Skylake Micro-ATX motherboard with DisplayPort

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Wardrop

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Jul 30, 2011
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Here's a task for someone. Find me a Micro-ATX motherboard using one of the 100-series Intel chipsets that has both HDMI and DisplayPort.

It's 2015... why do I still need to hunt around for motherboards with modern connectors? They all have VGA and DVI, but only a couple of ATX motherboards have DisplayPort.
 
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Wardrop

Member
Jul 30, 2011
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Yep, just found that one actually. Pretty sad that out of ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI... there exists only one Micro-ATX 100-series motherboard that has DisplayPort. Tell you what though, the Asrock H170M Pro4 ticks all the boxes. Four PCI-e slots, four DIMMs, HDMI + DisplayPort, M.2, and all on the lower end of the price scale. Perfect for my planned HTPC upgrade.
 
VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
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Yeah, that board is on my short-list. If I get a locked SKL CPU, I might get that one. My other choice was the Gigabyte Z170X-UD5.
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
16,990
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Displayport is fairly "exclusive" - most of them have HDMI though, which I'd think would be more important for an HTPC anyways? At least for most consumers.
 
vailr

vailr

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,365
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This mATX Z170 board includes a Display Port:
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII GENE LGA 1151 Intel Z170:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132569
However: what's also missing in all Z170 boards is: HDMI 2.0 ports for the Intel video output. Even most graphics cards are still only offering HDMI 1.4 ports. The only exceptions (that Newegg's search results provide) are: two GTX 980 Ti video cards, with the least expensive one priced at ~$650.
 
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Wardrop

Member
Jul 30, 2011
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dave_the_nerd said:
Displayport is fairly "exclusive" - most of them have HDMI though, which I'd think would be more important for an HTPC anyways? At least for most consumers.
Click to expand...

Yeah but I always like to keep the option of repurposing open. Plus, if I ever wanted to drive 4k/60p, DisplayPort's got me covered where as HDMI 1.4 doesn't. Plus, it's kind of just a matter of principle. I don't want to pay $160 for a motherboard that only has two legacy video connectors, and only one of the two modern connectors.
 
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wpcoe

Senior member
Nov 13, 2007
586
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Are there any Z170 micro-ATX motherboards with DisplayPort? I'm looking for:

(a) IGP support for a 4k monitor @ 60Hz, and
(b) support for >2133MHz RAM.

Does such an animal exist?

I'm considering the ASRock H170M Pro4 mentioned above, but the H170 chipset limits RAM speed to 2133MHz, no?
 
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Wardrop

Member
Jul 30, 2011
38
0
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Another Micro-ATX Z170 board: http://asrock.com/m/index.asp#Z170M%20OC%20Formula=Features

I don't expect it to be cheap though.
 
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wpcoe

Senior member
Nov 13, 2007
586
2
81
Thanks! I can't tell you how many searches I tried and didn't find those mobos. I was even using NewEggs's feature search.

Now, to see if I can justify the higher price just for faster RAM...
 
Magic Carpet

Magic Carpet

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2011
3,477
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If you want modern connectors, get a proper discrete graphics card like GTX 950 or GTX 960.
 
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wpcoe

Senior member
Nov 13, 2007
586
2
81
That SuperMicro board has potential. The price is better, but I'm skeptical/paranoid that its DisplayPort doesn't display full 4K video. Even on the SuperMicro web page for the board and in the downloaded user manual there is no mention of resolutions supported by the various video ports, which I find curious.

I found a BRIX NUC-type computer which has mini-DP, but it does not support full 4K (4096), only 3840, hence my reticence to just assume all DP support full 4K. (For some reason, I can't link to the Gigabyte web page with specs for the BRIX, but here's a copy of it on a review site.)
 
nerp

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
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Tough deal for the size you're after. You have to compromise by getting a discrete card as others have mentioned or sacrifice size and go with a larger form factor.
 
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Wardrop

Member
Jul 30, 2011
38
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I'm not sure whether the display plugged into that adapter would run off the iGPU, or an embedded graphics accelerator on the dongle itself. One thing I do know is that this is not using USB-C alt mode, as if my understanding is correct, USB-C alt mode wouldn't require an active adapter, and the adapter itself would have very specific hardware requirements. It would be completely passive.

Long story short, yes, it would work on a Skylake processor as well as just about every other processor. This adapter would be more OS dependant than hardware.
 
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wpcoe

Senior member
Nov 13, 2007
586
2
81
Interesting. I never considered that the adapter might have embedded graphics acceleration capability. But, you confirmed my bottom line: It would work with a Skylake CPU, so any Z170/H170 mobo with USB3.1 Type C port can be a candidate.

I wonder about needing a Gen.2 (10Gpbs) USB3.1 port for use with the adapter, as some of the mobos I've looked at have Gen.1 (5Gbps).

I need to dig out a USB3 docking station I bought for a Yoga 2 Pro notebook a year or so ago. Not sure, but it might have DP. If so, it might be useful. Now, if I can remember where it is. Edited to add: The docking station is only "HDMI and DVI supporting 1080p and up to 2048x1152 resolution."
 
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