Or with Threadripper you can have 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes direct from the CPU - no switch required,
The total bandwidth on the Supermicro is only that of 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes - the switch does not magically add bandwidth. The bandwidth on Threadripper 3rd gen (3970x etc) is eight times the bandwidth of the Intel CPU (a PCIe 4.0 lane has twice the bandwidth of a PCIe 3.0 lane).
Even the latest Ryzen chips have more bandwidth due to having PCIe 4.0 lanes instead of PCIe 3.0 lanes.
The board is probably on special offer to clear out this deadweight item.
The only good reason for buying it is to replace a broken motherboard.
Yeah, this particular board is potintless given the platform. Aside from that Supermicro should really lean into what they do best and thats build solid boards aimed at professionals. Sure target the DIY enthusiast but drop the gamer slogans, and marketing, "play harder" ughhh.... just stop.
The point is specifically the platform. Wouldn't this be one of the only boards capable of 2-card SLI with 3090s (not that such a thing is performant) without a NUMA-required CPU?
I wish Supermicro will do similar board for AM4 as well. Heck they can even use PLX chip with PCIe4 to PCIe3 capabilities. It will be able to provide a ton of PCIe3 lanes and let's face it - in the enthusiast/home server you don't really need all the PCIe4 you can get.
Just any AM4 board. I am used to use Supermicro (often e3 xeon in boards). I sell computers that are expected to last. Not be a performance part perse. Now I use Asrock rack board for these cases. Also fine, but I was used to the supermicro ipmi (although the Asrock implementation is better).
It would be nice if there was a B550 board that could convert the PCIe 4 lanes from the CPU to double the PCIe 3 lanes available for storage.
Would be nice to have 6x SATA ports and 2x full-speed (x4) M.2 ports available simultaneously. And still have an x16 for the GPU. With all the USB/NIC ports off the chipset.
Everything I've found so far let's you have either 6x SATA or 2x M.2, but not both at once (2x SATA ports use the same lanes as 1x of the M.2 ports).
It's just not as "clean" to have to stick an HBA into the case. And having one M.2 slot be PCIe 4 while the other is PCIe 3 is unbalanced.
Supermicro boards last forever. They don’t need to be “current.” My P4SCT+II still comes in handy for certain tasks. I do wish they would consider a Desktop AMD in 2021.
We have 4 Supermicro boards (same model) that died after a few years (and one (different model) that lasts), which makes Supermicro the most unreliable brand in our arsenal. Maybe that model was the exception that proved the rule, but for me it's the case that disproves your claim.
I wonder how DirectStorage will work in this scenario, if the data could go directly from SSD to GPU through the switch, without going through the CPU, that would be great.
Bought a +$300 SuperMicro board for dual Opterons over ten years ago. Crapped out just outside of warranty due to bad caps. Long time ago but would never buy them again
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24 Comments
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:nudge> - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
Too little too lakeorsoleads - Monday, December 28, 2020 - link
Great info. This will be great for my new set up. Will be adding to my list to order next week. Thanks a bunch. Regards - http://www.google.comDuncan Macdonald - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
Or with Threadripper you can have 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes direct from the CPU - no switch required,The total bandwidth on the Supermicro is only that of 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes - the switch does not magically add bandwidth. The bandwidth on Threadripper 3rd gen (3970x etc) is eight times the bandwidth of the Intel CPU (a PCIe 4.0 lane has twice the bandwidth of a PCIe 3.0 lane).
Even the latest Ryzen chips have more bandwidth due to having PCIe 4.0 lanes instead of PCIe 3.0 lanes.
The board is probably on special offer to clear out this deadweight item.
The only good reason for buying it is to replace a broken motherboard.
Jorgp2 - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
lol the cheapest TR and motherboard combo is like $2000Operandi - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
Yeah, this particular board is potintless given the platform. Aside from that Supermicro should really lean into what they do best and thats build solid boards aimed at professionals. Sure target the DIY enthusiast but drop the gamer slogans, and marketing, "play harder" ughhh.... just stop.lmcd - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
The point is specifically the platform. Wouldn't this be one of the only boards capable of 2-card SLI with 3090s (not that such a thing is performant) without a NUMA-required CPU?JimmyZeng - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
Then you'll notice 2 slot 3090s are hard to find.edzieba - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
The x16 slots are 4 slots apart.Jorgp2 - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
Any GPU is single slot if you stick a water block on it.CheapSushi - Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - link
No, shut up. It's great that SuperMicro is making these and it is an option. Why don't YOU focus on other products.idimitro - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
I wish Supermicro will do similar board for AM4 as well. Heck they can even use PLX chip with PCIe4 to PCIe3 capabilities. It will be able to provide a ton of PCIe3 lanes and let's face it - in the enthusiast/home server you don't really need all the PCIe4 you can get.lmcd - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
The only PCIe beneficiary is storage and even that is only realistically for peak throughput, which is usually not the bottleneck.Foeketijn - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
Just any AM4 board. I am used to use Supermicro (often e3 xeon in boards). I sell computers that are expected to last. Not be a performance part perse.Now I use Asrock rack board for these cases.
Also fine, but I was used to the supermicro ipmi (although the Asrock implementation is better).
Jorgp2 - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
A PCI-E 4 switch would probably cost as much as this board.phoenix_rizzen - Monday, December 28, 2020 - link
It would be nice if there was a B550 board that could convert the PCIe 4 lanes from the CPU to double the PCIe 3 lanes available for storage.Would be nice to have 6x SATA ports and 2x full-speed (x4) M.2 ports available simultaneously. And still have an x16 for the GPU. With all the USB/NIC ports off the chipset.
Everything I've found so far let's you have either 6x SATA or 2x M.2, but not both at once (2x SATA ports use the same lanes as 1x of the M.2 ports).
It's just not as "clean" to have to stick an HBA into the case. And having one M.2 slot be PCIe 4 while the other is PCIe 3 is unbalanced.
Ah well, we can always dream...
dsplover - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
Supermicro boards last forever. They don’t need to be “current.” My P4SCT+II still comes in handy for certain tasks. I do wish they would consider a Desktop AMD in 2021.AntonErtl - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
We have 4 Supermicro boards (same model) that died after a few years (and one (different model) that lasts), which makes Supermicro the most unreliable brand in our arsenal. Maybe that model was the exception that proved the rule, but for me it's the case that disproves your claim.JimmyZeng - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
I wonder how DirectStorage will work in this scenario, if the data could go directly from SSD to GPU through the switch, without going through the CPU, that would be great.ruthan - Tuesday, December 22, 2020 - link
Does this MB has option for primary videcard slot as have Gigabite? It is really handy..bourbononthebow - Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - link
This is an idiotic board considering Threadripper and even Ryzen, you know, exist.The fact that anand would even bother testing it shows just how far nepotism and free stuff goes, though.
TheinsanegamerN - Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - link
Someone's salty an intel product is being reviewed.CheapSushi - Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - link
There should really be a downvote option on here. Terrible comment.locomo - Monday, December 28, 2020 - link
Bought a +$300 SuperMicro board for dual Opterons over ten years ago.Crapped out just outside of warranty due to bad caps.
Long time ago but would never buy them again