The ASRock X399 Taichi Motherboard Review: Cost-Effective Threadripper
by E. Fylladitakis on October 26, 2018 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- AMD
- ASRock
- ThreadRipper
- X399
Board Features
The ASRock X399 Taichi is a motherboard that was designed to cover the needs of as many users as possible, without explicit focus on any precise user's group, such as gamers, overclockers, or professionals. It has an excellent audio circuitry, dual Gigabit LAN and USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, as well as three M.2 slots, one U.2 port, and eight SATA ports. What it does not have is any of the latest features that we see on top-tier motherboards, like 10G LAN and 802.11ad WiGig, which are what significantly increases the manufacturing cost and, ultimately, the retail price of those motherboards.
| ASRock X399 Taichi | |
| Warranty Period | 3 Years |
| Product Page | Link |
| Price | Link |
| Size | ATX |
| CPU Interface | TR4 / SP3r2 |
| Chipset | AMD X399 |
| Memory Slots (DDR4) | Eight DDR4 Supporting 128GB Dual Channel Up to 3600+ MHz |
| Video Outputs | N/A |
| Network Connectivity | 2 x Intel I211-V 1 x Intel 3168 802.11ac |
| Onboard Audio | Realtek ALC 1220 |
| PCIe Slots for Graphics (from CPU) | 4 × PCIe 3.0 (×16 / ×8 / ×16 / ×8) |
| PCIe Slots for Other (from PCH) | 1 × PCIe 2.0 (×1) |
| Onboard SATA | Eight, RAID 0/1/5/10 |
| Onboard SATA Express | None |
| Onboard M.2 | 3 × PCIe 3.0 (×4) |
| Onboard U.2 | 1 × U.2 Connector (×4) |
| USB 3.1 Gen 2 | 1 × Type-C + 1 × Type-A (Rear panel) |
| USB 3.1 Gen 1 | 8 × Type-A Rear Panel 4 × Type-A via headers |
| USB 2.0 | 4 × via headers |
| Power Connectors | 1 x 24-pin ATX 1 x 8-pin CPU 1 x 4-pin CPU 1 × 6-pin PCIe |
| Fan Headers | 1 x CPU (4-pin) 1 x Pump/Aux (4-pin) 2 x System (4-pin) 1 x System (4-pin) w/ liquid cooling pump support |
| IO Panel | 8 x USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1) 1 x USB 3.1 Type-A 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C 2 x Network RJ-45 2 x Antenna connectors 5 x 3.5 mm Audio Jacks 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port 1 x Flashback CMOS button |
In The Box
We get the following:
- Driver Disk
- Quick Installation Guide
- User's manual
- Case Badge
- Four black SATA cables (two straight, two with a 90° connector)
- SLI/Crossfire bridges (2, 3, and 4-Way)
- Wireless antennas
- I/O Shield
The bundle of the ASRock X399 Taichi is simple and straightforward, without superfluities. Inside the box, we found a simple manual and a quick installation guide, only four SATA cables, two simple wireless antennas without extension cords, the I/O shield, and three SLI bridges for two/three/four-way SLI configurations. Users will have to purchase their own SATA cables in order to use more than four SATA devices. There are no cable straps, quick connectors, stickers, or any other luxuries included.
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Atari2600 - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
I have one - very happy with it and would not hesitate to recommend it - but note there are two version of the Threadripper Taichi.The 128GB memory capacity version (X399 Taichi) and a 64GB memory limited one (X399M Taichi), which would be quite a bit cheaper.
If you get the chance to ask ASRock, would be nice to see if the X399M has a performance differential to the X399. i.e. is it a good option to get onto the platform for cheap?
AdditionalPylons - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
The memory slots (4 vs 8) isn't the only differences. X399 Taichi is ATX, while X399M Taichi is mATX. For example the smaller has one less PCIe x16, only 1 instead of 3 m.2 slots, no PCIe x1 (vs 1 on the larger). These are common tradeoffs with mATX (or to a larger extent mini-ITX). Not that it is a limit for me or many others. I'd still go for mini-ITX next time I build a PC.LeadbyFaith21 - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
Actually the mATX Taichi still has 3 M.2, the other two are to the right of the RAM slots. I'm also pretty sure it's using the same VRM as the ATX version, so the only "compromise" of it is half the RAM slots and 1 less PCIe x16 slot.kobblestown - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
This may come as a little pedantic but the X399M has one less PCIe x8 slot. It actually has 1 *more* PCIe x16 slot because it's 3*PCIe x16 whereas its big brother is 2*PCIe x16 + 2*PCIe x8LeadbyFaith21 - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
Yeah, I forgot about lane allocation difference, I was just thinking full length slots.The_Assimilator - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
No, there are not "two versions", there is an ATX-format board which is reviewed here, and then there's the mATX X399M. As the different model numbers imply, they are completely different boards.Atari2600 - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
"two versions of the Threadripper Taichi"What part of that is wrong?
PeachNCream - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
What do Chinese martial arts, HEDT CPUs, and large metal gears all have in common? Nothing at all! Yet ASRock proves once again that a disjointed mashup rivaling Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by taking a combination so naturally suited to comedy with an altogether too serious fashion can indeed land sales among people inexplicably drawn to such an unusual merger in order to claim ownership over a high core count braggart-box desktop in a world that revolves instead around price-gouging smartphones. Shine on you crazy ASRock diamond. Shine on.rav10101 - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
Made my day.Agent Smith - Friday, October 26, 2018 - link
Very entertaining post