Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/11462/asus-unveils-x299-motherboards



Now that details about Intel's upcoming Skylake-X LGA2066 processors have been officially announced, we can finally reveal some of the new motherboards that ASUS has designed for this new HEDT X299 'Basin Falls' platform. As we have come to expect from ASUS there is a diverse range of models split between the Prime, TUF, and ROG series.

Although we don't yet have access to full specifications lists, given the capabilities of the Skylake-X processors - like a quad-channel memory controller and up to 44 PCIe 3.0 lanes - all of the motherboards share certain obvious characteristics like eight DDR4 memory slots, a ton of PCIe slots, at least two full-speed M.2 slots, and both 8-pin and 4-pin CPU/EPS power connectors to handle the elevated power draw of high core count processors. Since it is the feature du jour all of the models also have some form of AURA RGB LED lightning. As you will see below, with so many PCIe lanes coming from the CPU and even more from the chipset, these X299 motherboards have an unprecendented amount of expansion and storage connectivity.

Prime: X299-Deluxe & X299-A

Since it is the backbone of the ASUS motherboard lineup, let's start off with the Prime series which will initially consist of the higher-end Prime X299-Deluxe and more affordable Prime X299-A.

The Prime X299-Deluxe - pictured above - is a standard ATX form factor model that carries over the black and white aesthetic of its forebearers, though with some fancy new flourishes. It has an 8-phase digital CPU power design managed by some variant of the DIGI+ PWM controller. There are both 8-pin and 4-pin CPU/EPS power connectors, which should come in handy if a high TDP 18-core Skylake-X processor is installed. There are Japanese 10K capacitors used throughout the motherboard, not counting the Nichicon audio-grade capacitors used in the onboard audio section. The eight Q-DIMM memory slots are clipless on one side, and they can handle up to 128GB of quad-channel DDR4 memory. No word yet on what the highest supported overclocked memory speed is for this model.

While this motherboards has four mechanical PCIe x16 slots, only the two grey ones are actually x16 capable. The middle slot is limited to x4 and the bottom slot is limited to x8. This means that the X299-Deluxe will 'only' be able to handle three-way graphics configurations. Three of the four PCIe x16 slots have been given the SafeSlot treatment, which is to say that they have been mechanically reinforced with steel and additional anchor points for superior retention and shearing resistance. There are also two PCIe x1 slots.

Storage connectivity appears quite good with six SATA 6Gb/s ports, one U.2 port, and two M.2 slots that support SATA, PCI-E, and PCI-E NVMe M.2 solid state drives. Intel's new Optane Memory technology is also supported. One of the M.2 slots is under the large chipset heatsink and the other is next to the right bank of memory slots, and has been designed to hold M.2 drives vertically. In addition, the motherboard supports six USB 2.0 ports (four rear, one header), eight USB 3.0 ports (four rear, two headers), and six USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (four rear, one header). Focusing on the full-speed USB 3.1 Gen2 ports, there are three Type-A ports and one Type-C port on the rear I/O panel, and a USB 3.1 Gen2 front-panel internal header next to the memory slots. If that wasn't enough, ASUS are also including their ThunderboltEX 3 add-on card, which means Thunderbolt 3 capabilities, 40Gbps transfer speeds, and 36W of power delivery to external peripherals. When it comes to networking, there are two gigabit LAN ports powered by some variant of Intel controller, and an onboard dual-band Wi-Fi solution that supports the new 802.11ad protocol and is capable of theoretical tranfer rates up to 4.6Gbps.

The onboard audio duties are handled by a new Crystal Sound implementation, which features a Realtek S1220A codec paired to an amplifier, Nichicon audio-grade capacitors, and a PCB-level audio isolation line. If you want a motherboard that looks even better than it sounds, the highly customizable Aura Sync RGB LED lighting feature is well-represented on this model. There are unique-looking and independently controllable light bars integrated into the rear I/O shield and the chipset heatsinks, there is a 4-pin header that can power RGB LED light strips, and thanks to Aura Sync you can synchronize the colors and effects of compatible products to match that of your motherboard.

While we are on the topic of aesthetics, one of the more unusual new features is the OLED screen has been integrated into the chipset heatsink. Known as LiveDash, it is capable of displaying system information like temperatures, frequencies, and fan speeds, or it can display custom graphical animations or text messages for no other reason than to make your build unique.

Rounding things out are the usual assortment of value-added features like the USB BIOS Flashback feature, Q-Code Debug LED, diagnostics LEDs, onboard power and reset buttons, clear CMOS button, EZ_XMP switch, MemOK! button, and the EXT_FAN header. That last header is important because it leads us to the fact that ASUS is also bundling their Fan Extension card, to further expand the X299-Deluxe's already generous assortment of CPU and system fan headers and temperature sensors.

When it comes to the Prime X299-A - for which we have no picture - this model omits a few of the extras found of the Deluxe model in order to reach a more affordable price point. However, it will have the same 8-phase digatal CPU power design, it will also support up to three-way graphics configurations, it will have two M.2 slots, and have similar if not identical storage and USB connectivity. The onboard audio solution should be identical as well.

When it comes to differences, we expect this model to only have one gigabit LAN port, and to also not feature any onboard Wi-Fi solution. It should have a more simplistic chipset heatsink and be missing at least one of the two integrated light bars. However, it will have two RGB LED light strip headers instead of the one on the Prime X299-Deluxe. Needless to say that we don't expect the ThunderboltEX 3 add-on card or the Fan Extension card in this model's accessories bundle.

TUF: X299 Mark 1 & X299 Mark 2

Moving on to the TUF series, these models prioritize reliability and durability thanks to tougher components and more stringent testing. This series is comprised of the TUF X299 Mark 1 and the slightly stripped down TUF X299 Mark 2.

Like previous TUF Mark 1 motherboards, this TUF X299 Mark 1 model features a protective armor and advanced cooling options. Not only does the cover prevent dust from accumulating on the board, but it helps direct the integrated fan's airflow to the proper areas, like towards the primary M.2 slots. Speaking of fans, there are four fan headers near the CPU socket and six other spread throughout the motherboard. In order to manage thermals you need to be able to monitor temperatures, and this model takes care about with a number of onboard temperature sensors that monitor seperate zones on the motherboard and then feed that data into the Thermal Radar 3 utility. The TUF Detective mobile app returns, but this serving as a wireless means of diagnosing and monitoring the system via a smartphone.

Although not visible, the Mark 1 features a Fortifier backplate, which ASUS claim is their strongest one yet. This metal plate serves to stiffen the motherboard against warping, but it helps dissipate heat from various thermal hotspots that can appear on the back of the PCB. ASUS has also included a removable GPU Holder that can support the weight of a graphics cards, and prevent strain on the PCIe slots.

When it comes to basic specs, this model shouldn't disappoint. It features same the 8-phase digital CPU power design and 10K Japanese capacitors as the two Prime series model. It has eight SATA 6Gb/s port and two M.2 slots. There is one USB 3.1 Gen2 header, two USB 3.0 headers, and one USB 2.0 header. While we do not have a picture of the rear I/O panel, we do know that this model has at least one USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A port and USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port, as well as dual Intel-powered gigabit LAN ports.

This motherboard has three visible PCIe x16 slots, only of two of which are actually x16 capable. Both of those PCIe x16 slots are steel-reinforced SafeSlots, which should protect them from the shearing effects of heavy graphics cards. The third PCIe x16 slot is limited to x8, which means that this model can still handle up to three-way SLI or CrossFire. There are two open-ended PCIe x4 slots which can physically support expansions cards with up x16 connectors. There is also one PCIe slot that is not visible to us since it is hidden under armor cover, but which is likely a PCIe x1 slot.

There is RGB LED lighting integrated into the logo at the center of the board, and it will glow different colors based on the system load. If that is not enough lighting for you, there is also what appears to be a RGB LED light strip header at the very bottom of the motherboard. Rounding out the known features list is an onboard power button, a MemOK! button, and diagnostics LEDs.

The more affordable TUF X299 Mark 2 strips down some of the Mark 1's unique features to create a more conventional motherboard. Much like the Prime X299-A is to the Prime X299-Deluxe, this model delivers much of the same functionality, but at a more affordable price. ASUS has done this by removing the protective armor and the backplate. It also loses two SATA 6GB/s ports - down to six total - and one of the PCIe x4 slots has been swapped for a PCIe x1 slot. There is also no USB 3.1 Gen2 front-panel header on this model, and the total fan header count has been reduced from ten down to seven. On the plus side, the TUF X299 Mark 2 appears to have greater onboard RGB LED lighting, with LEDs mounted under much of the right side of the motherboard. However, there does not appear to be an LED light strip header anywhere on the Mark 1.



ROG: Strix X299-E, Rampage VI Extreme, & Rampage VI Apex

Last, but certainly not least, is the Republics of Gamers (ROG) series. At the moment, we are only aware of three models - Strix X299-E, Rampage VI Extreme, and Rampage VI Apex - but we would not be surprised if that lineup expanded in the future.

Starting off with the ROG Strix X299-E - since it is the only one that we actually have a picture of - this is the model acts as the affordable entry point into the Republic of Gamers series. While it still has many of the same features and aggressive appearance of the other ROG models, it is a more conventional motherboard compared to the highly specialized Rampage VI Apex and Rampage VI Extreme.

This is a standard ATX form factor model with a monochrome color scheme that can blend in with a wide range of components. Much like all the other models listed above, the Strix X299-E has an 8-phase digital CPU power design managed by some variant of the DIGI+ PWM controller. It features eight SATA 6Gb/s ports, dual M.2 slots, one Intel-powered gigabit LAN port, and onboard dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Although we don't have a picture of the rear I/O panel, there is one USB 3.1 Gen2 header, two USB 3.0 headers, and one USB 2.0 header.

This motherboard has three mechanical PCIe x16 slots, although only two are actually x16 capable, while the third is limited to x8. This is still perfectly acceptable for three-way SLI or CrossFire configurations. Those three slots are all of the SafeSlot variety, so they have been mechanically reinforced with steel and additional anchor points for superior retention and shearing resistance. There are also two PCIe x4 slots and one PCIe x1 lot.

The onboard audio duties are handled by a SupremeFX design, and it is very likely based on the Realtek S1220A codec and paired to a couple of op-amps. We can see that there is an EMI cover for the codec, a number of Nichicon audio-grade capacitors, and a PCB-level audio isolation line. As would expect, the AURA RGB lighting feature is built into this model, most notably with LEDs integrated into the rear I/O shield and the center logo/heatsink that doesn't actually cool anything. There is also a pair of headers on which you can plug any 5050 RGB LED lighting strips, and have them fully powered by the motherboard and controlled by the included AURA utility.

Since cooling is important in a gaming system, the ROG Strix X299-E not only has seven total fan headers, but two of them are high amperage capable for AIOs or water pumps. When it comes to value-added features, there is an onboard power button, Q-Code Debug LED, and a CPU overvoltage jumper for those looking to do some extreme overclocking.

Surprisingly, we actually know very little about the upcoming flagship ROG Rampage VI Extreme. We know that it supports three M.2 slots, one of which is under its protective armor, while the other two are installed on a DIMM.2 module next to the memory slots.

We know that it has one Intel-powered gigabit LAN port, but that it also features the brand new Aquantia AQtion AQC107 10Gb ethernet controller. We can reasonably assume that there is a secondary LAN port that will be capable of very high-speed networking. This model also has an onboard dual-band Wi-Fi solution that supports the new 802.11ad protocol and is capable of theoretical tranfer rates up to 4.6Gbps.

The Extreme was designed with custom liquid cooling in mind, and along with all of the usual fan and pump headers, there are two flow headers that let you monitor the temperature and flow rate of your coolant. We know for a fact that it won't feature an integrated water block like the Maximus IX Extreme, since ASUS explicitly mentions that there is "a special connector that lets water blocks designed for the Extreme provide flow, temperature, and leakage data".

Much like on the Prime X299-Deluxe, there a LiveDash OLED screen integrated somewhere on the board, and it can be used to display system temperatures, system frequencies, fan speeds, or just graphics and text. Apparently, the Rampage IX Extreme also comes with enough onboard LEDs and LED light strip headers to "put on a show". Given its high-end positioning and overclocking roots, we can expect the usual array of overclocking-related buttons, switches, jumpers, and maybe even some voltage read points.

While the Extreme should overclock exceedingly well, it will be no match for the ROG Rampage VI Apex. This purpose-built model is designed for one thing: record-breaking overclocking. Apparently, this Apex model has already been used to break a number of overclocking world records behind the scenes.

This model only has four memory slots, since that allows for shorter and more optimized trace routing that can improve high speed memory stability. Next to the memory slots are two DIMM.2 slots that can support a total of four M.2 SSDs.

As we can come to expect from the Apex model, the PCB will once again have a unique and distinctive shape. We know very little about the basic specs, but there will obviously be some SATA 6Gb/s ports, USB 3.1 Gen2 connectivity, one Intel-powered gigabit LAN port, SupremeFX onboard audio, and even a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi module.

Pricing details with be announced on June 26th, but all of the models - except the TUF X299 Mark 2 - will be available at leading North American resellers starting in late June. Of the ROG models, the ROG Strix X299-E will be available first.

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