"Previously it was possible to run a professional Intel CPU, a Xeon, in a consumer motherboard that used a mainstream chipset – this allowed users to pick and choose if they wanted that Xeon (due to pricing or other factors) but also with features only found on consumer motherboard"
Are you referring to X99? If so it doesn't really change the landscape that much, as the only board that could run both mainstream (if -EP chips can be considered mainstream) and Xeons are X99 boards, to my knowledge.
Does this mean that in the future there will be 3 types of mobos - mainstream, X99 for Skylake-E (supposed Q3 2016) and server C232/6 boards?
No, he was talking to previous gen Xeon E3 series -- they have all used the same socket as the mainstream i7 line (115x sockets) and you used to be able to put those E3's into regular H, Z, Q, B, and previously P series chipsets. Now you must use the C2xx series chipsets for the Xeon E3's.
Thanks extide for clarifying. I was originally perplexed because X99 is also a separate board for mainstream chipsets (-E only chips), which share the same 2011-3 socket with Xeons, and could also use ECC memory.
So to me that's not really a major difference compared to what we have today - mainstream chips get their own board (Z,H 97 etc), enthusiasts get their own board (X99 or C600 sharing the same 2011-3).
I guess the question will be, what will happen to X99.
You could also put mainstream "Core i" CPUs into C2xx-based boards, but tbh, neither makes much sense to me. The C2xx boards give you ECC, but only with Xeon E3s, while the Z-series mainstream boards give you the choice to overclock, but only with K-series CPUs and definitely not with Xeon E3s.
Life was much easier back before Intel migrated the memory controller from the chipset to the CPU itself. You just had to get a decent high-end board and some ECC memory and you were good.
Why would you want to run a Xeon on a consumer motherboard? The only reason to get a Xeon is multiprocessor and ECC support, otherwise you get better performance in gamer-oriented parts. I use Xeons myself on my cylinder Mac Pro (E5-1650v2 x 2) for the former and on my HP Z230 home server (E3-1270v3) for the latter.
If I were in the market for workstation or server class systems today, I'd steer clear of Skylake until Intel resolves the Prime95 bug.
I purchased a Xeon E3 to upgrade my Pentium based system I built a few years ago. I don't overclock, and have no use for integrated graphics. The Xeon I purchased has more L2 cache than the i7, same clock frequencies, lower TDP, and cost about $100 less than the equivalent i7.
The E3s are nothing more than i7s without integrated graphics. It is a great middle ground between workstation and gaming CPU that can be found for decently cheap, you can get i7 performance at i5 price, the only thing you give up is overclocking. Last year I bought my E3-1231 V3 at Microcenter for about $216.
I agree. If I'm running Xeons I want a professional long-life board, not one that has dragons and soldiers on the box, let alone a dumbass camo paint job.
I wish more offered the better Audio, especially the smaller boards. Out of the boards listed above, only the large "X170-Gaming 3 WS" has the better Audio.
Looks like my next motherboard might come from Gigabyte, as I *crave* ECC memory support and the best available Xeon E3 chipset (in this case the C236) as well as all the goodies usually found in top of the range consumer boards. Would be nice with a board in the mATX form factor as well, but I could live without that.
Have been looking at X99 boards, but they're not quite doing it for me.
I've been using a ECC equipped machine for the past two years and its been the most rock solid machine I've ever used. I really dont know why all machines switch to ECC ram going forward. The performance hit isnt all that great at maybe 1% but the stability makes up for it.
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peepeedog - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
"Previously it was possible to run a professional Intel CPU, a Xeon, in a consumer motherboard that used a mainstream chipset – this allowed users to pick and choose if they wanted that Xeon (due to pricing or other factors) but also with features only found on consumer motherboard"Are you referring to X99? If so it doesn't really change the landscape that much, as the only board that could run both mainstream (if -EP chips can be considered mainstream) and Xeons are X99 boards, to my knowledge.
Does this mean that in the future there will be 3 types of mobos - mainstream, X99 for Skylake-E (supposed Q3 2016) and server C232/6 boards?
Cheers
Shaun
Kevin G - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
This time around, Intel doesn't permit Xeons on the Z170 or other consumer chipsets. If you want to use an E3 Xeon, you'll need a C230 series chipset.extide - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
No, he was talking to previous gen Xeon E3 series -- they have all used the same socket as the mainstream i7 line (115x sockets) and you used to be able to put those E3's into regular H, Z, Q, B, and previously P series chipsets.Now you must use the C2xx series chipsets for the Xeon E3's.
extide - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Just to make it clear C2xx series chipsets are LGA115x sockets, not LGA2011 like E5 series and Xeon EP.extide - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
LGA2011 chipsets are C6xx series, FWIW.peepeedog - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Thanks extide for clarifying. I was originally perplexed because X99 is also a separate board for mainstream chipsets (-E only chips), which share the same 2011-3 socket with Xeons, and could also use ECC memory.So to me that's not really a major difference compared to what we have today - mainstream chips get their own board (Z,H 97 etc), enthusiasts get their own board (X99 or C600 sharing the same 2011-3).
I guess the question will be, what will happen to X99.
peepeedog - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Okay my bad - I did not realize (as you said) that E3s could be put into mainstream boards. So yes some difference there.azrael- - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
You could also put mainstream "Core i" CPUs into C2xx-based boards, but tbh, neither makes much sense to me. The C2xx boards give you ECC, but only with Xeon E3s, while the Z-series mainstream boards give you the choice to overclock, but only with K-series CPUs and definitely not with Xeon E3s.Life was much easier back before Intel migrated the memory controller from the chipset to the CPU itself. You just had to get a decent high-end board and some ECC memory and you were good.
fazalmajid - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Why would you want to run a Xeon on a consumer motherboard? The only reason to get a Xeon is multiprocessor and ECC support, otherwise you get better performance in gamer-oriented parts. I use Xeons myself on my cylinder Mac Pro (E5-1650v2 x 2) for the former and on my HP Z230 home server (E3-1270v3) for the latter.If I were in the market for workstation or server class systems today, I'd steer clear of Skylake until Intel resolves the Prime95 bug.
Shadow7037932 - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Price. You can sometimes find the Xeon's cheaper than the i7 counter part. Previously, you were able to do this without much issues at all.jardows2 - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
I purchased a Xeon E3 to upgrade my Pentium based system I built a few years ago. I don't overclock, and have no use for integrated graphics. The Xeon I purchased has more L2 cache than the i7, same clock frequencies, lower TDP, and cost about $100 less than the equivalent i7.freeskier93 - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
The E3s are nothing more than i7s without integrated graphics. It is a great middle ground between workstation and gaming CPU that can be found for decently cheap, you can get i7 performance at i5 price, the only thing you give up is overclocking. Last year I bought my E3-1231 V3 at Microcenter for about $216.bigboxes - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
You guys are cool. I appreciate the info. I'm fine with my Z97 Devil's Canyon setup, but I did not know that about the Xenon chips. Good to know.jabber - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
I agree. If I'm running Xeons I want a professional long-life board, not one that has dragons and soldiers on the box, let alone a dumbass camo paint job.Solidstate89 - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
There's no way Skylake-E is coming out this year when Broadwell-E hasn't even gone on sale yet.freeskier93 - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
Plenty of Z97 boards supported E3s, I'm running an E3-1231 V3 on an Asus Z97-E board.tygrus - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - link
I wish more offered the better Audio, especially the smaller boards. Out of the boards listed above, only the large "X170-Gaming 3 WS" has the better Audio.azrael- - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
Looks like my next motherboard might come from Gigabyte, as I *crave* ECC memory support and the best available Xeon E3 chipset (in this case the C236) as well as all the goodies usually found in top of the range consumer boards. Would be nice with a board in the mATX form factor as well, but I could live without that.Have been looking at X99 boards, but they're not quite doing it for me.
bolkhov - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
Wouldn't Supermicro X11SAE satisfy those needs? mATX X11SAE-M also exists.azrael- - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
They would... but not as much as the Gigabyte GA X170-Extreme ECC. :-)jabber - Thursday, January 14, 2016 - link
I've been using a ECC equipped machine for the past two years and its been the most rock solid machine I've ever used. I really dont know why all machines switch to ECC ram going forward. The performance hit isnt all that great at maybe 1% but the stability makes up for it.Zak - Tuesday, March 1, 2016 - link
Wait... "Gaming 3 WS"??? What the.... So is it "gaming" or "workstation" or Gigabyte just went full retard?