ASUS Announces the X99-E WS Workstation Motherboard

[btarunr]

ASUS today announced X99-E WS, a new Compact Electronics Bay (CEB) workstation motherboard based on the Intel X99 chipset and with support for four-way multi-GPU setups at full PCI Express 3.0 x16 speed for extreme graphics power. X99-E WS is engineered with premium components for premium efficiency, including an integrated Driver-MOSFET (Dr. MOS), exclusive Beat Thermal Chokes II, ultra-durable 12K capacitors and ProCool power connector. X99-E WS offers industry-leading storage opportunities with onboard M.2 x4 and support for the exclusive ASUS PIKE II (Proprietary I/O Kit Expansion) and ThunderboltEX II expansion cards. It also has many simple, efficient and ASUS-exclusive easy-maintenance tools, including Q-Code Logger and Dr. Power.



Ultimate PCI Express 3.0 four-way graphics power
X99-E WS is equipped with seven PCI Express 3.0 slots and is able to accommodate up to four dual-slot graphics cards at x16 speed. Both four-way (quad-GPU) NVIDIA GeForce SLI and AMD CrossFireX. are supported, making X99-E WS an excellent choice for graphics professionals who depend on powerful graphics in areas such as design and modeling, or medical research. It is also ideal for processing-intensive simulation and rendering applications. X99-E WS also has ample room for RAID cards, PCI Express-based solid-state drives (SSDs), video-capture cards and other components.

Premium components for premium efficiency
X99-E WS benefits from premium components hand-chosen and carefully arranged by ASUS engineers to provide premium efficiency. These include an integrated Dr. MOS to save space and reduce operating temperatures for more efficient operation, and ASUS-exclusive Beat Thermal Chokes II. The new-design Beat Thermal Chokes II deliver greater durability and up to 94% power efficiency under normal operation. A special fin design results in up to 5°C-lower choke temperatures for added stability, further bolstered by use of a highly-conductive gold coating. This translates into minimal-loss power delivery.

ASUS is the world's first server manufacturer to introduce 12K solid capacitors - X99-E WS has these ultra-resilient components on board. These Japanese-made capacitors are able to withstand up to 12,000 hours of temperatures as high as 105°C, far exceeding everyday demands. At a typical operating temperature of 65°C, our 12K capacitors have an expected lifespan of 1.2m hours - or well over a century of real-world use.

X99-E WS also employs ProCool, the ASUS-exclusive reinvented power connector. ProCool eliminates the hollow areas associated with traditional power connectors, ensuring an exceptionally close and secure connection with the motherboard. This design is much stronger, and it also benefits power efficiency: the flush connection enables lower impedance and better heat dissipation, allowing cooler operating temperatures.

Flexible storage and quick and easy troubleshooting
X99-E WS has superb storage flexibility, with onboard M.2 x4 and support for both ASUS PIKE II and ThunderboltEX II cards. M.2 is an increasingly popular choice for operating system drives, with M.2 solid-state drives (SSDs) able to get a system up and running in just moments - and X99-E WS's M.2 x4 connector supports 2260 (60mm) and 2280 (80mm) devices. The new motherboard also has two SATA Express ports, for data-transfer speeds of up to 6Gbit/s.

With PIKE II fitted, X99-E WS becomes high-performance, high-reliability enterprise 12Gbit/s SAS solution, with multiple host bus adapters (HBAs) on a single board for performance-driven applications. X99-E WS is also compatible with ThunderboltEX II, the first Intel-certified Thunderbolt 2 add-on card from ASUS, which offers the flexibility to upgrade to Thunderbolt 2 at any time for bi-directional transfer speeds up to 20Gbit/s - that's four times (4X) faster than USB 3.0.

X99-E WS also benefits from ASUS Q-Code Logger, an easy-maintenance button that records four-digit port 80 code logs to a flash drive with one touch, so administrators can diagnose problems quickly and easily. Similarly, the conveniently-located Dr. Power LED displays messages to clearly indicate any unusual power statuses.

For more information, visit the product page.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Assimilator]

Now that is one sexy board.

 

[Some Hack]

It's quite disappointing the Asus X99-E WS doesn't support ECC DRAM. I had planned to buy several of these motherboards to use in new builds with Xeon E5-1630 v3 CPUs, but the lack of ECC support is a deal killer. I'll probably end up with something like the Asrock X99 WS instead, since it offers ECC support.

Does anyone have an explanation for why the X99-E WS doesn't support ECC DRAM? The similar Asus P9X79 WS and P9X79-E WS motherboards do.

 

[Aquinus]

Now that is one sexy board.

I looked at the board and those were the exact words that went through my head. I wasn't planning on upgrading but I did just get a promotion and a raise... NO! NO! NO!

 

[Ferrum Master]

Does anyone have an explanation for why the X99-E WS doesn't support ECC DRAM? The similar Asus P9X79 WS and P9X79-E WS motherboards do.

Well my P9X79Pro works with ECC fine... I can see error logs if I wish and do OC with those RAM... I guess there is something very specific to DDR4 ECC... I bet the RAM routes need more lanes, and this board is still at core design a mere X99 Deluxe...

one thing, that I would like... Why they do not use angled ATX connector too

 

[cristi_io]

It's quite disappointing the Asus X99-E WS doesn't support ECC DRAM. I had planned to buy several of these motherboards to use in new builds with Xeon E5-1630 v3 CPUs, but the lack of ECC support is a deal killer. I'll probably end up with something like the Asrock X99 WS instead, since it offers ECC support.

Does anyone have an explanation for why the X99-E WS doesn't support ECC DRAM? The similar Asus P9X79 WS and P9X79-E WS motherboards do.

Mostly because it uses the X99 chipset, not the server version like C612 for example http://ark.intel.com/products/81759/Intel-DH82029-PCH

 

[Aquinus]

Mostly because it uses the X99 chipset, not the server version like C612 for example http://ark.intel.com/products/81759/Intel-DH82029-PCH

PCH has nothing to do with ECC support. It comes down to the board and the CPU's IMC. Ferrum has an E5 Xeon, I would hope it supports ECC. My i7 on the other hand doesn't support ECC memory, so it wouldn't work, even with the same motherboard.

 

[Ferrum Master]

I have a feeling that the board actually will support ECC paired with Xeon and it is not just advertised official due to legal reasons... just my five cents...

Or... there is some sort of bug or errata...

 

[xkche]

Hey, someone can tell me if these "heat pipe" really works?

In other kind of cooler, "heat pipe" pass the heat of the base to the heatsink. Here, the heatpipe goes from base to base. ¿?

Thanks.

 

[Aquinus]

Hey, someone can tell me if these "heat pipe" really works?

In other kind of cooler, "heat pipe" pass the heat of the base to the heatsink. Here, the heatpipe goes from base to base. ¿?

Thanks.

They seem to work on my P9X79 Deluxe and it seems to use the pipes similarly. I don't know how much they help but the board stays plenty cool regardless.

 

[Per Hansson]

As the discussion is a bit around ECC memory I'll throw this in hoping someone knows.
I'm considering to buy a X99 mobo along with a 5820k now.
And then down the road when these processors come down in price have a nice upgrade path.
For example right now you can find the LGA1366 six core Xeon 5650 for around €65 on eBay, that's a fantastic bargain!

My only question is if the 5820k will work with ECC memory installed in the system, Asrock could not answer that.
(Obviously it can't utilize it but I just want to know if it will work without ECC or if it just wont boot at all...)

 

[Aquinus]

As the discussion is a bit around ECC memory I'll throw this in hoping someone knows.
I'm considering to buy a X99 mobo along with a 5820k now.
And then down the road when these processors come down in price have a nice upgrade path.
For example right now you can find the LGA1366 six core Xeon 5650 for around €65 on eBay, that's a fantastic bargain!

My only question is if the 5820k will work with ECC memory installed in the system, Asrock could not answer that.
(Obviously it can't utilize it but I just want to know if it will work without ECC or if it just wont boot at all...)

I'm pretty sure it won't boot at all, but that's a guess. There is no reason why it should work.

Also to add, Intel's 2011-3 entry Xeon (as seen here) is only 240 USD but is a 6c/12t CPU AND it has 2 QPI links. No more 4c parts but that makes DP entry servers a lot more reasonably priced to start off with. 1000 USD could land you a dual-cpu motherboard and two entry level 6c/12t Xeons.

 

[Per Hansson]

I'm pretty sure it won't boot at all, but that's a guess. There is no reason why it should work.

Also to add, Intel's 2011-3 entry Xeon (as seen here) is only 240 USD but is a 6c/12t CPU AND it has 2 QPI links. No more 4c parts but that makes DP entry servers a lot more reasonably priced to start off with. 1000 USD could land you a dual-cpu motherboard and two entry level 6c/12t Xeons.

Thanks for the input.
Haha, yea that Xeon is cheap, but then again it's also less than half of the clockspeed of the 5820k

 

[Maban]

I'm pretty sure it won't boot at all, but that's a guess. There is no reason why it should work.

Also to add, Intel's 2011-3 entry Xeon (as seen here) is only 240 USD but is a 6c/12t CPU AND it has 2 QPI links. No more 4c parts but that makes DP entry servers a lot more reasonably priced to start off with. 1000 USD could land you a dual-cpu motherboard and two entry level 6c/12t Xeons.

That CPU doesn't have HyperThreading like Newegg says. http://ark.intel.com/products/83349

 

[newtekie1]

Sexy board! Interesting placement of the CMOS battery...

 

[Bestwayaroundit]

One awesome looking board. I can't wait to buy it. And most of all I can't wait to see a dual CPU board
I want to Raid 0 on that 4 of the SSD 10Gb/s and have 4 SLi Black Titan ;D


Whoever said that ECC doesn't work. Need to do some research before buying.

All Intel base I7 consumer as Desktop CPU doesn't support ECC memory
Core i7-5930K (3.5GHz, L3:15M, 6C, HT, 140W, rev.R2)
Core i7-5820K (3.3GHz, L3:15M, 6C, HT, 140W, rev.R2)
Core i7-5960X (3.0G, L3:20M, 8C, HT, 140W, rev.R2)

All the Intel Xeon I7 business as Workstaiton/ Server CPU support the ECC memory
http://ark.intel.com/products/family/78583/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-v3-Family?q=xeon#@All

This motherboard able to handel both consumer and business class Intel CPU

If you have ECC DDR4 2133 with I7 Consumer Desktop K socket 2011-3 Intel CPU it will not work

It will work with a non-ECC non-registered memory from 1866 - 3400 DDR4 memory

If you have a Xeon Intel scoket 2011-3 E5 --V3 Family CPU then you can work with any type of DDR4 memory from non-ECC to ECC to ECC registered and LRDIMM.

The Intel Xeon E5-1600 v3 type CPU doesn't have QPI it have DMI support ECC
The Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 type CPU have QPI and DMI Support ECC
The Intel I7-5900K-X type CPU doesn't have QPI it have DMI Doesn't support ECC

This baord is able to do PCIe 3.0-2.0-1.0 16x16x16x16 SLI on the blue slots that is a 4 way SLI or Corssfire
Black slot is PCIe 3.0-2.0-1.0 x8x8x8.. Look at the back of the board you can count the pins slotered on the PCIe slots.
The Frist PCIe Slots are little to close to the CPU. I could hit a heatsink on the video card. But far as water cooling there are no problems.

I agree on one of the reviewers. Would be neat to see a 90 degree angle 24pins and 8 pins on top of the board.

I am not a big fan out the crystal sound 2 onboard audio. If they could added software support like able to have 3 way EQ like Treble and Mids and Bass and able to add Feq from 20hz to 160hz on bass and mids from 80hz to 1800hz and treble from 1600hz to 8000hz I would be happy.
You can froce the driver for M$ sound driver to get all the Feq profiles and add tune support

But lucky for me I got a sound card from Creative and Asus.

 

[Bestwayaroundit]

That CPU doesn't have HyperThreading like Newegg says. http://ark.intel.com/products/83349

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon E5-2637 v3.html

 

[Aquinus]

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon E5-2637 v3.html

No, I was wrong.
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon E5-2603 v3.html

Newegg lied. I got excited. You would need 840 USD for two of these for what I was describing. Oh well.

 

[Maban]

I want to Raid 0 on that 4 of the SSD 10Gb/s and have 4 SLi Black Titan ;D


Whoever said that ECC doesn't work. Need to do some research before buying.

You can only have two SATAe drives with this board and they cannot be put in RAID as they are from different controllers (native vs ASMedia). Someone correct me if I'm wrong on RAID since SATAe is a new thing.

ECC needs BIOS support as well. It's reasonable to say that it likely does support ECC but there is no mention of support from the specifications page or the manual.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon E5-2637 v3.html

That's not quite the entry level price that was in context, $996 vs $213 tray price.

You would need 840 USD for two of these for what I was describing. Oh well.

That's still a hell of a deal for twelve cores.

 

[Fx]

I share your frustration; I took one look at the title, opened the thread, and did a search for ECC... alas, no ECC - what BS.

 

[BiggieShady]

So ... beautiful *wipes tear*

 

[Aquinus]

I share your frustration; I took one look at the title, opened the thread, and did a search for ECC... alas, no ECC - what BS.

ECC depends more on the IMC of the CPU than the motherboard. It might not claim ECC support because it's going to be using primarily i7s which don't have ECC support. I'm sure if there is Xeon support, it will probably let you use ECC memory but only if you have a Xeon installed.

Take @Ferrum Master for example. He has a P9X79 Pro with a Xeon and ECC memory works great. If you look at ASUS' website, it claims the board only takes unregistered non-ECC DIMMs. I'm willing to bet if I put a Xeon in my P9X79 Deluxe, ECC memory would work as well but not with the i7.

 

[fsharpn00b]

Here is an interview with a guy from ASUS who states the X99 WS "most likely" does not support ECC (start at 2:30). I agree this would be disappointing since ASrock claims they do support it. He does mention that they're still waiting for some information from Intel so hopefully, as another poster suggested, it does work and they just can't openly say so yet.

I'm guessing the "C series chipsets" he refers to are the same as the C612 that someone linked to earlier?

This board has the C612 chipset and 7 PCI slots although strangely its specs do not mention ECC either.

 

[micropage7]

yeah, it looks pretty nice and solid
i like that

 

[Arjai]

Hell, I might buy one just to put in a frame, hang on the wall!