Asus' new cryptomining motherboard supports up to 20 graphics cards

[midian182]

What just happened? The cryptomining boom might be past its peak, meaning that GPU prices are finally on their way down, but that hasn't stopped Asus from bringing out a mining motherboard that supports twenty graphics cards via PCIe-over-USB ports.

Last year, Asus announced the B250 Mining Expert—a cryptomining mobo that supports 19 GPUs. The company said it sold so well that it decided to create a follow up, the H370 Mining Master, which not only adds support for an extra graphics card, bringing the total to twenty, but also includes several improvements.

Instead of featuring a single full-length PCIe slot alongside 18 1 X PCIe slots for riser cards like its predecessor, the H370 features 20 PCIe-over-USB ports, thereby allowing a riser’s USB cable to connect directly to the motherboard. Asus says the direct connection is "sturdier than using a PCIe card, with less chance of inadvertent disconnects." There’s even room to add a dual slot GPU directly onto the board.

Not only does the H370 simplify the process of connecting multiple graphics cards, but it also comes with a number of diagnostic features, including GPU State Detection, which scans the state of each riser port at boot to determine which GPUs are plugged in and whether they’re functioning. There’s also a State Detection GUI that assigns each port an alphanumeric ID to make it easier to identify where any issues are originating.

Here is a full list of the H370’s specs:

• Size – ATX, 12” x 9.1”
• Socket – LGA 1151 for Intel 8th Gen Core / Pentium / Celeron processors
• Memory – 2 x DIMMs (max. 32GB), DDR4 2666 / 2400 / 2133 MHz, Non-ECC, unbuffered memory
• PCIe – 1 x PCIe x16 slot
• Storage – 2 x Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors
• Networking – 1 x Intel Gigabit LAN
• USB GPU Riser Ports – 20 x Vertical USB ports over PCIe
• USB Ports – 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 4 x USB 2.0 / 1.1 ports
• Other Ports – 1 x COM header

Asus is aiming for the H370 to arrive in the US sometime during Q3 2018. No word yet on price, but expect it to be similar or slightly more than the B250, which retails at around $150.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/74872-asus-unveils-new-cryptomining-motherboard-supports-up-20.html

 

[Puiu]

At 150-200$ it's not that bad of a deal.

 

[VitalyT]

 

[ShagnWagn]

So, ASUS is directly responsible for encouraging the video card prices to skyrocket? Here I thought they were for gamers. I guess it's time to boycott them?

 

[Uncle Al]

LOL .... looks like the boys in the board design department are coming up a little short in new ideas ......

 

[NeoFlux]

New ASUS product series: "RoM"

 

[Evernessince]

So, ASUS is directly responsible for encouraging the video card prices to skyrocket? Here I thought they were for gamers. I guess it's time to boycott them?

Any company claiming to be for gamers is doing so to make money.

 

[ShagnWagn]

Any company claiming to be for gamers is doing so to make money.

Ah, true. I guess it gives them a reason to up-charge everything if they add the world "game" to it. Even though it doesn't necessarily help on gaming in any degree.

 

[Ratlop]

I am done with asus

 

[MaikuTech]

I could just see the countless doa or rma return complaints soon to be owners of that mobo during the next 6 months.

 

[HyPeroxya]

Think of all slots being inhabited with 580/ 1060's and being used for GAMING , that , surely could play Crysis, AOTS in 8k? or password cracking ..

 

[SingularitE]

In my opinion the new mining MB needed only a previous gen H270 chipset for the same 20 PCIe x1 slots instead of PCIe-over-USB, with the few extra features and 2 extra SATA ports, without missing anything but onboard HD audio. Then it could have been more affordable and much more flexible for mining/GPGPU and file server. In the current form I don't recommend it over the previous model.

 

[captaincranky]

In my opinion the new mining MB needed only a previous gen H270 chipset for the same 20 PCIe x1 slots instead of PCIe-over-USB, with the few extra features and 2 extra SATA ports, without missing anything but onboard HD audio. Then it could have been more affordable and much more flexible for mining/GPGPU and file server. In the current form I don't recommend it over the previous model.

If you're considering populating this board with 20 high end GPUs, why would a few dollars difference in the price of the board even matter?

 

[centrino207]

And have to have the motherboard open to dust and dirt running a USB cable to external GPU that plugs into open USB slot on the motherboard. And we are going to have to buy 20 external GPU?

No thanks.

It be lucky such a board last 5 years being open and not close up in a case with all the dust and dirt.

 

[centrino207]

So, ASUS is directly responsible for encouraging the video card prices to skyrocket? Here I thought they were for gamers. I guess it's time to boycott them?

Capitalism.

It being going on for years and they had enough time by now to deal with such a problem when comes GOU cost and RAM cost for miners.

I'm surprised there no GPUs made just for miners.

An special GPU made just for miners for profit.

 

[SingularitE]

If you're considering populating this board with 20 high end GPUs, why would a few dollars difference in the price of the board even matter?

I don't need it right now but with the new model launched I thought about the best choice for upgrading to a mining MB especially since prices came down to normal for all models and brands at ~$150 for a 19/13/12 GPU MB. For the same price the Mining Expert is a clear winner but not so sure about the upcoming Mining Master.
And BTW, I don't intend to use 20 high end GPUs just many many cheap cool stuff