ABIT announces the WN-2S+ (Dual Opteron SLI)

EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
edited March 2005 in Hardware
http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/server/server_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=WN-2S%2B&fMTYPE=Workstation%20Boards&pPRODINFO=Overview
Dual AMD Opteron™, 8GB DDR memory, 2 Gigabit Ethernet, 4-channel SATA II , Dual PCI-E x16 Slots

WN-2S+ supports the latest NVidia® SLI technology on a Dual AMD OpteronTM platform, it offers a flexibility of running either a single graphics card or twin boards to enhance the 3D graphics performance. The SLI technology is especially beneficial for handling huge graphics tasks such as 3D modeling and design. The support of four ports SATAII (from nForce4 Pro) answers the call for intense storage requirement. The WN-2S+ also contains 5.1 Channel AC97 Audio, S/PDIF and supports 3 IEEE1394 connectors. The features definitely make WN-2S+ one of the most powerful workstation boards out there.
«13

Comments

  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited January 2005
    omg drool
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    wow :eek2:
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    sweeeet uh? :D
    more pictures courtesy of PC Perspective
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Damn!

    On a side note - that's gotta be the smallest dual CPU board I've ever seen :thumbsup:
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    my goal, next computer that i will own, will be at least dual CPU!!!
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    primesuspect wrote:
    On a side note - that's gotta be the smallest dual CPU board I've ever seen
    Yup! :thumbsup:

    http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/server/server_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=WN-2S%2B&fMTYPE=Workstation%20Boards&pPRODINFO=Specifications

    ATX form factor 12" x 10.5" (305 x 265 mm)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    That's because they opted to go with four RAM slots instead of eight, permitting the ATX over eATX. Kudos to them, I say.
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited January 2005
    TheBaron wrote:
    omg drool

    drool ^ 2
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Wish I could have 4 2GB sticks of PC3200 DDR... but that combined with dual video cards, and dual opterons raises up a price beyond what I want to comprehend.
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    What would that come out to? Wouldn't that be more than $5000? If I ever won the lottery, I swear I'd get that set-up. I mean, Half-life 2 would run at 300FPS ;D
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    OMG I want one!
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Wow, that's got to be the best workstation board I've ever seen. :eek:
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited January 2005
    One thing I noticed when looking at the specs was that Abit is saying that the board will run with unbuffered memory too. I thought the memory controller of the Opteron procs required reg ECC memory. :scratch: Does anyone know the lowdown on this?

    It's a nice looking board though, that's for sure. :thumbsup:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Geeky and I discussed this and surmised they have have put a buffering chip on the board.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    Someone posted the following at xtreme forums:
    If you read the AMD documentation for Opteron you'll find that its just a register value to be set from the Bios on the "CG" revision Opterons.
    Abit also states that for unbuffered DIMM, "CG" Opterons are required.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    I wish they'd lose the codec audio, but otherwise a sound board. I acknowledge I'm the last man alive that still uses COM ports.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited January 2005
    :respect::respect::respect::respect:

    The Board I been Praying for. Lets hope it's >$300
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2005
    Too bad it only has one regular PCI slot (and it's not even a 64 bit slot), that one slot is in an exceptionally bad position, the power connector placement sucks and it takes EPS PSes instead of ATX PSes. It's also a pity that it only has 4 RAM slots. I think I'll stick with the Iwill DK8ES.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Good thing I have a 510w EPS12v PSU! :D
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    Too bad it only has one regular PCI slot (and it's not even a 64 bit slot), that one slot is in an exceptionally bad position, the power connector placement sucks and it takes EPS PSes instead of ATX PSes. It's also a pity that it only has 4 RAM slots. I think I'll stick with the Iwill DK8ES.
    Well, no kidding! There is no way all that integrated hardware could be jammed on such a small PCB without some compromises. This board is aimed squarely at the enthusiast market, specifically those wishing a MAJOR upgrade without having to purchase specialized racks or cases.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    Geeky1 wrote:
    Too bad it only has one regular PCI slot (and it's not even a 64 bit slot), that one slot is in an exceptionally bad position, the power connector placement sucks and it takes EPS PSes instead of ATX PSes. It's also a pity that it only has 4 RAM slots. I think I'll stick with the Iwill DK8ES.
    The guru has spoken, let's close the thread and go home... :p
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2005
    Leonardo wrote:
    Well, no kidding! There is no way all that integrated hardware could be jammed on such a small PCB without some compromises. This board is aimed squarely at the enthusiast market, specifically those wishing a MAJOR upgrade without having to purchase specialized racks or cases.

    Ah, but that raises a question: if it is indeed targeted at the enthusiast market, why does it take EPS PSes?

    To run dual channel memory on a dual Opteron, with each CPU having its own memory bank, you need 4 sticks of RAM, right? So you have no room to add RAM later...

    Oh, and you don't necessarily need a specialized case to take an E-ATX board... most full towers will take them, as will some mid towers. :)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    if it is indeed targeted at the enthusiast market, why does it take EPS PSes
    Well....good point! :scratch::D

    Good points, all; but it's still an outstanding board. Oooh, that could be so much fun.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2005
    Oh it looks like a decent board... it just doesn't appeal to me. :-/ Like I said, it doesn't have enough RAM slots, I don't like certain aspects of the layout (I'm not sure it'll fit XP-90s either now that I think about it :-/), and having a loaded dual CPU board crammed into an ATX form factor doesn't really appeal to me either. Too many compromises. I'd rather deal with the few extra inches of width that comes from an E-ATX form factor. :)
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited January 2005
    if it is indeed targeted at the enthusiast market, why does it take EPS PSes
    It's aimed at people like me, people that bought K8T Master2's and already have our Opterons, EPS PS's, registered RAM, and want to upgrade to PCI-E with SLI. It also seems that this board may actually have dual x16 slots, whereas the DK8E only has an x16 and an x2.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    Geeky1 wrote:
    Ah, but that raises a question: if it is indeed targeted at the enthusiast market, why does it take EPS PSes?
    To run dual channel memory on a dual Opteron, with each CPU having its own memory bank, you need 4 sticks of RAM, right? So you have no room to add RAM later...
    If you buy a new SLI board you'll most likely need a new PSU as well so you just buy an EPS and that's it.

    Not enough RAM? how much more than 4GB (1GB x 4 = DC) or 8GB (2GB x 4 = DC) do you need? :rolleyes:
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2005
    1GB sticks of good quality DDR400 are absurdly expensive. 512MB sticks are the best value right now. Which means that you're limited (realistically speaking) to 2GB. Furthermore, being an Abit mobo, I expect this thing to overclock, and overclock well. And I haven't seen any 1GB sticks with Samsung TCCD, BH-6 or BH-5 chips. As for the PSes... from what I've seen, most people on these forums seem to have 430-550w Antecs or Enermaxes, which will handle most SLI systems just fine.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    Do you want 8 slots to run 8 x 512?

    so which is it? too much money or not enough slots, make up your mind!
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2005
    :confused:
    Do you want 8 slots to run 8 x 512?
    Yes.
  • EQuitoEQuito SoCal, USA
    edited January 2005
    Geeky1 wrote:
    Furthermore, being an Abit mobo, I expect this thing to overclock, and overclock well.
    Well, you won't OC worth of shiet with 8 sticks of RAM that's for sure.

    Somebody close this thread please, thank you.
Sign In or Register to comment.