Ask Me Anything - Official ASUS Representatives

[Karadjgne]

Don't know if anyone has sufficiently expressed this, but I for one really appreciate the time you Asus ppl have spent here today, there's been more than a few questions I'd not have thought to ask, so just having 'someone in the know' has been great. That said, are ya'll gonna do this again?

 

[Bossyfins]

Will we see any bigger vram options on the 970/980 like how the 290x has an 8gig variant?

 

[raja@asus]

Hi,
I have two questions:

1, Will the Z97 and H97 Pro Gamer motherboards ever be launched in America?

2, Will you make a "special/dual-card edition" (like the ARES III or the MARS 760x2) of cards such as the GTX 980, Titan X or the rumored upcoming R9 390X?

If you could answer these questions, it would be greatly appreciated!

1) The Z97-Pro Gamer is available in North America. Check Newegg. No current plans for H97.

2) It's possible

 

[Bossyfins]

SO they are still answering questions.. Ooooo.... Sad to say, i still have like 80 more questions :/ Ugh gonna get tired of typing

 

[Bossyfins]

Here we go...


1. As said above, any plans for 970/980 vram variants
2. How do you feel about the recent lawsuit with NVIDIA and their effective 3.5gb vram?
3. Does Asus have any plans on making mITX x99 boards, like AsRock?
4. Does Asus AI software work with any board :/ I actually dont know this
5. Has AMD given you any info on the new R9 3xx line? WIll you have Variants of this as well? (Ares II, Mars etc)
6. WHen do you say the new R9 3xx line will be released?
7. Do you have an estimated price on the new r9 390x?
8. IS Asus planning any new software? Maybe an OCing software for GPUS?
9. Will the new 5th gen of intel CPUS require bios updates?
10. What do you think is your best x99 bang for the buck mobo? (asus board)
11. Are any new GPU coolers in the works?
12. Will you also be a manufacturer/distributor of the Titan X? Will you ship a different cooler with it so one can install it?
13. How do you view Corsair's line of CX/CS PSUs? Considering many other vendors have better PSUs?
14. Have you partnered with Corsair to bring the the ROG line/ BEST components kinda thing?
15. DOes Asus have any other plans to hit 'other markets' such as cases/psus?
16. Regarding the Asus 980 Platnium, how do you feel the cooler compares to other brands such as EVGAs 980 King Pin and ACX?



I'll leave it at 16 questions otherwise you would not be to happy :L

 

[raja@asus]

Do you know if there's any work going on for a front panel header for USB C ports? I believe they need extra data lines. I'd rather not see a repeat of sticking USB cables out the back of the case and around to the I/O panel.

Also, do you intend to have your Windows 10 laptops/desktops/motherboards allow disabling Secure Boot? MS has made it optional, which I'm slightly upset about. It tends to be a pain if you're doing anything beyond running stock Windows.

I have a number of questions, mostly stemming from my own idle curiosity. My first set of questions deal with the FM2+ platform, because it, with all the enthusiast chatter, often gets overlooked, and it needs some lovin' too.

The FM2+ Crossblade Ranger seemingly came out of left-field for a lot of people, and, naturally, like with all things, some people received it with mixed feelings. What was the driving force behind the decision to produce an ROG product for the FM2+ platform? (What is the process for making such a decision?) Is there a TUF FM2+ in the works?

... Is there any chance to get any information on the upcoming FM3 platform?

How does ASUS, particularly the power delivery/VRM team, feel about certain innovations, like Intel's decision to have an on-die VRM, and AMD's upcoming Carrizo moving the southbridge onto the die?

What features do you enjoy having on your own motherboards and video cards? Are there any features that you wish could be incorporated?

Lastly, favorite beer?

Hi

1) The time was right for us to bring a board similar to the Maximus VII Hero SKU to FM2+. We knew it would not be a high volume part, but it was something the die-hard AMD fans had been pestering us about for a while. A halo product every now and then doesn't hurt

No plans for TUF FM2+ yet... (can't speak of anything unreleased either, sorry).

2) The current platforms still need an external VRM to step the voltage down to 1.8V. From a engineering point of view, designing a step-down VRM for the FIVR on Intel processors, isn't different from designing a Vcc supplying VRM. The only thing that changed is the default voltage level we need to supply to the processor (current requirements change gen-to-gen anyway).

3) Good question. Too many to mention in a post but here are my main mortherboard ones:

Fan controls. We have full DC/PWM fan control on our mainstream and enthusiast motherboards, together with comprehensive control via UEFI and software. We pushed hard for that so that users could tune speeds (or use Fan Xpert) to find the correct balance between cooling and fan noise for every scenario.

Overclocking is another area. There are multiple ways one can apply an overclock to an ASUS board - manual tuning, Auto Tuning via software and TPU switches. Every type of user is catered for..

UEFI development in general is something we spend a lot of time on - making things more intuitive for end-users whilst ensuring the experience is smooth and glitch free. We're always pushing for more in these areas and in others.

-Raja

 

[raja@asus]

Is there going to be another rog front base?

When will we see a new oc panel?

is asus working on a rampage extreme for broadwell and Skylake?

Is 2011-3 at eol?

1) If we feel we need to make a new model we'll do it. No plans yet - but plenty of ideas.

2) No plans for a change up currently.

3) If the platform needs an Extreme SKU we'll do it. Desktop chipsets are Maximus series. Rampage is for enthusiast chipsets .

4) Not EOL.

-Raja

 

[PaulBags]

Any idea when we might start seeing usb 3.1 & type-c on motherboards, in the Asia/Oceania market (New Zealand specifically)?

On that note, for R&D and marketing purposes what distinct regions does ASUS differentiate for?

Is ASUS involved in any charities or community projects anywhere?

What is the most obscure/not-frequently-mentioned tech that ASUS is/has been involved in, that you can actually tell us about?


I'm out of question ideas, so I'll just add a +1 for the pink/white motherboard. Pink PCB, white ram & extension slots, purple accessory & power connectors; and some ram with matte pink heat spreaders. Then we just need pink & purple Noctua fans. Ooo, maybe a pink/white/purple strix line?

 

[-HH-]

So one thing I haven't seen is much about audio.. You guys have the vulcan pro and the Strix line of headsets and some lower end stuff but are you ever going to make something to the level of say, the Beyern Dynamic MMX300 (£250-£300 mark). I just think there could be some SERIOUS audio potential there as we all know you make some of the best sound cards on the block... (though I personally use a SB ZxR soz not soz).

I also thought that there would be an ROG line of keyboards as well as the Strix (previously mentioned) and I think that would allow you to get away from the Orange which personally put me off of the Strix board. I also think it would allow you to compete with the metal finish as such on the Corsair K70... Anyway, the question on this part is, are we going to see some serious development in the Peripheral market or just a few bits for now?

 

[raja@asus]

So one thing I haven't seen is much about audio.. You guys have the vulcan pro and the Strix line of headsets and some lower end stuff but are you ever going to make something to the level of say, the Beyern Dynamic MMX300 (£250-£300 mark). I just think there could be some SERIOUS audio potential there as we all know you make some of the best sound cards on the block... (though I personally use a SB ZxR soz not soz).

I also thought that there would be an ROG line of keyboards as well as the Strix (previously mentioned) and I think that would allow you to get away from the Orange which personally put me off of the Strix board. I also think it would allow you to compete with the metal finish as such on the Corsair K70... Anyway, the question on this part is, are we going to see some serious development in the Peripheral market or just a few bits for now?

Hi,

1) No current plans for a new headset just yet. However, we are travelling to HQ next month and I have some ideas I'll be presenting to the teams. If we do something, it will be radical

2) Yes - working on more peripherals. Mice first - more later...

-Raja

 

[-HH-]

So one thing I haven't seen is much about audio.. You guys have the vulcan pro and the Strix line of headsets and some lower end stuff but are you ever going to make something to the level of say, the Beyern Dynamic MMX300 (£250-£300 mark). I just think there could be some SERIOUS audio potential there as we all know you make some of the best sound cards on the block... (though I personally use a SB ZxR soz not soz).

I also thought that there would be an ROG line of keyboards as well as the Strix (previously mentioned) and I think that would allow you to get away from the Orange which personally put me off of the Strix board. I also think it would allow you to compete with the metal finish as such on the Corsair K70... Anyway, the question on this part is, are we going to see some serious development in the Peripheral market or just a few bits for now?

Hi,

1) No current plans for a new headset just yet. However, we are travelling to HQ next month and I have some ideas I'll be presenting to the teams. If we do something, it will be radical

2) Yes - working on more peripherals. Mice first - more later...

-Raja

Awesome! I feel sorry for the fact you guys have to be up at 4AM! But we're all appreciative of you guys being here!

Also. I saw a question about sabertooth somewhere in this thread and I wanted to ask something fairly close to it but will you release Armour kits for different boards? I have a Deluxe X99 and I've always wanted to play Pimp my board and put some armour on it... It isn't a need but it'd be an awesome thing if you made armour kits for various boards (more toward the higher end of the spectrum). It means we don't have to have a Camo looking board or limit to Z97 with the Formula. None the less just a thought.

 

[raja@asus]

It's not out of the question as we know how seriously folks take aesthetics. Nothing firm on this right now, though.

 

[hst101rox]

If possible, I would like clarification why the newer Asus gaming/enthusiast laptops don't have an upgradable (socketed) CPU but instead they have a soldered one. The G75 was the last 17.3" high end gaming laptop from you that had a socketed Ivy Bridge CPU. The G750 was the first 17.3" high end gaming laptop from you that had a soldered Haswell CPU, yet it weighed more (see previous post), so I can't see why socketed vs soldered makes a big difference in volume/weight/ or any difference with aesthetics or cooling design when dealing with large laptops already.

So really why don't you and everyone else stop providing a socketed CPU in their newest high end gaming laptops? It must be because of pressure from Intel for some reason? Because you can buy mobile CPUs with ease on Ebay. Why give in to the pressure? Power to the little guy

 

[AndrewFreedman]

Good morning everyone! This thread is open for just under three more hours. It will close at 12 p.m. EDT.

 

[tmr263]

Guess you guys can't comment on the zenfone 2?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Do you know if there's any work going on for a front panel header for USB C ports? I believe they need extra data lines. I'd rather not see a repeat of sticking USB cables out the back of the case and around to the I/O panel.

Also, do you intend to have your Windows 10 laptops/desktops/motherboards allow disabling Secure Boot? MS has made it optional, which I'm slightly upset about. It tends to be a pain if you're doing anything beyond running stock Windows.

I have a number of questions, mostly stemming from my own idle curiosity. My first set of questions deal with the FM2+ platform, because it, with all the enthusiast chatter, often gets overlooked, and it needs some lovin' too.

The FM2+ Crossblade Ranger seemingly came out of left-field for a lot of people, and, naturally, like with all things, some people received it with mixed feelings. What was the driving force behind the decision to produce an ROG product for the FM2+ platform? (What is the process for making such a decision?) Is there a TUF FM2+ in the works?

... Is there any chance to get any information on the upcoming FM3 platform?

How does ASUS, particularly the power delivery/VRM team, feel about certain innovations, like Intel's decision to have an on-die VRM, and AMD's upcoming Carrizo moving the southbridge onto the die?

What features do you enjoy having on your own motherboards and video cards? Are there any features that you wish could be incorporated?

Lastly, favorite beer?

Hi

1) The time was right for us to bring a board similar to the Maximus VII Hero SKU to FM2+. We knew it would not be a high volume part, but it was something the die-hard AMD fans had been pestering us about for a while. A halo product every now and then doesn't hurt

No plans for TUF FM2+ yet... (can't speak of anything unreleased either, sorry).

2) The current platforms still need an external VRM to step the voltage down to 1.8V. From a engineering point of view, designing a step-down VRM for the FIVR on Intel processors, isn't different from designing a Vcc supplying VRM. The only thing that changed is the default voltage level we need to supply to the processor (current requirements change gen-to-gen anyway).

3) Good question. Too many to mention in a post but here are my main mortherboard ones:

Fan controls. We have full DC/PWM fan control on our mainstream and enthusiast motherboards, together with comprehensive control via UEFI and software. We pushed hard for that so that users could tune speeds (or use Fan Xpert) to find the correct balance between cooling and fan noise for every scenario.

Overclocking is another area. There are multiple ways one can apply an overclock to an ASUS board - manual tuning, Auto Tuning via software and TPU switches. Every type of user is catered for..

UEFI development in general is something we spend a lot of time on - making things more intuitive for end-users whilst ensuring the experience is smooth and glitch free. We're always pushing for more in these areas and in others.

-Raja

I note you quoted my questions, but didn't actually answer them. Did they slip through the cracks?

 

[Dalantech]

I have an Asus Maximus VII Impact, and it has a PCIE 4x M.2 slot. Will it be possible to take advantage of an MVMe M.2 SSD in the future with just a BIOS upgrade or will it require a new motherboard and chipset?

 

[Illumynization]

When can we expect to see 4K monitors above 60Hz?

 

[Illumynization]

Is it possible to have a non black motherboard? Lots of manufacturers color things like heatsinks and pcie slots. Can you put say a full red coat above the PCB for the mobo?

 

[PCDIYASUS]

When can we expect to see 4K monitors above 60Hz?

This is difficult to say as the entire display chain needs to support DP 1.3 or HDMI 2.0 to allow for this. So GPUs, drivers, scaler ( in the monitor ). The standard is in place so it is a question of everything else. Additionally there needs to be a balance as well in ensuring that higher refresh rate panels do not compromise the higher quality experience of a 4K monitor. This will require time to ensure the panel can optimally meet these new rated specifications. As of now it is difficult to provide a guesstimate I would say though within the next 12 to 24 months.

 

[PCDIYASUS]

Is it possible to have a non black motherboard? Lots of manufacturers color things like heatsinks and pcie slots. Can you put say a full red coat above the PCB for the mobo?

Yes it comes down to cost, color consistency and demand. As you saw the SABERTOOTH Z97 MARKS features a white PCB and on our ROG boards we have done a matte black PCB as well as a secondary dual color "accent" color on top of the black.

 

[Calculatron]

Since we are on our way out the door here, I would like to thank you guys for not only answering my questions, but also for doing this AMA.

Events like this are important to open an dialogue between the company and the consumers; because there is a lot more to the market than "voting with your money."

I think it was JJ who did videos with Jayztwocents and Tek Syndicate with the release of the x99 platform. I felt those were great ways of doing PR and advertising. Keep up the good work! System builders and enthusiasts point and direct people to videos like those, so that they can give a face to a product.

 

[Bossyfins]

+! to above post. I really do love Asus for how open they are to making videos.

 

[tmr263]

Well I at least hope the zenfone come out soon. I hate my moto g and my nexus 5 broke lol.

 

[Onus]

Oh, I've made a point of watching some of the NeweggTV clips when JJ is on. JJ, should you happen to remember, please feel free to tell Paul that the Onus is on him.