Motherboards - Page 20

Computex 2017 - We have seen some impressive X299 motherboards, but none are as big as one we spotted at Biostar's booth at Computex 2017. The X299GT9 is a monster motherboard that comes in the E-ATX form factor, which allows for a significantly wider PCB. The motherboard features multiple PCI-E x16 slots, two U.2 ports, an M.2 slot, many USB 3.0 internal headers, and a hefty VRM.

Hidden under a metal veil is an Intel 1Gbit NIC as well as an Intel 10Gbit NIC. Intel's X550AT is employed to drive the higher networking speeds. The PCI-E layout is x16/x16/x8/x4/x4/x4/x4 and there are four SATA6Gb/s ports on the right of the motherboard. The motherboard does support USB 3.1 and carries a 14-phase VRM. We don't know much more about the motherboard, but its size is impressive, and hopefully we will get one in for review.

Computex 2017 - ASUS's Rampage VI Extreme and X299-Deluxe do not only sport new digs, but also the latest in Wi-Fi technology, Wireless AD. While current standards such as Wireless N (802.11n) and Wireless AC (802.11ac) operate on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, Wireless AD (802.11ad) operates on the 60GHz band (or around it).

It will offer theoretical speeds up to 7Gbps, while Wireless AC maxes out around 3.2Gbps in its most impressive theoretical form. The Rampage VI Extreme will also feature 10Gbit wired networking, hopefully ushering in a new generation of multi-Gbit wired and wireless networking.

While features such as multi-Gbit networking tend to stay at the very top of the stack when it comes to integrated features, ASUS is also adding in Wireless AD into its X299-Deluxe, along with many features such as a built-in LCD located at the center of the motherboard and multiple USB 3.1 ports. Wireless AD capable networking equipment should become more common in the second half of this year into the next.

Computex 2017 - ASRock delivered the only X99 motherboard to the consumer market and it seems that they have done it again with the X299 chipset. The socket will support LGA2011 mounting.

The X299E-ITX/AC features the new chipset along with four SO-DIMMs, which ASRock claims can support up to 4800MHz DDR4, as well as quad-channel memory support. While it only has a single PCI-E x16 slot like most other mini-ITX motherboards, it does offer two x4 PCI-E 3.0 M.2 slots. Two of them are located on the back of the motherboard, while the third is located on a daughterboard behind the IO panel.

The motherboard actually features a second daughterboard that allow ASRock to cram more into the mini-ITX form factor including six SATA6Gb/s ports and a USB 3.0 internal header. The SATA/USB board sits above the VRM heat sink, which looks like it is small enough to cool down high quality dual N-channel MOSFETs or fully integrated power stages.

Computex 2017 - MSI today unveiled its latest fleet of motherboards to compliment Intel's new X299 chipset, built specifically to leverage Intel's high-end Core i9 Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X processors.

MSI's new X299 motherboard fleet is composed of three main series: the higher-end feature-rich MSI Enthusiast Series, the stylish MSI Performance Series, and the durable metal-infused MSI Arsenal Gaming series, all of which offer a range different motherboards and features for different price points.

MSI's Enthusiast Series includes the premium X299 GAMING M7 ACK motherboard is the X299 variant of the company's popular GAMING M series. This particular motherboard is "designed for gamers and PC enthusiasts who love performance," and features high-end tools for overclockers including a 10 phase DigitALL power design with Loadline Calibration and MSI's Turbo Socket.

Computex 2017 - GIGABYTE today revealed its new fleet of Aorus X299 gaming motherboards in Taipei, Taiwan.

The new Aorus gaming motherboard line is specifically built for Intel's new enthusiast-grade X299 series processors, and features a number of premium additions to enhance users' PC gaming experience. The line features Ultra Durable base plates and reinforced PCIe lanes to reduce GPU sag damage as well as thermal head spreaders for M.2 SSDs and Intel's new Optane Memory technology. Stylish accenting is added by the Aorus X299 Gaming 9 and 7's RGB LEDs, which can be customized with software to add more flair to any build.

GIGABYTE's new X299 Aorus Gaming Series also comes with Smart Fan 5 software which allows users to optimize and control their cooling system. The company explains the benefits of its Fan Stop Technology in the latest press release: "Fan stop technology reduces unnecessary wear on fans when the system is below a specific temperature, stopping all fans until they are needed. With improved control and up-to-the-second information on flow-rate and water-temperature through the Hybrid Fan Pin Headers, the new Smart Fan 5 offers users complete mastery over their PC. To ensure the ultimate liquid cooling experience, high-current 3 amperage pin header has been added to power the most demanding water pumps available for PC cooling."

MSI has started teasing its next-gen motherboard based on Intel's upcoming X299 platform, and man does it look slick AF. MSI's upcoming X299 motherboard has a bunch of beautiful RGB LEDs running under the hood, with three M.2 slots on the motherboard and plenty of x16 ports for 4-way SLI/CF systems.

It will be using the upcoming LGA 2066 socket, and MSI's own Audio Boost VI technology - and MSI will reportedly be using a 6-pin PCIe power connector above the first PCIe x16 slot, something that you'll need when running multi-GPU configurations. MSI will be making this X299 board their showcase motherboard for high-end/enthusiast systems, and I can't wait to build a new PC around it. Oh yeah.

Intel will reportedly be launching 12C/24T processors based on the upcoming Kaby Lake X architecture, a knee jerk reaction to the multi-threaded war that AMD is waging with Intel and its Ryzen processors. These new high-end CPUs are being dropped two months early, with Intel seemingly scared out of their pants over Ryzen.

MSI has just unleashed 3 new motherboard bundles that include Intel's new Optane Memory pre-installed into the M.2 slot on the board, with the new bundles dubbed 'Opt Boost' variants of MSI's boards.

MSI will be launching the Z270 Tomahawk Opt Boost, which will feature support for high-speed DDR4, USB 3.1 ports, and dual M.2 slots - with MSI using a 16GB Optane drive in the second M.2 slot on the board.

The second board is the B250M Bazooka, a micro-ATX motherboard on the mid-range B250 chipset, meaning it will not have overclocking support, with its single M.2 slot used up by the Optane drive.

We've all been waiting for mini-ITX motherboards ready for AMD's new Ryzen CPUs, and here we are: BIOSTAR has finally announced the world's first mini-ITX motherboards for AMD's new AM4 platform.

BIOSTAR has announced the BIOSTAR RACING X370GTN and RACING B350GTN mini-ITX motherboards, both falling into the RACING Series family, with both of the AM4-capable boards featuring BIOSTAR's second-gen RACING features like 5050 LED Fun Zones with dual 5050 LED headers for DIY customization, and their exclusive VIVID LED DJ with full RGB LED control.

BIOSTAR's new mITX motherboards are perfect for your monster-fast Ryzen gaming PC, especially if you throw in a Ryzen 5 1600X (6C/12T) or the Ryzen 7 1800X (8C/16T). Better yet, the new motherboards are pretty cheap, at $129 for the higher-end RACING X370GTN, while it's just $109 for the upcoming RACING B350GTN.

AMD is already offering performance improvements on its new Ryzen 7 1800X processor for games like Ashes of the Singularity and DOTA 2 - but there are some big surprises coming soon with a new AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) point release 1.0.0.4 to motherboard partners.

The new AGESA-powered BIOS pushed out in April will offer some great improvements, including:

Better yet, that super cool guy Robert Hallock from AMD teased that this is just the beginning of Ryzen improvements - as there'll be an update in May that will push for better overclocking of DDR4 RAM on Ryzen motherboards.

GIGABYTE has been owning with its new AORUS push, and now we have the upcoming Z270X-Designare motherboard, and a slick silver/black/blue look which has me salivating all over my keyboard.

The new Z270-powered Designare motherboard has been fully validated and optimized for NVIDIA's high-end Quadro workstation and high-end graphics cards, so if you're looking for performance without limits - GIGABYTE's new Z270X-Designare motherboard is what you should be looking at.

VP of GIGABYTE's Motherboard Business Unit, Henry Kao, explains: "Content creators need a high-performance platform that can keep up with the inventive minds as they craft their masterpieces".

AMD launched its new Ryzen 7 family of CPUs, and while there were a bunch of different AM4 ready motherboards released, there weren't any mITX boards for super-small, yet super-powerful Ryzen-based gaming PCs.

That will end with Biostar's upcoming X370GTN, a new mITX motherboard based on the X370 chipset. Biostar has included everything you'll want and need on the X370GTN, with PCIe 3.0 x16, an M.2 slot, USB 3.1, and more. Here's what I/O you've got on the board:

And on the back, the Biostar X370GTN has:

ASUS has just revealed its new high-end monster motherboard, the ASUS ROG Maximus IX Extreme, which is their "seriously powerful new Z270 gaming motherboard that's expertly tooled to be totally cooled, with an integrated monoblock for water-cooled performance right out of the box" - awesome, right?!

The new ROG Maximus IX Extreme is based on the Kaby Lake compatible Z270 chipset, ready for the latest Core i7-7700K processor - and of course, ASUS' awesome Aura Sync technology. There's built-in support for insanely fast DDR4 4133MHz RAM, the latest SupremeFX S1220 codec with 113dB SNR, and so much more.

We have dual M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slots, a USB 3.1 front panel connector, the latest 802.11ac with MU-MIMO and 40Gbps speeds through Thunderbolt 3.

We all know that fully decked out gaming PCs with RGB LEDs are all the rage right now - ASUS has a big following as it is with its hugely popular lineup of motherboards, graphics cards, and more - now has Aura Sync.

ASUS Aura Sync can take control of all of your Aura-enabled ASUS products, so if you have the new ROG Maximus IX Formula alongside the new ROG STRIX-GTX1080-A8G-GAMING graphics card - and RGB LED strips, Aura Sync handles it in one easy spot.

AMD is days away from the huge launch of its next-gen Ryzen processors, but there is another big event happening simultaneously - motherboard makers are preparing their new Ryzen capable motherboards - and they look amazing.

As you can see, ASRock, ASUS, Biostar, GIGABYTE, and MSI all have motherboards ready for Ryzen - with a slew of boards that start with flagship motherboards, mid-range boards, down to the lower-end variety if you don't want to spend $150-$200+ on a new Ryzen motherboard.

What will the different chipsets offer? The enthusiast X370 chipset is where you'll want to be, as it provides everything - USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, overclocking, and CF/SLI support.

ASRock looks like its ready to impress AMD Ryzen CPU owners with their upcoming motherboards, led by the flagship ASRock X370 Killer SLI/ac motherboard.

The new ASRock X370 Killer SLI/ac motherboard has two reinforced PCIe 3.0 x16 slots that are ready for SLI and CrossFire setups, but it also features 2 x M.2 slots for super-fast storage solutions. It will also rock 802.11ac wireless connectivity, with a very slick black and white color scheme.

Next up, we have the ASRock AB350 Gaming K4 which also features 2 x M.2 slots - showing us that ASRock is serious about providing high-end features on cheaper motherboards. This board is a mid-range board with the B350 chipset, but it also has 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots - but no SLI/CF support.

Can you believe we are so close to one of the most important launches from AMD in over half a decade with their next-gen Ryzen CPUs? As we get closer, we're learning more and more about them, and now we're getting some full frontal shots and details on the motherboards from ASUS and GIGABYTE.

Starting with GIGABYTE, we have their upcoming AORUS AX370-Gaming 5 board - which looks slick as hell with its black, silver and orange theme. Both boards are based on the X370 chipset, ready for any Ryzen CPU you throw at it - right up to the flagship Ryzen 7 1800X processor.

ASUS will have its Crosshair VI Hero motherboard, as well as the Prime X370-PRO, which doesn't look as flash as GIGABYTE's offering - but it does feature their Aura Sync technology for some LED goodness.

AMD is so, so very close to the unveiling of its next-gen Ryzen CPUs and now we're finally hearing about what I've personally said is the most important part of Ryzen's success: motherboard prices.

ASUS will have 4 motherboards ready for Ryzen processors on February 24, with the ASUS Prime B350M-A priced at $69, the Prime B350-PLUS at $89, the Prime X370-PRO at $149, and finally, the higher-end Crosshair VI Hero priced at just $209.

Doubled with the fact that you can pick up a 6C/12T Ryzen 5 1600X for $259, or the higher-end 8C/16T Ryzen 7 1700X for $389... these motherboard prices are great. It's going to open up a world of enthusiast gaming for people who don't have the money to sink into an expensive X99-based platform from Intel for the 10C/20T processors.

So, you have a Z170 motherboard, and Intel Kaby Lake is the CPU you want? OK, first of all, you must know that even though Kaby Lake is compatible with Intel's Z170 Skylake chipset, the CPU is designed for Intel's Z270 Kaby Lake chipset to use its new features.

As an overclocker, tester, and reviewer, I always move to the latest chipset if I decide to upgrade my CPU, and of course not an H/B or something chipset, I go to the root chipset - that means Z170/Z270. But, if you still want to stay on Z170, here's a comparison of the two designs and a must-do List to make your shiny new Kaby Lake CPU work on it.

It's clear you have more things on Z270 - 2x M.2 SSD, more USB, more SATA ports, etc.

I've been excited for AMD's next-gen Zen CPU architecture since day one, and that excitement has built up over the last 12 months into the official Ryzen CPU architecture AMD teased earlier this month.

Ryzen will rock up to 16 threads of CPU performance with an 8-core processor starting at 3.4GHz, and performance in the levels of the Core i7-6800K and 6900K from Intel. Now we're hearing that motherboard makers have been "rather aggressive about placing orders" for Ryzen-capable motherboards, as they "believe demand for the new platform will increase AMD's share in the worldwide desktop processor market in the second quarter of 2017", reports DigitTimes.

Better yet, we're getting an idea of how far along the Ryzen CPU and compatible motherboards are, with DigiTimes' report continuing: "The sources pointed out that they have started receiving high-end X370, mainstream B350 and entry-level A320 chipsets from AMD and are now in the final stage of finishing related testing and motherboard designing".

Specs and details ASRock's new Fatal1ty and Extreme4 Z270 motherboards have surfaced, giving us a good look at the boards ahead of their CES 2017 showcase.

With Intel's seventh-gen Kaby Lake CPUs on their way, hardware-makers are busy readying their fleets of new 200-series motherboards, giving consumers lots of possible upgrade mobo paths to Z270 chipset adoption. ASRock's new Fatal1ty Gaming K6 and Extreme4 mobos use the LGA1151 socket and support both 7th-gen Kaby Lake and 6th-gen Skylake processors, and also have native support for Intel's new high-end Optane 3DXpoint 3D NAND SSD storage lineup.

Let's start with ASRock's Extreme4 Z270 motherboard. This is a standard ATX motherboard that features HDMI, DVI-D, and D-Sub display slots (no DisplayPort), three PCIe 3.0 x16 lanes (two of which are outfitted with steel bracing) that support up to three AMD GPUs in CrossFireX or two NVIDIA GPUs in SLI.