Hi all, I'm going to build a new system based on Epyc top-of-the-line 3rd generation dual CPU. Now, I need to select the motherboard and I narrowed the choice down to 2 possible candidates: TYAN S8253GM2NE or Gigabyte MZ72-HB2 (HB0 it's also fine).
I would therefore like to know your valuable opinions, especially from users who own one of these two motherboards or who at least have direct experience with TYAN and/or Gigabyte server-class motherboards. To help the discussion, below I provide some additional information about my needs and personal considerations on the two products mentioned.
My goal is not to build a server but a super-workstation for advanced chess analysis: for this reason, I'm mostly interested in the sheer computational brute force of CPUs and core count rather than features useful in server applications or the monstrous number of PCI express lanes that these beasts make available.
So the priority is that the motherboard allows me to push the CPUs to 100% ... and maybe even beyond (I mean a moderate overclock, sustainable without damage even for 24/7 use). It goes without saying that absolute stability and reliability must be guaranteed.
Unfortunately I found very few opinions and no serious reviews: I can't consider a "review" as such if it limits itself to listing the technical characteristics of the motherboard, posting 2 photos and saying that it works... It's incredible how there is no site, not even the presumed specialized ones, which offers a performance comparison between two or more motherboards of this class...which has always been a very normal practice for any review of desktop or workstation motherboards.
Below, my personal considerations:
1) I like TYAN mobo design much more than Gigabyte: I strongly believe that the sockets arranged in parallel allows a much more effective cooling of both the CPUs and the MOSFETs, especially for air cooling: I plan to use the Fractal Design Torrent chassis, which is currently the best solution on the market for air cooling, in combination with Arctic Freezer 4U SP3 which is (IMHO) the best air cooler currently available for these CPUs. Gigabyte's design is intended for whoever needs large graphics cards - which are useless for my project - at the price of heavily sacrificing CPUs cooling. It is probably a viable choice, as long as you use an advanced and custom liquid cooling system, which as far as I'm concerned it's only a PITA and a not trivial and not essential expense.
2) on the other hand, it is clear that Gigabyte's motherboard offers much more complete expansion solutions than TYAN's...but I only need to connect about ten HDDs/SSDs. Plus, one card for USB 3.1 Gen 2, one for audio (!), and maybe one for M.2
3) TYAN is much cheaper than Gigabyte: it's possible to find it at $300 less, on average.
4) my main concern it's about the reliability of the two motherboards and their ability to make the most of the CPU: I haven't been able to collect info in this regard...any feedback?
5) another aspect that could greatly influence the choice is the BIOS: I downloaded the manuals of both mobos and read them completely (over 300 pages ): apart from the fact that I don't think I will use 99% of the available options, the only thing I understood is that Gigabyte provides a much richer BIOS than TYAN and probably more user-friendly, but I don't know if there are any additional features compared to TYAN that could be useful to me. For ex. something that allows CPU overclock or boost CPU performance somehow: there is someone that has any opinion on this?
6) I've read that the management of the fans on TYAN is not exactly the latest trend ... if I understand correctly the user can only set the minimum rotation speed of the fans (in %) and then the board "decides" autonomously when to increase it and by how much. I could be fine with that, provided that when the CPUs works at 100% (basically all the time for my application ) the motherboard manages the fans well, even bringing them to maximum speed if necessary and that it does it quickly! By the way, I'm not sure if Gigabyte mobo allows for a more modern and powerful management, like a user-set profile for a specific fan. Again, any feedback/opinion on this?
For starter, I think this is enough info: hope you guys will be interested in this topic and can join the discussion. Thanks in advance!
I would therefore like to know your valuable opinions, especially from users who own one of these two motherboards or who at least have direct experience with TYAN and/or Gigabyte server-class motherboards. To help the discussion, below I provide some additional information about my needs and personal considerations on the two products mentioned.
My goal is not to build a server but a super-workstation for advanced chess analysis: for this reason, I'm mostly interested in the sheer computational brute force of CPUs and core count rather than features useful in server applications or the monstrous number of PCI express lanes that these beasts make available.
So the priority is that the motherboard allows me to push the CPUs to 100% ... and maybe even beyond (I mean a moderate overclock, sustainable without damage even for 24/7 use). It goes without saying that absolute stability and reliability must be guaranteed.
Unfortunately I found very few opinions and no serious reviews: I can't consider a "review" as such if it limits itself to listing the technical characteristics of the motherboard, posting 2 photos and saying that it works... It's incredible how there is no site, not even the presumed specialized ones, which offers a performance comparison between two or more motherboards of this class...which has always been a very normal practice for any review of desktop or workstation motherboards.
Below, my personal considerations:
1) I like TYAN mobo design much more than Gigabyte: I strongly believe that the sockets arranged in parallel allows a much more effective cooling of both the CPUs and the MOSFETs, especially for air cooling: I plan to use the Fractal Design Torrent chassis, which is currently the best solution on the market for air cooling, in combination with Arctic Freezer 4U SP3 which is (IMHO) the best air cooler currently available for these CPUs. Gigabyte's design is intended for whoever needs large graphics cards - which are useless for my project - at the price of heavily sacrificing CPUs cooling. It is probably a viable choice, as long as you use an advanced and custom liquid cooling system, which as far as I'm concerned it's only a PITA and a not trivial and not essential expense.
2) on the other hand, it is clear that Gigabyte's motherboard offers much more complete expansion solutions than TYAN's...but I only need to connect about ten HDDs/SSDs. Plus, one card for USB 3.1 Gen 2, one for audio (!), and maybe one for M.2
3) TYAN is much cheaper than Gigabyte: it's possible to find it at $300 less, on average.
4) my main concern it's about the reliability of the two motherboards and their ability to make the most of the CPU: I haven't been able to collect info in this regard...any feedback?
5) another aspect that could greatly influence the choice is the BIOS: I downloaded the manuals of both mobos and read them completely (over 300 pages ): apart from the fact that I don't think I will use 99% of the available options, the only thing I understood is that Gigabyte provides a much richer BIOS than TYAN and probably more user-friendly, but I don't know if there are any additional features compared to TYAN that could be useful to me. For ex. something that allows CPU overclock or boost CPU performance somehow: there is someone that has any opinion on this?
6) I've read that the management of the fans on TYAN is not exactly the latest trend ... if I understand correctly the user can only set the minimum rotation speed of the fans (in %) and then the board "decides" autonomously when to increase it and by how much. I could be fine with that, provided that when the CPUs works at 100% (basically all the time for my application ) the motherboard manages the fans well, even bringing them to maximum speed if necessary and that it does it quickly! By the way, I'm not sure if Gigabyte mobo allows for a more modern and powerful management, like a user-set profile for a specific fan. Again, any feedback/opinion on this?
For starter, I think this is enough info: hope you guys will be interested in this topic and can join the discussion. Thanks in advance!
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