Amazed it doesn't have Dual Ethernet cards to target the pfSense router/firewall crowd and compete with Gigabyte's GA-H270N-WIFI and ASRock's H270M-ITX/ac.
A socketed ITX board is usually overkill for pfSense. Asrock as a J3355 motherboard for $54 with a PCIe x16 slot and two PCIe x1 slots, so you could add an additional 6 NICs to the single NIC that it comes with. And the J3355 is enough to handle 300Mbps as a VPN client using 128-CBC and I think that is enough for the vast majority of broadband internet connections.
You don't want to rely on NICs attached to a PCI-e bus on any kind of pfSense or router box. The fact of the matter is that the ASICs developed for enterprise grade switches has lower latency (no PCI-e bus overhead) and faster switching. It realistically does not make sense to purchase 7x 4 GbE NIC cards and slot them in a 7 PCI-e slot board to use a general purpose PC like a 28-port GbE switch, especially when switching speed between NIC cards incurs a PCI-e bus penalty and the overall system consumes much more power and noise.
pfSense boxes want 2 natively integrated ethernet ports. One for traffic connecting to modem (to/from WAN), one for traffic connecting to internal network (to/from LAN). The side connecting to the internal network would connect to a network switch connecting all devices on the network, and from the network switch (if you want WiFi) you'd use either a power over ethernet port or a general ethernet port + PoE injector to host one or more wireless access points for the internal network.
What? SuperO (with red stylized O) has been around with Supermicro for as long as I can remember (decades). It has nothing to do with their consumer line and its always been stenciled on their server boards etc. Where do you get the idea this is something to do with their consumer deparment?
Concur - I used "SuperO" server and workstation boards from the late '90s through the early '10s. Doesn't have squat to do with consumer. If anything, it historically has meant NON-consumer.
The press release says it is a gaming board. "These motherboards are designed for mainstream gamers or anyone who seeks a solid well-rounded board that focuses purely on providing the essential features at an affordable price."
I wasn't questioning that its a "gamer" board. My comment was about this bit in the article:
> Supermicro’s consumer, gaming focused brand is called ‘Supero’/’SuperO’, and the idea is that they are using the expertise from designing so many custom server systems over the years that the experience can translate into the consumer market.
Which is clearly false, as all their server offerings had the SuperO logo on it for decades.
"If there is a criticism on a first look, it is that the front panel header is right by the PCIe latch" Front panel connector appears to be in the top-right, just above its pinout labels (nice to have on the board).
Not bad, but I'd like to know if it supports PCIe Bifurcation, as that is becoming more and more popular for ITX builds and is available on many of their server boards. The m.2 mount above the chipset is also unfortunate given m.2 heatsinks have the same efficacy as ramsinks (look fancy, do nothing), but could add additional heat to the m.2 drive from the PCH. Also missed a trick with the SATA sockets: when both are vertical and next to each other it is a good idea to 'flip' one row, so that latching SATA cables will have the latches on the outside rather than one row nestling the latch inaccessibly in the middle.
I hope they succeed. They have the best all around z370 for the money on the market and no one notices because it doesn't have fancy leds or gimmicky marketing. There needs to be a solid no bs option on the market in mobos again.
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toobluesc - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
Amazed it doesn't have Dual Ethernet cards to target the pfSense router/firewall crowd and compete with Gigabyte's GA-H270N-WIFI and ASRock's H270M-ITX/ac.Freakie - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
A socketed ITX board is usually overkill for pfSense. Asrock as a J3355 motherboard for $54 with a PCIe x16 slot and two PCIe x1 slots, so you could add an additional 6 NICs to the single NIC that it comes with. And the J3355 is enough to handle 300Mbps as a VPN client using 128-CBC and I think that is enough for the vast majority of broadband internet connections.JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
You don't want to rely on NICs attached to a PCI-e bus on any kind of pfSense or router box. The fact of the matter is that the ASICs developed for enterprise grade switches has lower latency (no PCI-e bus overhead) and faster switching. It realistically does not make sense to purchase 7x 4 GbE NIC cards and slot them in a 7 PCI-e slot board to use a general purpose PC like a 28-port GbE switch, especially when switching speed between NIC cards incurs a PCI-e bus penalty and the overall system consumes much more power and noise.pfSense boxes want 2 natively integrated ethernet ports. One for traffic connecting to modem (to/from WAN), one for traffic connecting to internal network (to/from LAN). The side connecting to the internal network would connect to a network switch connecting all devices on the network, and from the network switch (if you want WiFi) you'd use either a power over ethernet port or a general ethernet port + PoE injector to host one or more wireless access points for the internal network.
Ej24 - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
I'm surprised they didn't do something really unique, typically only found on server boards, like offer 4 sodimm slots.fackamato - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
No HDMI 2.0? No 4k60p HDR on this board then.damianrobertjones - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
Ah... the latest buzz word created by the marketing people: HDR.shabby - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
I'm surprised/amazed/shocked it doesn't have this that and the other...bigboxes - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
and the other...PeachNCream - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
All motherboards need a full set of marketing placebo features or I will be forced to pout at length in the comments section!timecop1818 - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
What? SuperO (with red stylized O) has been around with Supermicro for as long as I can remember (decades). It has nothing to do with their consumer line and its always been stenciled on their server boards etc. Where do you get the idea this is something to do with their consumer deparment?CharonPDX - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
Concur - I used "SuperO" server and workstation boards from the late '90s through the early '10s. Doesn't have squat to do with consumer. If anything, it historically has meant NON-consumer.Tams80 - Friday, January 26, 2018 - link
According to their website, Supero any of their products derived from their server products. So all their consumer products.It may well have been used differently in the past, but not now. They even have a dedicated site.
BedfordTim - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
The press release says it is a gaming board."These motherboards are designed for mainstream gamers or anyone who seeks a solid well-rounded board that focuses purely on providing the essential features at an affordable price."
timecop1818 - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
> The press release says it is a gaming board.I wasn't questioning that its a "gamer" board. My comment was about this bit in the article:
> Supermicro’s consumer, gaming focused brand is called ‘Supero’/’SuperO’, and the idea is that they are using the expertise from designing so many custom server systems over the years that the experience can translate into the consumer market.
Which is clearly false, as all their server offerings had the SuperO logo on it for decades.
Bobsy - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
"‘IW’ isn’t specified, but likely to mean ‘ITX-something’."I say 'ITX-wifi'.
Samus - Monday, January 22, 2018 - link
Possible Intel Wifi or Integrated Wifi.Which brings me to...what is the NIC and WIFI controller this board uses?
MrSpadge - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
"ITX-workstation"?kmi187 - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
My money is on MrSPadge :-)edzieba - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
"If there is a criticism on a first look, it is that the front panel header is right by the PCIe latch"Front panel connector appears to be in the top-right, just above its pinout labels (nice to have on the board).
Not bad, but I'd like to know if it supports PCIe Bifurcation, as that is becoming more and more popular for ITX builds and is available on many of their server boards. The m.2 mount above the chipset is also unfortunate given m.2 heatsinks have the same efficacy as ramsinks (look fancy, do nothing), but could add additional heat to the m.2 drive from the PCH. Also missed a trick with the SATA sockets: when both are vertical and next to each other it is a good idea to 'flip' one row, so that latching SATA cables will have the latches on the outside rather than one row nestling the latch inaccessibly in the middle.
DVSi - Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - link
I hope they succeed. They have the best all around z370 for the money on the market and no one notices because it doesn't have fancy leds or gimmicky marketing. There needs to be a solid no bs option on the market in mobos again.