Conclusion
Asus' X99-A II continues the fine legacy set forth by its predecessor. The board still offers everything we want for a high-end desktop build and nothing we don't. The main difference is that this time around, it's targeted at those with an eye for Broadwell-E CPUs rather than Haswell-E. What's even sweeter is how it comes in at a lower price point than the original X99-A. You can nab yourself one right now for $230 online.

Beyond my oft-repeated complaint with regards to motherboard firmwares that silently take liberties with Turbo multipliers, there's very little to dislike about the X99-A II. Asus has taken the original X99-A and injected some modern hotness, all without tampering with the successful formula that made the first iteration of the board one of our favorites.

We get USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports, and a U.2 connector for 2.5" NVMe SSDs, all the while still retaining the M.2 slot, the high-end Realtek ALC1150 audio implementation, some thoughtful builder-friendly perks, and excellent overclocking features and fan controls. And let's not forget the all-important RGB LED lighting. That's a must-have addition for any board with claims to the high end in 2016.

Perhaps the only fly in the ointment is that the older X99-A/USB 3.1 is currently selling for $210 online. That older board lacks USB 3.1 Type-C ports, though, and it also doesn't have some of the niceties the X99-A II does, like dedicated fan headers for liquid-cooling hardware. Those considerations might swing the pendulum in the newer board's favor for most builders. That said, the X99-A/USB 3.1 is probably only an option while supplies last. The X99-A II will presumably supplant the older offering in the market with time.

All told, I think the X99-A II offers as smooth a ride as one could want when pairing a board with one of Intel's Broadwell-E CPUs, even the range-topping Core i7-6950X. We haven't had a ton of experience with refreshed X99 boards yet—something we hope to rectify in time—but Asus' value-priced entry in its X99 refresh lineup has impressed us. Making the right revisions to a winning formula without goofing up the things that made a product great in the first place is a fine line to walk, and Asus' deft handling of that challenge makes the X99-A II an easy pick for another Editor's Choice award.