This motherboard is STUPID.. and I love it!!

[nicklmg]

 

Buy Asrock EPC621D4I-2M on Amazon: https://geni.us/kvO5En

[ARikozuM]

Link doesn't seem to work. @nicklmg

 

Edit: It does work, but there's no item on Amazon. 

[Guest]

Bless for VGA 

[CoalitionGaming]

So that USB 2.0 header is just a different pin pitch. Moddiy sells pitch adapters. I did a build with a similarly small board that had that same issue, though my board was to use a socketed laptop CPU in a mini-itx desktop board...not a behemoth Xeon lol. But same thing. Pitch adapter will solve the problem. 

 

I want that case though. Didn't see a link in description. I want itttt

[gmartinez146]

So I actually have a use case for a board like this and use a build that is surprisingly similar. My research lab needed a machine that could compile large code projects and train neural networks while being able to fit into an airplane carry-on size bag for travel to conferences. When I go into my lab tomorrow I'll get the specs and a photo of it.

[Kizune]

I already built similar machine using the previous generation of Xeon processor (E5-2699 v4) and ASrockRack motherboard (EPC612D4I). I built it in the CoolerMaster Elite 130 case using 120mm AIO cooler - and it works 24/7 for last year and a half as a test server for my cloud applications serving like 20 to 25 docker instances any given moment. All of that is while it takes virtually no space on my table and being so quiet that i do not notice it. So, yes, there are use cases for such boards.

[Kizune]

10 minutes ago, CircleTech said:

This means that at some point during the board design, asrock planned to include 4 more SO-DIMM slots

2 more SO-DIMMS. Actually there is another board from ASRock with 6 memory slots and no M.2 slots - epc621d6i. Unfortunately there is no space due to the clearance with the motherboard tray to put both 2 dimms and m.2 slots on the back of it (or 4 dimms for that matter). Here you can see how bottom SO-DIMMS are wired:

[zENjA]

I would use it as a Storage or VM Box, but as storage Box I would use the SAS port together with an expander backplane of a JBOD and put a NIC inside the PCI slot / use a 8x/8x riser for NIC & HBA Card.

[Kizune]

Just now, CircleTech said:

Would that be a really weird board configuration

There is no much sense in it. It would have to be configured in 4-channel mode anyways, the reason for 6 dimm slots is to utilize the 6-channel memory controller of Xeon Scalable series to get the maximum memory bandwidth. With 5 dimms it kind of defies the purpose.

[Luscious]

Color me unimpressed but if this could use the 3175X this video would have been FAR MORE interesting.

 

You can clearly tell this board is not for consumer use with the lack of on board audio. And even if Asrock were to make a more gaming focused board it would have to be at least ATX size to accommodate the 6 DIMMS, SATA, M.2, PCIe, RGB etc... that a decent gaming system would need to work without compromise.

 

Then again, go to the other end of the size spectrum and you have something like the Tyan 7105 - that colossus offers two times the CPU, four times the GPU, six times the RAM, eight times the SATA, and enough empty PCIe slots left over to throw in a sound card and four Optane cards. This is the kind of thing that deserves to be conformal coated, painted matte black and then wall mounted IMO.

 

[Uttamattamakin]

1 hour ago, Luscious said:

Color me unimpressed but if this could use the 3175X this video would have been FAR MORE interesting.

 

You can clearly tell this board is not for consumer use with the lack of on board audio. And even if Asrock were to make a more gaming focused board it would have to be at least ATX size to accommodate the 6 DIMMS, SATA, M.2, PCIe, RGB etc... that a decent gaming system would need to work without compromise.

 

Then again, go to the other end of the size spectrum and you have something like the Tyan 7105 - that colossus offers two times the CPU, four times the GPU, six times the RAM, eight times the SATA, and enough empty PCIe slots left over to throw in a sound card and four Optane cards. This is the kind of thing that deserves to be conformal coated, painted matte black and then wall mounted IMO.

 

I can see one good use for a board like this.  Even with an Nvidia GPU attached. 

 

It would make a lot of sense in one of those multi system cases where you have one fully featured system for your main work.  While offloading certain task to the second, less featured system.  While connecting both with networking, or direct network over USB or some such. 

Like this 
https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/269173-corsairs-new-1000d-chassis-holds-two-pcs-in-one-enclosure

 

For example,  People who stream PC gaming.    People who stream any other content and want their main system to not be bogged down.   People who want one system to run one OS while the other system runs another OS (maybe just for testing or to run certain applications natively.) 

 

For such a system having a lot of IO is not relevant since the main system is what you interact with.  

It is like virtualization for when virtualization isn't enough. 

[Kizune]

2 hours ago, Luscious said:

And even if Asrock were to make a more gaming focused board it would have to be at least ATX size to accommodate the 6 DIMMS, SATA, M.2, PCIe, RGB etc... that a decent gaming system would need to work without compromise.

I doubt that ASRock Rack will produce a gaming motherboard - that's main ASRock kitchen, maximum - they will produce workstation motherboards - and they already did, on both LGA3647 and TR4 platforms, with sound, many PCIe slots, multiple m.2 and such. But they are kind of boring (well, not exactly, i'm using ATX sized ASRockRack EPC621D8A as my open test bench where i play with all the hardware) but there is nothing special about them - everybody do it: Tyan, Supermicro - everybody. OTOH MiniITX boards for Xeon CPUs are rare beasts.

[Luscious]

1 hour ago, Uttamattamakin said:

It would make a lot of sense in one of those multi system cases where you have one fully featured system for your main work.  While offloading certain task to the second, less featured system.  While connecting both with networking, or direct network over USB or some such.

Yeah, but the thing is the featured system is going to be on a board bigger than ITX to start with and the secondary system likely has no need for a HCC Xeon.

 

It's a compromise - you're never going to get the full performance out of the processor anyway. And whatever you do end up using it for at that stage will have to be highly specific in hardware, OS and software.

 

SP Xeon on ITX is a very niche use case. This MIGHT be for the guy who has a Windows gaming beast for his primary, but also needs a HCC Xeon mated to a Tesla card running on Linux for scientific work. If the goal is to put two systems in one chassis there are better options out there to fit dual ATX boards and bigger. But If he simply doesn't have the money for a separate workstation or enclosure, however, then that's a whole other argument.

[CoalitionGaming]

21 hours ago, nicklmg said:

 

Buy Asrock EPC621D4I-2M on Amazon: https://geni.us/kvO5En

 

@LinusTech @AlexTheGreatish @GabenJr Here's a link the USB 2.0 header pitch adapter i mentioned above
https://www.moddiy.com/products/Mini-USB-2.0mm-9%252dPin-Female-to-USB-2.54mm-9%252dPin-Female-Header-Cable.html

Now im not sure if you guys were going to take this apart, but at least there is a solution for the miniature USB header the board has in case you do end up needing it :)

[rcmaehl]

Threadripper ITX when?

Surely if people buy this board there's a market
Even if it's just for like... compiling gentoo

Just that Ultimate ITX performance

Surely people would actually use it
Please?
_{Pretty Please?}

_No?

^_OK

[Results45]

I couldn't seem to find Linus' board on Amazon..........but apparently Mentor sells them for 337 bucks!

 

https://mentor-distribution.com/asrock-rack-c621-mini-itx-motherboard.html

 

Newegg sells something similar (also LGA 3647/C621) for twice as much, but it's a bigger Mini-ITX board with a little more expandability ~ 6 DDR4 DIMM slots, 2 PCIe slots, and and extra ethernet port:

Spoiler

 

And of course as mentioned there are LGA 2066 equivalents for CPUs that cost a fraction of the 8180 with relatively more I/O (more USB ports, USB-C, headphone jacks, etc.):

• https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100007629%2050128228%20601118061%20601298391%20601304693%20601307818%20601332320%20600009028&Manufactory=128228
• https://www.amazon.com/ASRock-X299E-ITX-AC-X299-DDR4/dp/B075KJJ93M/

 

Happy hunting! 

[Kizune]

On 8/9/2019 at 11:56 AM, rcmaehl said:

Threadripper ITX when?

To hell with Threadripper. Epyc Rome FTW! 64 cores/128 threads Mini-ITX computer is what i really need. In DAN CaseS A4-SFX. With custom water cooling. Most epic sff pc ever!

[Kizune]

23 hours ago, Results45 said:

Newegg sells something similar (also LGA 3647/C621) for twice as much, but it's a bigger Mini-ITX board

It's Micro-ATX, not Mini-ITX. Also cool, but not that impressive. 

[Computernaut]

Now they just need to make a Threadripper 2 version!

[Uttamattamakin]

On 8/8/2019 at 9:11 PM, Luscious said:

Yeah, but the thing is the featured system is going to be on a board bigger than ITX to start with and the secondary system likely has no need for a HCC Xeon.

 

It's a compromise - you're never going to get the full performance out of the processor anyway. And whatever you do end up using it for at that stage will have to be highly specific in hardware, OS and software.

 

SP Xeon on ITX is a very niche use case. This MIGHT be for the guy who has a Windows gaming beast for his primary, but also needs a HCC Xeon mated to a Tesla card running on Linux for scientific work. If the goal is to put two systems in one chassis there are better options out there to fit dual ATX boards and bigger. But If he simply doesn't have the money for a separate workstation or enclosure, however, then that's a whole other argument.

True, as Linus built it.  The use case I would see for the Mobo is, as I said, as a second system inside one of those two system cases.  Intended to offload intensive task from the main system.  Like encoding a video stream while the main system plays the game.  Running a intensive simulation while the main system is tasked with more mundane use.  Or... the secondary system is always on while the main system is free for more normal use and otherwise shutdown. 

 

A Xeon processor is too much for most things, including the above.  That socket could take much more modest processors though. 

[j5689]

On 8/9/2019 at 12:07 PM, CoalitionGaming said:

 

@LinusTech @AlexTheGreatish @GabenJr Here's a link the USB 2.0 header pitch adapter i mentioned above
https://www.moddiy.com/products/Mini-USB-2.0mm-9%252dPin-Female-to-USB-2.54mm-9%252dPin-Female-Header-Cable.html

Now im not sure if you guys were going to take this apart, but at least there is a solution for the miniature USB header the board has in case you do end up needing it

Wouldn't the standard-sized end have to be male and not female in order to hook up to the female port on the cable that goes to the front USB?  In which case, they would actually need something like this?

[zogthegreat]

Hi everyone!

 

Does anyone have any information on the case that Linus used for the build?

 

Thanks!

 

zog

 

(EDIT) Linus states in the video that the case is a SilverStone LD03

[TopRockPhoto]

The one thing you missed is that the board comes with a “Front USB Cable” which fits that mini USB header, allowing you to connect the front USB. It only requires you to RTM, or look in the box.

 

Also, there is a guide on how to do RAID. All you had to do was RTM.

 

So many things can be so simple if we just RTM, BEFORE doing a video. (This was not even live, so it is not as if you did not have time).

“Oh, this panel comes off!” Pretty sure that was in the case manual. Did you RTM? Somewhat sure that that case has two places you can chose to mount the power supply, including where the power cable leads to the outside. Did you RTM?

[gankhill]

Old thread I know, but not sure where else I could ask. Anyone know what keyboard is plugged in to the computer behind Linus in the intro?