Devils Canyon ATX PLX vs Skylake ITX

Hardware Hub Build a PC
1

Hey guys I'm wondering your opinions on this.
I currently have an i7 4790K I just got recently, GTX 970 G1 Gaming, 32GB RAM.
It's currently ATX size.

I am considering going ITX but the only was I can see that being plausible is if I sell current mono+ram+ GPU, and go for itx z170 + skylake K series ( better have hyperthreading!) that's coming out ( only if it supports vt-d + vt-x like my 4790K! ) as I'd like to use those 20 lanes for x16 pci-e GPU + 4 lanes for x4 pci-e M2.
I'm not sure how sata infringes on the lanes.. I'd have a 1TB SSD + 6TB Helium drive..
As for GPU, considering the new R9 nano that's coming out VS my GTX 970 G1 Gaming I've currently got..

In only considering this at this moment.. As an itx Z97 board only supports M2 pci-e2 X2 port ( to slow), which shares lanes with the pci-e3 x16 slot...

It's what im considering with moving to itx from ATX (Z97 Extreme6/ac) which does has M.2 pci-e3 X4 slot, but which shares lanes with pci-e3 X16 slot... Currently using a sata6Gbps SSD ( Sandisk Extreme 550/500 R/W) to get around using lanes of off pci-e3 X16 slot.

Also what's the real world impact of using GTX 970 at pci-e3 X8 vs X16, and am I using some of those 16 lanes from CPU if using just SATA SSD in the first place? ( on Z97 ). This board had PLX chip.

I'll format this question better when on PC..

TL;DR ~~

Skylake has 20 lanes
VS
Devils canyon has 16 lanes + PLX chip

Want to use pcie3 X4 M.2 SSD + pcie3 X16 GPU + a few SATA6 ports

Already have ATX mobo devils canyon with PLX chip + GTX 970, want to move to ITX with basically same rig but with skylake.
What's real world performance difference.
What's difference using M.2 X4 SSD on devils canyon VS skylake, + a few SATA6 ports, is it worth upgrading.
How does running GPU on X8 compare to X16

2

skylake and haswell both have 16 pci-e 3.0 lanes on the chip
Is it worth it to go with skylake?
In terms of a cpu performance perspective its not.

The only benefit that skylake has over haswell, is that the pci-e lanes that are dedicated to the chipset are gen3 instead of gen2.
So if you plan to use allot of storage then it could be worth it.
But i think that i would personaly not botter.

3

I'm not even going to bother and I'm on a 2500k. I seriously thought about it for a while though. The Ark pages are saying 16 lanes max for the 6600 and 6700. I thought they were 20 as well, but looks like they aren't.

4

I'd like to move to itx, but no pcie3 x4 M.2 slot on itx boards is a killer. The reason I mentioned possibly moving to skylake is that it's itx boards support pci-e3 x4 M.2.
I'd like to enjoy a super compact monster with an Samsung SM951-NVMe SSD , my GTX 970, 32GB RAM, and watercooling, but until I find an ITX board that has pcie3 x4 M.2 I'm out of luck for moving to ITX :( so stuck with my giant desktop (Fractal Design R4 Titanium).
I want to get the Lian-Li PC-TU100 and modify the FsCK out of it with 2x 240 rads on the bottom to WC the CPU+GPU, that way my full size GTX 970 would fit.
I could also mod it to fit a 3.5" 6TB Helium drive in it.

I really want to move to ITX and this lunchbox size pc as I can't keep using this huge ATX sized PC, I have a bad joint problem + scoliosis, so for my health, moving my PC around, without possibly dislocating many joints in my body, I need to downsize, but without compromising on performance.

I currently use a Sandisk Extreme for OS, and 6TB of drives for things. the Sandisk Extreme has measly 550MB/s / 500MB/s R/W.
Whats the point of getting an M.2 (current setup supports it, I found out that running GTX 970 at x8 is perfectly fine) if my future move to itx still doesn't support unleashing this new beautiful SSD's full speed.
I have this board currently, best feature set on any Z97 out there. ASRock Z97 Extreme6/ac
I'd look at getting this board; ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac

Another downer for the ITX board is that is only can support 30 or 42mm SSD, and only pcie2 x2 M.2..

Current setup is;
Intel Core i7 4790K @4.5GHz /w Noctua D14
(watercooling going on soon, it's sitting there, 3x120mm fat as hell rad, 1/2" ID tubing)
ASRock Z97 Extreme6/ac
32GB G.Skill 1600
Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming (OC'd)
Sandisk Extreme SSD, 8TB of drives (3TB,2TB,1TB + 2TB External)
Fractal Design R4 Titanium

What I'd ideally want;
Intel Core i7 4790K @4.5GHz /w Noctua D14
ASRock Z97E-ITX/ac if only it's M.2 slot was 2280 + pci-e 3 x4 instead of the measly pci-e 2 x 2 and only 2242
32GB G.Skill 1600
Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming (OC'd)
Samsung SM951-NVMe 512GB
6TB Helium drive.
Lian-Li PC-TU100

5

It would make more sense to wait until you do a major upgrade. I have a big XL R2 tower standing beside me.

6

well if you want mini itx and 32GB of ram?
Then the only option you have is Skylake with a Z170 mini itx board.
On Z97 mini itx you are simply limmited to 16GB DDR3 or lets say 2x8GB dimms

Skylake mini itx board support 32GB of ram, or 2x16GB DDR4 dimms.

7

Devils canyon CPU is limited to 32GB RAM, 2 x 16GB Dimms would work, although 4x 16GB Dimms won't on the full ATX board, 2 x 16GB Dimms would work on both the ATX and ITX.

8

nope
ATX / M-atx yes, mini itx nope.

9

Name me just one Z97 mini itx board that supports 32GB of DDR3?

There are a very few mini itx boards on the server grade C-series chipset platform, that supports 32GB DDR3.
But till now i only have seen an Asrock C224 Extended mini-itx, and those are not cheap.

10

I just did this major upgrade a few months ago, went from X58 with i7 920 @ 4.5GHz watercooled + 3 x GTX 280's to this Z97 with i7 4790K @4.5GHz with GTX 970.

This isn't really a "major upgrade" more a major downsizing, I can't carry my behemoth of a heavy PC everywhere when I need to (moving it up or down stairs was almost impossible, almost dislocated knee and shoulder, I'd need to call someone over just to move my pc, those joints dislocate often even without carrying anything! not to mention if I need to move my PC around).

The only real upgrade I can see I'm doing here is going from 6TB in 3 x 3.5" drives to 6TB in a single drive.
I'd be downgrading by going from the ATX to ITX.

so yeah the only things that would change immediately if I move to ITX is;
motherboard, RAM, case. ( ITX, 16GB DIMM's, Lian-Li PC-TU100 )
new HDD+SSD later, they'll be muuch cheaper when the new lot of NVMe SSD's come out early 2016.

The Fractal Design case would go in my networking cupboard as a fileserver, along with the noctual D14, and the HDD's.

I'd still boot from my 240GB 2.5" SSD when/if I move to ITX, than get the SM951-NVMe M.2 SSD later when the 512GB model is released.

if only ITX Z97 had PCI-E 3 x4 M.2's, the skylake ITX does!! also my full ATX motherboard does! the CPU has enough lanes to support it, so why are the Z97 ITX's only got the PCI-E 2 x 2 M.2 I don't understand why.... it sucks...

also, MisteryAngel, my X58 "Supported 24GB RAM" as the largest RAM DIMM's available where 4GB at the time of manufacture of that board. I had 48GB RAM in it, and people had succesfully put 96GB RAM in it using 16GB DIMM's...
So unless the ITX Boards physically limit the RAM somehow o.0 which seems impossible, 16GB DIMMS will work in it, as 16GB DIMM's are not a CPU limitation, 32GB RAM is the CPU limitation.

11

i dont think so ☺

12

heh.. research before you say something is impossible? I was running with 48GB RAM on a motherboard that "supported 24GB", and which was capable of running 96GB ECC RAM.
officially this motherboard here supports 24GB unregistered ram, and 96GB registered ECC.
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/QPI/5500/X8DTL-3F.cfm
that's one example.

13

Ye thats a server grade intel 5500 chipset board not X58.
The max mem capicity of X58 is still 48GB.
You mixup consumer grade with server grade.☺

But back ontopic.

Z97 mini itx you are limmited to 16GB DDR3.

14

But like i said in a post above its a C224 chipset, extended mini itx.
So its bigger then normal itx i think

15

shrugs I successfully used 48GB in it, didn't see why 16GB DIMM's wouldn't work. the requirement is unregistered non ECC dimms for most X58 boards.. I guess I did mix up with server and consumer grade there on the 96GB bit.

anyways I'm hoping someone actually got a Z97 board, and 16GB DIMM's laying around to see if it would work.

16

Like i said that micron board you posted is a dual socket board. sever grade, NOT X58 consumer grade.

But whatever.
Also i have never seen 16GB non ECC DDR3 modules TBH.

17

I was using the micron server board as an example, I had an X58 Gigabyte G1.Sniper with 48GB RAM in it.
Now I have a Z97 with 32GB RAM in it.
Shame that extended ITX board doesn't have M.2, and a mini-pci-e for wifi. such a nice board.
This one's nice too.
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=MT-C224#Specifications

18

well there is a diffrence between server and consumer grade

19

using 48GB RAM in the X58 board worked fine. 96GB worked in the server variant fine, simple misunderstanding.

anyways I found this on another forum.

Apparently Z87 can use 16GB DIMM's (64GB RAM) no problem, sucks that Z97 can't.

I mean.. Z97's CPU limit is 32GB so why wouldn't 16GB DIMM's work I wonder.
There are plenty 16GB non ECC DDR3 DIMM's around.

Oh also found another forum thread as to 8GB DIMM size limit on Z97 ITX.

seems it might be a limit on the CPU's memory controller to only support 8GB DIMM's.

While as 16GB DIMM's have worked on previous generation boards... so Intel screwed us over on that one.

So this means I can't actually move to ITX........ at least not until much later....

this really sucks, as I averagely use 16GB RAM, and about 20-24GB RAM while gaming and doing more intensive stuff.

wow Z97 has so many shortcomings.

20

like i said Skylake, or X99 would be your "best" option :p.
or some servergrade board.