I need to replace some ageing workstations. AMD's recent small server platform, featuring Socket C32, looks promising, as far as number and clock speed of cores, etc. but I haven't found a motherboard to fit my bill yet. One CPU with 4 or more cores at around 3 GHz is what I'm looking for.
I want server-class features such as fully registered DIMMS, but I mentioned this is for a workstation, not a rack-mounted server. So one of the first things I need is a PCI-express x16 slot for a good graphics card, along with enough other slots for some high end storage and whatnot.
AMD offers a family of chipsets which are compatible with this socket; the SR5650 has only 22 PCIe lanes, the SR5670 has 30 lanes, and the SR5690 has 42 lanes. Part of the problem is that this being AMD's smaller, lower cost server platform (compared to Socket G34 and the massively parallel CPUs which inhabit it), and so motherboard manufacturers are tending toward the smaller, cheaper chipsets.
Supermicro offers the H8SCM and H8SCM-F, which use the SR5650 + SP5100. They do not have an x16 slot, only x8 electrical in a x16 mechanical slot. It has a second x8 slot and an x4 slot.
Supermicro will also soon have an oddity called the H8DCT-F, with an unusual footprint intended for deep rackmounts, and which will not fit in any standard case. It will use the SR5670 and is going to have an x16 slot, but nothing else.
Tyan also has two options.
The S8228 is similar in footprint to the Supermicro H8DCT-F, uses the SR5650 chipset, and has a single x16 slot.
The S8226 dual CPU board is extended ATX (12" x 13")
It uses the SR5690 and will have two x16 slots, and that's all.
This is the most promising motherboard I can find for my needs, but is sub-optimal in several ways. I could do without the second CPU socket and the extra large size (although I think it would still work). The two slots are good, but some additional x4 slots or some such would be nice.
Are there any other manufacturers or any other products out there utilising the C32 socket which I have not mentioned above?
I want server-class features such as fully registered DIMMS, but I mentioned this is for a workstation, not a rack-mounted server. So one of the first things I need is a PCI-express x16 slot for a good graphics card, along with enough other slots for some high end storage and whatnot.
AMD offers a family of chipsets which are compatible with this socket; the SR5650 has only 22 PCIe lanes, the SR5670 has 30 lanes, and the SR5690 has 42 lanes. Part of the problem is that this being AMD's smaller, lower cost server platform (compared to Socket G34 and the massively parallel CPUs which inhabit it), and so motherboard manufacturers are tending toward the smaller, cheaper chipsets.
Supermicro offers the H8SCM and H8SCM-F, which use the SR5650 + SP5100. They do not have an x16 slot, only x8 electrical in a x16 mechanical slot. It has a second x8 slot and an x4 slot.
Supermicro will also soon have an oddity called the H8DCT-F, with an unusual footprint intended for deep rackmounts, and which will not fit in any standard case. It will use the SR5670 and is going to have an x16 slot, but nothing else.
Tyan also has two options.
The S8228 is similar in footprint to the Supermicro H8DCT-F, uses the SR5650 chipset, and has a single x16 slot.
The S8226 dual CPU board is extended ATX (12" x 13")
It uses the SR5690 and will have two x16 slots, and that's all.
This is the most promising motherboard I can find for my needs, but is sub-optimal in several ways. I could do without the second CPU socket and the extra large size (although I think it would still work). The two slots are good, but some additional x4 slots or some such would be nice.
Are there any other manufacturers or any other products out there utilising the C32 socket which I have not mentioned above?
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