Asus recently unveiled the first TUF (The Ultimate Force) X99 motherboard, – the ASUS TUF Sabertooth X99 at CeBIT 2015. The new TUF Sabertooth X99 is loaded with lots of new features; of course expect the durability that it offers like its predecessors, not to mention the familiar Thermal Armor, and TUF Fortifier as well. The Asus Sabertooth X99 is built with the latest USB 3.1 interface and supports all NVM Express storage options, including the 2.5-inch SSDs. It also features an all-new exclusive feature called the TUF Detective technology that displays live system information on smartphones or tablets even when the PC is turned off. Other features include TUF ESD Guards 2, TUF ICe & Thermal Radar 2 and Military Grade CPU VRMs. Asus is also backing the new Sabertooth X99 motherboard with a 5-year warranty. Check out the rest of its features and specifications from the official release below.
Asus TUF Sabertooth X99 Motherboard Features
The ASUS TUF Sabertooth X99 is the world’s first consumer desktop motherboard to support all NVM Express™ storage devices, including PCI Express® (PCIe®), M.2 PCI Express® and the latest 2.5-inch solid-state drives (SSDs) with SFF-8639 via the mini SAS HD connector on the Hyper Kit[1] expansion card. With built-in USB 3.1, TUF Sabertooth X99 maximizes choice for ultra-high-speed transfer options speeds, handing users total flexibility.
TUF’s newest motherboard additionally introduces all-new and exclusive TUF Detective technology that displays live system information on smartphones and tablets, right at users’ fingertips.
TUF Sabertooth X99 is also equipped for ultimate cooling with exclusive TUF Thermal Armor, TUF Thermal Radar 2 and TUF ICe technologies. Exceptional durability and tested reliability is assured, with TUF Fortifier and TUF Components, including 10K capacitors, TUF chokes and a military-grade MOSFET.
Maximum storage speed, fast connectivity, total flexibility
TUF Sabertooth X99 is based on the latest Intel® X99 Express chipset for high performance and compatibility with the latest LGA 2011-v3 socket Intel Core™ i7 processors. It is also the first consumer desktop motherboard to offer full compatibility with all NVM Express storage options.
With the addition of the Hyper Kit expansion card, TUF Sabertooth X99 gives users the freedom to fit next-generation 2.5-inch SSDs with mini-SAS HD. This exclusive technology exploits the maximum PCI Express 3.0 x4 bandwidth of 32Gbit/s for SSD transfer speeds that are up to 3.5X faster than traditional SSDs.
TUF Sabertooth X99 also benefits from the latest SuperSpeed+ USB 3.1 connectivity. With dual USB 3.1 Type-A ports built in, users enjoy the very fastest USB data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s — or twice (2X) as fast USB 3.0.
All-new TUF Detective
TUF Sabertooth X99 is the first TUF motherboard to include TUF Detective, a free companion app that puts detailed system information at users’ fingertips. With the intuitive app installed on a smartphone or tablet, users are able to monitor key parameters, detect and diagnose errors and control the PC’s power status with touchscreen ease. The PC doesn’t even need to be switched on for the app to be useful.
Exclusive TUF technologies for ultimate cooling
TUF Sabertooth X99 is engineered to stay cool. TUF Thermal Armor technology is an exclusive cover with a fan to boost airflow across the system for maximum heat dissipation. The latest edition of TUF’s easy-to-use Thermal Radar 2 software enables users to control up to 11 fan connectors, as well as manage fans attached to ASUS graphic cards. This makes quick work of fan tuning for complete system cooling, enabling users to enjoy the perfect balance between quietness, cooling and performance.
TUF Sabertooth X99 also has an onboard TUF ICe microchip, a total cooling commander that delivers incredibly precise temperature monitoring and fan control.
Server-grade stability with tested reliability and durable design
TUF Sabertooth X99 offers superior strength, with server-grade stability and reliability and design that’s durable throughout.
TUF Sabertooth X99 includes upgraded TUF ESD Guards 2 which is two times (2X) stronger than before to defend numerous ports against sudden electrostatic discharge, including all USB sockets and audio connectors — and exclusive pin-level testing on specific rear input-output (I/O) connectors[2] is 30% higher than the previous TUF standard.
Exclusive TUF Fortifier technology is a reinforced backplate with a thermal pad that both strengthens the motherboard and efficiently directs heat away from the back of the 8+2-phase Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) and other critical components — an innovation that reduces operating temperatures by up to 6°C.
TUF Components ensure that TUF Sabertooth X99 is tough enough for the most demanding situations. Japanese-made 10K black metallic capacitors offer 20%-better temperature endurance for a lifespan that’s up to five times (5X) longer, and TUF’s chokes are manufactured using high-grade anti-oxidization materials to provide better heat dissipation and unbeatable durability.
All TUF motherboards, including TUF Sabertooth X99, are built with components certified for military use and undergo serious server-level burn-in tests, including over 7,000 hours of compatibility checks with over 1,000 devices — and ever board is covered by TUF’s five-year warranty[3].
Asus TUF Sabertooth X99 Motherboard Specifications
[4]
| Processor/CPU socket | New Intel® Core™ i7 processors on LGA 2011-v3 socket |
| Chipset | Intel® X99 Express |
| Memory | 8 x DIMMs, up to a maximum of 64GB, DDR4 2400/2133 MHz Quad-channel memory architecture Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) supported |
| Expansion slots | 40-lane processor: 3x PCI Express® 3.0/2.0 x16 slots (single at x16, dual at x16/x16, triple at x16/x16/x8) 1x PCI Express® 2.0 x4 slot (maximum x2 mode, compatible with PCIe® x1 and x2 devices) 1x PCI Express® 2.0 x1 slot 28-lane processor: |
| Multi-GPU support | Supports 3-way NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD® CrossFireX™ |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 x4 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices supported (PCIe SSD only) 1x SATA Express port (compatible with 2 x SATA 6.0Gbit/s ports) 8x SATA 6.0Gbit/s ports |
| Networking/LAN | Intel I218-V Gigabit LAN controller Realtek® 8111GR Gigabit LAN controller |
| Audio | Realtek® ALC1150 8-channel high-definition audio codec |
| USB | 2x USB 3.1/3.0 ports (on back panel) 4x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (on back panel) 4x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (at mid-board) 8x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 at mid-board, 4 on back panel) |
| Key features | TUF-branded exclusives: Thermal Armor, Thermal Radar 2, ICe, Fortifier, Components, Detective, ESD Guards 2, Dust Defenders. |
| Dimensions / form factor | 12-inch x 9.6-inch (30.5cm x 24.4cm), ATX |
Notations:
[1] Hyper Kit is a NVM Express M.2 adapter, included with TUF Sabertooth X99 and initially available in North America only.
[2] Testing specification relates to USB, LAN, DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort.
[3] TUF’s five-year warranty is valid in all regions, apart from Japan and South America.
[4] Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors.
