Key Lessons Learned
We certainly learned a few things on our first LGA4710 motherboard review. First, the Granite Rapids Xeon 6700P series and R1S processors are going to be great in Q1 2025 for platforms like this. Birtch Stream is a much more modern platform that omits features like the PCH and built-in SATA connectivity. It is great to see ASRock Rack with a modern implementation of an Intel platform.
The other aspect to this is that the Xeon 6700 series is Intel’s smaller socket. The Xeon 6900E/ Xeon 6900P are really the main competitors to AMD EPYC 9005 Turin. If that is the case, then the Xeon 6700 series is the lower-power platform. Does that put it competitively against the AMD EPYC 8004 “Siena”? Here is the ASRock Rack SIENAD8-2L2T, which has a lot of similarities. Perhaps the GNRD8-2L2T is really a step between the EPYC 8004 “Siena” and the Intel Xeon 6900/ AMD EPYC Turin.
For customers, this is great, and ASRock Rack has options in a similar form factor with a number of different CPU options.
Final Words
The ASRock Rack GNRD8-2L2T is a neat motherboard. There is a lot of connectivity and the ability to support different Intel Xeon 6 single socket solutions with the various Xeon 6700 series processors makes it quite versatile. One can build a Xeon 6700E series that is competitive with efficient Arm platforms today, and next quarter get high-end P-cores and more I/O.
Overall, this is a great platform if you are looking to build a single-socket Intel Xeon 6700 series server.
There is some sort of connector directly above the fan headers shown both in your photos and asrocks but missing from the manual, it’s mentioned in the 3d models as a 60 pin board to board connector but i’m not sure what it would be used for(i’ve seen dell do something similar for modular idrac but this is in the wrong location) Any idea what it is for?
@Daniel Smith
Based on the component designators silkscreened onto the solder resist, I’m guessing that’s a MIPI port for something. What, I have no clue. It’s actually marked “MIPI1” if you look closely at the board in the larger photo.
How long does it take to POST? It would be nice if eliminating the PCH improved boot time.