Why I ditched X299 for Ryzen X370

Hardware
1

Not too long ago I was running a system with an ab350 pro4 and a 1500x processor as a temporary test system. I was having some issues with passthrough with the audio and some usb ports. But overall linux worked well and no issues on dmesg. Decided it as time to upgrade as there was a limitation with b350 chipset.

I upgraded to a i9 7900x and MSI X299 SLI Plus. Don’t get me wrong it is a powerful chip, that tends to run a little hot. But nevertheless it has great support but after testing for a week there were just a few things that didn’t cut it for me. I was experiencing clock drift issues and serious vm hangs that didn’t occur on the previous ryzen system. After reading technical articles on Redhat, I messed around with kernel parameters and xml settings within virsh trying to fix the clock drift. Eventually I got the guest to sync properly with the programs i was running, however the guest hangs still remained.

Another thing I found out is that the sata ports, dual nvme drives, and whatever else is routed through the PCH ends up in a severe bottleneck, because the connections don’t physically use the lanes from the CPU.

Apart from the clock issues and the chipset limitation, there is also no ECC support. Granted, if I truly wanted full ECC support I would pick up a server motherboard, but even some Ryzen x370 boards offer ECC support to an extent. I feel like Intel cut corners on this one. (Skylake-X).

On the bright side I picked up a R7 1700 and a Crosshair VI Hero today for $600 less than the Intel system. It may not be an X299 system, but for my needs it is very close!

IOMMU GROUPS:

IOMMU Group 0 00:01.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 1 00:01.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1453]
IOMMU Group 2 00:01.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1453]
IOMMU Group 3 00:02.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 4 00:03.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 5 00:03.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1453]
IOMMU Group 6 00:03.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1453]
IOMMU Group 7 00:04.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 8 00:07.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 9 00:07.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus B [1022:1454]
IOMMU Group 10 00:08.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452]
IOMMU Group 11 00:08.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus B [1022:1454]
IOMMU Group 12 00:14.0 SMBus [0c05]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller [1022:790b] (rev 59)
IOMMU Group 12 00:14.3 ISA bridge [0601]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge [1022:790e] (rev 51)
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 0 [1022:1460]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 1 [1022:1461]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 2 [1022:1462]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 3 [1022:1463]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 4 [1022:1464]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.5 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 5 [1022:1465]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.6 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric Device 18h Function 6 [1022:1466]
IOMMU Group 13 00:18.7 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-0fh) Data Fabric: Device 18h; Function 7 [1022:1467]
IOMMU Group 14 01:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd NVMe SSD Controller SM961/PM961 [144d:a804]
IOMMU Group 15 02:00.0 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b9] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 02:00.1 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b5] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 02:00.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b0] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:00.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:02.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:03.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:04.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:05.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:06.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 03:07.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:43b4] (rev 02)
IOMMU Group 15 04:00.0 USB controller [0c03]: ASMedia Technology Inc. Device [1b21:1343]
IOMMU Group 15 05:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Intel Corporation I211 Gigabit Network Connection [8086:1539] (rev 03)
IOMMU Group 16 0b:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 [GeForce GTX 1080] [10de:1b80] (rev a1)
IOMMU Group 16 0b:00.1 Audio device [0403]: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 High Definition Audio Controller [10de:10f0] (rev a1)
IOMMU Group 17 0c:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 [GeForce GT 730] [10de:0f02] (rev a1)
IOMMU Group 17 0c:00.1 Audio device [0403]: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 High Definition Audio Controller [10de:0bea] (rev a1)
IOMMU Group 18 0d:00.0 Non-Essential Instrumentation [1300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:145a]
IOMMU Group 19 0d:00.2 Encryption controller [1080]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1456]
IOMMU Group 20 0d:00.3 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] USB3 Host Controller [1022:145c]
IOMMU Group 21 0e:00.0 Non-Essential Instrumentation [1300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1455]
IOMMU Group 22 0e:00.2 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1022:7901] (rev 51)
IOMMU Group 23 0e:00.3 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Device [1022:1457]
5 Likes
2

Yeah unfortunatlly that is a very annoying thing about X299.
This is al because X299 boards also have to support Kabylake-X cpu´s.
Its a totally pointless move from intel, because it leaves mobo manufacturers with headaches like that.

Its the same story on the vrm side of things, they have to add additional phases because of the kabylake-X cpu´s needing additional imput rails, cause they dont have a Fivr like Skylake-X.
And that only is a useless waste of space and adds more costs to a board.
Those Kabylake-X cpu’s are useless anyways.
X299 platform as far as i´m concerned is kinda a mess at certain points.

1 Like
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So far I’m able to pass through a usb hub, sata controller, and nvme drive. I’m also sure it’s possible to pass through another graphics card on the pcie x4 slot on the bottom slot for another vm, but then that would be pushing it.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2018 since now we are seeing more cores on the mainstream / high end market.

4

With the Crosshair 6 Hero and the latest bios patches it should be possible to get passtrough working on gpu´s yeah.
With a B350 board it “might” work, however your second pci-e slot is limmited.

5

Nah not really. More because that is the only place to get the PCIE lanes.

Intel nerfed the Skylake-X CPUs so bad in terms of actual PCIE lanes from the CPU (because that is cheaper and segmentation forcing people up the product stack). Using a switch and running everything through the PCH is cheaper and easier and allows you to still advertise more lanes.

Motherboard vendors realized most people prob won’t be dropping a grand on a CPU so they had to wire that stuff through the board because they couldn’t count on all the PCIE lanes from the CPU since now you need at least the 10 core to get the 44.

So yeah while that would effect Kaby more it is more a symptom of the entire X299 line being gimped to oblivion in order to segment and upsell.

X299 really is a disaster and Intel at its worst.

6

Yeah thats also pretty bad aswell.
That they gimped 6 cores down to 28 lanes is fine to me.
But that they also gimped the 8 core is just totally rediculous.
Its just a mess.
Not that TR is all awesome it also has it bugs,
but they atleast AMD doesnt really screw us wen it comes to pci-e lanes.

My next build will definitelly be AMD again.

7

TLDR X299 is lazy.

3 Likes
8

Supporting Kaby Lake definitely caused more headaches. Lazy motherboard vendors probably made it worse. I’m wondering if there are going to be new motherboards that will be more suited towards the 44 lane cpu’s.

9

Well you basiclly could get nvme ssd’s at their full potential with 44 lanes cpu.
But then you have to buy pci-e adapters for it, plugging them directlly into a pci-e slot.

10

Not to mention getting 16 cores for $1000 instead of 10, and not pulling 500W overclocked, and not running hotter than the sun because mayonnaise.

Doubtful.

Most people buying X299 really don’t care about that kind of stuff as it is and it really is a highly niche product. TBH it really only exists because they had to put something out and AMD was making them look bad. It was a rushed, panic fueled launch.

Maybe on the KabyLake-X parts they will learn and we;ll see new motherboards like that but at that point they’ll probably change the socket so Skylake X doesn’t work lol

11

There is the Asus X299 Sage, which still isn’t too available in the States; however Asus claims that the U.2 connectors are only available on the 44 lane cpu’s. So perhaps that is one board that is designed a bit better than the others.