facebook rss twitter

Review: Asus Prime X299-A

by Parm Mann on 23 June 2017, 15:30

Tags: ASUSTeK (TPE:2357), Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qadiv2

Add to My Vault: x

Conclusion

...offers stylish looks and a comprehensive feature set that includes everything from RGB lighting to quad-channel memory.

Asus is riding the Core X-Series wave with a wide portfolio of X299 motherboards priced from £230 right the way up to £400.

Nearer the more affordable end of that range, the Prime X299-A, at £275, offers stylish looks and a comprehensive feature set that includes everything from RGB lighting to quad-channel memory.

Select niceties such as WiFi and dual Ethernet have been reserved for pricier models, yet aside from the omission of an onboard reset button, there isn't a great deal missing from the Prime X299-A's arsenal. The fact that this board will support the 18-core Core i9-7980XE later this year holds plenty of appeal, yet as part of Intel's HEDT platform there remains an inevitable premium.

Certain features are only available when paired to a costly Skylake-X processor - you'll need to splash out £900 on a CPU to obtain the maximum 44 PCIe lanes - and Intel no longer has the market to itself; AMD's rival X370 offers impressive multi-core performance for a much lower fee.

Bottom line: the decision to go down the Intel route is no longer clear cut, but for those who choose Core i9 the Asus Prime X299-A is a solid performer and a safe bet.

The Good
 
The Bad
Supports up to 18 cores / 36 threads
More PCIe lanes than you're likely to need
Quad-channel DDR4 memory
Compatible with LGA2011v3 coolers
Ample expansion opportunities
Sleek, stylish design with subtle Aura RGB
 
Some features reserved for premium CPUs
Pricey compared to X370 rivals
No onboard reset button
Software still being optimised



Asus Prime X299-A

HEXUS.where2buy*

The Asus Prime X299-A motherboard is available to purchase from Scan Computers.

HEXUS.right2reply

At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.



*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.



HEXUS Forums :: 2 Comments

Login with Forum Account

Don't have an account? Register today!
£275 for a motherboard, and that's considered on the lower end of the scale for this platform. Not bloody likely.

Although if I had the money..ya, in a heartbeat
If I really needed heavy duty multi-threaded performance I would go for Ryzen 7, not pay through the nose for X299.