ASUS Strix X99 Gaming Preview

Up Close

Straight away you can tell that the Strix isn’t your ordinary Republic of Gamers offering. We find the packaging slightly bittersweet. Firstly we’re all used to the red and black boxes that are standards of the ROG range, whether it’s the Maximus or the Rampage. The Strix was launched with a massive fanfare using owl imagery, and that seems to have just as quickly been consigned to the scrap heap. So this is different, we’re just not sure if it’s better. The Strix logo itself reminds us of a graphic from Top Of The Pops. However, it’s eye-catching, and that’s the entire point of packaging. Like a virgin on prom night, it’s what is inside that counts. 

      

We’ve come to expect a huge selection of accessories from ASUS and the Strix doesn’t disappoint. A wide selection of cables, stickers, GPU bridges and a high quality IO shield are just part of the fun. Probably the biggest surprise, and a suitable nod towards the hue variability of the AURA interface, is the choice of replaceable colour inserts. With red logos by default, the Strix X99 Gaming also comes with a mirror finish, and a lurid yellow or pink choice. Hands up if you’ve got a hot pink system and have been waiting for a matching motherboard … thought not. We’re not going to complain though because rather than be a mind-boggling bit of bravery – which to be fair it is – it’s something which promises to relieve us of the endless white/red/blue tedium. What’s the point in having full-spectrum RGB hardware if everyone just uses red? Express yourselves with the Strix.

      

Away from the garish and into the meat and potatoes of the Strix, the LGA2011-v3 socket is just begging for a ten core CPU to sit in it. ASUS have also taken the opportunity to install their OC socket into the Strix, and given how successful it’s been to overclockers in the past we’re delighted to find it on the beefier end of their range.

Transparent PCI locks give away the location of the RGBs on the Strix X99 Gaming. It’s not only the ‘sold separately’ LED strips that can be adjusted to any hue you choose, but ASUS are also finding new places to put lighting onto the motherboard itself. It’s great to get away from a sea of black substrate.