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    FYI: there's something cool coming from PC Engines

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • J
      jwt Netgate
      last edited by

      DPDK is not tied to quickassist.

      But a 1GHz part isn't going to be that fast, either.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • ?
        Guest
        last edited by

        I am left wondering why they chose to keep the same 6" x 6" form factor of the old board, instead of Nano-ITX or Mini-ITX.

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        • ?
          Guest
          last edited by

          @jwt:

          DPDK is not tied to quickassist.

          But a 1GHz part isn't going to be that fast, either.

          Thanks for enlighten us in this case. but why then some board vendors do promotion likes this for their boards?
          Supports Intel DPDK enabling software

          Because if this would not be tend to AES-NI or QuickAssist, what is the goal for this DPDK option?

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          • J
            jwt Netgate
            last edited by

            @Phishfry:

            I am left wondering why they chose to keep the same 6" x 6" form factor of the old board, instead of Nano-ITX or Mini-ITX.

            To fit their cases, just like the Alix and APU have the same footprint and external connectors.

            The mistake is that they kept the same CPU down with a heat-spreader attached to the case design.  That's (still) gonna suck.

            BTW, I posted about this board back in January:
            https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=83075.msg474524#msg474524

            RCC-DFF is better.

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            • L
              lfam
              last edited by

              @jwt:

              RCC-DFF is better.

              Perhaps, but the apu2b4 will cost about $100 less when you include the case and power supply. Assuming the current prices and CHF->USD exchange rate holds.

              How much of an issue is heat dissipation for the apu1d4? Does it affect performance or does it just "run hot"?

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              • J
                jwt Netgate
                last edited by

                Perhaps, but the apu2b4 will cost about $100 less when you include the case and power supply. Assuming the current prices and CHF->USD exchange rate holds.

                There is only $50 delta in the boards.  Where is your other $50?  Show your work.  8)

                How much of an issue is heat dissipation for the apu1d4? Does it affect performance or does it just "run hot"?

                Eventually you will either have to either throttle the CPUs (from 1GHz to… lower), or things crash (because some other component gets too hot.)

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                • jahonixJ
                  jahonix
                  last edited by

                  @lfam:

                  How much of an issue is heat dissipation for the apu1d4?

                  APU cooling is so critical that only black and red chassis are advised.
                  A silver chassis's thermal transportation capacity (heat coefficient) is too low.

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                  • L
                    lfam
                    last edited by

                    @jwt:

                    Perhaps, but the apu2b4 will cost about $100 less when you include the case and power supply. Assuming the current prices and CHF->USD exchange rate holds.

                    There is only $50 delta in the boards.  Where is your other $50?  Show your work.  8)

                    http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-DFF-2220.aspx
                    Board, case, power supply: $275

                    http://pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=48881
                    apu2b4 board: CHF 143.13
                    case1d2blku: CHF 10.04
                    ac12vus: CHF 4.38
                    According to google's currency exchange rates, that is $159.62.

                    It's actually more than $100 difference, although you'll need to supply some storage for the apu2b4. However, it includes double the RAM, and ECC at that.

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                    • B
                      bennyc
                      last edited by

                      @jwt:

                      The mistake is that they kept the same CPU down with a heat-spreader attached to the case design.  That's (still) gonna suck.

                      It does… I have installed my APU upside down (so CPU up), pasted heatsinks on the casing above the CPU, drilled the case to allow airflow, ... and still the result is mediocre.
                      When stressing the board, core temperature rises to 60-62°C (the unit is in a too-little-vented closet at home, ambient temp +-20°C)

                      @lfam:

                      How much of an issue is heat dissipation for the apu1d4? Does it affect performance or does it just "run hot"?

                      It does however poses no issue for everyday usage and works fine here, just know what you buy.
                      I guess it depends on the need and budget. (and how cheap you can get or SG's (US), or APU's (EU) –> no affiliation to either, I have installed a couple of SG's as well as apu's over the last year.)

                      4x XG-7100 (2xHA), 1x SG-4860, 1x SG-2100
                      1x PC Engines APU2C4, 1x PC Engines APU1C4

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • jahonixJ
                        jahonix
                        last edited by

                        @lfam:

                        {CHF 157,55}  According to google's currency exchange rates, that is $159.62.
                        It's actually more than $100 difference, although you'll need to supply some storage for the apu2b4. However, it includes double the RAM, and ECC at that.

                        Nope and varying massively depending on where you live.

                        a) You are only allowed to buy from pcengines directly if you either reside in Switzerland  or
                        b) are an international dealer with a valid WEEE registration number (think: costs money to obtain)
                        c) you left shipping costs completely out of the equation
                        d) add import duties and taxes/VAT to the net amount, according to your local laws.
                        e) add company taxes since you have to be a company to get a WEEE registration number

                        Now do the math again.
                        Might be that it's even cheaper to buy from negate than from pcengines, depending on where you live.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • dotdashD
                          dotdash
                          last edited by

                          The street price in the US of a full APU4 kit with case, ps, and a card is about $250. The ADI 2440 runs $350. But, it has better nics, another ethernet port, faster CPU with quickassist, and you don't have to assemble it. If they keep the price the same, and you get better nics and cpu, it might be worth it in some deployments. I wouldn't buy one of the current APU boards over the 2440. The 2220 is comparable in price to the APU, if you can get by with two ethernet ports. I need at least three.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ?
                            Guest
                            last edited by

                            The street price in the US of a full APU4 kit with case, ps, and a card is about $250.

                            Here in Germany it is vice versa!

                            • APU1D4 ready assembled without storage and WiFi and pfSense ~202 € + sipping
                            • APU1D4 ready assembled with mSATA but without WiFi and pfSense ~225 € + shipping
                            • APU1D4 ready assembled with mSATA and WiFi but without pfSense ~259 € + shipping
                            • APU1D4 ready assembled with mSATA and WiFi and pre-installed pfSense ~271 € + shipping
                              Because the swiss is near us!

                            pfSense SG-2440 ~645 € + shipping
                            Because the USA is not near us or far away!

                            The ADI 2440 runs $350. But, it has better nics, another ethernet port, faster CPU with quickassist, and you don't have to assemble it.

                            The new APU2B4 comes also with Intel NICs, 4 CPU Cores, ECC RAM and AES-NI, so it might be more fair
                            to compare the new ones to the SG units. But the SG-4860 and SG-8860 are awesome compared against
                            the PC Engines if more horse power is needed. But for low budget or simple home usage the APU and APU2
                            are more often bought here because the price pending and base.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • jahonixJ
                              jahonix
                              last edited by

                              @BlueKobold:

                              pfSense SG-2440 ~645 € + shipping

                              But the price includes 19% VAT (net: 541,00 EUR)
                              And that's the price with pfSense subscription which you don't get for the stated APU1D4 prices.
                              JFI.

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                              • L
                                lfam
                                last edited by

                                @jahonix:

                                a) You are only allowed to buy from pcengines directly if you either reside in Switzerland  or
                                b) are an international dealer with a valid WEEE registration number (think: costs money to obtain)

                                Oh, really? The USD orders page [1] doesn't mention that. And the order form doesn't seem to require that you declare the name of your company when ordering.

                                [1]
                                http://www.pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=4

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                                • ?
                                  Guest
                                  last edited by

                                  But the price includes 19% VAT (net: 541,00 EUR)

                                  For sure they do, if I am buying a SG-2440 unit here in Germany as an end user and this means,
                                  a home or private user and not business user, I have to pay ~645 € for a SG-2440 unit.
                                  50 € on top by counting $1:1€ and I get in the USA nearly a SG-4860 for $699.
                                  So this was only talking about the shipping costs.

                                  @lfam:

                                  @jahonix:

                                  a) You are only allowed to buy from pcengines directly if you either reside in Switzerland  or
                                  b) are an international dealer with a valid WEEE registration number (think: costs money to obtain)

                                  Oh, really? The USD orders page [1] doesn't mention that. And the order form doesn't seem to require that you declare the name of your company when ordering.

                                  [1]
                                  http://www.pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=4

                                  Due to cumbersome recycling regulations in the EU we do not sell to end users in EU countries.
                                  Business users must enter their VAT ID, and register with recycling organizations in all countries they sell to.
                                  Switzerland is NOT a EU country !!! You will have to pay import VAT and possibly duty, as well as customs
                                  handling fees. This will be collected by customs, the postal service or courier company.
                                  DDU term = Delivered Duty / VAT Unpaid.

                                  Well as they stated on their website, they will only sale to business customers.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • J
                                    jwt Netgate
                                    last edited by

                                    @lfam:

                                    @jwt:

                                    Perhaps, but the apu2b4 will cost about $100 less when you include the case and power supply. Assuming the current prices and CHF->USD exchange rate holds.

                                    There is only $50 delta in the boards.  Where is your other $50?  Show your work.  8)

                                    http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-DFF-2220.aspx
                                    Board, case, power supply: $275

                                    http://pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=48881
                                    apu2b4 board: CHF 143.13
                                    case1d2blku: CHF 10.04
                                    ac12vus: CHF 4.38
                                    According to google's currency exchange rates, that is $159.62.

                                    It's actually more than $100 difference, although you'll need to supply some storage for the apu2b4. However, it includes double the RAM, and ECC at that.

                                    Has an OS loaded, and is assembled.

                                    ECC does nothing for you at that density.  I don't understand why he's spent the money.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • J
                                      jwt Netgate
                                      last edited by

                                      @BlueKobold:

                                      @jwt:

                                      DPDK is not tied to quickassist.

                                      But a 1GHz part isn't going to be that fast, either.

                                      Thanks for enlighten us in this case. but why then some board vendors do promotion likes this for their boards?
                                      Supports Intel DPDK enabling software

                                      Because if this would not be tend to AES-NI or QuickAssist, what is the goal for this DPDK option?

                                      They're saying "we have Intel NICs and a 64-bit Intel CPU."

                                      It's marketing.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • J
                                        jwt Netgate
                                        last edited by

                                        @BlueKobold:

                                        pfSense SG-2440 ~645 € + shipping
                                        Because the USA is not near us or far away!
                                        […]
                                        The new APU2B4 comes also with Intel NICs, 4 CPU Cores, ECC RAM and AES-NI, so it might be more fair
                                        to compare the new ones to the SG units. But the SG-4860 and SG-8860 are awesome compared against
                                        the PC Engines if more horse power is needed. But for low budget or simple home usage the APU and APU2
                                        are more often bought here because the price pending and base.

                                        The SG-2440 includes pfSense support.  The APU/APU do not.  I'd like you to compare like to like.

                                        A RCC-VE 2440 is 400 EUR (ex VAT) https://shop.voleatech.de/en/shop/rcc-ve-2440/

                                        A SG-2220 is 329 EUR (ex VAT) https://shop.voleatech.de/en/shop/sg-2220/

                                        and just to be complete, a SG-2440 is 529 EUR ex VAT https://shop.voleatech.de/en/shop/sg-2440/

                                        The APU2B4 has a 1GHz clock, so single-core is going to suck compared to a 2440, and if you push it hard (say with netmap-fwd or dpdk, or worse, you spin all the cores hard) you're going to end up stopping the clock a lot to stay inside the thermal envelope of the CPU.

                                        yes, for simple home usage the APU/APU2 will get the job done.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • J
                                          jwt Netgate
                                          last edited by

                                          @BlueKobold:

                                          But the price includes 19% VAT (net: 541,00 EUR)

                                          For sure they do, if I am buying a SG-2440 unit here in Germany as an end user and this means,
                                          a home or private user and not business user, I have to pay ~645 € for a SG-2440 unit.

                                          RCC-VE 2440 is 476,00 EUR with VAT https://shop.voleatech.de/en/shop/rcc-ve-2440/  (net: 400,00)

                                          SG-2440 is 629,51 EUR with VAT https://shop.voleatech.de/en/shop/sg-2440/  (net: 529,00)

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