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I'm trying to build a workstation with an Intel Core i7 CPU that comes with Iris Pro graphics. From Intel Ark page, the following Core CPUs are shipped with Iris Pro 580:

Core i7-6785R
Core i5-6685R
Core i5-6585R
Core i7-6970HQ
Core i7-6870HQ
Core i7-6770HQ
Core i5-6350HQ

However, I've not been able to find a motherboard from any of the major vendors (ASUS/Asrock/Gigabyte ...) that supports these processors. Could someone recommend one?

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    The "H" series CPUs you listed are Ball Grid Array, which means that extremely sensitive microsoldering equipment is required to take a "loose" CPU and solder it to the motherboard. Typically only hardware manufacturers in big industry do this. For consumer-installable chips you need LGA. Therefore your choices are the top three "R" chips. Skylake-H series is entirely BGA. You can also choose from any of the LGA Xeon E3 v5 series that happen to have P580, if you want to go with Xeon and a server board.
    – allquixotic
    Dec 15, 2016 at 15:14
  • @allquixotic: I guess all Skylake processors which have Iris Pro come in a BGA package, even the Xeon E3 15xx V5 ones (unless I'm missing something?). There are, of course, a few Xeon E3 15xx V5 boards available, but they're way too costly..
    – nav
    Dec 15, 2016 at 18:16
  • Just a question, but why the fixation on on-chip iris pro? Not trying to be harping on you or anything. But if your desired solution does not exist, are there alternatives that you are open to?
    – NZKshatriya
    Dec 20, 2016 at 19:49
  • Why Iris Pro? The thing is i'll be running linux on this machine, so that rules out nvidia and amd, leaving only intel as an option. As for why intel iris pro and why not hd 530, well, I'll be doing some 3d/parallel programming (opengl/vulkan/opencl), so I'll need the highest graphics configuration available
    – nav
    Dec 21, 2016 at 11:18
  • @nav Call me curious by why no Nvidia on Linux? I am looking and they seem to have drivers for Linux on most of their cards.
    – Jeff
    Dec 21, 2016 at 22:55

3 Answers 3

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As new information came in via a comment to the previous answer:

The Xeon E3 1515M v5 has Iris™ Pro Graphics P580 and can be used on the following mini-ITX from Advantec AIMB-242

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  • Well, ain't that a bit misleading on their advert page. Those i7's did look like Notebook CPU's to me though.
    – NZKshatriya
    Dec 14, 2016 at 19:02
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+50

Every processor you mentioned here is a BGA style processor. Effectively there are no consumer motherboards that support any of these chips.

Typically these chips are going to be used in an embedded system by system a integrator since they are required to be soldered to the board.

I have found a couple options for you but they are barebone systems.

I7-6770HQ

Frys

NewEgg

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  • Hmm, I knew about skull canyon, but was a bit skeptic about how well it dissipates heat. But yes, it's a good fallback option..
    – nav
    Dec 21, 2016 at 11:09
  • But just wondering, what kind of embedded system would use a high-end processor like core-i7 while using an atom or an arm soc would be a cheaper and efficient solution?
    – nav
    Dec 21, 2016 at 11:13
  • @nav You know I am not 100% sure. You could also say a closed system (not up-gradable) would be considered an embedded system. My guess is this was part of Intel's process of moving into mobile and vehicle systems which is why you do not see much as far as product on the free market with these processors. I will be honest. I probably spent over an hour just trying to find what you were looking for and was quite frustrated with the lack of information which tells me these processors are either dead in Intel's eyes are have not hit the open market in force for some reason.
    – Jeff
    Dec 21, 2016 at 22:58
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Supermicro offers a few motherboards with the FCBGA 1440 socket, mostly with a Xeon pre soldered, such as the X11SSH-GTF-1585 and the X11SSV-M4F (these both have 65 W TDP, by the way). These are micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards. However, as with the AIMB 242, these boards are more for enterprise, and sold in bulk. I've not been able to find any retailers carrying these SKUs, so your most probable solution is the Skull Canyon NUC. If you really want to though, contact Supermicro and ask about it.

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