ASUS X99-A II (LGA2011-3) Motherboard Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

Currently, the ASUS X99-A II is available for pre-order from Overclockers UK for £239.99. This is a very reasonable price when you consider its predecessor, the X99-A still hovers around the £225 mark. Not only that, the updated model includes the company’s new SafeSlot design and stunning Aura lighting system. Also, ASUS are doing a promotion which means qualifying products come with a free copy of Doom!

Summary

Aesthetically-speaking, the ASUS X99-A II is sublime and one of the most elegant X99 motherboards I’ve encountered. For example, the stunning white finish on the heatsinks and I/O offer a striking yet sophisticated appearance. Additionally, the gorgeous blue streaks and industrial silver heatsinks look spectacular and contribute to the motherboard’s jaw-dropping colour scheme. ASUS have meticulously considered how to improve the original X99-A design and done a wonderful job. On another note, the company’s Aura lighting effects add a more spectacular tone and includes extremely vibrant colours. The idea to incorporate RGB lighting into the PCI-E clips is very innovative and contrasts against the audio chipset’s isolated LED trace in a perfect manner.

Ideally, I’d like to see some illumination emanating from the power delivery section in a similar vein to MSI’s Mystic Light. Furthermore, the PCH lighting is usually covered when installing a long discrete graphics card. Sadly, the only way around this would be to make the entire heatsink illuminate or allow light to protrude from the bottom section. On a more positive note, you can attach a traditional 5050 RGB LED strip directly into the motherboard which reduces clutter to create a cleaner look. It’s even possible to customise the strip using the Aura software and create a greater level of symbiosis.

In terms of build quality, the motherboard is fantastic and utilises premium components including an 8-phase CPU power delivery, OC socket, high endurance capacitors and a thick PCB design. When combined, these elements allow you to accurately monitor voltage readings and overclock your CPU to its full potential. In this particular case, I managed to obtain 4.5GHz on a 5960X with a voltage of 1.379V and didn’t encounter any stability issues or thermal restrictions. The motherboard’s BIOS is just a complete joy to use and everything is displayed in a logical arrangement. The EZ mode caters towards newcomers and hides advanced overclocking settings to ensure they can’t cause any hardware damage. The advanced BIOS is packed full of complex tweaks and suited towards professional overclocks. This in tandem with the 8+4 power connectors makes the motherboard a superb choice for LN2 overclocking.

The X99-A II’s audio section is another highlight due to the impressive shielding, power re-regulator and integrated audio amplifier. ASUS have even opted for a De-pop circuit and separate layers for the left and right tracks. Throughout the testing procedure, the audio chipset performed brilliantly which greatly adds to the motherboard’s appeal. Other notable features include USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C connectivity, U.2, M.2, Thunderbolt support via an optional card and even a fan header capable of powering up to 3A.

Performance-wise, the motherboard is superb and frequently reached the top spot in various benchmarks. This applies to stock and overclocked testing and showcases the product’s flexibility. More specifically, the ASUS X99-A II offers unbelievable memory bandwidth and surpassed other results by a shocking margin. Also, it constantly trades blows with the MSI X99A GODLIKE GAMING CARBON despite being over £200 cheaper. Saying that, the M.2 read results have some scope for improvement but it’s not enough to cause a noticeable difference outside of synthetic programs. Overall, the motherboard scores very highly in CPU and memory testing which makes it a contender for professionals wanting a high performing motherboard at a price they can easily justify. While this isn’t the cheapest X99 motherboard ASUS has produced, it’s certainly one of the most impressive.

Pros

• Attractive RGB illumination
• Comprehensive software package
• Excellent TCP networking
• Exceptional audio
• Great price to performance ratio for X99
• Mind-blowing memory bandwidth
• Premium components
• Stunning aesthetic design
• Superb BIOS
• Supports  ThunderboltEX 3 card
• Wonderful CPU results

Cons

• Higher power consumption than other motherboards
• M.2 read results could be better
• PCH lighting is easily obscured by long graphics cards

“The ASUS X99-A II consistently sets superb benchmark results and competes with motherboards costing significantly more. Not only that, the gorgeous Aura lighting system and no-compromise approach mean it’s one of the best X99 motherboards available today while retailing at a very competitive price point.”

ASUS X99-A II (LGA2011-3) Motherboard Review

Thank you ASUS for providing this review sample.