14 DAY TRIAL // Since Intel is getting ready to launch its new CPUs, ASUS is preparing motherboards for them, like the Sabertooth X79, which got a more or less early preview.
The Sabertooth X79 has everything people would expect from a high-end motherboard, but there is one aspect that gets a bit more attention than everything else.
Basically, ASUS equipped it with more than the regular share of cooling products, both heatsinks and active coolers.
For one, the CPU socket is flanked on both sides by 4 DDR3 memory slots, for a total of eight.
The preview by the folks over at VR-Zone also makes it more than clear that buyers will get three PCI Express x16 slots, where the PCIe lanes are wired directly to the CPU.
Additionally, a bunch of SATA ports are present, four SATA 6.0 Gbps and four SATA 3.0 Gbps connectors in fact.
Furthermore, the back of the board, the I/O panel as it were, comes with six USB 2.0 connectors, four USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, one power eSATA 6 Gbps connector and one regular eSATA 6Gbps port.
Nevertheless, the TUF components (8+2+2+2 Digital Phase Power Design) and the 'Thermal Armor' are the distinguishing features of the newcomer, with a fan on the VRM area and one on the X79 chipset.
The CPU socket area has stacked fins, heatpipes and a mounting area for installing that 40mm fan (optional, unlike the other one). The photos themselves show just how much space all the cooling items occupy.
Other specifications include Realtek ALC892 audio, Firewire by VIA VT6315N, and the DIGI+ EPU, which closely control power flow and stability, ultimately reducing system power consumption by a significant margin.
All in all, ASUS expects this beast to last for a long time, something reflected in the five-year warranty. Alas, the price isn't known and probably won't be until November 14, when the Intel Sandy Bridge-E launch happens.
