When coupled with the Core i9-7900X, the new motherboards outperform the old X99 platform across 3DMark and PCMark just slightly. Although it's far less expensive, the Core i7-7800X can't stand up to the prowess of a 10-core CPU in 3DMark's Physics test.

Improved efficiency; Improved CPU Overclocking (clock) Stability; Advanced 802.11ad Wi-Fi; in addition to dual Gigabit Ethernet; Includes Thunderbolt 3 add-in card and four-fan extender card

Not designed for 3-way SLI on 28-lane CPUs; Mediocre memory overclocking; Improved efficiency comes at the cost of a minor performance deficit; Expensive

So I mentioned it in my initial Intel coverage but I should probably bring it up again here. Most people are used to Intel's mainstream boards that are, even at the highest end, limited by low PCIe lanes and chipset features.

Competition in the desktop CPU market may have been lacking in recent years, but if you've been sat on the fence waiting for the AMD vs. Intel rivalry to be renewed, now's the time to pay attention.

Supports up to 18 cores / 36 threads; More PCIe lanes than you're likely to need; Quad-channel DDR4 memory; Compatible with LGA2011v3 coolers; Ample expansion opportunities; Sleek; stylish design with subtle Aura RGB

Some features reserved for premium CPUs; Pricey compared to X370 rivals; No onboard reset button; Software still being optimised

The ASUS PRIME X299 DELUXE is loaded with so many features; it's equipped to tackle pretty much anything.

Wireless AD; Excellent Quality; ThunderBolt 3.0; Tons of Fans and Sensors

No 4-way; Very Complex Routing

Activity in the motherboard and CPU industry has hit an all-time high after the success of AMD's Ryzen 5/7 launches and while reception for Intel's most recent Core X Series may not have been a serious head turner, it's great to see the marketplace alive once again!

+ Truly unique appearance; + RGB customisation & headers; + Great overall performance; + Arrives with USB 3.1 front header; + Advanced features – LED Debug; MemOK; + Includes heatsink for M.2; + Uses strengthened PCI Express slots; + Decent audio solution

is a sweet little motherboard not much to say about it but it does what it's supposed to do

Critical to the operation of a high-end system is its motherboard. The ASUS Prime X299-Deluxe in a high-end part using Intel's new LGA 2066 socket. Features worthy of note include 802.11ad (WiGig) WiFi, an onboard OLED display, and a smart method for cooling M.2 SSDs.

Strong power delivery components with a supplementary 4-pin power connector; Excellent fan control system with plenty of headers; Robust UEFI and OS software; LiveDash OLED display is a unique feature; Solid RGB LED lighting system; Strong WiFi solution; Thunderbolt 3 and U.2 support

MOSFET heatsink is poorly designed for handling Skylake-X CPUs; PCIe slot layout is inefficient; especially with the bundled Thunderbolt 3 card; OLED display positioning is questionable (blocked by a large air cooler)

Good but costly

I've closely scrutinized many mother boards during 2017. This one get my pick for best value considering premium features/design and performance.

I had already bought a graphics card, so I didn't want a board that came with one already. This one didn't have one built in, and I'm happy. I used 64G (expandable to 128G) memory, 650 watt power supply, Intel i7 7800, and I've water-cooled the CPU - much quieter than fans.