ASUS ROG STRIX X99 GAMING (Intel X99) Motherboard Review

Here are key points about the ASUS STRIX X99 GAMING.

What's Hot

Killer Aesthetics: Every time I go to events, motherboard manufacturers ask me about my views on aesthetics and what I consider the best way to go regarding colors and lighting. On one hand, I read forum posts and talk to enthusiasts who want basic color themes (all black or all white) and hate RGBs. On the other hand, I go into stores and ask people about to buy motherboards what they like, and they all seem to want colorful motherboards and the RGBs. ASUS has done a nice job of meeting the needs of both sets of buyers with their unobtrusive RGBs and color cards for changing the color of the PCH heat sink and IO shield without RGBs.

Solid Power Delivery: ASUS's STRIX X99 GAMING has a solid true eight phase VRM with high-quality Infineon power blocks and digital PWM. The memory voltage regulators are also high quality. Thermal imaging shows ASUS's light load power delivery works to only stress a few phases, while at full load the VRM kicks into high gear to efficiently provide power when needed. Overall, I doubt you could over-stress this VRM under any normal usage scenario.

U.2, M.2, Wireless AC, and USB 3.1: The latest and greatest connectivity technologies are provided, and performance is excellent. My qualm is that using either the U.2 or M.2 port disables the other, but with the limited CPU IO, we can't expect much more.

Excellent Fan Control: ASUS's perseverance when it comes to providing the most intricate fan control is apparent on the STRIX X99 GAMING. To step things up a notch, ASUS has added in a high current fan header, allowing users to use a two or three-way voltage mode splitter without blowing the header. Fan control in the UEFI is just as good as control in Windows.

PCI-E Layout: The 2-way SLI/CrossFireX spacing on the STRIX X99 GAMING is solid, and you will get the maximum spacing between the first two cards you install.

What's Not

3-Way Spacing: Only three of the four PCI-E 16x slots are wired to the CPU, so if you run 3-way, you must run in the second, the middle, and the bottommost slots. The bottommost slot is the issue. Adding in a dual slot card can be tricky since you will cover up the bottom row of headers. If you install a normal double slotted GPU into the last slot for 3-way SLI, the POST code and power/reset button functionality will be compromised.

Final Thoughts

We have seen many new "X99 Refresh" motherboards make their way to the market in the past month, and it's obvious that the two prevailing trends are RGB LEDs and new features such as 32Gb/s U.2/M.2. The STRIX X99 GAMING does an excellent job of meeting the aesthetic needs of almost all users. I am reminded of my early years (over ten years ago) when I would have given anything for one of DFI's LanParty motherboards with the colorful slots, and if RGBs were included, I would have sold my soul to procure the motherboard.

As I moved into the enthusiast segment, my tastes changed and I began to want the motherboard to be a uniform solid color so I could have a consistent color theme of my choosing and not of the vendors. ASUS realizes that producing a motherboard to meet both viewpoints is possible, and the ROG STRIX X99 GAMING is the result.

While the motherboard has some great features, it isn't without its pitfalls. If you want to run three cards in SLI, you will need to think about the spacing, and you can only use U.2 or M.2, not both. Like most X99 motherboards, PCH and CPU IO is limited compared to Z170, but ASUS has done a decent job of prioritizing certain features over others. Overall, this motherboard is impressive, and I am glad ASUS has created a motherboard to fit almost everyone's aesthetic preferences.

Product Summary Breakdown

Performance (including Overclocking)	90%
Quality including Design and Build	91%
General Features	93%
Bundle and Packaging	90%
Value for Money	90%

Overall TweakTown Rating

91%

The Bottom Line: If you are in the market for a well-equipped Intel X99 motherboard with the latest in aesthetically pleasing enhancements, the ROG STRIX X99 GAMING from ASUS could be a perfect choice.

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