EVGA announced the new Intel X299 motherboard and gave Elite members the first crack on them.
The new EVGA X299 Dark motherboard supports Intel X-series (Skylake-X or Kaby Lake-X) processors, but board capabilities differ significantly depending on the CPU you install. Skylake-X processors will enjoy the use of all four DIMM memory for quad-channel operation with DDR4-4000 to 64GB (4 x 16GB) memory, but Kaby Lake-X CPUs can only access two memory slots for dual-channel operation. The other two DIMMs will not work, and thus, the Kaby Lake CPU can only support 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-4133 memory on Dark XGA XGA.
PCIe connectivity is also segmented, with a five x16 EVGA X299 Dark slot that supports 4-way SLI graphics configuration with 44-way Skylake-X processor, 3-way SLI with 28-lane CPU (Skylake-X), and 2-SLI with Kaby Lake-X processor (which has only 16 PCIe lines).
For storage, the EVGA X299 Dark features a total of eight 6Gbps SATA ports (six of the Intel X299 PCX, two of ASMedia ASM1061 controllers), two U.2 ports, and three M.2 interfaces. Again, the connectivity of these ports depends on which CPUs are installed, but EVGA makes it easy to figure out by including printed PCBs that serve as visual guides, which indicate path failure.
Crave Windows XP fans?
The Dark EvGA X299 motherboard is designed with fans in mind, featuring 12 layers of PCB, PWM phase 16, external BCLK clock generator, VRM and cooled CAM-CAM, and higher gold content on LGA2066 CPU socket. There are also tools including triple BIOS, PCIe switch connectors, quad-SLI graphics support, and support for Windows XP (you can read them correctly, Windows XP) via ASMedia ASM1061 controller (two 6Gbps SATA ports on the board).
We reached out to EVGA to confirm this, and not only XGA Universal X299 supports Windows XP, but the company also sends drivers to the old OS with the board of directors. We're not sure what OS support requests are outdated, but EVGA seems to be the only manufacturer offering Windows XP drivers with X299 motherboards.
Members only (for now)
The EVGA X299 Dark is available now for $ 499.99 from the company website, but only for EVGA Elite members. There are three ways to qualify as an Elite member: EVGA members who have purchased and registered the EVGA GTX qualified graphics card as the original owner entered automatically, as well as the members who have purchased and registered at least two EVGA products in the end. . 12 months. However, purchasing is not the only way to become an Elite Member; EVGA members with at least 100 forum posts are also qualified.
Although it seems somewhat counterproductive to offer products exclusively to members of the EVGA Elite, the EVGA X299 Dark will almost certainly be up to other stores in the coming weeks.
Motherboard : EVGA X299 Dark ATX
CPU Support : Intel X-Series Processors
Socket : LGA 2066
Memory
- Up to 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4-4000 (Skylake-X)
- Up to 32GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4-4133 (Kaby Lake-X)
PCIe Slots
- x16 x5
- x4
PCIe Connectivity
- 4-Way SLI (44-lane Skylake-X CPU)
- 3-Way SLI (28-lane Skylake-X CPU)
- 2-Way SLI (16-lane Kaby Lake-X CPU)
Storage
- SATA 6Gbps (Intel X299 PCH) x6
- SATA 6Gpbs (ASMedia ASM1061) x2
- M.2 Key-M PCIe/SATA x2
- U.2 x2
M.2 Slots
- M.2 Key-M x2
- M.2 Key-E
USB Connectivity
- USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C
- USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-A
- USB 3.0 x6
- USB 3.0 x2 (Internal Header)
- USB 2.0 x4 (Internal Header)
MSRP : $499.99