ASRock X99 Extreme6/3.1 (Intel X99) Motherboard Review

Introduction

ASRock is a company focused on bringing performance motherboards to the market, and with the Intel X99 chipset, they have done just that. I previously reviewed many of ASRock's X99 offerings and today I take a look at one of their "second" generation X99 motherboards with some more refined features. Although this is one of many iterations of the X99 Extreme6, it is perhaps the best one yet.

The X99 Extreme6/3.1 is like the Fatal1ty X99X Killer/3.1 in that it carries a really long feature list, including Ultra M.2, Purity Sound 2, XOC socket, and of course USB 3.1. This board looks to appease builders who want a versatile extreme series board with a lot of USB 3.1 connectivity. Follow me as I venture into the world of the X99 Extreme6/3.1.

Specifications

There are some features that really stick out with ASRock's X99 Extreme6/3.1; 128GB DDR4 memory support with ECC and 12K Nichicon capacitors are two that top the list in terms of uniqueness. Most other X99 motherboards only support 64GB of memory, but ASRock has taken the server approach with their entire X99 lineup, which means that Xeons are fully supported, as are the technologies that come with them.

While this isn't a server board, many of the features are aimed at workstations, such as the USB DOM connector, which is used for very expensive software programs that require a USB drive for authentication.

Pricing

Newegg is currently listing the X99 Extreme6/3.1 for sale on its website for $299.99 with a little extra for shipping. That puts it $20 more expensive than the ASRock X99 Extreme6/ac (of course, without USB 3.1 and some other features). We think this is a fair price for what you get.