ASUS Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE WIFI Announced: A Motherboard for AMD Threadripper Pro
by Dr. Ian Cutress on January 22, 2021 1:02 PM EST_678x452.png)
In the world of crazy motherboard names, I think ASUS might have won with this one. The new ASUS Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE WIFI is a motherboard built for AMD’s upcoming Threadripper Pro processors featuring enough added clout to make the most of 128 lanes of PCIe 4.0.
The extended-ATX (E-ATX) motherboard uses a transposed LGA4094 socket, capable of supporting the 64-core Threadripper Pro 3995WX at 280 W. The socket uses a 16 power stage VRM design with a massive finned heatsink designed to full air from the front of the motherboard to the back in line with the socket and the memory slots, ending in the rear panel which has its own air baffle. There are eight memory slots, enabling 512 GB or 1 TB of DDR4-3200.
The power delivery heatsink seems to be connected to the active chipset heatsink, which in turn has additional heatsinks for all three of the board’s PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots. Other storage options include two U.2 ports, eight SATA ports, and a bundled Hyper M.2 card capable of supporting another four M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 storage drives.
The board has seven full length supported PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for add-in cards, with these systems aimed at renderers and computational work that can add in additional compute cards. Additional controllers include an Intel X550-AT2 for dual 10 gigabit Ethernet, a baseband management controller (ASUS doesn’t say which one), and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, likely enabled through Intel’s AX201 or AX210.
Port wise there are nine USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports each with 10 Gbps, and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port capable of 20 Gbps. For the front panel, there are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectors, as well as USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0. Also on the board is BIOS flashback, CMOS reset, what looks like a Realtek ALC1220 audio codec, a COM header, and a wide array of 5-pin fan headers. ASUS’ custom TPU chipset is also onboard.
Users should also be aware that this board appears to take three 12V CPU power connectors, whereas most power supplies only take two. There are also two additional 6-pin PCIe connectors to provide power to the PCIe slots. The rear of the board contains a backplate to assist with board rigidity.
The ASUS Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE Wi-Fi is expected to be available in North America from March. Price is as-yet unknown.
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Atari2600 - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
That is what a motherboard should look like.No idiots getting the idea they are artists with a curvy plastic bit or two and no *shudders* R-G-f***ing-B.
Lord of the Bored - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
Motherboards should be green or brown. Let's not pretend this wasn't painted black to make it look cool.Arsenica - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
There's no reason why a motherboards should be any color in particular.Early PCB were brownish because that it's the natural color of the resins used in their manufacturing. Later PCB were made green to improve their inspection processes (by either humans or cameras). Nowadays there's very little reason for any color over the others as long the color is fairly contrasting against the contacts and silkscreen.
Lord of the Bored - Monday, January 25, 2021 - link
Actually, the primary purpose of the coating is to prevent the solder from sticking places other than where it is supposed to(hence why it is called a solder mask), which makes hand-assembly less error-prone and enables the use of a wave-soldering machine in automated assembly. It also protects the copper traces from the elements, but that seems to be more of a side benefit than an actual purpose.It isn't actually documented why the solder mask is traditionally green, though many different theories are on offer(some are educated guesses, some are... let's say less-educated guesses).
But apparently black solder masks are actually conductive, and require significant extra care in their application. Every time you see a black circuit board, it means someone has chosen form over function.
c.k. - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
Such a gorgeous looking board.Which PSU would support it though?
Even Corsair's AX1600i only has 2 such 12V connectors?
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/...
eggmayosandwich - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
The 8-Pin connector below the 24-Pin is a PCIe power connector, not an EPS one, so most power supplies, if with enough power, should be able to supply all the connectors to the motherboard.c.k. - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
Fair enough.But Ian said and I quote "Users should also be aware that this board appears to take three 12V CPU power connectors, whereas most power supplies only take two."
DanNeely - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
The gallery is broken, only the first image loads.Correath - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
Finally some really beautiful Motherboard. Asus and other brands should bring this sober construction to Ryzen. People who dont need any more than Ryzen for work stuck um ugly mobos plenty of lights and overclock functions that does not matterbigboxes - Monday, January 25, 2021 - link
Although I loathe RGB and the overuse of plastic, I'm not sure it really matters in the end. I don't have a window in my PC case and never look at the guts unless I'm troubleshooting or doing maintenance. You?