Especially considering these are ITX, so initial integration is everything. It isn't like there is headroom to install a PCIe USB-C card in the future...
I am pretty sure Asus charges a lot by adding that ROG and Strix branding and no USB Type-C/Thunderbolt port in the current generation is basically looting money from unsuspecting customers unless the motherboards cost less than $100. These are not smartphones where people change every other year and though Type C is not ubiquitous right now, pretty sure it will be in the next couple of years.
While 0 C ports does put these boards behind the curve, I haven't seen any with a really future looking set of USB ports. At most they seem to have a single C port, 2 of 6 or 4 of 10 would be a much better forward looking combination especially if they're all 10Gb 3.1g2 ports.
TB on the desktop remains almost completely MIA. Partly due to cost and partly due to limited PCIe lanes. mITX is probably the only desktop form factor that has lanes to spare without playing games with sharing them or plonking $100 down on a PLX chip; but they're also the most limited in board space to put any extra controllers.
I am actually not that interested on TB as majority of the people won't use it but Type-C should be a must. ASRock and I think MSI and Gigabyte also have Type C on their ITX boards I believe, though they are of Z270 chipset. Though this is H270 chipset which means not higher end but still having the ROG branding means they are going to price it like one. Hence, my argument...
I wonder why these are so late to the Kaby Lake party. ASUS have potentially lost out on a bunch of early-adopter sales (me included) as a result, I am sure.
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FATCamaro - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
All this good stuff, and no USB 3.1 / Thunderbolt?Samus - Saturday, May 13, 2017 - link
Especially considering these are ITX, so initial integration is everything. It isn't like there is headroom to install a PCIe USB-C card in the future...DanNeely - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
For anyone else wondering: The second m.2 slot is on the back of the boards.Srikzquest - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
I am pretty sure Asus charges a lot by adding that ROG and Strix branding and no USB Type-C/Thunderbolt port in the current generation is basically looting money from unsuspecting customers unless the motherboards cost less than $100. These are not smartphones where people change every other year and though Type C is not ubiquitous right now, pretty sure it will be in the next couple of years.DanNeely - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
While 0 C ports does put these boards behind the curve, I haven't seen any with a really future looking set of USB ports. At most they seem to have a single C port, 2 of 6 or 4 of 10 would be a much better forward looking combination especially if they're all 10Gb 3.1g2 ports.TB on the desktop remains almost completely MIA. Partly due to cost and partly due to limited PCIe lanes. mITX is probably the only desktop form factor that has lanes to spare without playing games with sharing them or plonking $100 down on a PLX chip; but they're also the most limited in board space to put any extra controllers.
Srikzquest - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
I am actually not that interested on TB as majority of the people won't use it but Type-C should be a must. ASRock and I think MSI and Gigabyte also have Type C on their ITX boards I believe, though they are of Z270 chipset. Though this is H270 chipset which means not higher end but still having the ROG branding means they are going to price it like one. Hence, my argument...HomeworldFound - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
I expect another level of reliability from Mini-ITX products that I doubt ASUS or the early chipsets can provide.Asus won't provide that and the platform is too new.
HomeworldFound - Friday, May 12, 2017 - link
Great I posted in the wrong place on the wrong article on the wrong website and there's nothing I can do to remove the post... sigh.Lord of the Bored - Saturday, May 13, 2017 - link
You know, sometimes you just have to own it. The triple-play is genuinely impressive.jtd871 - Saturday, May 13, 2017 - link
I wonder why these are so late to the Kaby Lake party. ASUS have potentially lost out on a bunch of early-adopter sales (me included) as a result, I am sure.