Supermicro ARS-210ME-FNR 2U barebone server Ampere Altra Max 128-core 16 DIMM 6x 2.5 NVMe 1600W

2U Ampere Altra Max 128-core barebone

The Supermicro ARS-210ME-FNR is a 2U barebone server designed for edge deployments that demand high core counts on the Arm architecture. It accepts a single Ampere Altra Max processor with up to 128 cores running at 3.0 GHz, or an Altra CPU with up to 80 cores at 3.3 GHz. Sixteen DDR4 DIMM slots support up to 4 TB of ECC registered memory at 3200 MHz. Six hot-swap 2.5-inch U.2 NVMe bays provide local storage density.

PCIe 4.0 expansion and 25 Gb networking limits

The chassis supplies one PCIe 4.0 x16 double-wide full-height slot for a GPU or two single-slot cards, plus one full-height x16 slot, one full-height x8 slot and one low-profile x16 slot. An OCP 3.0 compatible AIOM mezzanine slot adds further I/O flexibility. Two 25 Gb SFP28 ports are driven by a Mellanox ConnectX-4 Lx controller, capping native network throughput at 25 Gb per port without additional adapters.

Replaces fixed-config 1U and 2U Arm boxes

This barebone replaces pre-built 1U or 2U Arm servers where the CPU, memory or drive count cannot be changed after purchase. The jump is worth it when workloads need the full 128-core Altra Max, more than eight DIMM slots or six NVMe bays in a 2U footprint. Buyers who need dual-socket scaling, PCIe 5.0 lanes or front-panel 3.5-inch drive support should look elsewhere.