Setup and Testing Scenario
Our goal with the server and workstation motherboard review is to bring you a wide variety of tests and results which will, hopefully, allow you to make the best choice for your future setup.
Additional Hardware Components
It is not possible to test motherboards without additional hardware, but we also don’t want to test the connected devices. That is a fine line to walk, and we hope we’re hitting the spot. We will use the hardware needed, but we won’t go above that. By keeping it to the basics, we’re eliminating a false of performance originating from another piece of hardware.
We’ll install up to 8 memory modules, a processor with cooling, and storage drives of each type possible. There’s also a GPU installed, but one without any actual power. We do need monitor-output, and the GPU is also needed to run some benchmarks.
- CPU: Intel Gold 6146 Scalable Processor
- RAM: Crucial DDR4 2133 MHz (8x 16GB)
- PSU: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 1200W
- Cooler: Supermicro 4U Active CPU Heat Sink (SNK-P0070APS4)
- OS Drive: Toshiba OCZ VX500 512GB SATA3
- SATA Drive: Toshiba OCZ VX500 512GB SATA3
- PCIe Drive: Intel Optane 900p 280GB
- USB Drive: SilverStone TS11C with Toshiba OCZ VX500 512GB SATA3
Software Utilized
We use a wide variety of applications to gain a broad spectrum of results for comparing diverse aspects of the system performance. The OS will be Windows Server, and most should be familiar with the other applications and tools too.
- Windows Server 2012 R2
- AIDA64 Engineer Edition
- Anvil’s Storage Utilities
- Cinebench R11.5
- Cinebench R15.0
- Geekbench 4
- Handbrake
- OCCT
- PCMark 8.0
- PerformanceTest 8.0
- SiSoftware Sandra Platinum 2017 SP2
- SPECwpc
- SuperPi Mod 1.9 WP
- wPrime 2.10
External Hardware
There are more components needed such as a switch to connect the network ports which the motherboard has to offer. For this, I’m luckily equipped with a nice D-Link DXS-1210-12TC switch and a full set of CAT7 cables. We’ll also be using a power meter to check on the electricity consumption.
