ASUS P9X79-E WS Review: Xeon meets PLX for 7x
by Ian Cutress on January 10, 2014 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Asus
- Workstation
- X79
- Prosumer
ASUS P9X79-E WS Conclusion
As mentioned in the outset of the review, workstation motherboards have not had much attention on AnandTech of late. They aim at a market almost more straightforward than the consumer market – they have to do a job, do it well, and remain stable. This is why Xeon processors and ECC memory compatibility are paramount, to go along with the extended or business oriented warranties and to be able to power mission critical systems without failure.
The market for prosumer level motherboards is a difficult one to gauge, especially in terms of numbers. ASUS have had WS models for several generations, and their competitors are certainly viewing it as a market with consistent sales – as a business customer the need for something that is powerful and stable is a path on the road to success.
ASUS have taken the standard P9X79 WS and essentially pimped it out with more of everything, as well as updating the package specifically of Intel’s Ivy Bridge-E consumer processors and Xeons. It does support ECC memory, albeit up to 64 GB is listed though it would be interesting to see 16GB ECC modules in place. One of the key features for the P9X79-E WS, and the ASUS WS range, is the level of validation testing of PCIe devices (RAID cards, GPUs, GPGPUs, sound cards, storage, and so on): while a consumer level product might have issues with a particular card, ASUS aim to make the WS series support it.
One of the main draws of the P9X79-E WS will be the numerate PCIe slots. Due to the use of PLX PCIe switches on board, these slots are wired for x16/x16/x16/x16 up to x16/x8/x8/x8/x16/x8/x8, and will accept Xeon Phi processing boards with the relevant BIOS switch activated. ASUS have only placed one 6-pin PCIe VGA power connector on board, which may not be enough for a potential total 525W power draw through these 7 slots (75W per slot). In order to help diagnose this, the Dr. Power circuitry added on board (with software in Windows) is designed to help should the power supply or motherboard be pushed for power draw.
Other functionality includes 12 SATA ports (6 PCH, 4 SATA 6 Gbps via Marvell, 2 eSATA), with the Marvell ports suitable for SSD Caching – whether SSD caching is suitable for 2014 is another matter. ASUS could have used the Intel C606 chipset to add SAS/SATA ports instead, but went down the X79+Marvell route. Despite no native USB 3.0 on X79, there are two USB 3.0 ports on the rear IO and a header on board. Alongside dual Intel I210 NICs we also get the Realtek ALC1150 audio codec, the high end audio codec from Realtek.
Due to the P9X79-E WS implementing MultiCore Turbo, our consumer CPU saw 4.0 GHz on any load, which allowed the P9X79-E WS to hit the top of the charts in many of our benchmarks, like other X79 motherboards that also enable MultiCore Turbo properly. Despite the focus on workstations, Xeons and ECC, there are minor overclock options which set our consumer overclockable CPU to 4.5 GHz with just a flick of a switch.
The BIOS is updated to the new ‘Z87’ generation, using features such as My Favorites, Quick Note and Last Modified as well as a fixed length font to aid user readability. The fan headers on board are designed to be controlled via the BIOS and the OS, with the OS software wrapped up in the X79/Z77 generation of AI Suite. This still includes features like Fan Xpert, USB 3.0 Boost, TurboV Evo, EPU, AI Charger and SSD Caching as mentioned before.
One issue I came across was that USB 3.0 Boost needed updating from the version on the CD (Turbo mode would not disable), and the other is the extended heatsink arrangement – due to the number of extra controllers and PCIe switches used onboard, the heatsink did heat up to be uncomfortable to touch. After speaking with ASUS, it was clear that they recommended a high airflow environment for workstation model products. The P9X79-E WS does come with a 3 year warranty and ASUS Premium Service for North America users.
The P9X79-E WS fits in that high end, prosumer niche. It is perhaps missing some features the high end performance needs (Thunderbolt, native USB 3.0), but that should be at the feet of Intel not updating X79 rather than ASUS. When a user is spending $560 to $3000 on a CPU (4930K or E5-26xx v2), then the motherboard becomes less of a % of the build overall and thus moving to a high end product is less of an overall percentage hit. This is the market ASUS is going for, and the P9X79-E WS goes well for the prosumer that needs as many PCIe slots with all the PCIe lanes as a motherboard can carry.
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g00ey - Saturday, January 11, 2014 - link
When I looked at the user reviews on Newegg and forums, I saw that there are a lot of issues with this motherboard. So I went with the P9X79 WS motherboard instead that have less negative reviews.Perhaps there are a few issues with these PLX chips that needs to be addressed before it becomes stable...
Ian Cutress - Saturday, January 11, 2014 - link
I saw some of those reviews, mainly being linked to upgrading to Ivy-E, or buying one when they first come out and then upgrading to the CAP BIOS system. My review sample (as the ones on sale should be) was already in CAP, so I just put in the latest BIOS and it worked fine. The PLX chips are tried and tested in many other boards, so no issues there on the chip itself.g00ey - Saturday, January 11, 2014 - link
A motherboard that refuses to post because of a too modern CPU makes things very hard if you don't happen to have an "old" LGA2011 CPU lying around, and most people don't.But the PLX chips tend to give me the heebie jeebies when considering virtualized configurations that use PCI passthrough (IOMMU through Intel VT-d). It is a 'workstation grade' motherboard after all so such usage scenarios should be considered. It would be interesting to know how PLX switch chips affect the PCI passthrough capabilities.
Otherwise, a motherboard with 7 full-lane PCIe slots is really attractive but I guess a dual CPU motherboard is needed for that.
Ian Cutress - Saturday, January 11, 2014 - link
This is why these motherboards support USB BIOS Flashback: the ability to flash a BIOS onto the motherboard without a CPU, DRAM or a VGA installed. It requires renaming the BIOS file, putting it onto a suitable memory stick and following ASUS' instructions. I've used it a couple of times before, and as long as you follow the instructions it is ok: people get frustrated when it doesn't seem to work and there is no feedback (file misnamed, USB not suitable, BIOS not copied properly, BIOS still in old mode requires old BIOS not CAP BIOS).mazzy80 - Sunday, January 12, 2014 - link
Hi,I find the benches useless on Mobo review, all the Mobo perform the same of course +-1/2%, so nobody cares.
in this case the only useful Bench is to measure the impact of PLX of graphic performance in games. it's look like a minimal impact and this it' good, but you can see that x16@PCE3 Vs x8@PCIE3 is at moment of no use.
IMHO the Mobo review should be around stability, quirks, measuring features performance.
in this case :
performances of Marvel 930 and Asmedia SATA3 controllers Vs intel.
Performance of ASmedia USB3 Vs Intel z87.
Stability with 64GB RAM and 3-SLI.
I've this board for few days with E5-1650v2.
I don't like :
You can't run the cpu at Stock Intel Spec. If you enable the Turbo, you get all the core always at the turbo speed with Vcore ramp up. this is no good for a WS board. Why ? there's no option to disable Multicore option.
Fewer Sensor voltages to monitor that board at this price level.
The IB-E support isn't that great still. The default voltage are not correct for CPU PLL (1.8 instead 1.7) VTTIO (1.05 vs 1.00)
there's no way to respect Intel VID of the CPU, there're the manual fixed or the ASUS adaptive.
Like:
64GB rock solid at Intel Specs for VSSA (0.95V)
Stable so far.
mapesdhs - Sunday, January 12, 2014 - link
If you want to run everything at their baseline defaults, I don't see the relevance
of a board like this in the first place. The whole point of this WS board is that it
pairs the oc'ing features of the ROG series with the kind of workstation features
normally found on pro boards. It's an excellent middleground. You'd really want
to run 64GB at minimal speed, etc.? I have 64GB @ 2133 just fine. Plus, in
reality the various voltages you refer to vary from one chip to another wrt their
ideal baseline values; there are no absolutes.
If you want to run stuff at 'stock intel spec', then buy a boring ordinary XEON board,
not one like this which is intended to allow one to do sooo much more.
Ian.
mazzy80 - Monday, January 13, 2014 - link
well I dont' agree.I'd have prefer the options to run all at the specs and the options to 'switch' the gear with overclock. this is not a RIVE dressed in WS... and it'd not to be.
If you want to overclock to the hell the ROG extreme lines is for you.
If you want a stable classic workstation Mobo, with a Xeon, with the option to tweak it, if you wish, well this is what I think the WS lines should be, not a hybrid.
it lacks additional power for CPU for example... only one ordinary 8-pin and nothing else. I find it strange.
even Z87 boards have additional power input, and the Haswell top at 89W TDP from the start... E5-2687Wv2 is a 150W part at 3.4Ghz.... turbo @4GHz is over 200W..
If you buy a I7 why select this board ? there's the Deluxe for you, 2-3SLI to gamming ? RIVE/MF is for you.
This board is for Xeon, ECC memory first, so why force the cpu to run overclocked on stock settings?
mapesdhs - Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - link
The ROG boards are for gamers. I didn't buy one for gaming, so your logic is flawed
from the outset. I built a system for AE and wanted RAID card compatibility, among
other things. Plus, the only ROG board I felt was any good was a lot more expensive.
Whatever you might think the WS should be doesn't matter. It is what it is, a blend of
workstation and top-end gamer board features, the best of both IMO. I don't understand
your concerns; afterall, you don't *have* to oc on _any_ board. Leave everything at their
defaults and it'll be fine as-is. Me, I wanted 64GB RAM @ 2133 and a 6-core @ 4.7+,
with the ability to run four GPUs for CUDA, and RAID card support. The WS is perfect
for this. As for the CPU power issue, I don't see it as even being an issue. Where's your
evidence the WS in any way suffers from not having an extra power connector? The WS
will handle a 3930K @ 5.0 no problem.
Basically, your assumptions are wrong, and thus your conclusions are wrong. The Deluxe
was definitely not for me. The WS supports XEONs just as it supports i7s; saying it's "for"
one chip type or the other doesn't make sense.
For those who _are_ looking for a gaming board though then you do have a point, except
that the PCIe structure is better on the WS-E IMO.
Ian.
PS. And btw, how many CPU-Z submissions have you seen which have a ROG board
with a 3930K @ 4.7+ and max RAM at 2133+ with four GPUs? I've never seen one.
What I wanted to build is in a different league to gaming setups. Games tax just parts
of a system and often not much at that; AE hammers everything at times, gobbling 40GB
RAM no problem, hence the SSD for cache, etc.
viper131 - Sunday, January 12, 2014 - link
Question on the Dr. Power feature. Does this application show you the wattage usage on each separate PCI lane ? Also , did your GPU have a power feed direct from the PSU ?thanks,
luwalo - Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - link
Does a purchase like this make sense in early 2014 when Haswell-E/X99 is coming out later this year? A $500 mobo, plus $500 CPU, plus another few hundred for RAM and you are spending a lot on a part that will be replaced in < a year with something better. I just feel at this time, that this platform is a bit long in the tooth no native USB3 for instance.I'm currently using SB/Z68 (:<) and I'm pretty comfortable waiting for Haswell-E/X99 at this point. It's only been in the last 6 months I've come to desire the X79 feature set.