When we first saw mention of the Supermicro X13SWA-TF motherboard based on Intel’s W790 chipset set to power upcoming workstations as well as high-end desktops based on Sapphire Rapids CPUs, we barely had any details about it. Now, thanks to our colleagues from Chiphell who revealed its picture, we can tell more.
Aas mentioned, the Supermicro X13SWA-TF motherboard is based on W790, a workstation-grade chipset. So it comes in an E-ATX form factor, which is used for workstations, desktops, and tower servers. Speaking of workstations and tower servers, the platform indeed has an Aspeed remote management processor.
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One of the first things that strikes the eye is an eight-phase solid-state voltage regulating module for Intel’s LGA4677 processor. To feed the beast, there are two EPS connectors. While the number of phases may not exactly impress overclockers, we are talking about an ultra-high-end product aimed mostly at workstation users who utmost value stability and longevity. For the same reason, the board features a four-phase VRM for its eight-channel memory subsystem.
Being a motherboard aimed at demanding users, the Supermicro X13SWA-TF also features four M.2-2280 slots for SSDs fed directly from the CPU. The board also brings six PCIe x16 slots, five of which are connected to the CPU and therefore support the PCIe 5.0 protocol. Meanwhile, there is no word about exact bifurcation or CXL support, though. Also, there are two U.2 connectors and a multitude of SATA connectors for bulk storage.
Since the Supermicro X13SWA-TF is aimed at a variety of applications, including desktop workstations, it also features an audio codec and appropriate 3.5-mm connectors.
We know from an early leak that the X13SWA-TF is going to be priced in the ballpark of ultra-high-end enthusiast-grade motherboards, yet the mystery remains when exactly this one will hit the market. For those who have been waiting — considering that now both AMD and Intel have given up on so-called extreme workstations — availability might be the most important question.