ASUS X99-A Intel Motherboard Review

By David Ramsey

Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
Product Name: LGA2011-V3 Intel Desktop Motherboard
Model Number: X99-A
UPC: 886227892273 EAN: 4716859892274
Price As Tested: $246.99 (Amazon | B&H | Newegg)

Full Disclosure: ASUS provided the product sample used in this article.

If you’re looking at building an X99-based system, you already know they’re expensive. But if you can live without features like a second Ethernet port and onboard WiFi, you can get great performance and save some money too. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at ASUS’ new X99-A LGA2011-v3 mainstream motherboard for Haswell-E systems.

In my Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme CPU Performance Review, I argue that the Haswell-E CPU is not really a good fit for most enthusiast users, since processors like the Core i7-4790K provide better performance in most applications for much less money. Still, if you want the maximum performance from a dual- or triple-card GPU setup, and still have enough PCI-E lanes left over for other uses, Haswell-E systems are definitely the way to go.