Apr 14, 2015

ASUS Announces TUF Trooper B85 Motherboard

If you want best-value, this TUF motherboard featuring the B85 Express chipset with the usual TUF reliability is backed up by a five-year warranty. Other features include TUF LANGuard, TUF ESD Guards 2, Thermal Radar Core, TUF Components, Server-Grade tested, and TUF Audio.

For those who want server-grade stability, here is a board for your Intel LGA 1150 4th Gen. CPU and DDR3 RAM, with Quad-GPU CrossFireX support so this is not necessarily for server purposes only. The B in B85 technically denotes business, but has proven to provide exceptional performance for its price thus it was used in the ASUS B85M-Gamer motherboard. Rest assured this can easily be used for a solid and reliable, never-say-die gaming-rig.

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TUF LANGuard

A reliable connection can be underrated until a user is confronted with the inconvenient "Network Disconnected" message. TUF LANGuard utilizes an advanced signal-coupling technology and quality surface-mounted capacitors to ensure that doesn't happen while improving throughput. It is tested and certified to withstand punishment from the elements, and adds superior protection against static-electricity and surges.

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TUF ESD Guards 2

The second generation ESD Guards doubles the protection compared to the last, fortifying all of the rear IO ports against inadvertent electrostatic discharges when connectors are inserted. To up the ante, the TUF team performed exclusive pin-level testing and made the resistance 30% higher than the previous TUF standard.

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USB Over-Voltage Protection

The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) on the motherboard can be susceptible to over-voltage damage, Trooper B85 provides protection by actively detecting the voltage signal in both front and back USB ports in real time.

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Thermal Radar Core

Single-click simplicity is implemented in ASUS TUF Thermal Radar Core to give you complete system cooling or customized fan-tuning with the click of a button. Customizable controls allow you to adjust fan speeds and temperature. Live Update keeps your version of Thermal Radar Core up-to-date also with the click of a button.

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TUF Components

Like the TUF flagship motherboards, the robust TUF chokes, black metallic capacitors, and MOSFETs are all certified through third-party military-grade testing. TUF alloy chokes are made of a compound that uses mixed high-quality metals (rather than plain iron) capable of handling 25% higher current than conventional components. A one-piece choke packing design further eliminates buzzing noise and vibration, while delivering better performance and durability. The TUF Ti-Caps can last up to five times longer even while running at higher temperatures. And TUF MOSFETs run cooler and more efficient which translates to a longer lifespan.

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TUF Audio

The onboard 8-channel HD audio (previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC is capable of outputting 192khz/24bit audio so you can enjoy lossless content in all its glory. Also featured are jack-sensing, retasking functions and multi-streaming technology. The LED-lit Audio Shielding separates audio components from the motherboard components to eliminate interference, to provide rich and clean sound. Not only are audio components separated, even the left and right channels have separate layers to prevent crosstalk and interference.