ASRock Fatal1ty X99 Pro Gaming i7 Motherboard Review

Introduction

ASRock teased us with the X99 Taichi and the Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 motherboards during a Broadwell-E launch event in Taiwan. If its ultra-long name had not made it clear, the Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 is designed for Intel's i7 X99 CPUs. Rather than the white and black color theme of the X99 Taichi, the Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 features a more mainstream red and black aesthetic. While most X99-refresh motherboards feature a U.2 port for Intel's NVM drive, it seems that ASRock decided to add a second Ultra M.2 slot instead since most of the latest drives come in the M.2 form factor.

Interestingly enough, ASRock has decided to opt out of implementing LEDs on its Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7, which might add some points for users who do not care for them. Instead of aiming for the extreme top regarding price and features, ASRock has decided to focus on the mid-range price bracket with its refresh motherboards. Priced very competitively, the Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 is loaded with the latest in features and connectivity. Let's take a look at what ASRock is offering.

Specifications

The ASRock Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 has many high-end features including two Ultra (32Gb/s) M.2 ports, USB 3.1, Wireless AC, Sound Blaster Cinema 3, and many platform features such as USB 3.0 and SATA6Gb/s.

Pricing

The Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7 is available from many large retailers for $253.99.