Review and testing of the ASUS X99-PRO motherboard. PCI-Express interface, its main characteristics and backward compatibility PCI E 2.0 motherboards

When it comes to any interfaces in the context of computer systems, you need to be very careful not to “run into” incompatible interfaces for the same components within the system.

Fortunately, when it comes to the PCI-Express interface for connecting a video card, there will be practically no problems with incompatibility. In this article we will look at this in more detail, and also talk about what PCI-Express is.

Why is PCI-Express needed and what is it?

Let's start, as usual, with the very basics. PCI-Express (PCI-E) interface is a means of interaction, in this context, consisting of a bus controller and a corresponding slot (Fig. 2) on motherboard(to generalize).

This high-performance protocol is used, as noted above, to connect a video card to the system. Accordingly, the motherboard has a corresponding PCI-Express slot, where the video adapter is installed. Previously, video cards were connected via the AGP interface, but when this interface, simply put, “was no longer enough,” PCI-E came to the rescue, the detailed characteristics of which we will now talk about.

Fig.2 (PCI-Express 3.0 slots on the motherboard)

Key Characteristics of PCI-Express (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0)

Despite the fact that the names PCI and PCI-Express are very similar, their connection (interaction) principles are radically different. In the case of PCI-Express, a line is used - a bidirectional serial connection, of the point-to-point type; there can be several of these lines. In the case of video cards and motherboards (we do not take into account Cross Fire and SLI) that support PCI-Express x16 (that is, the majority), you can easily guess that there are 16 such lines (Fig. 3), quite often on motherboards with PCI- E 1.0, it was possible to see a second x8 slot for operation in SLI or Cross Fire mode.

Well, in PCI, the device is connected to a common 32-bit parallel bus.

Rice. 3. Example of slots with different numbers of lines

(as mentioned earlier, x16 is most often used)

The interface bandwidth is 2.5 Gbit/s. We need this data to track changes in this parameter in different versions of PCI-E.

Further, version 1.0 evolved into PCI-E 2.0. As a result of this transformation, we received twice the throughput, that is, 5 Gbit/s, but I would like to note that the graphics adapters did not gain much in performance, since this is just a version of the interface. Most of the performance depends on the video card itself; the interface version can only slightly improve or slow down data transfer (in this case there is no “braking”, and there is a good margin).

In the same way, in 2010, with a reserve, the interface was developed PCI-E 3.0, at the moment it is used in all new systems, but if you still have 1.0 or 2.0, then do not worry - below we will talk about the relative backward compatibility of different versions.

With PCI-E 3.0, the bandwidth has been doubled compared to version 2.0. There were also a lot of technical changes made there.

Expected to be born by 2015 PCI-E 4.0, which is absolutely not surprising for the dynamic IT industry.

Well, okay, let's finish with these versions and bandwidth figures, and let's touch on the very important issue of backward compatibility of different versions of PCI-Express.

Backwards compatible with PCI-Express 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 versions

This question worries many, especially when choosing a video card for the current system. Since being content with a system with a motherboard that supports PCI-Express 1.0, doubts arise whether a video card with PCI-Express 2.0 or 3.0 will work correctly? Yes, it will be, at least that’s what the developers who ensured this compatibility promise. The only thing is that the video card will not be able to fully reveal itself in all its glory, but the performance losses, in most cases, will be insignificant.

On the contrary, you can safely install video cards with a PCI-E 1.0 interface in motherboards that support PCI-E 3.0 or 2.0, there are no restrictions at all, so rest assured about compatibility. If, of course, everything is in order with other factors, these include an insufficiently powerful power supply, etc.

Overall, we've talked quite a bit about PCI-Express, which should help you clear up a lot of confusion and doubt about compatibility and understanding the differences between PCI-E versions.

The motherboard is one of the high-level solutions from ASUS. At the time of writing this review, it is positioned as a slightly simplified version of the top-end ASUS X99-DELUXE. The Taiwanese company also has a version of ASUS X99-A in its arsenal. For greater clarity, let’s compare the equipment of the new product being tested with its neighbors in the product line:

external/internal
external/internal
RAM
	1 (in x4 mode)	1 (in x4 mode)	1 (in x4 mode)
Distribution schemes for 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes			x16+x8+x8+x8 x8+x8+x8+x8+x8
SATA 6 Gb/s
		1 + 1 (on complete board)	1 + 1 (on complete board)
			1300 Mbit/s
Power phases

As you can see, the new product is very competently positioned as an average solution in terms of equipment between the ASUS X99-A and the flagship ASUS X99-DELUXE. Unlike the more affordable model, it offers a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless interface module, but not as fast as the ASUS X99-DELUXE. We also note the possibility of installing two drives with an M.2 interface, where one slot is soldered on the surface of the printed circuit board, and the second, like the older model, comes in the form of a complete HYPER M.2 x4 expansion card.

As for the PCI Express 3.0 expansion slots, if you need the ability to install four graphics accelerators, then your choice is the top model, while for more common use cases with one or two video cards, more affordable solutions are perfect.

However, let's examine the capabilities of the new product in more detail without making premature conclusions.

ASUS X99-PRO motherboard specification:

Manufacturer
	X99-PRO (rev 1.0)
CPU socket	Socket LGA2011-v3
Supported processors	Intel Core i7 Extreme Intel Haswell-E family
Frequency of used memory	2133 / 2400* / 2666* / 2800* / 3000* / 3200* / 3300* MHz
Memory support	8 x DDR4 DIMM slots supporting up to 64 GB memory
Expansion slots	3 x PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16
	1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 (in x4 mode) 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
Disk subsystem	Intel X99 chipset supports: 1 x M.2 x4 PCIe 3.0 (M.2 2242, M.2 2260, M.2 2280, M.2 22110) 8 x SATA 6 Gb/s 1 x SATA Express (compatible with 2 x SATA 6 Gb/s) RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10
	1 x Intel WGI218V (10/100/1000 Mb/s)
	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 / 5 GHz) Maximum data transfer speed up to 867 Mbps
Sound subsystem	Codec Realtek ALC1150 8 channel audio
	1 x 24-pin ATX power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX12V power connector
Fans	2 x CPU fan headers (4-pin) 4 x system fan connectors (4-pin)
Cooling	Aluminum chipset heatsink connected by heat pipe to auxiliary heatsink Aluminum radiators on power subsystem elements
External I/O ports	1 x PS/2 (for connecting a mouse or keyboard) 5 x audio ports 1 x Optical S/PDIF Out 2 x connectors for combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antenna 1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button
Internal I/O ports	2 x USB 3.0, each with support for connecting two USB 3.0 (19-pin) 2 x USB 2.0, each supporting two USB 2.0 connections 8 x SATA 6 Gb/s 1 x SATA Express, compatible with two SATA 6 Gb/s 1 x M.2 x4 PCIe 3.0 1 x TPM connector 1 x COM connector 1 x front panel audio output connector 1 x front panel connector block 1 x “MemOK!” button 1 x Power Button 1 x Reset CMOS Button 1 x diagnostic LED indicator 1 x TB_HEADER header 1 x temperature sensor connector 1 x "TPU" switch 1 x "EPU" switch 1 x "EZ XMP" switch 1 x DRCT connector 1 x CPU/DRAM Overvoltage jumpers
	PnP, DMI 2.7, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.7, ACPI 5.0
Equipment	user guide warranty brochure disk with drivers and utilities 1 x set of ASUS Q-Connectors 6 x SATA cables 1 x 2-Way NVIDIA SLI bridge 1 x Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo antenna 1 x HYPER M.2 x4 board 1 x interface panel blank
Form factor,
Products webpage

Packaging and accessories

The ASUS X99-PRO motherboard comes in a familiar cardboard box, decorated with printing in dark colors. The main graphic elements of the front panel are the image of the model itself and the logo of the Dual Intelligent Processors 5 with 5-Way Optimization corporate design. Additionally, here you can pay attention to the name of the manufacturer, support for NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX technologies, as well as the use of DTS Connect and DTS UltraPC II audio technologies.

On the back of the package there is a repeated image of the new product, as well as its brief technical characteristics. There is also a detailed description of the key features and advantages of the device:

• Dual Intelligent Processors 5 with 5-Way Optimization- the board is equipped with two intelligent chips: an energy processor (Energy Processing Unit - EPU) and a TurboV processor (TurboV Processing Unit - TPU). The fifth generation of these chips works together with the digital power subsystem DIGI+ VRM and Fan Xpert 3 and TurboAPP technologies, which allows fine optimization of system operation depending on the current needs of the user.
• O.S. Socket- a proprietary feature of ASUS motherboards based on the Intel X99 chipset, for which a patent application has already been filed. Unlike the standard Socket LGA2011-v3 processor socket, ASUS O.C. Socket has a large number of contact legs. As we know, on the new Intel Haswell-E processors there are more contact pads than pins in the socket. It is for their use that ASUS has modified the processor socket. In combination with the proprietary UEFI BIOS, this allows you to obtain a more stable voltage on the processor and RAM under heavy load during overclocking, and, accordingly, achieve better results.
• TurboLAN- using the bundled software, you can monitor your PC’s network activity in real time, as well as set each program’s priority for access to network resources.
• TurboAPP - provides the ability to select the required level of system performance for each individual application. ASUS AI Suite 3 software allows you to configure not only performance, but also select your own audio profile for each application, as well as configure the prioritization of network traffic.
• Crystal Sound 2- the Realtek ALC1150 audio codec pre-installed on the motherboard, which uses a special TI R4580I amplifier, offers support for eight-channel audio. To avoid interference caused by electromagnetic interference, a special Audio Shielding technology is used. To ensure maximum sound quality, Japanese audio capacitors from Nichicon are used. In addition, the left and right audio channels are made on different layers of PCB, which helps minimize crosstalk. Last on the list, but far from least important, is support for DTS Connect and DTS Ultra PC II technologies, as well as the presence of an S/PDIF out port on the interface panel.
• Wi-Fi Go!- integrated dual-band wireless module Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0 is capable of speeds up to 867 Mbit/s. This will allow you to connect to wireless networks and use your PC as a hotspot for other media devices. Additionally, it supports the function of controlling a PC using a smartphone, exchanging files between a computer and portable devices, synchronizing information between various cloud storages, as well as the Media Streamer function (playing multimedia files over a wireless network). At the same time, support for two frequency bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) allows you to use the first for viewing web pages, and the second for downloading high-quality HD video content.

In the box with ASUS X99-PRO we found a very good set of accessories:

• disk with drivers and utilities;
• user instructions;
• six SATA cables;
• ASUS Q-Connectors set;
• bridge 2-Way NVIDIA SLI;
• combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antenna;
• HYPER M.2 x4 board;
• interface panel cover.

Board design and features

The new product is made on a black printed circuit board in ATX format (305 x 244 mm). Traditionally, for models with the Intel X99 chipset, the design is dominated by light shades, which go well with a dark printed circuit board. Let us separately highlight the original design element in the form of a protective casing on the left side of the PCB.

An additional design element is a yellow LED strip, which will appeal to owners of cases with a transparent lid and fans of modding.

Speaking about the layout and ease of assembly of the system, it is worth noting the very dense arrangement of ports and connectors at the bottom of the motherboard, however, this is not a drawback, but only indicates its high functionality.

Looking at the reverse side of the PCB, you can notice the familiar support plate of the processor socket, as well as the fact that the radiators are securely fastened with screws. Separately, we note a small low-profile radiator located directly under the elements of the processor power subsystem for more efficient cooling, as well as a number of microcircuits that do not fit on the front side of the board.

At the bottom of the ASUS X99-PRO PCB there are the following connectors: front panel audio connector block, S/PDIF Out, COM and TPM ports, TB_HEADER block (for implementing the Thunderbolt interface), PC power and restart buttons, diagnostic LED indicator, one of four connectors for system fans, as well as a connector for the front panel.

Additionally, we note three connectors for activating USB ports: two for USB 2.0 and one for USB 3.0. In total, the chipset supports eight USB 2.0 ports on the board: four internal and four on the interface panel. As for USB 3.0, there are only ten of them: four internal and six external. One external and all internal ports are implemented by the chipset, while five additional connectors on the interface panel operate thanks to two controllers: ASMedia ASM1042AE and ASMedia ASM1074.

Three small switches deserve special attention: “EZ_XMP”, “TPU” and “EPU”. The first one serves to activate the corresponding XMP RAM profiles. The second has three positions: “Off”, “1” (automatic overclocking of the system by increasing the multiplier) and “2” (automatic overclocking by increasing the system bus frequency and processor multiplier). The last toggle switch has only two positions and is responsible for activating the energy saving function (EPU).

The possibilities for organizing the disk subsystem are represented by an M.2 x4 PCIe 3.0 connector with a maximum throughput of 32 Gbit/s (SSD drives of M.2 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110 formats are supported), eight SATA 6 Gbit/s ports, as well as a SATA interface Express, which is compatible with two SATA 6 Gb/s. There is support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 arrays. Also, do not forget about the included HYPER M.2 x4 board, into which you can install another SSD drive (M.2 2230, 2242, 2260 formats are supported , 2280 and 22110) with throughput up to 32 Gbps.

ASUS X99-PRO is equipped with eight DIMM slots for installing DDR4 RAM modules, which are equipped with latches on only one side for greater convenience. RAM can operate in a maximum of four-channel mode. To implement one of the multi-channel modes, modules must be installed according to one of the following schemes.

Supported strips operating at frequencies of 2133 MHz in nominal mode and up to 3300 MHz in overclocking. The maximum memory capacity can reach 64 GB, which will be enough for any task.

Additionally, we note the block located on the right side of the printed circuit board for connecting an external panel with USB 3.0 ports and the “MemOK!” button, which allows you to automatically select the necessary RAM operating parameters for a successful system start.

The cooling system of the new product in question consists of four main aluminum radiators: one, connected by a heat pipe to an additional cooler in the central part of the board, removes heat from the Intel X99 chipset, while the other two cover elements of the processor power subsystem. During testing, the following temperature indicators were recorded:

• chipset cooling radiator - 35.8°C;
• upper radiator for cooling elements of the processor power subsystem - 44.2°C.
• lower radiator for cooling elements of the processor power subsystem - 34.6°C.

The results obtained can be described as excellent, which allows us to hope for high overclocking potential.

The processor is powered using an 8-phase circuit for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter itself is based on the ASP1257 digital PWM controller. All components of the processor power supply are characterized by a high degree of reliability, efficiency and stability: solid-state capacitors and chokes with a ferrite core are used. The main 24-pin and additional 8-pin connectors are used to supply power supply.

To expand the functionality of the tested motherboard, there are six slots:

1. PCI Express 3.0 x16 (“PCIE_X16_1”, in x16 mode);
2. PCI Express 2.0 x1 (“PCIE_X1_1”);
3. PCI Express 2.0 x16 (“PCIE_X16_2”, in x1 or x4 mode);
4. PCI Express 3.0 x16 (“PCIE_X16_3”, in x16 or x8 mode);
5. PCI Express 2.0 x1 (“PCIE_X1_2”);
6. PCI Express 3.0 x16 (“PCIE_X16_4”, in x8 or x4 mode).

To install graphics accelerators, the user has 3 PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, which are connected to the processor and share (depending on the installed CPU model) 40 or 28 lines of the PCI Express 3.0 standard. Lines can be distributed according to one of the following schemes.

In turn, PCI Express 2.0 x16 and PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots can be used for other expansion cards.

Due to the lack of free chipset lines, as well as the presence of a fairly large number of controllers on the motherboard, there are a number of restrictions on the simultaneous use of ports and connectors:

• One of the PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (in the diagram “PCIE_X16_4”) shares bandwidth with the M.2 x4 PCIe 3.0 interface, which means their simultaneous operation is impossible.
• The PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slot (PCIE_X16_2 in the diagram) shares bandwidth with the PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot (PCIE_X1_1 in the diagram) and two USB 3.0 ports on the interface panel (USB3_E56 in the diagram). By default, both slots operate in x1 mode, while the USB 3.0 ports are active. If desired, you can disable USB 3.0 ports, thereby increasing the throughput of PCI Express 2.0 x16 to x4 mode.
• The PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot (PCIE_X1_2 in the diagram) shares bandwidth with the installed Wi-Fi module.

Multi I/O capabilities are assigned to the NUVOTON NCT6791D chip, which controls the operation of system fans, COM and PS/2 ports, and also provides monitoring.

The operation of five USB 3.0 ports on the interface panel is implemented using the ASMedia ASM1042AE chip and the ASMedia ASM1074 controller.

To support network connections, an Intel WGI218V gigabit LAN controller is used. The proprietary TurboLAN utility will help distribute network resources and prioritize traffic.

The audio subsystem of the motherboard in question is based on the 8-channel Realtek ALC1150 HDA codec, which supports 2/4/5.1/7.1 audio systems and has a number of proprietary features (Crystal Sound 2 concept). It involves the presence of a special audio amplifier TI R4580I and Japanese audio capacitors to improve the quality of the reproduced sound. The PCB area itself with the sound path is shielded using a protective strip. In addition, the right and left audio channels are located on separate layers of the PCB.

The following ports are displayed on the interface panel of the tested model:

• 1 x PS/2 (for connecting a mouse or keyboard);
• 1 x LAN (RJ45);
• 6 x USB 3.0;
• 4 x USB 2.0;
• 5 x audio ports;
• 1 x optical S/PDIF Out;
• 2 x connectors for a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antenna;
• 1 x USB BIOS Flashback button.

In addition to the main advantage in the form of a complete module with support for Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.0 standards, the interface panel of the new product is distinguished by the presence of ten USB ports and convenient connection of multi-channel acoustics. We also note the “USB BIOS Flashback” button for updating the BIOS firmware from a flash drive.

The ASUS X99-PRO has very good cooling capabilities inside the system case. There are six 4-pin fan headers, two of which are for the CPU cooling system, while the other four are for system fans.

UEFI BIOS

The new product being tested uses a modern preloader based on the UEFI graphical interface, in which you can make settings using the mouse. It offers two main use cases.

“EZ Mode”, in which all the necessary parameters are grouped on one screen, and overclocking is carried out using the “EZ Tuning Wizard”.

Or the usual “Advanced Mode”, where all settings must be made manually.

All items related to overclocking the system are located in the “Ai Tweaker” tab.

The memory frequency multiplier allows you to set the speed of connected modules in the range from 800 to 4000 MHz.

You can also access memory delay adjustments if necessary.

To increase stability during overclocking, the DIGI+ digital power subsystem control settings can be used.

Of course, there would not be a section where the voltage parameters on all key components are grouped.

The settings required for overclocking and optimizing the system are summarized in the table:

Parameter	Menu name	Range
System bus frequency
		100, 125, 166, 250
RAM frequency	Memory Frequency
RAM timings		CAS Latency, RAS to CAS, RAS PRE Time, RAS ACT Time, DRAM COMMAND Mode, RAS to RAS Delay, REF Cycle Time, Write Recovery Time, READ to PRE Time, FOUR ACT WIN Time, WRITE to READ Delay, Write Latency
	Min. CPU Cache Ratio Limit
	Max CPU Cache Ratio Limit
Operating frequency of the PWM controller of the processor power converter	Fixed CPU VRM Switching Frequency(KHz)
	Fixed DRAM-AB Switching Frequency(KHz)
	Fixed DRAM-CD Switching Frequency(KHz)
		1,20000 - 2,20000
	VCCIO CPU 1.05V Voltage	0,70000 - 1,80000
	VCCIO PCH 1.05V Voltage	0,70000 - 1,80000
	VTTDDR Voltage(CHA, CHB)	0,20000 - 1,00000
	VTTDDR Voltage(CHC, CHD)	0,20000 - 1,00000
	PLL Termination Voltage	0,200000 - 2,193804
	Long Duration Package Power Limit
	Package Power Time Window
	Short Duration Package Power Limit
	CPU Integrated VR Current Limit	0,125 - 1023,875
	CPU Core Voltage	1,000000 - 2,000000
	CPU Cache Voltage	1,000000 - 2,000000
	CPU System Agent Voltage	0,800000 - 2,000000
CPU input voltage	CPU Input Voltage
	CPU Input Boot Voltage
Voltage on RAM modules	DRAM Voltage(CHA, CHB)
	DRAM Voltage(CHC,CHD)
Chipset voltage	PCH Core Voltage	0,70000 - 1,80000

The “Monitor” section provides access to monitoring the temperature of the processor, VRM module and chipset, as well as voltages on key system components and on the +12V, +5V and +3.3V power lines. Additionally, we highlight the side panel, which is displayed in all sections and carries key information about the parameters of the processor, RAM and power lines +3.3V, +5V and +12V.

Separately, it is worth noting the ability to take screenshots in the BIOS and support for the Russian language.

Overclocking options

Based on the results of manual overclocking of the Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition processor, by increasing the multiplier to x42 and the voltage to 1.195 V, its stable operating frequency was 4200 MHz.

Using the automatic overclocking capabilities using the ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 5 utility in the “Ratio only” mode (overclocking by increasing only the multiplier) made it possible to increase the processor frequency to 4600 MHz at a voltage of 1.299 V. The memory operated at DDR4-2400 MHz.

You can also use this function through the BIOS or using the “TPU” switch in mode “1”.

"BCLK First"

After activating the automatic CPU overclocking function in the “BCLK First” mode (overclocking via the BCLK bus), its frequency was fixed at 4550 MHz at a voltage of 1.299 V. The memory operating frequency was DDR4-2360 MHz. You can use this function through the BIOS or using the “TPU” switch in mode “2”.

As for the automatic overclocking capabilities in the BIOS, to start the “EZ Tuning Wizard” settings wizard, which we mentioned earlier, you need to select the scenario for using your computer: “Daily Computing” or “Gaming/Video Editing”.

Next, you should indicate the type of cooling system installed: a complete box cooler, an improved cooling tower, a liquid cooling system, or an option with a question mark for those who are not sure about the type of cooling used.

Depending on the combination of the points mentioned above, the optimal (according to the system) automatic overclocking profile will be selected.

For example, after selecting the “Daily Computing” and “Box cooler” items, the system set the overclocking to 23% for the processor and 0% for the memory, which resulted in a processor frequency of 3700 MHz at a voltage of 0.988 V.

Selecting the most extreme items (“Gaming/Video Editing” and “Water cooler”) offers an overclocking of 32% and 14% for the processor and memory, respectively. As a result, the CPU frequency reached 3977 MHz at a voltage of 1.210 V. But the RAM modules began to operate at DDR4-2446 MHz.

Increasing the system bus frequency went without any particular difficulties. This parameter was recorded at 174.93 MHz.

The test RAM modules were successfully overclocked to DDR4-3000 MHz using the appropriate XMP profile. The voltage was 1.35 V.

Testing

To test the capabilities of the ASUS X99-PRO motherboard, the following equipment was used:

CPU	Intel Core i7-5960X (Socket LGA2011-v3, 3.0 GHz, 20 MB L3 cache)
RAM	4 x 4 GB DDR4-2800 Corsair Vengeance LPX
Video card	AMD Radeon HD 7970 3 GB GDDR5
HDD	Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EALX, 1 TB, SATA 6 Gb/s, NCQ
Optical drive	ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA
power unit	Seasonic X-560 Gold (SS-560KM Active PFC)
	CODEGEN M603 MidiTower (2 x 120mm blower/exhaust fans)

Test results

During testing, ASUS X99-PRO showed performance on par with competitors, which tells us about the high-quality design of the board, the selection of a reliable and efficient element base, as well as good optimization of BIOS settings.

Testing the audio path based on the Realtek ALC1150 codec

Test report in RightMark Audio Analyzer

16-bit, 44.1 kHz

Noise level, dB (A)		Very good
Dynamic range, dB (A)		Very good
Harmonic distortion, %		Very good
		Very good
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, %		Very good
Overall rating		Very good

Operating mode 24-bit, 192 kHz

Frequency response unevenness (in the range 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB
Noise level, dB (A)
Dynamic range, dB (A)
Harmonic distortion, %		Very good
Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A)
Intermodulation distortion + noise, %
Interpenetration of channels, dB
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, %
Overall rating		Very good

The pre-installed audio subsystem based on the flagship audio codec with the Crystal Sound 2 design stands out with a number of interesting features that we talked about earlier. It demonstrates very good sound quality, which will be more than enough for everyday use.

conclusions

Based on the results of our acquaintance with the new model of motherboard from ASUS, which is designed to work with Intel Haswell-E processors and is based on the Intel X99 chipset, it can be noted that it is an excellent compromise between the ASUS X99-A and the flagship ASUS X99-DELUXE. In this model, the manufacturer managed to quite successfully combine most of the advantages of the solutions mentioned above, such as support for wireless interfaces, excellent capabilities for organizing the disk subsystem, as well as an expanded scope of delivery. At the same time, the new product quite logically received a more affordable price than the ASUS X99-DELUXE, since it supports the installation of three graphics accelerators, not five, uses a slightly smaller number of USB 3.0 ports and only one SATA Express interface. Also, do not forget that the throughput of the Wi-Fi network module is limited to 867 Mbit/s instead of 1300 Mbit/s. However, even these figures are significantly higher than most analogues available on the market.

As for the advantages of the ASUS X99-PRO, apart from comparison with other ASUS models, it is first of all worth noting the stylish design, high-quality element base, competent layout, as well as a high-quality sound subsystem with the Crystal Sound 2 design.

Additionally, we note the successful layout of the interface panel, a large number of USB ports, as well as a proprietary feature in the form of an ASUS O.C processor socket. Socket, which has a number of advantages over the standard solution in terms of realizing overclocking potential.

As for the features, due to the presence of third-party controllers, as well as the rich availability of various interfaces, you may encounter a number of restrictions on their simultaneous use, which we mentioned earlier.

As a result, ASUS X99-PRO is a perfectly balanced solution for assembling a high-end system with multiple video cards. It can be safely recommended for purchase.

Advantages:

• reliable 8-phase digital power subsystem DIGI+ VRM;
• improved element base for more reliable and stable operation of the motherboard;
• interesting and stylish design;
• support for a large number of USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s ports;
• the presence of one SATA Express connector with a bandwidth of up to 10 Gbit/s;
• the presence of two M.2 x4 PCIe 3.0 connectors with a bandwidth of up to 32 Gbit/s;
• high-quality sound subsystem;
• Supports up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM in 4-channel mode;
• the presence of a proprietary O.C.Socket connector for higher overclocking of the CPU and memory;
• efficient operation of the cooling subsystem;
• the presence of a number of control elements on the printed circuit board;
• good capabilities for automatic and manual acceleration;
• three connectors for installing video cards supporting a maximum of 40 PCI Express 3.0 lines;
• support for AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI technologies;
• dual-band Wi-Fi + Bluetooth module with bandwidth up to 867 Mbit/s;
• Gigabit network controller from Intel with a utility for prioritizing traffic;
• successful layout of the interface panel;

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The PCI Express standard is one of the foundations of modern computers. PCI Express slots have long occupied a strong place on any desktop computer motherboard, displacing other standards, such as PCI. But even the PCI Express standard has its own variations and connection patterns that differ from each other. On new motherboards, starting around 2010, you can see a whole scattering of ports on one motherboard, designated as PCIE or PCI-E, which may differ in the number of lines: one x1 or several x2, x4, x8, x12, x16 and x32.

So, let's find out why there is such confusion among the seemingly simple PCI Express peripheral port. And what is the purpose of each PCI Express x2, x4, x8, x12, x16 and x32 standard?

What is the PCI Express bus?

Back in the 2000s, when the transition took place from the aging PCI standard (extension - interconnection of peripheral components) to PCI Express, the latter had one huge advantage: instead of a serial bus, which was PCI, a point-to-point access bus was used. This meant that each individual PCI port and the cards installed in it could take full advantage of the maximum bandwidth without interfering with each other, as happened with a PCI connection. In those days, the number of peripheral devices inserted into expansion cards was abundant. Network cards, audio cards, TV tuners, and so on - all required a sufficient amount of PC resources. But unlike the PCI standard, which used a common bus for data transfer with multiple devices connected in parallel, PCI Express, when considered in general, is a packet network with a star topology.

PCI Express x16, PCI Express x1 and PCI on one board

In layman's terms, imagine your desktop PC as a small store with one or two salespeople. The old PCI standard was like a grocery store: everyone waited in the same line to be served, experiencing speed issues with the limitation of one salesperson behind the counter. PCI-E is more like a hypermarket: each customer follows his own individual route for groceries, and at the checkout, several cashiers take the order at once.

Obviously, a hypermarket is several times faster than a regular store in terms of speed of service, due to the fact that the store cannot afford the capacity of more than one salesperson with one cash register.

Also with dedicated data lanes for each expansion card or built-in motherboard components.

The influence of the number of lines on throughput

Now, to extend our store and hypermarket metaphor, imagine that each department of the hypermarket has its own cashiers reserved just for them. This is where the idea of ​​multiple data lanes comes into play.

PCI-E has gone through many changes since its inception. These days, new motherboards typically use version 3 of the standard, with the faster version 4 becoming more common, with version 5 expected in 2019. But different versions use the same physical connections, and these connections can be made in four main sizes: x1, x4, x8 and x16. (x32 ports exist, but are extremely rare on regular computer motherboards).

The different physical sizes of PCI-Express ports make it possible to clearly divide them by the number of simultaneous connections to the motherboard: the larger the port is physically, the more maximum connections it can transmit to the card or vice versa. These connections are also called lines. One line can be thought of as a track consisting of two signal pairs: one for sending data and the other for receiving.

Different versions of the PCI-E standard allow different speeds on each lane. But generally speaking, the more lanes there are on a single PCI-E port, the faster data can flow between the peripheral and the rest of the computer.

Returning to our metaphor: if we are talking about one seller in a store, then the x1 strip will be this only seller serving one client. A store with 4 cashiers already has 4 lines x4. And so on, you can assign cashiers by the number of lines, multiplying by 2.

Various PCI Express cards

Types of devices using PCI Express x2, x4, x8, x12, x16 and x32

For the PCI Express 3.0 version, the overall maximum data transfer speed is 8 GT/s. In reality, the speed for the PCI-E 3 version is slightly less than one gigabyte per second per lane.

Thus, a device using the PCI-E x1 port, for example, a low-power sound card or Wi-Fi antenna, will be able to transfer data at a maximum speed of 1 Gbps.

A card that physically fits into a larger slot - x4 or x8, for example, a USB 3.0 expansion card will be able to transfer data four or eight times faster, respectively.

The transfer speed of PCI-E x16 ports is theoretically limited to a maximum bandwidth of about 15 Gbps. This is more than enough in 2017 for all modern graphics cards developed by NVIDIA and AMD.

Most discrete graphics cards use a PCI-E x16 slot

The PCI Express 4.0 protocol allows the use of 16 GT/s, and PCI Express 5.0 will use 32 GT/s.

But currently there are no components that could use this number of lanes with maximum throughput. Modern high-end graphics cards usually use x16 PCI Express 3.0. It makes no sense to use the same lanes for a network card that will only use one lane on the x16 port, since the Ethernet port is only capable of transferring data up to one gigabit per second (which is about one-eighth the throughput of one PCI-E lane - remember: eight bits in one byte).

There are PCI-E SSDs on the market that support the x4 port, but they look set to be replaced by the rapidly evolving new M.2 standard. for SSDs that can also use the PCI-E bus. High-end network cards and enthusiast hardware such as RAID controllers use a combination of x4 and x8 formats.

PCI-E port and lane sizes may vary

This is one of the most confusing problems with PCI-E: a port can be made in the x16 form factor, but not have enough lanes to carry data through, for example, just x4. This is because even though PCI-E can carry an unlimited number of individual connections, there is still a practical limit to the chipset's bandwidth capacity. Cheaper motherboards with lower-end chipsets may only have one x8 slot, even if that slot can physically accommodate an x16 form factor card.

Additionally, motherboards aimed at gamers include up to four full PCI-E slots with x16 and the same number of lanes for maximum bandwidth.

Obviously this can cause problems. If the motherboard has two x16 slots, but one of them only has x4 lanes, then adding a new graphics card will reduce the performance of the first by as much as 75%. This is, of course, only a theoretical result. The architecture of motherboards is such that you will not see a sharp drop in performance.

The correct configuration of two graphics video cards should use exactly two x16 slots if you want maximum comfort from a tandem of two video cards. The manual at the office will help you find out how many lines a particular slot has on your motherboard. manufacturer's website.

Sometimes manufacturers even mark the number of lines on the motherboard PCB next to the slot

You need to know that a shorter x1 or x4 card can physically fit into a longer x8 or x16 slot. The pin configuration of the electrical contacts makes this possible. Naturally, if the card is physically larger than the slot, then you won’t be able to insert it.

Therefore, remember, when purchasing expansion cards or upgrading current ones, you must always remember both the size of the PCI Express slot and the number of lanes required.