Vatharian - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
ASRock's engineers were always on the edge. They are like 'hold my beer' of an IT. Anyone remember H67 board that took Westmere CPUs, despite Intel saying 'It's NOT possible in any way?', or P4 combo, or KxN upgrade with additional S939/AM2/AM2+ expansion boards? Or general notion of having PCI-Express, and AGP on one board? Or general any arcane tomfoolery they are constantly pulling off? Every time they out something like that, I'm amazed. Need storage without dipping in Xeons? Got you covered, X99-Extreme11 with no less than 18 SATA ports. Only thing they have been beaten in so far was a board that decks out full PCIe x16 slots coverage, either ASUS with one of their WS boards or MSI with Big Bang Fusion 9 did it first, I believe.On a related note, where is review of any X399 board?
jordanclock - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I had an ASRock board that had both PCI-Express and AGP as well as DDR2 and DDR memory. I think it was the 4CoreDual-SATA2. It was great for someone that could only afford one upgrade at a time over a few months.mapesdhs - Thursday, December 7, 2017 - link
I've got one of those somewhere. :D Also have a board which has the AM2 upgrade option, kinda cool.[email protected] - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment - a totally amazing accomplishment, and I might add for several years now I look forward to what they will come up with next. It is not long now before ASROCK implements hybrid PWM-resonant switching and resonance scaling to build VRMs with >98% efficiency (no heat sinks), where inductors are replaced by a 5mm length of copper wire. Believe it or not the X399 Threadripper will fit on a mini iTX board (expensive though).http://www.powerelectronics.com/sites/powerelectro...
Gadgety - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I agree, ASRock makes great boards and stretch the envelope.The_Assimilator - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
Nope, this board is all around a very impressive piece of engineering, and massive and well-deserved kudos go to those who designed and built it. Oh, and then they added overclocking capabilities too.My only complaint is the use of SODIMMs - while that's a necessary compromise to get quad-channel on a board this tiny, it does mean that if you have existing memory you have to replace it, and any memory you do buy for this board you probably won't be able to reuse in any future builds. If I'd been designing this board, I'd probably have tried to go for 4x full-size DIMM slots on the rear of the motherboard (which would necessitate ditching the pair of M.2 slots, but oh well).
I'm still waiting for the first motherboard manufacturer that puts the power and SATA connectors on wires/ribbon cables from the rear of the board, which would open up a massive amount of real estate on the front side (not to mention help with cable routing).
edzieba - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
Rear DIMM slots would also make it incompatible with every ITX (or ATX) case on the market: there is insufficient clearance beneath the motherboard for a DIMM, even lying that with no cosmetic 'heatsink'.The_Assimilator - Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - link
Not an issue if you right-angle the DIMM slots so that they're parallel to the motherboard instead of perpendicular - in the same way that notebooks do.CheapSushi - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
If you're going to spend the money on this, why would you complain about not being able to use full DIMM just to save money? That's some odd penny pinching. And with your idea, you'd be compromising features just because of that, thus diluting the value of this. Are you planning to spend $$ ONLY to use it for less than a year or something? I don't see the issue. In fact more boards should embrace SODIMMs instead. Full DIMMs are a complete waste on consumer/gaming boards, especially mITX and mATX; much of the PCB is WASTED because of the lack of server features (ECC, buffering, extra voltage ICs, etc); this is often artificially segmented anyway.CheapSushi - Monday, December 4, 2017 - link
I really wish SODIMMs would become the norm on mITX mATX and even ATX for consumer/gamer boards. The DIMM PCB (thus size) is wasted when non-ECC/Buffered.CharonPDX - Tuesday, December 5, 2017 - link
Sheesh! I just want a Micro ATX Coffee Lake board with Thunderbolt 3 and WiFi built in for not a ridiculous amount of money.Rene23 - Saturday, December 9, 2017 - link
I need such a #mini-itx board for AM4 though, ... :-/