Asus announced that its new X99-E-10G WS motherboard (opens in new tab), which had previously been shown in Europe, will soon come to North America. The key feature on this board is its 10 Gbps Ethernet controller.
The X99-E-10G WS is identical to Asus’s X99-E WS/USB 3.1 (opens in new tab) in almost every aspect, but the primary difference between the two is that the new motherboard uses a powerful Intel X550-AT2 10 Gbit Ethernet controller covered by a heatsink and connected to two RJ-45 ports, whereas the X99-E WS/USB 3.1 has two less powerful 1 Gbit NICs.
Due to the space required for the faster Ethernet controller and its heatsink, Asus was forced to reduce the board’s USB support. The X99-E-10G WS is still equipped with an Asmedia USB 3.1 Gen 2 controller connected to two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports (one Type-A, one Type-C), but it does not have the Asmedia USB 3.0 controller found on the X99-E WS/USB 3.1 motherboard. As a result, the X99-E-10G WS has eight fewer USB 3.0 ports than the X99-E WS/USB 3.1.
The X99-E-10G WS and X99-E WS/USB 3.1 also differ in their storage support. The X99-E WS/USB 3.1 comes with one Asmedia SATA Express controller and one Asmedia SATA 6 Gb/s controller, but the X99-E-10G WS relies entirely on the X99 chipset for connecting storage devices. Overall, this means the X99-E-10G WS has less storage support than the X99-E WS/USB 3.1. The new board does have one advantage over the older board, however, in that it comes with a U.2 port.
The only other notable difference in specs between these two boards is that the X99-E-10G WS has official support for DDR4 clocked at 3,333 MHz. The X99-E WS/USB 3.1 is limited to 3,200 MHz DDR4. Also, the X99-E-10G WS can handle ECC memory at 2,400 MHz, whereas the X99-E WS/USB 3.1 is limited to ECC memory clocked at 2,133 MHz or lower.
It should also be noted that the X99-E-10G WS is considerably more expensive, with an MSRP of $650. The X99-E WS/USB 3.1 currently retails for just $505.32 at Newegg (opens in new tab). Asus said the X99-E-10G WS will be available soon, but it did not set a release date.
Asus X99-E-10G WS And Asus X99-E WS/USB 3.1 Comparison | ||
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Motherboard | X99-E-10G WS | X99-E WS/USB 3.1 |
Chipset | Intel X99 | Intel X99 |
Memory Support | 8 x DIMM, Max 128 GB DDR4Non-ECC Memory Up To 3333 MHzECC Memory Up To 2400 MHz | 8 x DIMM, Max 128 GB DDR4Non-ECC Memory Up To 3200 MHzECC Memory Up To 2133 MHz |
LAN | Intel X550-AT2 10 Gbit NIC (2 x RJ-45 Ports) | Intel i210-ATIntel i218LM |
Storage Support | Intel X99 Chipset:U.2 Connector (32 Gbps)M.2 Key M (32 Gbps)10 x SATA-III (6 Gbps) | Intel X99 Chipset:SATA Express (16 Gbps)M.2 Key M (32 Gbps)8 x SATA-III (6 Gbps)Asmedia SATA Express Controller:Sata Express (16 Gbps)Asmedia SATA Controller2 x eSATA Ports (6 Gbps) |
Audio | Realtek ALC1150 Codec + Asus Crystal Sound 3 | Realtek ALC1150 Codec + Asus Crystal Sound 3 |
USB Support | Intel X99 Chipset8 x USB 3.0 (4 Back Panel, 4 Internal Header)4 x USB 2.0 (Internal Header)Asmedia USB 3.1 Controller:2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps, Type-A + Type-C, Back Panel) | Intel X99 Chipset4 x USB 3.0 (Back Panel)4 x USB 2.0 (Internal Header)Asmedia USB 3.1 Controller:2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)Asmedia USB 3.0 Controller:8 x USB 3.0 (4 Back Panel, 4 Internal Header) |
Price | $650 MSRP | $505.32 (Newegg) |