Updates and Clarifications on Milk-V Pioneer Specifications (v1.2)
PCIe Gen 3 to PCIe Gen 4
In collaboration with SOPHON, we have resolved a known issue:
- PCIe not reaching Gen4 levels
This is a software issue and not hardware-related.
So, we’re pleased to announce:
The PCIe of Milk-V Pioneer has been successfully upgraded from Gen3 to Gen4.
Optimized PCIe Configuration
After receiving feedback from users and conducting extensive testing, we have decided to make the following changes to the Milk-V Pioneer specifications:
- 3x PCIe x8 —> 1x PCIe x16 + 1x PCIe x8
The reason behind this change is:
- The mATX motherboard’s compact size lacks adequate space for commonly used PCIe devices (e.g., TPU cards, large GPUs)
- x16 facilitates the installation of higher-speed PCIe devices
- PCIe x16 is backward compatible with PCIe x8 devices
The benefits include:
- Support for higher-speed PCIe devices
- Compatibility with a wider range of PCIe devices
- Optimized layout for larger PCIe devices (e.g., high-performance GPUs)
Summary
Here’s the adjusted Milk-V Pioneer specification:
Pioneer board
- Processor: SOPHON SG2042 (64-core C920, RVV 0.71)
- Memory: 4x DDR4 DIMM slots supporting up to 128 GB RAM
- PCI Express: 1x PCIe x16 Slot (PCIe 4.0 x16) + 1x PCIe x16 Slot (PCIe 4.0 x8)
- Storage: 5x SATA
- Size: 24.4 x 24.4 cm
- Power: 1x standard 24-pin ATX power connector
- Ethernet: 2x RJ45 2.5 G
- Wireless: 1x M.2 E KEY (PCIe 3.0 x1 + USB 2.0)
- USB:
- 8x USB3
- 1x USB header for front panel (2x USB 3.0)
- Other:
- 1x misc header for front panel power, reset, LED, etc.
- 1x SPI Flash for BIOS
- 1x MicroSD card for recovery or OS loading
- 2x M.2 M-key 2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4)
- 1x eMMC module connector
Pioneer Box
Utilizes the Upgraded Pioneer Board
- 1x Pioneer board
- 128 GB 3200 MHz DDR4
- 1x 1 TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
- 1x Intel X520-T2 network card with 2x 10 Gbps RJ45 ports
- 1x AMD R5 230 graphics card with HDMI, VGA, and DVI
- 1x MSI A350 350-W power supply
- 1x CPU cooler with PWM Fan
- Slim, white enclosure with handle