ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE IPMI LGA 1700 ATX Workstation Motherboard

The ASUS Pro WS W680-ACE IPMI is an ATX-form-factor workstation motherboard built on Intel’s W680 chipset for the LGA 1700 socket. It supports Intel 12th Gen (Alder Lake), 13th Gen (Raptor Lake), and 14th Gen (Raptor Lake Refresh) Core processors, as well as Pentium Gold and Celeron processors on the same platform. Designed for professionals working in AI training, deep learning, 3D rendering, animation, and media production, it combines enterprise-grade reliability features with next-generation connectivity in a package validated for continuous 24/7 operation. At the heart of its manageability story is the bundled IPMI expansion card, which connects a dedicated Ethernet controller to the onboard Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) chip. This allows IT administrators to remotely power cycle, reset, or diagnose a system without requiring a running operating system — a critical capability for server rooms and unattended workstations alike. Memory support extends to DDR5 in dual-channel configuration with a maximum capacity of 192 GB. The board accepts both ECC and non-ECC unbuffered DDR5 modules and supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) with ASUS OptiMem II for tuned stability. Non-ECC DDR5 modules also benefit from Die ECC functionality, which automatically detects and corrects in-memory data errors to reduce unplanned downtime. Expansion is handled by two PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlots capable of running at x16 or x8/x8 mode for multi-GPU or high-bandwidth accelerator workloads, plus two additional PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (operating at x4) and one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot from the W680 chipset. Storage options include three M.2 Key-M slots supporting PCIe 4.0, four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and one SlimSAS port. Networking is provided by dual Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports, delivering up to 2.5× the throughput of standard Gigabit LAN over existing cabling. The back-panel I/O also includes DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA video outputs, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (one Type-A, one Type-C), four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 ports, five audio jacks, and a BIOS Flashback button for firmware recovery. Internal headers add a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C front-panel connector and Thunderbolt 4 header support. Power delivery relies on DrMOS components, ProCool connectors, alloy chokes, and long-life capacitors. Thermal management is addressed through a large VRM heatsink, individual M.2 heatsinks, and hybrid fan headers controlled by Fan Xpert 4. Security and fleet management are supported via ASUS Control Center Express with USB port management, software blacklisting, and registry controls. Key Specifications: – Socket: LGA 1700 | Chipset: Intel W680 | Form Factor: ATX – CPU Support: Intel 12th / 13th / 14th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron – Memory: DDR5, Dual Channel, ECC & Non-ECC Unbuffered, up to 192 GB – Expansion: 2× PCIe 5.0 x16, 2× PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4 mode), 1× PCIe 3.0 x1 – Storage: 3× M.2 PCIe 4.0 (Key M), 4× SATA 6 Gb/s, 1× SlimSAS – Networking: 2× Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet – Rear USB: 2× USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4× USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2× USB 2.0 – Video Out: 1× DisplayPort, 1× HDMI, 1× VGA – IPMI: Bundled expansion card with dedicated BMC Ethernet – Warranty: 3 Years