Asus saberrtooth x99 review

Following the resounding success of Asus with the launch of Rampage V Extreme and X99 Deluxe for the Haswell-E platform. That we already analyzed exclusively in Professional Review. Asus increases its repertoire with the new Asus Sabertooth X99 that, as we are used to, this series is backed by TUF technology, its fantastic Armor Kit, its 5-year warranty and USB 3.1.

In this analysis you will see all the qualities, performance tests and all its secrets. Here we go!

We thank Asus for trusting the product for its analysis:

Technical characteristics

ASUS SABERTOOTH X99 FEATURES
CPU	Support for Intel® Core ™ i7 processors in the LGA2011-3 socket. L3 cache varies by CPU.
Chipset	Intel® X99 Express Chipset
Memory	8 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC and Un-buffered.
Multi-GPU Compatible	Configuration with 40 Lanes processors 3 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16, x16 / x16, x16 / x16 / x8) * ¹ Configuration with 28-Lanes processors 3 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16, x16 / x8, x16 / x8 / x4) * ¹ 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4 (x2 mode) 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 Support for 2-Way AMD CrossFire ™ / NVIDIA® SLI ™ Technologies (PCIEX16 and PCIEX8)
Storage	1 x M.2 type 2242/2260/2280/22110 compatible only works with PCIE SSD adapter. Intel® X99 chipset 1 x SATA Express compatible with 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb / s and 8 x SATA 6Gb / s, Support with Raid 0, 1, 5, 10 Support Intel® Smart Response Technology and Intel® Rapid Recovery Technology.
USB and ports.	Intel® X99 chipset: 8 x USB 3.0 port (s) (4 at back panel,, 4 at mid-board) Intel® X99 chipset: 8 x USB 2.0 / 1.1 port (s) (4 at back panel,, 4 at mid-board) ASMedia® USB 3.1 controller: 2 x USB 3.1 / 3.0 / 2.0 port (s) (2 at back panel, + teal blue)
LAN	- Intel® I218V, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller (s) Realtek® 8111GR, 1 x Gigabit LAN - Gigabit Intel® LAN Connection- 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE). ASUS Turbo LAN Utility
Rear connections	2 x LAN (RJ45) port (s) 2 x USB 3.1 (teal blue) 4 x USB 3.0 (blue) 4 x USB 2.0 1 x Optical S / PDIF out 5 x Audio jack (s) 1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button (s)
Audio	Realtek® ALC1150 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
Wifi and Bluetooth connection.	Not available in this version.
Format.	ATX format; 30.5 cm x 24.4cm
BIOS	128 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.7, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.7, ACPI 5.0, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, CrashFree BIOS 3, F11 EZ Tuning Wizard, F6 Qfan Control, F3 My Favorites, Quick Note, Last Modified log, F12 PrintScreen, F3 Shortcut functions and ASUS DRAM SPD.

ASUS SABERTOOTH X99

The Asus Sabertooth x99 is presented with a robust packaging that ensures maximum protection for all the components it houses inside. We find on the cover in large letters the model of the product and all the certificates that guarantee it. At the rear we have all the most important characteristics and technical specifications.

As is customary in the high ranges of motherboards, the box has two zones, the first one which keeps the motherboard and the second one where it has all its accessories. The bundle is made up of:

Asus Sabertooth X99 motherboard, back plate, instruction manual and quick guide, CD with drivers, TUF stickers, M.2 to 2 x SATA connector, connectors and protective plastics.

It is a classic ATX motherboard with dimensions of 30.5cm x 24.4cm, so we do not have to worry about the box, since it is compatible with 99% of the market.

Its design is quite aggressive with the combination of orange colors and matte black PCB. Regarding its design, what strikes us most is its thermal armor, made up of a plastic cover that covers the entire PCB of the motherboard. This system comes in handy to protect the motherboard from ingress of dust and to prevent graphics cards from bending. The colors used are quite military: black and green / gray, and it is quite minimalist when it comes to combining with other colors.

The famous Armor Kit is present on the back allowing to give rigidity and strength to the PCB of the motherboard. Once seen in person, you realize that the 5-year warranty is more than justified and that so far few Sabertooth have had RMAs.

It has 8 + 4 supply phases, the first eight are PURE for the processes, while the other four are for the memories (one phase per channel). The PWM used is the Asus Digi + custom which is the famous IR3580 Digital and the MOSFET uses the Power IR stage IR3555 60A all of them redesigned with the military technology "TUF" which offers 70% more vitality than the rest of motherboards.About the cooling it has two large heatsinks both in the area of the power supply phases and the south bridge of the motherboard that leaves the components cold at all times. Sabertooth continues to include its Tuf Ice Cool chip that is responsible for monitoring and controlling all temperature sensors and fans.

The socket is modified and incorporates more pins that allow us to use a maximum voltage of 1, 825v (EYE only to compete with extreme cooling in competitions). This system is ideal for lowering voltages and increasing series speeds. We have a total of 8 sockets of DDR4 RAM that allows us to install up to 64GB with frequencies of 3200 Mhz through XMP and OC profile. On the layout of the PCI Express ports it is very good and allows us to install up to 4 graphics cards with Nvidia SLI or AMD CrossfireX. We detail how we can connect the cards and their speeds with a processor of 28 and 40 LANES.

- Configuration with 40 Lanes processors

3 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16, x16 / x16, x16 / x16 / x8).

- Configuration with 28 Lanes processors

3 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16, x16 / x8, x16 / x8 / x4). 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4 (x2 mode). 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 Support for 2-Way AMD CrossFire ™ / NVIDIA® SLI ™ Technologies (PCIEX16 and PCIEX8).

In a hidden way it presents the M.2 connection. To access this connection we must completely disassemble the armor… honestly it seems like a step back and I could have looked for a more practical solution. For those who do not know this connection is improved by Asus and has a bandwidth of 32Gb / s instead of the classic 10Gb / s.

On the power supply we have a 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS + 4 auxiliary connection. In the lower area of the motherboard we have two internal USB 3.0 heads, control panel, USB 2.0 and fan heads. I would also like to highlight that the sound card incorporates the Realtek ALC1150 chip and RC4580 amplifier. The network card is Dual Gigabit with Intel chipset and I218-V Realtek 8111GR. On the storage connections it incorporates 10 SATA connections at 6Gb / s shared with a SATA Express. This last connection is in the air if it will be used in the present or future… time will tell.

The rear panel is made up of:

4 x USB 2.0.1 x TUF Detective. BIOS button. 2 x USB 3.1. 4 x USB 3.0.2 x LAN. Digital audio output.

Test bench and tests

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel i7 5820k
Base plate:	Asus X99 Sabertooth
Memory:	16GB DDR4 @ 3000 MHZ
Heatsink	Raijintek Triton
HDD	Samsung 840 EVO 250GB.
Graphic card	Nvidia GTX 780.
Power supply	EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G2

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To check the stability of the processor and motherboard, we've overclocked up to 4500mhz with Prime 95 Custom and air cooling. The graphics that we have used is an Nvidia GTX780, without further distractions let's see the results obtained in our tests with a 1920 × 1080 monitor.

BIOS

Asus sets itself apart from the rest with its stable BIOS and continuous updates. I personally love them and I find it a true wonder. It allows us to save settings, 3-pin fan controller, create profiles for the fans, overclock with the smallest detail and a very friendly interface.

Final words and conclusion

The Asus Sabertooth X99 is a motherboard compatible with the LGA-2011-E six and eight core processors. It allows to install 64GB of 3200 Mhz RAM memory, 4 graphics cards simultaneously, M.2 connection, SATA Express, a cooling system commanded by TUF technology and Armor Kit.

Regarding the performance tests we have seen that it gives a little plus to the rest of the motherboards. As with the Asus Rampage V Extreme and the Asus X99 Deluxe we have the best frequencies and stability achieved in our test bench. The experience in games like Battlefield 4, Left 4 Dead or Tomb Raider are great.

I would also like to highlight its cooling system and military components. The armor gives a touch that no current motherboard has… but not everything is design, it also prevents the entry of dust to the most critical components, firmness when it comes to installing the multitude of components that go on the board and that the graphics cards they do not bend in mounts. Honestly all are advantages… the only one but we found that if we want to install an M.2 disk. we must completely dismantle the armor.

In short, if you are looking for a high-end motherboard, good, beautiful and that will last you for many years. The Asus Sabertooth X99 is the perfect candidate… the performance is fantastic and the 5-year warranty is one of its great guarantees. Its store price is currently € 375.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ DESIGN	- ACCESS TO CONNECTION M.2.
+ ARMOR.
+ OVERCLOCK COMPONENTS AND CAPACITY.
+ PERFORMANCE.
+ USB 3.1 CONNECTION.
+ 5 YEARS WARRANTY.