Jesper Berg
As part of Asus’ initial lineup of motherboards based on the AMD TRX40 chipset for Threadripper 3000, the ROG (Republic of Gamers) Strix TRX40-E sits right below the high-end Zenith II Extreme and the entry-level Prime model. However, considering that Threadripper is an HEDT (high-end desktop) platform, all motherboards are fairly full-featured compared to most mainstream boards.
All motherboards based on the TRX40 offer support for up to 256 GB of DDR4 DRAM in quad-channel mode, and come with the PCI-Express 4.0 interface for high-end storage devices and GPUs. Although it’s not quite as feature-packed as the E-ATX Zenith, the Strix-E offers a set of connectivity options that should be sufficient for all but the most demanding users.
In spite of the word “Gaming” in the title, this board is best suited for content creators and others, who can take full advantage of the raw processing performance offered by the 32-core Threadripper 3970X and 24-core 3960X CPUs.
ROG Strix TRX40-E II Key Features
Strix TRX40-E Layout (copyright: Asus)
Asus’ ROG Strix TRX40-E may not be as full-featured as its more sophisticated (and more expensive) sibling, the Zenith II, but still offers a set of ports and slots that should appeal to all but the most demanding users. The base features of the platform include PCIe 4.0 support and eight memory slots that will hold up to 256 GB of DDR4 in quad-channel mode. This board officially supports RAM speeds (overclocked) of up to 4666 MHz.
There are also three full-size (x16) PCIe 4.0 slots, one x4 slot, and three onboard M.2 slots (one is on the backside of the board). All slots are PCIe 4.0 compliant for SSDs and GPUs that can take advantage of the additional bandwidth, which is double that of the previous generation.
In terms of networking, you get one Realtek RTL8125-CG 2.5 GbE port as well as an additional GbE Intel I211-AT. A high-end WiFi adapter is also included in the form of an AX200 Wi-Fi 6 module from Intel Also, unsurprisingly on a gaming-oriented board, there are headers for RGB lighting setups.
The Strix TRX40-E’s VRM is a 16-phase setup consisting of 16 Infineon TDA21472 70A power stages.
ROG Strix TRX40-E Vs. Zenith II Extreme Vs. Prime TRX40-Pro
At launch (late 2019), Asus offered three different motherboards based on the TRX40. Other than the Strix-E, the other two are the more expensive Zenith II Extreme and the entry-level (in relative terms) Prime TRX40-Pro.
| ASUS TRX40 Motherboards | Form Factor | VRM | DDR4 Support | PCIe 4.0 M.2 Slots | Ethernet/ Wi-Fi | USB 3.1 Gen2 | Check Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ROG Zenith II Extreme Alpha | E-ATX | 16-phase | 4733 MHz | 5x | 10 Gbps 1 Gbps WiFi 6/ax | 9x Type-A 2x Type-C | Amazon Newegg |
ROG Zenith II Extreme | E-ATX | 16-phase | 4733 MHz | 5x | 10 Gbps 1 Gbps WiFi 6/ax | 9x Type-A 2x Type-C | Amazon Newegg |
ROG Strix TRX40-E | ATX | 16-phase | 4666 MHz | 3x | 2.5 Gbps WiFi 6/ax | 7x Type-A 1x Type-C | Amazon Newegg |
Prime TRX40-Pro | ATX | 16-phase | 4666 MHz | 3x | 1 Gbps | 3x Type-A 1x Type-C | Amazon Newegg |
Both the Stix and the Prime boards use the standard ATX form factor, whereas the Zenith II Extreme is a larger E-ATX (extended ATX) model.
Reviews
… ASUS’ TRX40-E Gaming delivers the ROG STRIX quality that we expect and bundles in a superb 16-stage power delivery solution with smart VRM cooling
Specification: Asus ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming
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