ASRock X99 Taichi Motherboard Review

Rating: 9.0.

X99 holds a relatively exclusive status in the PC market, even among DIY builders and enthusiasts, since the entry costs to the platform are higher in a variety of areas. ASRock addresses this price-limitation directly with the new X99 Taichi – a motherboard that promises a mid-range feature-set for an entry-level price.

The X99 Taichi is, on paper specifications at least, remarkably similar to the recently reviewed ASRock Fatal1ty X99 Professional Gaming i7, but at a lower price point. Considering equivalent models from the competition, the de facto rival product to ASRock's new Taichi board is the X99A Tomahawk – MSI's capable all-rounder for the mid-range.

The formula with the X99 Taichi is tried-and-trusted and something ASRock has been doing for many years: focusing on more hardware and better quality components than equivalently priced motherboards from rivals. This strategy translates into a motherboard that makes fewer compromises, and is decidedly mid-range, but still manages to reach an entry-level price for the X99 platform.

At the time of writing, X99 motherboards start from around $180 in North America and £180 in the UK; ASRock's X99 Taichi retails for $220/£225. While there are lower-cost X99 motherboards out there, few offer such an extensive array of hardware which includes; dual M.2, dual Intel Gigabit LAN, a 12 phase CPU VRM, dual BIOS chips, onboard WiFi, USB 3.1 and a sleek black and white design.

Perhaps uniquely, the X99 Taichi isn't positioned as a gamer-centric product. In ASRock's own words the X99 Taichi is “Specially designed for the all-round PC user who wants a motherboard packed with premium features”.

Whether or not it's the absence of gaming features and marketing that allows ASRock to achieve a better price-to-performance balance remains to be seen. However, we'd imagine many prospective X99 buyers will appreciate the Taichi's reinterpretation of the mid-range X99 motherboard.

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