ASRock Ditches Intel Ethernet, Cuts Price of Threadripper Pro Motherboard by $356
ASRock has quietly released Revision 2.0 of its WRX80 Creator motherboards for AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper Pro processors. That’s more than $350 cheaper than revision 1.0 of the same mainboard released in August of this year. The only difference between the two boards? The new model uses Marvell’s Aquantia 10GbE controller instead of the Intel 10GbE controller.
Other than the 10GbE controller, ASRock’s WRX80 Creator motherboards are completely identical. Both use a 14-layer printed circuit board (which is rarely used even on enthusiast grade motherboards designed for overclockers). Both boards come with a voltage regulation module (VRM) featuring Infineon’s premium DrMOS power stage, ensuring long life and generally designed for reliability and durability. You can compare platform features and capabilities at: ASRock websiteor use the simple table below.
Both motherboards are currently available at Newegg.New ASRock WRX80 Creator Revision 2.0 Cost $899 (opens in new tab)ASRock WRX80 Creator Revision 1.0 price is $1256 (opens in new tab)The reference to revision 2.0 on Newegg’s website is @momomo_usThis is because ASRock has not officially released new versions of their products.
Both motherboards support AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper Pro CPUs for high-end workstations, supporting up to 2TB of DDR4-3200 memory with 8 channels and 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes (non-Pro 72 in TR) distributed over 7 PCIe. 4.0 x16 (electrical), M.2-2280, and U.2 Gen4 x4 slots.
It also has all the great I/O features you can think of, including two 10GbE ports (with Intel in rev 1.0 and Marvell Aquantia in rev 2.0), Wi-Fi-6E, Thunderbolt 4, 8 SATA connectors, and 7.1 channels. I’m here. Audio with headset amplifier, built-in KVM, and Aspeed’s AST 2500 BMC for remote management.
In general, there doesn’t seem to be any difference between the two ASRock’s WRX80 Creator motherboards other than the 10GbE controller. But many enterprise clients (who will likely buy workstation-grade hardware) need Intel network controllers because their IT department knows how to manage them. Intel’s controllers also support Energy Efficient Ethernet 802.3az functionality. This is an important feature for business users.
In contrast, ASRock’s WRX80 Revision 2.0 with a Marvell 10GbE controller offers similar performance for $350 less. This is definitely an important factor for the boutique workstation maker and his DIY enthusiast to consider. Are Intel’s 10GbE controllers worth more?
