ASUS WS C246M Pro/SE DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The ASUS WS C246M Pro/SE is a rack-optimised ATX workstation motherboard built around the Intel C246 chipset and the LGA1151 socket. It is engineered for always-on workstation and light server environments where reliability, manageability, and connectivity density matter most. The board accommodates the Intel Xeon E-2100 processor family as well as Intel Core i7, i5, and i3 processors, Intel Pentium, and Intel Celeron processors on the same LGA1151 platform. Four DDR4 DIMM slots arranged in a dual-channel configuration support up to 64 GB of UDIMM memory at speeds of DDR4-2666, DDR4-2400, and DDR4-2133, including ECC modules that automatically detect and correct single-bit memory errors, reducing the risk of data corruption in critical workloads. Storage is handled by eight SATA3 6 Gb/s ports driven by the Intel C246 chipset, complemented by two M.2 connectors: one supporting 2280/2260/2242 form factors and another accommodating 22110/2280/2260/2242 modules. The M.2 interface operates over PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth, enabling transfer rates of up to 32 Gb/s with NVMe devices. Expansion is generous for an ATX design, with six PCIe slots: two PCIe x16 (Gen3), one PCIe x16 (Gen3 x4 link), two PCIe x1 (Gen2), and one PCIe x4 (Gen1). The primary x16 slot features ASUS SafeSlot reinforcement for improved retention and shear resistance. Connectivity on the rear I/O panel includes two USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (one Type-A, one Type-C), four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-D, and VGA outputs enabling up to three simultaneous independent displays, two RJ-45 Gigabit LAN ports (Intel I210AT and i219-LM controllers with teaming support), and 8-channel audio with S/PDIF optical output. The embedded ASMB9-iKVM module provides out-of-band remote management including standalone KVM, fan control, BIOS updates, video recording, and BSOD capture accessible through a web-based interface even when the operating system is offline. ASUS Control Center (ACC) software extends in-band management across fleets of commercial ASUS products. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX (305 mm x 244 mm) - Socket: LGA1151 - Chipset: Intel C246 - Memory: 4 x DIMM, dual-channel DDR4-2666/2400/2133, max 64 GB UDIMM (ECC supported) - Storage: 8 x SATA3 6 Gb/s; 2 x M.2 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) - Expansion: 6 x PCIe slots (Gen3/Gen2/Gen1 mixed) - Networking: Intel I210AT + Intel i219-LM dual Gigabit LAN - Rear USB: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen2, 4 x USB 3.0 - Display outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-D, VGA - Remote management: ASMB9-iKVM embedded module - Management standards: WfM 2.0, DMI 3.0, WOL, WOR, PXE - Warranty: 3 years