Product Showcase

X99 will bring a whopping 10-port SATA 6 Gb/s storage controller supporting RAID RST and SRT and SSD TRIM on RAID 0 configurations. U.2. is there (no not the band) and the one M.2. slot can run NVMe SSDs with 32 GB/sec bandwidth. We'll test that with a blazingly fast NVMe M2 SSD today. 

In the above photo we see the processor socket, if you quickly count... yes that is 8-phases for the CPU. Close to the CPU socket you can see the eight DIMM slots. The memory controllers are embedded inside the processors, hence you want your data-traces as close as possible to the CPU for optimal efficiency and low latency.

ASUS will deliver power and reset buttons on-board. And then theres another two dozen of micro-switches all for running safe modes and pro overclocking. To name a few, a ReTry Button, LN2 Mode, Safe Boot, Slow Mode, MemOK!, Start Button, DRAM CH switch, Reset Button and PCIe x16 switch.

The board comes with diagnostic LEDs. You will get eight DIMM slots offer support for quad-channel DDR4 memory up to even 3,466 MHz (OC). You can install a maximum of 128 GB in total. XMP 2.0 must be supported, we'll show you this petite setup running at 2,133 and 3,200 MHz (based on preconfigured XMP).

To the right you can see a Diagnostic post LED, it will display the status/post code. Once you have booted into Windows it will display the package temperature of your processor. The board has manu FAN connectors:

• 1 x CPU Fan connector(s) 
• 1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s) 
• 3 x Chassis Fan connector(s) 
• 1 x Power Fan connector(s) 

You will also receive a Fan Extension Card (3 x 4-pin fan out).