Compact workstation/gaming build. Opinions needed.

TLN · November 23, 2020

Budget (including currency): $2-3k

Country: US

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: General browsing, Photo Editing, Virtualization, Gaming@4k.

Other details

Hi all.

Considering updating my current workstation to something newer. Will be using for general use, virtualizain, photo editing and gaming. Currently have 4k/60 screen and just got Gigabyte 3070 Gaming OC. Might upgrade screen/card to something down the road but that's not top priority. I'd not describe myself as a hardcore gamer. I also have couple specific requirements:

1. I'd like to upgrade to 10Gb network. Already have 10G switches (2930F) and custom virtualization server (already 10G).

2. I already have bunch of very fast SSDs: PM1725 3.2Tb that runs PCIe 3.0 x8 and can do 6000MBPS R/W speeds. Overkill for anything than highload computing but doesn't hurt at all. Performance on par or better compared to PCIe 4.0 M.2 drives available today (but those are way more expensive).

3. And I'd like to keep my workstation small. Not trying to push into crazy small SFF builds out there, just trying to keep a good balance. My custom server was build in Sliger Cerberus (matx version) and im likely to stick with Sliger for next case: either another Cerberus (in case of mATX/ATX mobo) or newly released S610/620 (Ncase M1 alternative) for ITX.

In ideal world I'd go with 5950x and latest mobo and I can forget about upgrades for another 2-3 years at least. But it's not that easy.

Now, I went to Micro center recently and was able to score pretty nice mobo at very good discount: Z490 Aorus Xtreme. Comes with 10Gbe, Multiple M.2 slots, considered one of the top boards for Intel right now. I'm within return window, but have to decide fast.

1. Keep board, stay with intel. Go with Intel 10700k CPU that will cost be around $300. Get Cerberus case (board is EATX but will fit there). I'll be able to reuse existing drives. Case cannot fit Noctua D15, but it will fit C14s (I got that in my server) or any 240/280 AIO. Will get PCIe 4.0 support with 11-gen CPUs. It might require beefier cooling system, but that gets me 5.0Ghz or more.

2. There's similar board: X570 Xtreme with similar set of features: 10Gb NIC, 2x PCIe slots and etc. It doesn't seem to be available in stock anywhere, but it will cost me extra $400. 8-Core CPU like 5800x goes for $450, so same build using AMD will cost me $600 more or so. 5800x beats 10700k, but does it really worth extra $600?

3. There're two ITX/MATX boards from ASROCK with integrated 10G: X570D4i-2T, X570D4U-2T2L. Both are $400-500. No official support for Ryzen 5000 so far, but it will be available. Gets me smaller case, but no overclocking whatsoever.

4. Regular ITX board. There're only four X570 boards available, besides asrock that I mentioned. All have 1Gbe NICs only. I can try using M.2 to PCIe adapter and get 10Gbe NIC.

5. ITX Z490 board. Some comes with 2.5G network that is a good bump from existing 1G, but I'll need to get multigig switch, which I currently don't have.

Even though everyone is going AMD right now (and I want as well) going with existing Mobo and Intel sounds like a better idea.

What sounds most optimal solution to you?

Jurrunio · November 23, 2020

2 hours ago, TLN said:

I'd like to upgrade to 10Gb network. Already have 10G switches (2930F) and custom virtualization server (already 10G).

X570 boards with 10Gb LAN tends to be expensive as heck ($500+?), might consider adding a 10Gb capable network card instead since those seems to cost around $100 (in PCPP) and take a PCIe x4 slot. $250 board (or even less) + $100 card seems much more price competitive, at the cost of maybe not holding all your SSDs (unless they are M.2 ones, doesnt seem like so).

And also if you want to run PCIe x8 SSDs, you will need a board that can split CPU lanes from x16 to x8/x8 because the chipset only runs on 4 lanes. Yes PCIe 3.0 x8 and 4.0 x4 has similar bandwidth, but conversion between these two cant be done by just having the card on the board.

TLN · November 23, 2020

2 hours ago, Jurrunio said:

X570 boards with 10Gb LAN tends to be expensive as heck ($500+?), might consider adding a 10Gb capable network card instead since those seems to cost around $100 (in PCPP) and take a PCIe x4 slot. $250 board (or even less) + $100 card seems much more price competitive, at the cost of maybe not holding all your SSDs (unless they are M.2 ones, doesnt seem like so).

And also if you want to run PCIe x8 SSDs, you will need a board that can split CPU lanes from x16 to x8/x8 because the chipset only runs on 4 lanes. Yes PCIe 3.0 x8 and 4.0 x4 has similar bandwidth, but conversion between these two cant be done by just having the card on the board.

well, everything with 10gb is expensive. I'd be happy to trade my z490 xtreme for x570 xtreme, but that's unlikely to happen.

It seems that you can have x8/x8/x4 in few motherboards for graphics/ssd/nic. But that's ATX boards and at this point I'd rather keep existing board (with 10gbe onboard and extra pcie slot(s) for NVMes that I have already).

Alternatively I'm thinking about ITX plus M.2 to PCIe adapter in 2nd M.2 slot. That way I'm getting full x16 slot, 10gbe and single M.2. Sounds complicated, but doable.