Best Motherboard For Intel Xeon W
Best Motherboard For Intel Xeon W
Best Motherboard For Intel Xeon W
W-2400 Processors
ByPC Reviewer April 19, 2023
Early in 2023, Intel released its most recent high-end workstation CPUs, the Xeon W-3400 and
Xeon W-2400 series. The following SKUs are part of the Xeon W-3400 series: w9-3495X, w9-
3475X, w7-3465X, w7-3455, w7-3445, w5-3435X, and w5-3425. There are also the following
SKUs for the Xeon W-2400 series: w7-2495X, w7-2475X, w5-2465X, w5-2455X, w5-2445, w3-
2435, w3-2425, and w3-2423. You need a W790 motherboard for Intel Xeon W-3400 and W-
2400 processors because the corresponding W790 chipset supports both the Xeon W-2400 and
W-3400 families. Here are the top W790 motherboards for Intel Xeon W-3400 and W-2400 CPUs
that we have reviewed and tested:
The Pro WS W790 series workstation motherboard is deftly tailored for creative professionals,
developers and engineers, unleashing the dominate performance of the latest Intel Xeon
processors, with CPU and memory overclocking capability. Featuring an optimized memory trace
layout, advanced power stage design, server-grade IPMI remote management, and ultrafast PCIe
5.0 and networking connectivity, Pro WS W790 series melds no-compromise engineering with
incredible aesthetics. ASUS W790 motherboards go above and beyond the ordinary with a
painstakingly cultivated collection of hardware validations to help ensure that your workstation
build supports a wide variety of memory, cooler, chassis, PSU and other devices.
Features:
Intel® LGA 4677 socket: Ready for Intel Xeon® W-3400 & W-2400 processors
CPU and memory overclocking: Supports for up to 2TB of ECC R-DIMM DDR5
memory (1DPC)
Ultrafast connectivity: 7 PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, Dual Intel X710-AT2 10G LAN, 3 M.2,
USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C® and 2 SlimSAS
Server-grade IPMI remote management: Hardware and software-level with a dedicated
LAN port link to AST2600 BMC controller, plus a real-time monitoring and management
software – ASUS Control Center Express
Robust power and thermal design: 14+1+1 power stages, 8-pin and 6-pin PCIe power
connectors, Massive VRM, chipset, M.2 heatsinks and M.2 backplates
Trusted stability: Highly compatible with the latest technologies with solid QVL list and
tested for 24/7 operation, validated for extensive compatibility
ASUS Pro WS W790-ACE workstation motherboard is deftly tailored for creative professionals,
developers, and engineers, unleashing the dominate performance of the latest Intel Xeon
processors, with CPU and memory overclocking capability. Featuring an optimized memory trace
layout, advanced power stage design, BMC header support, and ultrafast PCIe 5.0 and networking
connectivity, Pro WS W790 series melds no-compromise engineering with incredible aesthetics.
Features:
Intel® LGA 4677 socket: Ready for Intel Xeon® W-3400 & W-2400 processors
CPU and memory overclocking: Supports for up to 2TB of ECC R-DIMM DDR5
memory (2DPC)
Ultrafast connectivity: 5 PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, 10G & 2.5G LAN, 2 M.2, front and rear
USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C® and 3 SlimSAS
Server-grade IPMI remote management: Hardware and software-level with ASUS
IPMI expansion card support, plus a real-time monitoring and management software –
ASUS Control Center Express
Robust power and thermal design: 12+1+1 power stages, 8-pin PCIe power connector,
Massive VRM, chipset and M.2 heatsinks and M.2 backplate
Trusted stability: Highly compatible with the latest technologies with solid QVL list and
tested for 24/7 operation, validated for extensive compatibility
Supports 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® W W-3400 and W-2400 Processors (LGA4677)
20+2 Power Phase, 90A SPS Design
14 Layer Server-Grade Ultra Low-Loss PCB
Supports DDR5 ECC, buffered memory up to 6800+(OC)*
4 PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 PCIe 4.0 x16
4 Blazing M.2 (PCIe Gen5 x4), 1 U.2 mini SAS Connector (PCIe Gen4 x4), 8 SATA3
2 USB4 Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C
1 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (Front),
2 USB 3.2 Gen2 (Rear),
8 USB 3.2 Gen1 (4 Rear, 4 Front),
7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC897 Audio Codec)
Dual Marvell AQUANTIA® 10 GbE LAN
Intel® i225LM 2.5 GbE LAN
802.11ax WiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3
Supports ASRock Blazing Quad M.2 Card
Many professionals in AI training, deep learning, animation, 3D rendering, and media production
need a feature set above and beyond what’s available on standard consumer-grade motherboards.
Their work might require a large number of PCIe lanes, ECC RAM, remote management tools,
multi-GPU support, or a vast and speedy storage array. Our all-new Pro WS W790 Series
workstation motherboards give these professionals the expandable graphics, extensive storage,
impressive connectivity, and exceptional performance and reliability they need.
Historically, enthusiasts have turned to Intel’s workstation-grade Xeon processors for their
impressive core counts and trusted reliability. Peek at the latest Xeon W-3400 Series chips,
featuring up to 56 cores, 112 threads, and support for 112 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and you’ll see that
Intel’s Sapphire Rapids processors more than live up to that tradition. The Pro WS W790 Series
motherboards unlock even more performance potential from these chips with the ability to
overclock them.
Overclocking capabilities go above and beyond configurable BIOS options. The Pro WS W790
Series motherboards offer a robust power design that helps ensure reliable operation even when
you dial in an extreme overclock. The VRM on the Pro WS W790E-SAGE SE is comprised of
14+1+1 power stages ready to deliver power efficiently. Massive VRM heatsinks on the
MOSFETs and chokes keep these critical components at comfortable operating temperatures.
ProCool II connectors, equipped with solid pins for better heat dissipation, ensure a snug and
reliable connection to the 12V CPU input. Additional 8-pin and 6-pin PCIe power connectors
ensure power output stability when users need to install multiple graphics cards.
The Pro WS W790 Series motherboards feature server-grade remote management tools that keep
you in control. The Pro WS W790E-SAGE SE uses a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet controller
assigned to the onboard baseboard management controller (BMC) for the connection of IPMI
architecture. This allows administrators to remotely communicate with the BMC with remote
interfaces, including ASUS Control Center Express or a web UI , for a wide range of control
functions. Users can access similar functionality with the Pro WS W790-ACE by installing an
IPMI expansion card.
For enhanced security, increased productivity, and better protection against unauthorized access
and data leaks, you can monitor and manage these motherboards through our easy-to-use ASUS
Control Center Express (ACCE) software. This centralized IT management app is designed to
provide a convenient, effective, secure, and cost-saving solution for enterprises in any industry.
Pro WS W790 Series motherboards offer extensive storage options
Folks looking to take advantage of the performance potential of Intel’s latest Xeon CPUs almost
certainly need a platform that’s ready and waiting for a large, fast storage array. The three
onboard M.2 22110 slots on the Pro WS W790E-SAGE SE, two wired for PCIe 5.0 and one for
PCIe 4.0, make it easy to install an initial set of drives. Dedicated heatsinks help ensure
comfortable operating temperatures, and M.2 backplate blocks on select slots go even further to
ensure that you get peak performance from your next-gen drives. Combine them together in a
RAID array for data redundancy, increased performance, or both. All three are cooled with built-
in heatsinks, and our M.2 Q-Latch system allows for tool-free installation. To connect even more
high-speed storage, onboard SlimSAS slots let you connect industrial SSDs — not to mention
server and networking equipment — through the fast PCIe 4.0 interface.
The Pro WS W790E-SAGE SE lets you augment your available storage even further with its dual
onboard 10G LAN ports powered by the cutting-edge Intel X710-AT2 Ethernet controller. These
ports will make short work of multi-terabyte transfers from your network attached storage (NAS)
and provide server-grade connectivity with low latency.
Sleek and sophisticated, with dark hues and complementary textures, the Pro WS W790E-SAGE
SE balances professional aesthetics and reliable functionality. This high-end motherboard targets
the needs of users looking to take advantage of Intel’s top-of-the-line Sapphire Rapids chips. With
8 slots for up to 2TB of ECC R-DIMM DDR5 RAM, it’s primed to give you unbounded memory
performance.
Multi-GPU layouts power many professional workloads these days, including modeling,
simulation, and rendering applications. The Pro WS W790E-SAGE SE gets your rig up and
running with 7 total PCIe 5.0 x16 slots. Featuring our Safeslot design, these PCIe slots have a
reinforced metal sheath that helps keep the cards firmly installed.
Plentiful connectivity gives you the options you need for your workstation. Dual 10G Ethernet
ports, kept cool with a dedicated heatsink, give you high-speed networking and speedy transfers
to and from your NAS. A rich selection of high-speed USB ports stands ready for a wide range of
use cases, and the dedicated BMC LAN port enables comprehensive remote management.
Socket LGA4677
SATA ports 8
SlimSAS slots 2
BIOS Flashback
Features
ASUS Control Center Express
The Pro WS W790-ACE caters to mainstream professionals
The Pro WS W790-ACE brings the advantages of the new W790 platform to a wider audience.
Outfitted with a beefy power solut tsinks for its VRM, it’s ready for stable, reliable overclocking.
8 RAM slots let you run up to 2TB of ECC R-DIMM RAM in a quad-channel configuration.
With its 5 PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, multi-GPU arrangements are once again on the menu. And the three
SlimSAS slots provide advanced storage options.
Socket LGA4677
SATA ports 4
SlimSAS slots 3
BIOS Flashback
Features
ASUS Control Center Express
Gigabyte
MW83-RP0 (rev. 1.0)
Intel® Xeon® W Workstation Board
Intel® Xeon® W-3400 with up to 112 PCIe 5.0 lanes for multi-GPU support gives creators more
configuration flexibility to equip the variety combination of hardware accelerators.
MW83-RP0 equips several new components to ensure the best PCIe 5.0 signal bandwidth and
quality, including low-loss PCB, PCIe Slots, Re-drivers, Switches that are specifically designed
for PCIe 5.0. There will be no compromise on PCIe 5.0 performance on PCIe interface.
Plentiful NVMe and SATA Storage interface can fulfill your hot and cold data processing
requirement at once.
Connectivity
Dual Intel® 10GbE LAN
The Intel® X710-AT2 supports 2 x 10GbE configuration which is the foundation for server
connectivity, providing broad interoperability, critical performance optimizations, and increased
agility for Communications, Cloud, and Enterprise IT network solutions.
Hardware Security
Optional TPM 2.0 Module
For hardware-based authentication, the passwords, encryption keys, and digital certificates are
stored in a TPM module to prevent unwanted users from gaining access to your data. GIGABYTE
TPM modules come in either a Serial Peripheral Interface or Low Pin Count bus.
Value-added Management
For management and maintenance of a server or a small cluster, users can use the GIGABYTE
Management Console, which is pre-installed on each server. Once the servers are running, IT staff
can perform real-time health monitoring and management on each server through the browser-
based graphical user interface. In addition, the GIGABYTE Management Console also provides:
Support for standard IPMI specifications that allows users to integrate services into a single
platform through an open interface
Automatic event recording, which can record system behavior 30 seconds before an event
occurs, making it easier to determine subsequent actions
Integrate SAS/SATA/NVMe devices and RAID controller firmware into GIGABYTE Management
Console to monitor and control Broadcom® MegaRAID adapters.
GIGABYTE Server Management (GSM)
GSM is a software suite that can manage clusters of servers simultaneously over the internet.
GSM can be run on all GIGABYTE servers and has support for Windows and Linux. GSM can
be downloaded from GIGABYTE website and complies with IPMI and Redfish standards. GSM
includes a complete range of system management functions that includes the following utilities:
GSM Server: A software program that provides real-time, remote control using a graphical user
interface through an administrator’s computer or through a server in the cluster. The software
allows ease of maintenance for large clusters of servers.
GSM CLI: A command-line interface for monitoring and managing remotely.
GSM Agent: A software program installed on each GIGABYTE server node that retrieves
information from each system and devices through the OS, and this software integrates with
GSM Server or GSM CLI.
GSM Mobile: A mobile app for both Android and iOS that provides admins with real-time system
information.
GSM Plugin: An application program interface that allows users to use VMware vCenter for real-
time monitoring and management of server clusters.