Which is better for a home lab?

The Supermicro. ATX fits common cases, the owner rating is strong, and onboard SAS and 10GBase-T cover storage and networking without add-in cards.

Which has more memory capacity?

Both reach 2TB. The Gigabyte gets there with 16 DIMMs at 1DPC; the Supermicro uses 8 slots with larger registered DIMMs.

Do I need the Gigabyte's extra PCIe slots?

Only if you plan several add-in cards, such as GPUs or HBAs. The Supermicro covers most builds with its onboard SAS and LAN.

Is the Supermicro worth stepping up to?

For most buyers, yes. It is the better-documented, better-rated board and fits standard cases. Step to the Gigabyte only for maximum DIMM and slot count.

Both are server boards with BMC management. The Supermicro has the stronger owner record; the Gigabyte has reports of a failed unit.

Can both run EPYC 7003?

Yes. Both support EPYC 7003 up to 64 cores. The Supermicro also lists EPYC 7002 support.

Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 vs Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard

The Supermicro H12SSL-CT is the safer pick for most builders: it fits standard ATX cases, has a 4.8 rating from 91 owners, and adds an onboard Broadcom 3008 SAS controller plus dual 10GBase-T. The Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 offers more memory slots (16 vs 8) and more PCIe slots, but it is E-ATX and reviewers are split, with reports of a failed board and poor documentation. Pick the Gigabyte only if you need maximum DIMM and slot count in a large chassis.

Choose the Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 if you need 16 DIMM slots and seven PCIe slots in a big E-ATX chassis and want SFP+ 10Gb networking.
Choose the Supermicro H12SSL-CT if you want a standard ATX board with onboard 12Gb SAS, 10GBase-T, and a strong owner rating.

Prices

Gigabyte MZ31-AR0: $463.60 at eBay (last seen Nov 7)
Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard: $1,258.87 at Neobits.com (checked today)
Difference: the Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 is $795.27 cheaper than the Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard at the latest prices (Nov 7 and Nov 10)

	Gigabyte MZ31-AR0	Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard
Form factor	E-ATX (UP), needs a large case	ATX, 12 x 9.6 in, fits standard cases
DIMM slots	16 DIMMs, up to 2TB at 1DPC	8 DIMMs, up to 2TB registered ECC
PCIe expansion	7 slots: up to 4 x16 and 3 x8, Gen3	Fewer slots, ATX layout limits add-in cards
Onboard storage controller	4 x SlimSAS 4i for SATA only, no hardware SAS	Broadcom 3008 SAS3 12Gb/s plus 8 SATA3 ports
Networking	2 x SFP+ 10Gb/s (BCM57810S)	2 x 10GBase-T (BCM57416)
Owner feedback	Split reviews; one board failure and poor documentation reported	4.8 out of 5 from 91 ratings
Remote management	ASPEED AST2500, works after firmware update	ASPEED AST2500 BMC
CPU support	EPYC 7003, up to 64 cores, 200W TDP	EPYC 7003/7002, up to 64 cores

Spec	Gigabyte MZ31-AR0	Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard
CPU support	Single AMD EPYC™ 7003 Series processors	Single AMD EPYC™ 7003/7002 Series Processor
Memory slots	16 x DIMMs	8 DIMM slots
Form factor	E-ATX UP	ATX
Max cores	Up to 64 Cores	Up to 64 Cores
Motherboard Socket Type	Socket SP3	Socket SP3
Motherboard Chipset	System on Chip	System on Chip
Motherboard Form Factor	EATX	ATX
Motherboard Model	MZ31-AR0	H12SSL-CT
Manufacturer	Gigabyte	Supermicro Computer, Inc, ASPEED, Broadcom
Number Of Cores	Up to 32-core	Up to 64 Cores
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR4 SDRAM
RAM Maximum Capacity	64GB (RDIMM modules)	2 TB

Spec	Gigabyte MZ31-AR0	Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard
RAM Speed	2400 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Number Of Slots	16	8
Socket Type	Socket SP3	Socket SP3
CPU Compatibility	AMD EPYC	EPYC, AMD
Motherboard Compatibility	Extended ATX	ATX
Memory Type	DDR4	DDR4 3200 MHz Registered ECC, 288-pin gold-plat…
Integrated Graphics	Yes	Yes
Memory channels	8-Channel DDR4 RDIMM/LRDIMM per CPU	—
LAN ports	2 x SFP+ 10 Gb/s LAN ports via Broadcom® BCM578…	—

Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 vs Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard

Prices

Gigabyte MZ31-AR0 vs Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard

Prices

Supermicro H12SSL-CT Server Motherboard

What separates them

Price history

Prices at every store