Scored using Motherboards Methodology v3.0
Motherboards Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Motherboards Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore Motherboards Methodology v3.0

ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE review: 109 specs compared

Avg. price:~£400CPU socket:?Chipset:Intel W680Form factor:ATX

ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE Review: Compare 109 technical specifications to see how this product ranks in the Motherboards category and whether it is worth buying.

ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE
7.5/10

Overall score

Score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews, best-of lists, owners and ratings from across the web.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 20%, List score 20%, Sentiment score 10%, User score 10%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

40%

7.2

Technical score

20%

?

Reviews scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.8, the mark of a weaker model in this category

20%

?

List scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.5, the mark of a weaker model in this category

10%

?

Sentiment scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.0, the mark of a weaker model in this category

10%

8.5

User score

â–²Better than 69% of motherboards
7.8

Value for money

Value for money
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.5

Overall score

30%

8.4

Price

â–²Better than 53%
7.2

Technical score

Technical score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

19%

8.0

Memory

16%

8.0

Platform

16%

6.8

Storage

15%

7.4

Network

13%

5.2

Ports

8%

6.2

Expansion

8%

6.7

Power & Cooling

5%

8.8

Audio

â–²Better than 70%
?

Reviews score

Reviews score
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.8 for now.
Share: Reviews count 20% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Grades by review (0)
We have not found an independent test of this model yet. Until we do, its review part counts as 7.8.
Ratings from across the web count in the User score, not in this score.
No expert tests yet
8.5

User score

User score
8.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How happy buyers are with this model, based on ratings from across the web.
How we count it
Enough data: A model needs at least 1 rating from across the web. Without one, it counts as 7.9, the mark of a weaker rated model in this category.
Share: User score counts 10% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10

70%

8.8

Rating

30%

7.6

Popularity

â–²Better than 55%
?

List score

List score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 20% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (0)
Not in any best-of list yet, so this part counts as 7.5. Models in a list get 8 to 10.
Not in any best-of list yet
  • asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
  • asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
  • asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
asus-pro-ws-w680-ace
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of motherboard ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE

Technical score
Technical score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

19%

8.0

Memory

16%

8.0

Platform

16%

6.8

Storage

15%

7.4

Network

13%

5.2

Ports

8%

6.2

Expansion

8%

6.7

Power & Cooling

5%

8.8

Audio

7.2
Reviews score
7.8
User score
8.5
List score
?
Value for money
Value for money
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

7.5

Overall score

30%

8.4

Price

7.8
CPU socket
?
CPU platform
Intel
Chipset
Intel W680
This motherboard uses Intel W680, which is less capable than 65% of Motherboards and as capable as 0.1% of Motherboards.
Form factor
ATX
Integrated graphics support
yes
This motherboard supports integrated graphics. 10.2% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
DDR memory version
DDR5
This motherboard uses DDR5, which is more modern than 63.8% of Motherboards and the same as 36.2% of Motherboards.
Memory slots
4
This motherboard has 4 Memory slots, which is more than 21.9% of motherboards and equal to 72% of motherboards.
Maximum memory capacity
128 GB
This motherboard supports up to 128 GB of memory, which is more than 40.1% of motherboards and equal to 31.9% of motherboards.
Memory channels
?
Maximum RAM speed
?
Show more
N. of M.2 sockets
?
M.2 slot interface per slot
?
N. of SATA 3 connectors
4
This motherboard has 4 SATA 3 connectors, which is more than 6.1% of motherboards and equal to 46.8% of motherboards.
Supported RAID levels
0/1/5/10
This motherboard RAID support: 0/1/5/10, which is more flexible than 32.5% of Motherboards and the same as 67.5% of Motherboards.
NVMe RAID support
yes
This motherboard supports NVMe RAID. 40.2% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
N. of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
2
This motherboard has 2 PCIe 5.0x16 slots, which is more than 95.1% of motherboards and equal to 4.4% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
0
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 4.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 44.8% of motherboards and equal to 55.2% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
?
PCIe slot electrical configuration
?
PCIe bifurcation support
yes
This motherboard supports PCIe bifurcation. 40.3% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
Total USB ports (rear I/O)
8
This motherboard has 8 USB ports (rear I/O), which is more than 40.6% of motherboards and equal to 30.3% of motherboards.
Total USB ports (including headers)
15
This motherboard has 15 USB ports (including headers), which is more than 47.7% of motherboards and equal to 13.5% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (rear I/O)
1
This motherboard has 1 USB-C ports (rear I/O), which is more than 35.8% of motherboards and equal to 48.3% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (including headers)
?
N. of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C)
0
This motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C), which is fewer than 18% of motherboards and equal to 82% of motherboards.
Show more
LAN speed
2.5 Gbps
This motherboard supports LAN speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, which is higher than that of 49% of motherboards and equal to that of 41.4% of motherboards.
LAN controller
?
N. of RJ45 ports
2
This motherboard has 2 RJ45 ports, which is more than 85.6% of motherboards and equal to 13.3% of motherboards.
Wi-Fi connectivity
no
This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity. 50.1% of motherboards support this feature.
Wi-Fi version
N/A
Show more
Audio codec
?
Audio channels
7.1
This motherboard offers 7.1 audio channels, which is more than 4.7% of motherboards and equal to 95.3% of motherboards.
Audio SNR
?
Headphone amp support
yes
This motherboard supports a headphone amp. 41.2% of motherboards support this feature.
N. of 3.5mm audio jacks
5
This motherboard has 5 3.5mm audio jacks, which is more than 50.6% of motherboards and equal to 36.3% of motherboards.
Show more
VRM phases
?
N. of CPU power connectors
1
This motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors, which is fewer than 45.2% of motherboards and equal to 54.9% of motherboards.
N. of fan headers
?
Pump header
yes
This motherboard has a pump header. 22.1% of motherboards include this feature.
Pump header max current
?
Show more

ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE vs the average motherboard

246810TotalPlatformMemoryStorageExpansionPortsNetworkAudioPower & Cooling
  • 2 more PCIe 5.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe 5.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (2 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe 5.0x16 slot/s.
    2 vs 0
  • More modern memory type
    This motherboard uses a more modern memory type than the average motherboard (DDR5 vs DDR4).
    DDR5 vs DDR4
  • 1 more RJ45 ports
    This motherboard has more RJ45 ports than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RJ45 port/s.
    2 vs 1
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • Includes POST code display
    This motherboard has a POST code display, while the average motherboard does not. 26.7% of motherboards include a POST code display.
  • Supports ECC memory
    This motherboard supports ECC memory, while the average motherboard does not. 20.9% of motherboards support ECC memory.
  • 1 more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers
    This motherboard has more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB4 or Thunderbolt header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 14.9% higher user score
    User score
    8.5/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How happy buyers are with this model, based on ratings from across the web.
    How we count it
    Enough data: A model needs at least 1 rating from across the web. Without one, it counts as 7.9, the mark of a weaker rated model in this category.
    Share: User score counts 10% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10

    70%

    8.8

    Rating

    30%

    7.6

    Popularity

    8.5 vs 7.4
  • Includes POST code display
    This motherboard has a POST code display, while the average motherboard does not. 26.7% of motherboards include a POST code display.
  • More modern memory type
    This motherboard uses a more modern memory type than the average motherboard (DDR5 vs DDR4).
    DDR5 vs DDR4
  • Supports ECC memory
    This motherboard supports ECC memory, while the average motherboard does not. 20.9% of motherboards support ECC memory.
  • 2 more PCIe 5.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe 5.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (2 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe 5.0x16 slot/s.
    2 vs 0
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers
    This motherboard has more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB4 or Thunderbolt header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more RJ45 ports
    This motherboard has more RJ45 ports than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RJ45 port/s.
    2 vs 1
  • 2 more 3.5mm audio jacks
    This motherboard has more 3.5mm audio jacks than the average motherboard (5 vs 3). The average motherboard has 3 3.5mm audio jacks.
    5 vs 3
  • More basic chipset
    This motherboard uses a more basic chipset than the average motherboard (Intel W680 vs Intel B860).
    Intel W680 vs Intel B860
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50.1% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • No Wi-Fi antenna included
    This motherboard does not include a Wi-Fi antenna, while the average motherboard does. 51.1% of motherboards include a Wi-Fi antenna.
  • 2 fewer ARGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer ARGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 ARGB header/s.
    0 vs 2
  • 2.67x more expensive
    ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE is more expensive than the average motherboard (£400 vs £150).
    £400 vs £150
  • 1 fewer RGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer RGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RGB header/s.
    0 vs 1
  • 2.67x more expensive
    ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE is more expensive than the average motherboard (£400 vs £150).
    £400 vs £150
  • More basic chipset
    This motherboard uses a more basic chipset than the average motherboard (Intel W680 vs Intel B860).
    Intel W680 vs Intel B860
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50.1% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • No Wi-Fi antenna included
    This motherboard does not include a Wi-Fi antenna, while the average motherboard does. 51.1% of motherboards include a Wi-Fi antenna.
  • 2 fewer ARGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer ARGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 ARGB header/s.
    0 vs 2
  • 1 fewer RGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer RGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RGB header/s.
    0 vs 1

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Not graded
Not graded
Not graded

Third-party reviews

What customers like about ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE

  • Two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots leave room for two graphics cards.
  • Two RJ45 ports give two wired connections at 2.5 Gbps.
  • Up to 128 GB of DDR5 covers most work machines.
  • ECC memory support helps keep data accurate.
  • A POST code display helps you find a fault when the board will not start.
  • RAID levels 0, 1, 5 and 10 give several ways to protect or speed up storage.

What customers don't like about ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE

  • There is no integrated I/O shield, so the rear panel must be fitted by hand.
  • There is no Wi-Fi, so wireless needs an add-in card.
  • Memory tops out at 128 GB, which may limit very large projects.
  • The ECC and VGA extras suit workstations, so gamers gain little from them.

Verdict

Two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots and two RJ45 ports are the core of the ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE, a board for people who need graphics cards and a solid wired network more than Wi-Fi. Its four memory slots take up to 128 GB of DDR5, and the two network ports run at 2.5 Gbps each. The back panel has eight USB ports, one of them USB-C, and the board has a USB-C header too. It also brings ECC memory support, a VGA connector, a POST code display and an onboard power button, which suit a work machine. The trade-off is that there is no Wi-Fi, and the board ships without an integrated I/O shield. It suits a builder of professional workstations who does not need wireless at all.

Compare ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE with other products in the Motherboards category

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