ASUS today announced TUF Sabertooth X99, a consumer desktop motherboard to support all NVM Express storage devices, including PCI Express (PCIe), M.2 PCI Express and the latest 2.5-inch solid-state drives (SSDs) with SFF-8639 via the mini SAS HD connector on the Hyper Kit expansion card. TUF Sabertooth X99 is based on the latest Intel X99 Express chipset for compatibility with the latest LGA 2011-v3 socket Intel Core i7 processors. It is also the first consumer desktop motherboard to offer full compatibility with all NVM Express storage options.

With the addition of the Hyper Kit expansion card, TUF Sabertooth X99 gives users the freedom to fit next-generation 2.5-inch SSDs with mini-SAS HD. This technology exploits the maximum PCI Express 3.0 x4 bandwidth of 32Gbit/s for SSD transfer speeds that are up to 3.5X faster than traditional SSDs.

TUF Sabertooth X99 also benefits from the latest SuperSpeed+ USB 3.1 connectivity and comes equipped with dual USB 3.1 Type-A ports.

TUF Sabertooth X99 is the first TUF motherboard to include TUF Detective, a free companion app that puts system information at users’ fingertips. With the app installed on a smartphone or tablet, users are able to monitor key parameters, detect and diagnose errors and control the PC’s power status with touchscreen ease. The PC doesn’t even need to be switched on for the app to be useful.

TUF Thermal Armor technology is an exclusive cover with a fan to boost airflow across the system for maximum heat dissipation. The latest edition of TUF’s Thermal Radar 2 software enables users to control up to 11 fan connectors, as well as manage fans attached to ASUS graphic cards. This makes quick work of fan tuning for complete system cooling.

TUF Sabertooth X99 also has an onboard TUF ICe microchip, a total cooling commander that delivers precise temperature monitoring and fan control.

TUF Sabertooth X99 includes upgraded TUF ESD Guards 2 which is two times (2X) stronger than before to defend numerous ports against sudden electrostatic discharge, including all USB sockets and audio connectors — and exclusive pin-level testing on specific rear input-output (I/O) connectors is 30% higher than the previous TUF standard.

Exclusive TUF Fortifier technology is a reinforced backplate with a thermal pad that both strengthens the motherboard and directs heat away from the back of the 8+2-phase Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) and other critical components — a technology that reduces operating temperatures by up to 6°C, according to Asus.

The board is covered by TUF’s five-year warranty.