ROG Strix has taken on a brand-new look and the time has come to debut the first motherboard in the ROG Strix Series. ROG Strix X99 Gamingis
a new ATX motherboard based on the Intel X99 chipset, retrofitted
with exclusive technologies to maximize the potential of the new family
of Intel Core i7 processors for socket LGA 2011-v3. ROG Strix X99 Gaming
delivers performance you'll notice, while the bold new design
featuring customizable colors highlights the centerpiece of a system
others will notice.
KEY POINTS
Next-gen X99 motherboards ready for the new Intel Core i7 processor
family for socket LGA 2011-v3, and offering outstanding choice for
gamers, creative professionals and DIYers
Stacked with ASUS-exclusive features and customizations, including
5-Way Optimization, Aura RGB illumination, and strengthened SafeSlot
ROG recruits Strix, and ROG Strix X99 Gaming offers gamers a bold
design with bright colors that channels the spirit of fierce
individualism
Our X99 motherboards have won awards from many respected publications and editors around the world, with ASUS consistently praised as the number-one motherboard brand. We are keen to offer best-selling, easy-to-use, stable and trusted motherboards — that’s why we call them BEST. And we’re proud to introduce our all-new X99 motherboards allowing users to customize their experience and maximize performance in ways that simply aren’t possible with any other brand of motherboard.
- Joe Hsieh, ASUS Corporate Vice President & General Manager of Motherboard Business Unit
To maximize performance, ROG Strix X99 Gaming features the exclusive OC Socket which uses extra socket pins to tap into even more overclocking power, 5-Way Optimization for one-click overclocking and cooling, and Fan Xpert 4 for ultimate cooling and control. The eight DIMMs support up to 128GB of DDR4 memory
overclocked up to 3,333MHz which is enough for virtual machines, video
editing machines and virtually anything else you throw at it. Three PCIe
3.0/2.0 X16 slots are available for up to 3-way SLI or CrossFire for
multi-GPU grunt, three extra PCIe 2.0 slots (two X1 and one X16) can be
used for other add-in cards such as discrete audio solutions or SSDs. Complete Specifications :
Gaming cabinets from Alienware stayed true to their name by offering
futuristic design elements that certainly gave an impression of alien
tech. On the same lines, the exteriors of the Corsair Carbide SPEC Alpha
looks no less alien. Highly reminiscent of the turrets from the video
game Portal, Corsair Carbide SPEC Alpha’s feet play a big role in giving
it that distinct look.
Although, there’s one glaring change that needs to be addressed – the
optical disc drive slot has been removed compared to the previous
version. If you’re looking out for a new gaming cabinet, this might make
you ponder since many modern cabinets are dropping ODD support. Many
local gamers don’t have the luxury of a high-speed internet connection
and they are still dependent on physical copies for games. But this
shouldn’t be really a concern since USB-powered external DVD drives are
available that cost almost the same. This decision wasn’t the company’s
alone and in fact, the request was honoured after feedback from owners
of the older SPEC models.
Specifications
Length: 518mm Width: 220mm Height: 474mm Weight: 6.2kg Motherboard form factor: ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ATX PSU form factor: ATX standard Front I/O: 2 x USB 3.0, Mic in and Audio Out, 3-speed fan control Drive options: 3 x 3.5-inch HDD, 4 x 2.5-inch SSD Fans: 3 x 120mm Maximum GPU length: 380mm Maximum CPU cooler height: 156mm Maximum PSU length: 190mm
A few points to note down :
Bold Exterior Design with front intake LED fans: The asymmetrical, hard-edged design of the SPEC-ALPHA gives it a bold, unique look.
Direct airflow path to keep CPUs and GPUs running cooler:Modern
systems don't need bulky drive cages obstructing the airflow. By
removing the 5.25" drive cage, the SPEC-ALPHA has a direct path from the
front intake fan to the CPU and GPU.
Large side panel window to show off your hardware: Why hide it? All that performance hardware looks great, so why not look at it through the huge side panel window?
Three included 120mm fans and built-in three-speed fan controller:Watching
a movie? Flip the switch for nearly silent operation. Throwing on the
headset for some online gaming? Flip it to high and keep the GPU cool
for better framerates.
Cable routing cutouts and tie downs:Nobody wants
to see a rat's nest of cables, so hide them behind the motherboard tray
to keep cable routing neat, tidy, and out of the airflow path for
better cooling.
Easy to build: Tool-free drive installation and side panel removal means less time spent building and more time gaming.
Front 240mm radiator compatibility: Upgrade to the power of liquid cooling for CPUs or GPUs with up to a 240mm Hydro Series cooler.
Native USB 3.0 and SSD support for modern builds:
Whether it's a new external drive for storage or a new SSD for the
user's preferred OS or games, the SPEC-ALPHA is ready for anything.
A View on the Design
The interiors remain the same in the Corsair Carbide SPEC Alpha compared
to the previous Spec cabinets. With dimensions of 518 x 220 x 474 mm,
this cabinet is able to house ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards.
The front and top panels have an angled design with portions covered
with mesh to allow air intake and exhaust, respectively.The side-window panel has a transparent plexiglass which is susceptible to scratches.The cabinet ensures all your components are visible if your components all have LED lighting.
The meshes on the top and front panel don’t have any dust filters and you’ll find only one at the bottom which is kind of disappointing. The cabinet stands at a considerable distance from the floor for air intake from the bottom thanks to its weird looking feet. If these feet look too alien and
don’t impress you then you can buy those rounded rubber feet and attach
them in the provided mounting holes at the bottom.
The front I/O panel includes the power button, two USB 3.0 ports,
three-speed fan controller, mic in and audio out port, and the reset
button. The back panel of the cabinet consists of a 120mm fan and
seven PCI-E expansion slots. The slots are tool less thanks to the
thumbscrews but if you are unscrewing them for the first time, expect
some mighty resistance. You just might have to grab a screwdriver to
attach your GPU or other PCI-E cards. There are no locking tabs as are
seen in truly tool-less designs. There are rubberised holes to
fit liquid cooling pipes and at the bottom there’s the PSU cage.
The thumbscrews don’t fall off their grooves, clinging to them which is
something Corsair has been doing with their cabinets and should be
adopted by other cabinet manufacturers as well.The front panel comes pre-installed with two 120mm LED fans with sliding
mounting holes that let you move the fans in case you plan on adding a
third fan at the bottom. The top panel can house two 120mm fans as
well. These fans can be controlled with the three-speed fan controller
on the front panel. To be able to reach and install the third fan,
you’ll have to remove the drive cage that houses three HDD slots and two
SSD brackets, and additional two SSD brackets can be found behind the
motherboard plate.
The Corsair Carbide SPEC Alpha offers a generous number of tie-slits and
paths for cable management. The cutouts on the motherboard plate are
well thought out to aid routing the cables to the necessary components
from the PSU.
So, these were our views on this spectacular case by Corsair launched at CES-2016. Let us know what you think about it in the comments below.
