Sooooooo close. That 5G ethernet needed to be 10G....then I'd buy it. Now I'm trying to decide if I should consider that MSI MEG (hate the style), or just wait for Threadripper 3.
Yes, for a flagship it really should come with 10G ethernet. I also wonder why these boards only come with a dozen USB-A ports but only one USB-C port considering that the latter is the future.
Too many devices are still USB-A terminated and decades of them that need it are. The future is still largely in the protocol, not necessarily the port.
USB 3.1 is backwards compatible. You can't still have all those USB-2 devices on higher ports. It doesn't make any sense for them to still be including a bunch of USB 2 ports, everything should be USB 3.1 at this point maybe a couple 3.0 ports. You can still support USB 3.1 while being a Type A port.
Including only a single USB-C port at this time is just nuts, these boards will likely be in computers for 10 years and by that point almost everything will be Type-C. Just like every other USB platform it takes about 10 years from introduction to domination and USB-C is still in the middle of that timeframe, but give it another 5 years and almost everything will be Type-C at that point with probably only keyboards and mice still on USB2 (but even those will shift at some point).
It's just beyond foolish for them not to be including more USB gen 3.1 or 3.2 at this point.
1 - Plugging something into USB-3 takes up more PCI-E lanes than USB-2, even if the devices connected to it don't need the bandwidth (keyboard, mouse, etc.). Connecting those devices to USB-2 ports instead leaves the PCI-E lanes open for the computer to use on other things.
2 - USB-2 devices with USB-2 drivers (installation media, for example) can have issues when plugged into a USB-3 port, despite the backwards compatibility.
USB-A ports are (at least from my experience) far more solid and robust when connecting thick USB cables than USB-C port. USB-C is good for portable devices or something you disconnect/reconnect more often, but for this purpose it is far better to have those ports on the front panel and not on the motherboard backplate.
Agreed... a 2019/2020 flagship mobo needs 10G ethernet, but hey this is a great start. I think this is the first consumer-level mobo with onboard >1G ethernet ports. Finally!
damn no edit also meant to say USB C being only a single port is a lose why include 10gb networking when most switches etc cant do that anyway yet they add just 1 C port I have 3 phones here all use type C. Boards Fugly too and Asus (along with DFI) is the only mobo I have ever had that failed so am not a fan TBH
USB, PCI-E, SATA, Thunderbolt, you name it. All of those are faster than 1Gbit. Ethernet has been the limiting factor in computing (consumer-level) for quite a few years. How are you going to serve up that multi-gigabit Wi-Fi when you are stuck on 1Gbit Ethernet?
A.K.A. -- 640k should be enough RAM. Why is it essential?
As I see it the onboard Ethernet is pointless anyway. I need dual SFP+ ports. If you go with copper 10G there aren't any decent switches this side of crazy money.
SFP is not cheaper. If you're looking at *used* SFP ... sure it might be a little cheaper, but *new* SFP equipment is just as expensive and can be *more* expensive than Ethernet depending on the brand.
"The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula has three-full length PCIe 4.0 slots operating at x16, x8/x8, and x8/x8/x4, with the final x4 coming from the chipset."
So, if I am reading this correctly, using any expansion card in addition to the GPU causes the GPU to drop to 8x? Well that sucks.
I need to be able to use two 4x NVMe drives and an 8x Fiber NIC without dropping the GPU from 16x.
I had hoped this was my long awaited replacement for my x79 3930k. I guess I am going to pass now. I don't understand how any system can sell with tless than 40 PCIe lanes direct to the CPU.
I cant wait to get this mobo. I might only use it until the next CPU and mobo's are released. I only keep them for a year before I do a complete system upgrade
What a pile of trash... actively cooled with a screamer dust choke on the flagship mobo? Gigabyte AUROS Extreme with passive cooling crushes this... just look at the Gigabyte and tell me it isn't 10 x more awesome lol. Fusion software might not be as good as Auros but still a much better mobo. Asus get it together.
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chada - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
I think you mean VIIIHifihedgehog - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
This. It's a superb article. Just a teeny typo is all. :)martinbrice - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
Sooooooo close. That 5G ethernet needed to be 10G....then I'd buy it. Now I'm trying to decide if I should consider that MSI MEG (hate the style), or just wait for Threadripper 3.r3loaded - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
Yes, for a flagship it really should come with 10G ethernet. I also wonder why these boards only come with a dozen USB-A ports but only one USB-C port considering that the latter is the future.Hifihedgehog - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
> the latter is the future.Too many devices are still USB-A terminated and decades of them that need it are. The future is still largely in the protocol, not necessarily the port.
rahvin - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
USB 3.1 is backwards compatible. You can't still have all those USB-2 devices on higher ports. It doesn't make any sense for them to still be including a bunch of USB 2 ports, everything should be USB 3.1 at this point maybe a couple 3.0 ports. You can still support USB 3.1 while being a Type A port.Including only a single USB-C port at this time is just nuts, these boards will likely be in computers for 10 years and by that point almost everything will be Type-C. Just like every other USB platform it takes about 10 years from introduction to domination and USB-C is still in the middle of that timeframe, but give it another 5 years and almost everything will be Type-C at that point with probably only keyboards and mice still on USB2 (but even those will shift at some point).
It's just beyond foolish for them not to be including more USB gen 3.1 or 3.2 at this point.
CaptainBooboo - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
USB-2 ports still exist for two reasons:1 - Plugging something into USB-3 takes up more PCI-E lanes than USB-2, even if the devices connected to it don't need the bandwidth (keyboard, mouse, etc.). Connecting those devices to USB-2 ports instead leaves the PCI-E lanes open for the computer to use on other things.
2 - USB-2 devices with USB-2 drivers (installation media, for example) can have issues when plugged into a USB-3 port, despite the backwards compatibility.
risa2000 - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
USB-A ports are (at least from my experience) far more solid and robust when connecting thick USB cables than USB-C port. USB-C is good for portable devices or something you disconnect/reconnect more often, but for this purpose it is far better to have those ports on the front panel and not on the motherboard backplate.mooninite - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
Agreed... a 2019/2020 flagship mobo needs 10G ethernet, but hey this is a great start. I think this is the first consumer-level mobo with onboard >1G ethernet ports. Finally!alufan - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
hmm 10G really and who has 10G to use so why is it essential,alufan - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
damn no edit also meant to say USB C being only a single port is a lose why include 10gb networking when most switches etc cant do that anyway yet they add just 1 C port I have 3 phones here all use type C.Boards Fugly too and Asus (along with DFI) is the only mobo I have ever had that failed so am not a fan TBH
mooninite - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
USB, PCI-E, SATA, Thunderbolt, you name it. All of those are faster than 1Gbit. Ethernet has been the limiting factor in computing (consumer-level) for quite a few years. How are you going to serve up that multi-gigabit Wi-Fi when you are stuck on 1Gbit Ethernet?A.K.A. -- 640k should be enough RAM. Why is it essential?
mattlach - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
As I see it the onboard Ethernet is pointless anyway. I need dual SFP+ ports. If you go with copper 10G there aren't any decent switches this side of crazy money.mooninite - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
SFP is not cheaper. If you're looking at *used* SFP ... sure it might be a little cheaper, but *new* SFP equipment is just as expensive and can be *more* expensive than Ethernet depending on the brand.Avlin - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
Holy c.. so ugly, this a a proper design https://www.techpowerup.com/116538/asus-rog-crossh...I do not understand new motherboards design.
mattlach - Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - link
"The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula has three-full length PCIe 4.0 slots operating at x16, x8/x8, and x8/x8/x4, with the final x4 coming from the chipset."So, if I am reading this correctly, using any expansion card in addition to the GPU causes the GPU to drop to 8x? Well that sucks.
I need to be able to use two 4x NVMe drives and an 8x Fiber NIC without dropping the GPU from 16x.
I had hoped this was my long awaited replacement for my x79 3930k. I guess I am going to pass now. I don't understand how any system can sell with tless than 40 PCIe lanes direct to the CPU.
grahad - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
PCIe 4 x8 is PCIe 3 x16mattlach - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
Grahad:. O ly if you have a Gen4 device to plug it in.If you put a 16x gen 3 GPU in an 8x Gen4 slot it will operate at...
....8x Gen3, not 8x Gen4
The_Assimilator - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
LMAO at the motherboard connector with only enough connectors to power the shitty LED bling.Saager82 - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - link
I cant wait to get this mobo. I might only use it until the next CPU and mobo's are released. I only keep them for a year before I do a complete system upgradearcon76 - Monday, July 20, 2020 - link
What a pile of trash... actively cooled with a screamer dust choke on the flagship mobo? Gigabyte AUROS Extreme with passive cooling crushes this... just look at the Gigabyte and tell me it isn't 10 x more awesome lol. Fusion software might not be as good as Auros but still a much better mobo. Asus get it together.