News Asus X99M-WS microATX X99 motherboard

Edit 2: Better pics!

https://sff-forum.net/threads/asus-x99m-ws-microatx-x99-motherboard.54/page-2#post-941

Edit: Pics!

Here's the first picture of ASUS X99M-WS, an upcoming workstation-grade socket LGA2011v3 motherboard based on the Intel X99 Express chipset, which the company claims will be the "most powerful" motherboard of its kind in this form-factor. The board draws power from 24-pin ATX, and two 8-pin EPS power connectors, with an optional 6-pin PCIe power input to stabilize power to add-on cards. The socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 128 GB of quad-channel DDR4 memory; and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 connectors.

http://www.techpowerup.com/213034/asus-x99m-ws-micro-atx-motherboard-pictured.html

Hope we get better pictures soon, I'm really looking forward to this motherboard.



Raja has been hinting about some kind of X99 microATX board from Asus but in a live stream JJ from Asus dropped that the new board would be under the WS brand and will hopefully release end of this month:


Transcript:

The main hole that we're now going to be filling out with the X99 platform is we will be releasing a X99 microATX board. So for this generation, at least right now, there won't be a Gene but there actually will be a board that will be very close to the Gene in terms of its overall design quality.

It'll be actually from the WS group but it's an absolute beast of a board, so it brings to it the kind of overbuilt nature, high-end quality design that you have from ROG but it'll be under the WS branding.

It's got the beautiful, monolithic, monochromatic design that the WS board has for X99, which I think looks awesome. I think that board looks really, really great. So you'll have that same kind of color aesthetic.

That board's probably going to be launching right around at the very end of this month. So at least we'll finally have now a microATX solution, but on the Mini-ITX side, definitely, at this time, nothing to report.

Something like this in mATX? I'll take it!

 

[jeshikat]

That'd be great. I've already invested in this Intel 750 so I probably won't be dropping the cash for a M.2 drive anytime soon.

 

[jeshikat]

Finally, better pictures:

There looks to be x8 worth of electrical contacts on the bottom slot, there may be hope

http://www.gdm.or.jp/crew/2015/0603/117917

Any Japanese speakers here that can better translate this? ASUS国内担当者によると 「9月頃の発売で国内投入を予定している」 とのこと。

This is what Google Translate gives:

ASUS According to the domestic personnel "you are planning a domestic input in the launch of the time in September," it said.

 

[Vittra]

Can't read it, sounds like September availability in Asia, with NA to follow a few weeks after.

 

[jeshikat]

Someone on another forum said availability in Japan in September. Not sure what availability dates for Japan vs rest of the world is for stuff like this.

I'd assume they'd get a few weeks earlier due to shipping time like you said.

 

[jeshikat]

The product page is finally up: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/X99M_WS/

And great news from the manual, the bottom slot is 3.0 x8 with a 40 lane CPU. Chassis fan headers appear to be DC control only though.

 

[MJVR1]

Chassis fan headers appear to be DC control only though.

Wait wut... I've seen a couple people joke around with Asus removing PWM headers but I thought they were being sarcastic or something. Are they seriously removing PWM control after their mostly slam duck with Fan Xpert3?

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Wait wut... I've seen a couple people joke around with Asus removing PWM headers but I thought they were being sarcastic or something. Are they seriously removing PWM control after their mostly slam duck with Fan Xpert3?

I've found myself buying into the theory that, each year, motherboard manufacturers consult "a higher power" when considering whether or not to include competent fan controls.

Somewhere deep inside the recesses of ASUS's R&D department...

ASUS EMPLOYEE #1: "Well, it's time to release a new round of enthusiast motherboards. We must consult the Oracle!"

ASUS EMPLOYEE #2 opens a drawer, shuffles through the contents, and produces a shiny, black orb. She hands it to EMPLOYEE #1.

EMPLOYEE #1: "Oh, great Oracle of computer hardware, my arbiter of the highest clocks and lowest temperatures... Shall we include PWM controls on this year's enthusiast boards?"

EMPLOYEE #1 starts convulsing, shaking the orb vigorously in the process. He flips the orb over. A swirling, black vortex inside the orb quickly dissipates, exposing an image within the form.

ORB: "...My sources say no."

EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2: "The hardware gods hath spoken!"

- [Fade to black] -

 

[MJVR1]

I've found myself buying into the theory that, each year, motherboard manufacturers consult "a higher power" when considering whether or not to include competent fan controls.

Somewhere deep inside the recesses of ASUS's R&D department...

ASUS EMPLOYEE #1: "Well, it's time to release a new round of enthusiast motherboards. We must consult the Oracle!"

ASUS EMPLOYEE #2 opens a drawer, shuffles through the contents, and produces a shiny, black orb. She hands it to EMPLOYEE #1.

EMPLOYEE #1: "Oh, great Oracle of computer hardware, my arbiter of the highest clocks and lowest temperatures... Shall we include PWM controls on this year's enthusiast boards?"

EMPLOYEE #1 starts convulsing, shaking the orb vigorously in the process. He flips the orb over. A swirling, black vortex inside the orb quickly dissipates, exposing an image within the form.

ORB: "...My sources say no."

EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2: "The hardware gods hath spoken!"

- [Fade to black] -[/

I've found myself buying into the theory that, each year, motherboard manufacturers consult "a higher power" when considering whether or not to include competent fan controls.

Somewhere deep inside the recesses of ASUS's R&D department...

ASUS EMPLOYEE #1: "Well, it's time to release a new round of enthusiast motherboards. We must consult the Oracle!"

ASUS EMPLOYEE #2 opens a drawer, shuffles through the contents, and produces a shiny, black orb. She hands it to EMPLOYEE #1.

EMPLOYEE #1: "Oh, great Oracle of computer hardware, my arbiter of the highest clocks and lowest temperatures... Shall we include PWM controls on this year's enthusiast boards?"

EMPLOYEE #1 starts convulsing, shaking the orb vigorously in the process. He flips the orb over. A swirling, black vortex inside the orb quickly dissipates, exposing an image within the form.

ORB: "...My sources say no."

EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2: "The hardware gods hath spoken!"

- [Fade to black] -

Ive heard tales of when JJ was "introduced" to the orb... Went a little something like this...Couldnt resist sorry. Anyways... Could I get a source to the whole PWM fan thing. Wanna interrogate JJ if it's true.

 

[EdZ]

It really is bizarre. You actually need MORE components on the board to provide a variable DC output than you need to provide a 12V line and a PWM pin.

 

[jeshikat]

Couldnt resist sorry. Anyways... Could I get a source to the whole PWM fan thing. Wanna interrogate JJ if it's true.

In the manual the chassis fan header diagram shows +5V on the 4th pin. 5V on the PWM pin means 100% duty cycle, so it then would use voltage control like a 3-pin fan to control the speed.

What has happened several times now is Asus reps will claim it's an error in the manual and they'll correct it later. They said that about the Maximus VII Impact but it turned out that the chassis headers are DC control only. The manual has been updated since it's release but it still shows DC only on the chassis headers.

I specifically asked about the X99-A when it was announced and got the same story. I ended up using that board for a customer's build at work a month or two ago and tested it briefly. I didn't have my multimeter on me though and was in a hurry to finish the build but I tried my Noctua 120mm Industrial fan and the controllable RPM range on the chassis header was good, but not quite as wide as the CPU header so there's something going on there.

It's not just Asus though, Gigabyte is just as bad. If I can gather enough motherboards to test I'd like to get an oscilloscope and test them all and record the results to find out just how many boards, if any, truly have PWM chassis headers.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Serious question: Is there a reason for this inconsistency and reluctance to adopt PWM? Is it a cost or related concern?

 

[jeshikat]

I assume it's cost cutting. Most people wouldn't notice the difference between DC control and PWM control. Only reason the CPU header consistently has proper PWM control is Intel requires it.

 

[Phuncz]

Somewhere deep inside the recesses of ASUS's R&D department...

LOL it must seem to go this way, as Asus is determined to not provide proper PWM signaling for fan control. It's like their chief board designer is somehow against PWM because it's bad for enthusiasts.

Serious question: Is there a reason for this inconsistency and reluctance to adopt PWM? Is it a cost or related concern?

If it really was a cost concern, they wouldn't waste time making useless gimmicks like the "CoolHub" and not spend the cents for a PWM circuit. If other brands can do it without an issue on much cheaper boards, it certainly is possible on their enterprise-priced gaudy "gamer OC" boards.

 

[veryrarium]

Any Japanese speakers here that can better translate this? ASUS国内担当者によると 「9月頃の発売で国内投入を予定している」 とのこと。
This is what Google Translate gives:

Sorry Aiboh, I just noticed this after jumping to this thread from your news article. If I somehow remain to be the sole native Japanese speaker on this forum please feel free to PM me (as I don't necessarily notice requests within the forum) for questions requiring translating PC related articles from Japanese, I'll be happy to help. (This is not just to Aiboh but anyone here.)

On topic, it's nice to know ASUS made the bottom slot x8. OTOH really strange it seems for ASUS to advertise their PWM/DC hybrid control on Fan Xpert3 loud and go DC mode only on the non-CPU fan headers for their high end boards.

ETA: Oops I just realized there's no PM thing on this forum.

 

[jeshikat]

I'm hoping it really is an error in the manual this time because it'd be lame to have a WS board without full PWM fan headers.

 

[jØrd]

...snip...
ETA: Oops I just realized there's no PM thing on this forum.

there is but its marked "conversations"

 

[veryrarium]

Oh I see, thanks!

 

[Phuncz]

Another possible dealbreaker:

With the smaller form factor, as we’ve seen on other smaller X99 motherboards, there are some different arrangements in functionality over the regular X99. For example, the X99-M WS here has only four memory slots and eight SATA ports, but is equipped with x16/x16 full speed PCIe 3.0 lanes as well as a PCIe 2.0 x2 M.2 slot in the middle. (Note the third PCIe slot is from the CPU also, affording x16/x8/x8 with 40-lane CPUs and x16/x8/x4 with 28-lane CPUs.)

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9478/asus-launches-x99-m-ws

 

[jeshikat]

Yup, that's one big advantage the EVGA Micro2 has over this Asus solution, a M.2 that's actually worth something.

2.0 x2 M.2 is really only good for a checkmark on the motherboard feature list.

 

[Phuncz]

It also explains why the speed of the M.2 port is not mentioned. But it doesn't explain why they thought it was a good idea.