Friday, August 13th 2021
ASUS Launches STRIX-E, ProArt Creator and TUF Pro AMD X570 Motherboards
ASUS today introduced a trio of new motherboards based on AMD's X570 chipset, which join the latest ROG Crosshair VIII Extreme as the latest offerings from ASUS on the X570 platform.
The ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi II pairs the latest tech with essential ROG DNA
Elite gamers and enthusiasts who prefer the finer things in life will want to take a look at the new ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi II. Building on the legacy of the ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi before it, this fresh new board distills high-end components, smart software, and passive chipset cooling into one luxurious board. This revision of the X570-E makes a splash with revised ROG graphics running across the I/O shroud and the chipset heatsink. The CPU VRM also gets a boost to a 12+4-phase design, fueled by ProCool II auxiliary connectors. No matter your choice of Ryzen CPU, the new Strix-E will handle it with aplomb.
Taking a page from the Crosshair VIII Extreme, this board features our exclusive Dynamic OC Switcher technology for getting the most out of your Ryzen CPU regardless of the workload. The onboard Q-Code display, diagnostic LEDs, and compatibility with DDR4 RAM up to 5100 MHz thanks to our OptiMem II trace layout will help your quest for peak performance. Keeping your machine cool is equally effortless thanks to five fan headers plus dedicated AIO and pump headers. PCIe 4.0-powered M.2 slots at mid-board and below the chipset heatsink can both accept storage devices up to 110 mm long, and both are bolstered by thick aluminium heatsinks for maximum sustained performance. These slots also include our tool-free Q-Latch feature for easy SSD installation.
Other areas of the Strix X570-E get notable improvements in this second generation. The wireless network controller is now a WiFi 6E radio with Bluetooth 5.2 support for easy connectivity with the latest routers and peripherals. A cable is still the top choice of many enthusiasts for the absolute lowest latency and most stable transfer speeds, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and 1GbE ports deliver both in spades.
The rear panel counts seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and a Type-C connector with the same spec. Onboard headers can provide another USB 3.2 Gen 2 port in either A or C flavors, plus two USB 3.2 Gen 1 and four USB 2.0 connectors. Those RGB strips you've ordered can hook up with the two Gen 2 addressable headers and the pair of standard RGB connectors.
In keeping with its luxe specs, the Strix-E features an ROG SupremeFX S1220A codec chip with an integrated headphone amplifier has a 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for spotless playback. Online gaming and conference calls are super-clear thanks to the high-quality microphone input, and Two-way AI Noise Cancelling tech cleans up background noise for both you and your teammates' voice comms. Last but by no means least, there's DTS Sound Unbound support for 3D audio, and an optical S/PDIF output for connectivity with gear that can accept digital inputs.
The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi maximizes creative potential
The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi is our first ProArt board to take advantage of the X570 chipset. If you're not familiar, the goal of the ProArt series is to deliver maximum performance and stability for all sorts of users who depend on their PC or workstation to make a living: 3D artists, CAD and CAM designers, audio and video producers, and even software developers.
The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi is built to impress those demanding users. Dual Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports with 40 Gbps of bandwidth each and 15 W Power Delivery charging support grace the rear panel. Each of those ports is ready for the latest audio-visual gear or speedy external disk arrays. The back panel offers DisplayPort input for easy single-cable connectivity with Thunderbolt displays. Other high-speed peripherals can hook right up to four USB 3.2 Gen 2 and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. We extend high-speed connectivity to the front panel of modern cases with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C internal header.
AV professionals in particular routinely need to shuffle multi-terabyte files around, a task that the ProArt X570-Creator WiFi makes simple thanks to a 10 Gigabit Ethernet connector with a maximum transfer speed in excess of 1.2 GB per second. A secondary 2.5GbE connector expands the board's peak Ethernet bandwidth or preserves the 10G port's full speed for the most important transfers. For professionals who prefer to cut the cord, a WiFi 6E wireless adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 support makes for more flexible workstation placement and easy pairing with wireless peripherals.
Connectivity and bandwidth are a prime topic for the creator crowd, but there's also the matter of stability. A system that gives up the ghost under heavy load is no good when we're talking renders or compile jobs that take many hours to complete. The ProArt X570-Creator is ready for the most powerful Ryzen CPUs thanks to a VRM with a 14+2 stage design, fed by ProCool II solid-pin power connectors. Massive aluminium heatsinks cover the VRM power stages, X570 chipset, and three M.2 slots. Our tool-free Q-Latch mechanisms make slotting in NVMe drives a breeze.
The objects in a creator's space can serve as inspiration of their own, and the ProArt X570-Creator is dressed for the part with coppery accents set against dark gray and black hardware. For those that want to express themselves in RGB, the ProArt X570-Creator has three Gen2 addressable RGB headers, plus a standard RGB strip connector.
Whether it's for an artist seeking background inspiration or an audio pro checking a mastered track, clean sound is crucial for any creative workstation. The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi features a premium S1220A codec with an integrated auto-sensing headphone amplifier, all wired through discrete audio paths with Japanese capacitors. Two-way AI Noise Cancelling cuts down on background noise and chatter in team meetings or client calls.
A build around this board will potentially live in a large department or corporate network, so we include the ASUS Control Center Express remote IT asset monitoring and management software—a blessing for your friendly systems administrator. At a local level, the ProArt Creator Hub application centralizes system monitoring and workload-specific optimization, as well as color calibration controls for compatible monitors. The app also offers our convenient Task Group feature so that you can quickly get down to work with one click. For just two examples, creators might pair DAW and streaming software, or a 3D modelling app with a texture design tool. Rather than digging through their desktop or Start menu to find these apps, they can launch them all at once with Task Group.
The TUF Gaming X570-Pro WiFi II is rock-steady and battle-ready
Our TUF Gaming hardware lineup follows three core tenets: a comprehensive selection of essential features, battle-tested reliability, and distinctive yet subtle styling. If you're looking for a high-performance and long-lasting motherboard at a reasonable price, look no further.
Any Ryzen CPU that you can drop into the AM4 socket will enjoy the stable power delivered by the 12+2 DrMOS VRM and 8+4-pin ProCool auxiliary power connectors. Meaty aluminium VRM heatsinks and a new passive chipset heatsink ensure that both the CPU and the X570 chipset can run all-out without fear of performance-robbing throttling. The main metal-encased PCIe slot and both M.2 slots are all connected with PCIe 4.0 for maximum available bandwidth.
Upgraded networking capabilities are a theme of our new X570 boards, and the TUF Gaming X570-Pro WiFi II is no exception. 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet comes standard, and a Wi-Fi 6E module handles both next-gen WiFi and Bluetooth 5.2. You can enhance your build's aesthetics with the three RGB headers: one Gen 2 addressable, two standard. A quintet of fan headers and a dedicated AIO header let you build most any mainstream cooling setup with ease.
A Realtek ALC897 audio codec with an integrated headphone amplifier and automatic impedance detection serves up high-quality tunes and in-game audio. Two-way AI Noise Cancellation ensures nobody in the game or workplace can claim they didn't understand your orders.
Source:
ASUS
The ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi II pairs the latest tech with essential ROG DNA
Elite gamers and enthusiasts who prefer the finer things in life will want to take a look at the new ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi II. Building on the legacy of the ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi before it, this fresh new board distills high-end components, smart software, and passive chipset cooling into one luxurious board. This revision of the X570-E makes a splash with revised ROG graphics running across the I/O shroud and the chipset heatsink. The CPU VRM also gets a boost to a 12+4-phase design, fueled by ProCool II auxiliary connectors. No matter your choice of Ryzen CPU, the new Strix-E will handle it with aplomb.
Other areas of the Strix X570-E get notable improvements in this second generation. The wireless network controller is now a WiFi 6E radio with Bluetooth 5.2 support for easy connectivity with the latest routers and peripherals. A cable is still the top choice of many enthusiasts for the absolute lowest latency and most stable transfer speeds, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and 1GbE ports deliver both in spades.
The rear panel counts seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and a Type-C connector with the same spec. Onboard headers can provide another USB 3.2 Gen 2 port in either A or C flavors, plus two USB 3.2 Gen 1 and four USB 2.0 connectors. Those RGB strips you've ordered can hook up with the two Gen 2 addressable headers and the pair of standard RGB connectors.
In keeping with its luxe specs, the Strix-E features an ROG SupremeFX S1220A codec chip with an integrated headphone amplifier has a 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for spotless playback. Online gaming and conference calls are super-clear thanks to the high-quality microphone input, and Two-way AI Noise Cancelling tech cleans up background noise for both you and your teammates' voice comms. Last but by no means least, there's DTS Sound Unbound support for 3D audio, and an optical S/PDIF output for connectivity with gear that can accept digital inputs.
The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi maximizes creative potential
The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi is our first ProArt board to take advantage of the X570 chipset. If you're not familiar, the goal of the ProArt series is to deliver maximum performance and stability for all sorts of users who depend on their PC or workstation to make a living: 3D artists, CAD and CAM designers, audio and video producers, and even software developers.
AV professionals in particular routinely need to shuffle multi-terabyte files around, a task that the ProArt X570-Creator WiFi makes simple thanks to a 10 Gigabit Ethernet connector with a maximum transfer speed in excess of 1.2 GB per second. A secondary 2.5GbE connector expands the board's peak Ethernet bandwidth or preserves the 10G port's full speed for the most important transfers. For professionals who prefer to cut the cord, a WiFi 6E wireless adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 support makes for more flexible workstation placement and easy pairing with wireless peripherals.
Connectivity and bandwidth are a prime topic for the creator crowd, but there's also the matter of stability. A system that gives up the ghost under heavy load is no good when we're talking renders or compile jobs that take many hours to complete. The ProArt X570-Creator is ready for the most powerful Ryzen CPUs thanks to a VRM with a 14+2 stage design, fed by ProCool II solid-pin power connectors. Massive aluminium heatsinks cover the VRM power stages, X570 chipset, and three M.2 slots. Our tool-free Q-Latch mechanisms make slotting in NVMe drives a breeze.
Whether it's for an artist seeking background inspiration or an audio pro checking a mastered track, clean sound is crucial for any creative workstation. The ProArt X570-Creator WiFi features a premium S1220A codec with an integrated auto-sensing headphone amplifier, all wired through discrete audio paths with Japanese capacitors. Two-way AI Noise Cancelling cuts down on background noise and chatter in team meetings or client calls.
A build around this board will potentially live in a large department or corporate network, so we include the ASUS Control Center Express remote IT asset monitoring and management software—a blessing for your friendly systems administrator. At a local level, the ProArt Creator Hub application centralizes system monitoring and workload-specific optimization, as well as color calibration controls for compatible monitors. The app also offers our convenient Task Group feature so that you can quickly get down to work with one click. For just two examples, creators might pair DAW and streaming software, or a 3D modelling app with a texture design tool. Rather than digging through their desktop or Start menu to find these apps, they can launch them all at once with Task Group.
The TUF Gaming X570-Pro WiFi II is rock-steady and battle-ready
Our TUF Gaming hardware lineup follows three core tenets: a comprehensive selection of essential features, battle-tested reliability, and distinctive yet subtle styling. If you're looking for a high-performance and long-lasting motherboard at a reasonable price, look no further.
Any Ryzen CPU that you can drop into the AM4 socket will enjoy the stable power delivered by the 12+2 DrMOS VRM and 8+4-pin ProCool auxiliary power connectors. Meaty aluminium VRM heatsinks and a new passive chipset heatsink ensure that both the CPU and the X570 chipset can run all-out without fear of performance-robbing throttling. The main metal-encased PCIe slot and both M.2 slots are all connected with PCIe 4.0 for maximum available bandwidth.
A Realtek ALC897 audio codec with an integrated headphone amplifier and automatic impedance detection serves up high-quality tunes and in-game audio. Two-way AI Noise Cancellation ensures nobody in the game or workplace can claim they didn't understand your orders.
33 Comments on ASUS Launches STRIX-E, ProArt Creator and TUF Pro AMD X570 Motherboards
Edit: Asus website has listed only ProArt on website and looking at full specs its quite impressive esp with 10G LAN and Thunderbolt ports.
I would call that an oversight.
I sure as hell wouldn't be spending more than about $150 on an AMD board right now, and the TUF Pro is probably the cheapest of these three boards and likely to cost around $300.
But I do agree on the lacking optical output. They boast about a fancy chip for "clean sound", yet anyone who wants half-decent sound will either use optical or USB to an external DAC. I don't get why they waste resources on this. While most consumer DACs use USB, a lot of audio equipment relies on optical, so optical would be appreciated. No "audio workstation" will use the built-in analog inputs/outputs.Probably >99% of PC builders never upgrade their CPU, the CPU is the least upgraded part, and is usually pointless to upgrade after a year or two.
There are far too few no-BS "prosumer" motherboards, and it would be sad to wait another year for decent AM5 boards.
In reality, the public reaction was so strong that AMD reversed their decision and compromised their AGESA update just to shrink it down and offer compatibility with older boards.
The Last hurrah of DDR4.
Regardless of whether 3D V-cache is coming to AM4 or not (and even so it's really just a gaming-oriented optimization of existing chips), if I'm building a higher end rig to last the next few years I'd much rather be on the older, better understood platform, knowing AMD's track record with new designs/platforms like Ryzen 1000 and Ryzen 3000 (not that Intel is immune). Sorry. Neither Zen 3 -> Zen 3+ (if not AM4) nor Zen 3+ -> Zen 4 are bringing Prescott -> Conroe or Piledriver -> Summit Ridge levels of performance, so lots of potential pain for not that much gain.
Not everyone likes to splurge on a board, but not everyone likes to go with the cheapest possible board either.
www.asus.com/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/ProArt/ProArt-X570-CREATOR-WIFI/techspec/
I Miss the TUF Line from the Sabertooth 990FX R2.0.
Waiting @buildzoid to destroy it via power phase reviews...
I mean take a proper server board for example that can hold a 64 core 128 thread Epyc. Simple 4 fase design with proper and more then enough current/switching frequency etc to do it's job under 24/7 load.
I use optical myself due to a shitty razer soundbar having issues with analog and hissing, but i'm also well aware its a dead technology
Digital audio has been part of the HMDI/Displayport spec for so long it's ridiculous, and it finally caught on as the main method for digital audio about a decade ago.
TOSLINK isn't bad, but there are no advantages to using it over HDMI/DisplayPort and it does add cost and complexity. I always used to think that TOSLINK had a niche application for longer cable runs because HDMI cables get very expensive or go fiber optic beyond about 15M - Then I discovered that TOSLINK cables are plastic not glass and have a 3-5M effective length anyway.
needing a HDMI receiver that supports your monitor resolution and refresh is absolute hell for high refresh rate users, but we can also avoid that by going analogue
Being old does not make something obsolete.
Every time I did any audio production for my bands even I didn't use that tat for anything more than a casual playback after, I used a plug in usb mixer with inbuilt DACs or a sixfire sound card I had at the time.
CPUs are probably the least upgraded part in a PC, usually because there rarely are worthwile upgrades that are similar enough to be compatible.Optical is extensively used in audio equipment, offering a low-latency problem-free audio interface.
If they add the expense of a built-in audio chip, they might as well add the only useful port to that chip.Outside home AV, HDMI and DisplayPort in audio equipment is very rare. HDMI and DisplayPort are designed as AV standards, not as pure audio standards.
While Toslink being optical was originally mostly a gimmick, they do have substantial advantage of eliminating some hiss and other artifacts.I was actually making fun of the claims from the product specifications about the built-in audio features.
Optical may be very useful for anyone hooking up audio equipment, especially for hobby musicians. Remember that such equipment may last for decades, and may not have USB etc.
But for the average user, as I said, using either optical or USB to an external DAC is something everyone should do. It will probably be the biggest upgrade in sound quality for most people. These days you can find good DACs with headphone amps or speaker preamps (often both) for less than $100. This gives very clean audio output and smooth volume adjustment, something you wouldn't get through a built-in audio chip in the motherboard no matter how good the chip is.
Having an optical out is kind of meh, could be usefull for creators and anyone who'd want to use an external DAC+amp but those same people will also want a much better interface than what realtek provides anywayBetter to have it and not need it than needing it and not having it :D
The comparison with server boards is also not that fair since the airflow and load profile on the vrm is very different (much more cooling available, a lot less spikes to to deal with)