News ASRock Unveils the X299E-ITX/ac: Mini ITX + X299 + Quad-channel Memory

Mod edit:

Detailed overview of what we know about the X299E-ITX/ac thus far here: https://smallformfactor.net/news/asrock-x299e-itxac-little-monster-detailed

Original:

ASRock did it! Finally, there's an Intel HEDT platform motherboard with full quad-channel DDR4 memory. The new X299E-ITX/ac is for those who need up to 18 CPU cores and up to 64 GB of quad-channel DDR4 memory in their SFF machines for reasons. The board manages its limited PCB real-estate by going vertical. It features two riser cards, one with a few onboard controllers, and a pair of 32 Gb/s M.2 slots), and the other riser with SATA 6 Gb/s ports, a third M.2 slot, and the headers such as USB 3.1. The board draws power from 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning it for the LGA2066 CPU using a 7-phase VRM. The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 3.0 x16, memory is handled by four DDR4 SO-DIMM slots. Connectivity includes two Intel I219-V driven gigabit Ethernet interfaces, 802.11ac WLAN, and Bluetooth 4.1.

Source

 

[AleksandarK]

For a long while I've been thinking to myself "what is even the point of Kaby Lake X?" and then I remember that this existed. I cannot wait to see tiny builds with this board.

Kaby Lake X not supported.

 

[CC Ricers]

Kaby Lake X not supported.

Looking at the i9 lineup, it's Skylake X, then right? Guess Kaby Lake X is still pointless to me then

 

[TinyAudio]

£420 in UK !!

 

[Drake]

Asrock is the champ!

 

[Goose1981]

£420 in UK !!

Not even available in Australia as yet from what i've been able to gather. Hoping i'll be able to get some good news from the final mob i've contacted regarding it!

EDIT: just a note, i did get a response from a store where i live (I'm in Perth, Western Australia) indicating that they would be around Late October or thereabouts for us.

 

[h2plus]

I phoned ASRock in the US and the guy on the phone gave me Oct 16th as the date they become available. Not sure how much credibility there is to that.

Does anyone have measurements on the height of those riser boards? I am trying to theory-craft what CPU cooler I can get away with fitting in there, such as the Noctua C14.

 

[QuantumBraced]

I asked this back in June as I have a C14 in an NCase M1. James gave this speculation, he's probably right. I'm sure we'll get the answer when it comes out.

I think the L12 heatpipes will just barely clear the M.2 board and comparing pictures it looks as though the heatpipes on the C14 start bending closer to the block.

So more than likely the NH-C14 will be just fine even with the bottom fan installed.

It's still amazing to me that this board has more M.2 slots than most ATX X299 motherboards.

 

[drunker]

It's still amazing to me that this board has more M.2 slots than most ATX X299 motherboards.

There are more pcie slots in atx to utilize the pcie lanes so there aren't much left for m.2. At least Asrock does not let the extra lanes for the higher end x299 cpu to go to waste.

 

[archenroot]

I am just considering x99 vs x299, it has quad channel, but the memory blocks you get are anyway limited to 16GB, so you get not more than 64GB, which is same as x99 where you can put 2x 32GB modules (they are about 100EUR more expensive), but the board is about 200EUR less expensive, so still you save :-)

But I still consider x299 as better due the dual m.2 connectors. I have at my workstation Dell PCI express card where I have 4 m.2 connectors (now filled just with one Evo 960 I think) and the top number I have been doing is almost 11GB/s (of course buffered), still even nonbuffered access is amazing.

Regarding PCI Express single slot. I think this board will support switching, so you would be able to plugin 2 cards each on half speed (8x). in Reality you will lose only 3-7% of the performance, as GPU doesn't use the available bandwidth to its limit in these days...

 

[drunker]

I am just considering x99 vs x299, it has quad channel, but the memory blocks you get are anyway limited to 16GB, so you get not more than 64GB, which is same as x99 where you can put 2x 32GB modules (they are about 100EUR more expensive), but the board is about 200EUR less expensive, so still you save :-)

It all depends on what cpu you're using. If you are not using a Xeon, You're limited to 32GB on the x99 system since the maximum non-ecc ddr4 dim available is 16GB per stick. But if you're running xeon on x99, then you can go balls to the wall with maximum 256Gb ecc memory with a beta bios. However, the x299 is literary limited to 64GB until 32gb sodimm module comes out.

 

[archenroot]

Yes, definitely xeon stuff in my case, you can get 18 core ES for 500 EUR, but with x99e-itx/as you have 2 slots, so you anyway are limited with module size. I was really comparing x99 itx vs x299 itx boards, so in first case you have 2 full slots, in other case you have 4 laptop memory boxes, but as it depends on memory module sizes available on the market, they are same (ok, you get better performance maybe with quad channel)

 

[VegetableStu]

In next-room news:

Started testing a certain "little monster" motherboard...

 

[Testifier]

....I think this board will support switching, so you would be able to plugin 2 cards each on half speed (8x)...

Yes

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/X299E-ITXac/index.asp#Specification

 

[Ionrent]

 

 

[VegetableStu]

eh, all the USB headers are on that daughterboard now. Are there builds with no internal USB used? o_o

 

[Biowarejak]

eh, all the USB headers are on that daughterboard now. Are there builds with no internal USB used? o_o

S4? Not that its a thermally smart idea...

 

[QuantumBraced]

Or you could just not use front USB. I hardly ever use mine. They should have also made it so that unplugging the rear riser leaves 2 USB and an Ethernet jack working or something. The board should be usable with both cards removed.

Though honestly, there are only a few niche-within-a-niche scenarios where you're using a low-profile air cooler with this board, so I understand ASRock not caring about it too much.

 

[VegetableStu]

Okay this is dope.

 

[Testifier]

Okay this is dope.

It's all fun and games until I decided to change the SSD

 

[pacmanwa]

So, anyone find where to buy one besides Newegg?