Hi guys...
Okay now I see EVGA has released the SR-X.
Very nice idea again, but this time I really dont see what went wrong here.
 
I'll start with what I see a REAL MESS UP in the design of this board.
We all know PCI-EX lane routing on our enthusiast systems has been a real struggle since the PCI-Express technology existed, allways having to find a solution to get more lanes to a single GPU or splitting them to multi GPUs.
 
Now before Socket R (2011) was released, the best we could get is 36 lanes from a x58 chipset, giving x16 / x16 OR x16 / x8 / x8.
Many other designs exist too, ranging from the NF790i to the NF200 bridges and Lucid, PLX and others... all trying to split and share lanes; nothing really good for high bandwith.
 
Release of the Socket R processors has finally unlocked what i've been waiting for years: 40 lanes per CPU, with 80lanes in a dual socket board !
 
Now lets see 5 "equivalent" boards to the SR-X, all sharing the SAME design and layout.
- Supermicro X9DAi:

 
Three (3) PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (CPU1 Slot2/
CPU2 Slot4/CPU2 Slot6),

Three (3) PCI Express 3.0 x8 slots (CPU1 Slot1/
CPU1 Slot3/CPU2 Slot5),

- Supermicro X9DR3-LN4F+
 
 
Four (4) PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (CPU1 Slot1/Slot3, CPU2 Slot4/Slot5),
One (1) PCI Express 3.0 x8 slot (CPU2 Slot6),
One (1) PCI Express 3.0x4 in x8 slot (CPU 1Slot2)
 
 
- Intel® Server Board S2600CO Family

 
 -Slot 1: PCIe Gen II x4 electrical with x8 physical connector, routed from Intel ® C600 Chipset, support half-length card
-Slot 2: PCIe Gen III x16 electrical with x16 physical connector, routed from CPU1, support full length card
-Slot 3: PCIe Gen III x16 electrical with x16 physical connector, routed from CPU2, support full length, double width card
-Slot 4: PCIe Gen III x8 electrical with x8 connector, routed from CPU2, support full length card; support Intel designed SAS RAID on Card (ROC) Module (PCIe slot form factor)
-Slot 5: PCIe Gen III x16 electrical with x16 connector, routed from CPU1, support full length, double width card
-Slot 6: PCIe Gen III x16 electrical with x16 connector, routed from CPU2, support half-length card, Intel designed PCIe riser card
 
- TYAN S7055 (S7055AGM3NR)

 
(4) PCI-E Gen3 x16 slots (slot #7, #5, #3, #1) / (1) PCI-E Gen2 x8 slots (slot #4)
 
- ASUS Z9PE-D16

Slot 5: PCI-E x16 slot, x16 Gen3 Link , from CPU 1 (Auto switch to x8 Link if slot 6 is occupied)
Slot 4: PCI-E x16 slot, x16 Gen3 Link, from CPU 2
Slot 3: PCI-E x16 slot, x16 Gen3 Link, from CPU 1
Slot 2: PCI-E x16 slot, x16 Gen3 Link, from CPU 2
Slot 6: PCI-E x16 slot, x8 Gen3 Link , from CPU 1
Slot 1: PCI-E x16 slot, x8 Gen3 Link, from CPU2
 
Many other boards share the same design, i just cant post them all here, but:
All use the C606 /C602 chipset,
Have about the same options like SAS/SATA,
Ok some dont have Integrated audio, but these are server boards,
They ALL have some kind of BMC controller and remote management.
 
NOW LETS COME BACK TO OUR SR-X.
Whats the huge difference?
I see a PLX bridge splitting some lanes, ****?? Why cant it use all those native CPU lanes? Isn't it a dual socket? Want to use only 1 CPU? Just buy a single socket MOBO !
I see PCI-Express 3.0 switches, 4 per slot. ****? I thought the CPU PCI-e controller is native 3.0... Do u see those switches on the server boards I mentioned above? NO. But they are REAL Native 3.0 !!
I see an "HPTX" form factor, witch is an odd form I dont understand why using it. Look at the server boards, they all use SSI-EEB form factor
(304.80 mm x 330.20 mm), just nice to fit in a case like mine without touching the drive backplanes...

Now all I think EVGA has to do is redesign the board, this is no real enthusiast board compared to those nice (but not red) server boards...
I want to buid a new rig soon, and if EVGA cant build a board using all the PCI-Ex lanes, they lost me. (being with eevga for years...)

I am planning to use:
2 GPUs Radeon HD7970 (Slot1 / slot 3)
1 Areca 2882ix-24 SAS 2.0 Gen2 Dual core for the 15K storage
1 PCI Ex SSD (maybe the IODRIVE2 DUO 1.2TB SLC)
1 Sound controller

Or maybe quad GPUs...

you forgot the 8 memory slots on 1 CPU and 4 on the other...another epic fail

Captain Caveman

you forgot the 8 memory slots on 1 CPU and 4 on the other...another epic fail

 
One of the boards you linked above had 4+4 memory slots... yet this one is ok? There is just not enough room for 8+8 + 4 graphics cards. 8+4 is a good compromise plus makes it easier to upgrade for SR=2 users.

EVGA_JacobF

Captain Caveman

you forgot the 8 memory slots on 1 CPU and 4 on the other...another epic fail

One of the boards you linked above had 4+4 memory slots... yet this one is ok? There is just not enough room for 8+8 + 4 graphics cards. 8+4 is a good compromise plus makes it easier to upgrade for SR=2 users.

1. I didnt link the boards or start this thread...that was JacobF.
 
2. no, not good compromise....memory lanes aren't of equal length for starters.
 
not equal load on both CPU's. not having same amount of mem slots on each cpu is going to cause some issues for overclocking balance such as freq., voltage...etc.  they have to be doing some hucus pocus mumbojumbo in the back ground. Just a piss poor design all around, no thank...I'll stick with my SR2.
 
But by all means, you go right ahead and buy one...youll see.

EVGA_JacobF

One of the boards you linked above had 4+4 memory slots... yet this one is ok? There is just not enough room for 8+8 + 4 graphics cards. 8+4 is a good compromise plus makes it easier to upgrade for SR=2 users.

U see that Tyan Board? 4 FULL PCI-E GEN3 WITH FULL LANES across all slots, + they are spaced so u can fit 4 gpus together, u even have 1 last 8x for the sound controller... So ... more memory? or more lanes?
 
Anyway, its another though, i dont see the matter to fill all banks if u are using 4 or 8 GB DIMMs...

Are the 8 core 3.1 ghz CPUs Xeon E5-2687W from newegg overclockable (unlocked)? There have been some reports of them not.

Can you give me a list of suppliers for this board? Thanks!

debs3759

Iknow that if slot 2 has a GPU slots 1+2 become x8, and likewise for slots 3+4. What I want to know is can I have the following configuration:

x16 x4 x16 x4 x16 x4 x16

That would only use the 40 lanes from the CPU, but I am unsure if 8 are reserved for the motherboard. I also don't know yet (and not sure if anyone outside NVidia knows) whether a high-end Kepler will perform equaly at x8 and x16.

Unfortunely the board DOES NOT have this capibility, that was the reason for my thread here.
 
The pdf briefely states x16 x16 x16 Or x16 x16 x8 x8
I assume that is the PLX bridge splitting some lanes... still dont figure out what it is doing there anyway...

@ beaker7 are those systems your dream rigs? Or actual ones ?
o_O

beaker7

servxtrem

@ beaker7 are those systems your dream rigs? Or actual ones ?
o_O

actual, but work pays for some of them 

@ breaker 7 your Raid Controller is it working well?

1882ix-24 FTW

beaker7

Better performance and redundancy if you split it across 2.

I know!
But this is again PCI-e related, u see if u want a couple radeon 7970 GPUs + a good sound controller + a IODRIVE2 DUO for system and games + the 1882ix-24 for the mass 15K RPM reliable storage...
 
 

I had notify me in place for the SRX. But I have been contemplating whether or not I should upgrade to SRX. Does not seem like an good solid upgrade for SR2. Just to take advantage of the new 2011 CPUs and possible future unlocked ones but lose on all these important issue mentioned. NOT worth it?
 
Base on the general SR2 and potential buyers I think INTEL will be paying close attention on how SRX is doing. If mostly negative then I don't think they will even have unlocked ones later.
 
I don't understand why release 50% done right product and have all these unnecessary feedback that will discourage the engineering & design team ??
 
I hope next SR version will be better.
I will have let SRX be a faint memory of the past.
 
Please pick up Steve Jobs autobiography at Costco and perhaps improve your product. SR2 blows all other motherboards out of the water. If you name any other mobos, my answer is, "Come again? Never heard of that but by the way SR2 is the board"

Appearance I can care less. I didn't say cancel. Postpone!! Even if unlocked CPU is out of their control then work on the pci e issue. Add 3rd party controller, so at least wont be screw up by intel. Dang it, be the 2% why be the 98%.

I found a new board:
The ASUS Z9PE-D8 WS.

4 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (dual x16 or quad x8) *¹
2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 *¹
1 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x8 mode) *¹