ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE LGA 1700 Workstation Motherboard: specs and who it suits

The ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE is an ATX workstation motherboard built around Intel's W680 chipset and the LGA 1700 socket. ASUS aims it at professionals in areas such as AI training, deep learning, animation, 3D rendering and media production, and gives it features for expansion, storage and remote management.

Socket and processors

The LGA 1700 socket is listed as ready for 13th Gen Intel Core processors, and for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron processors. Before buying, check ASUS's CPU support list, because some processors need a BIOS update to work on a given board.

ECC memory and DDR5

The listing names DDR5 and ECC memory. ECC (error-correcting code) memory can detect and correct certain single-bit errors, which is why workstations and servers often use it for long computations where a flipped bit could corrupt results. ECC support generally requires compatible memory modules and a compatible processor, so check both against the specification pages.

Expansion: PCIe slots

There are two PCIe 5.0 slots (ASUS calls them Safeslots, a reinforced design) and two PCIe 3.0 slots. PCIe 5.0 is the newest and fastest generation here, roughly double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, and it suits graphics cards and fast add-in cards. Whether two graphics cards run at full width depends on how the board shares lanes, so read the manual.

Storage

The board has three M.2 slots at PCIe 4.0 speed for NVMe SSDs, and ASUS lists M.2 heatsinks. A SlimSAS connector is also listed. It is typically used to attach U.2 drives or other server-style storage through a cable, so check the cable and drive type you need.

Networking, USB and headers

There are two Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet ports. A front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C connector is listed, along with a Thunderbolt 4 header, though a header needs a compatible add-in card for the port itself. A TPM header, an LPT header and a BMC header are listed. A BMC (baseboard management controller) allows remote monitoring and control, typically through an add-on card.

Power and cooling

ASUS lists DrMOS power stages, a ProCool connector, alloy chokes and durable capacitors for stable power delivery. Cooling features include a large VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsinks, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert 4 software.

Management and security

ASUS Control Center Express provides centralised management. Listed security controls include USB port management, software blacklisting and Regedit on/off controls, aimed at IT administrators handling many machines.

Who it suits

It suits builders of workstations for rendering, compute work or content creation, and IT teams that want ECC memory and remote management features. It is more than a typical home desktop needs.

What to check before you buy

• CPU compatibility: confirm your processor and any needed BIOS version.
• Memory: use DDR5 modules suited to ECC if you want ECC to work.
• Case: it is an ATX board of about 13.3 by 10.7 inches.
• Expansion: match the PCIe, M.2 and SlimSAS slots to your cards and drives.
• Add-in parts: a BMC card or Thunderbolt card may be needed for those headers.
• Cooling: plan a CPU cooler and case airflow.

The short version

• Intel W680, LGA 1700, ATX workstation board.
• DDR5 with ECC support; two PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 3.0 slots.
• Three M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots and SlimSAS.
• Dual 2.5Gb Ethernet, BMC and Thunderbolt 4 headers.
• Management and security software from ASUS.

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