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ASRock X99E-ITX/ac with USB 3.1 – First mini-ITX X99 Motherboard

Usually when we talk about X99 motherboards, they always come in full ATX sizes. Some companies have their micro-ATX versions. But never have we seen a mini-ITX version before, even back in the X79 days, until now. ASRock will be revealing the first X99 mini-ITX motherboard this coming CeBIT later this month, called the ASRock X99E-ITX/ac. The ASRock X99E-ITX/ac will features the new LGA2011-3, which according to source is a narrower version, and will support current Haswell-E processors, as well as upcoming Haswell-E CPU variants. It will also feature the new USB 3.1 interface, but expect that some features will not be present or will be trimmed down to fit into this tiny form factor.

ASRock X99E-ITX-ac X99 mini ITX motherboard

ASRock X99E-ITX/ac – A First Look

ASRock hasn’t announced this new mini-ITX X99 motherboard yet, so the full list of its features and specifications are not yet available. But based on the picture above it looks like the upcoming ASRock X99E-ITX/ac will have a 6-phase VRM with Super Alloy components. It will also feature an Ultra M.2 socket, WiFi connectivity, USB 3.1 and dual Intel Gigabit Ethernet ports. However due to its compact size, it can only accommodate two DDR4 memory, most probably running in dual channel mode.

The ASRock X99E-ITX/ac will also have 1x PCI-E x16 slot, 7x SATA ports (if I am not mistaken), a number of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, 7.1 channel audio ports, an eSATA port, the usual 24-pin ATX power connector and an 8-pin CPU power connector. Since the X99E-ITX/ac uses a narrower socket, most CPU coolers supporting the regular LGA2011-3 socket might not be able to fit in this motherboard. That’s why ASRock is bundling it with a free CPU cooler that looks like a 2U cooler used in servers.

We will learn more about this motherboard by next week during the CeBIT 2015 event. So far this is the only mini-ITX X99 motherboard that surfaced. It would be great if other motherboard manufacturers would follow so that the consumers will have more options to choose from.

Source: AnandTech

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Peter Paul
Peter is a PC enthusiast and avid gamer with several years of hands-on experience in testing and reviewing PC components, audio equipment, and various tech devices. He offers a genuine, no-nonsense perspective, helping consumers make informed choices in the ever-changing world of technology.

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