Asus Prepares Major AM5 Refresh Ahead of CES 2026
Asus has released a short 18-second teaser video revealing its upcoming Neo motherboard lineup, signaling meaningful upgrades for AMD’s AM5 platform. The Neo branding will extend across popular series including ROG Crosshair, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and ProArt, positioning these boards among the best motherboards for next-generation Ryzen CPUs.
With CES 2026 just around the corner, Asus is joining MSI and Gigabyte in teasing refreshed designs—this time focusing heavily on quality-of-life improvements, cooling innovation, and memory performance.
“Neo” Means Refinement, Not Reinvention
While “Neo” implies something new, these boards are expected to continue using AMD’s existing 800-series chipsets rather than introducing an entirely new platform. Instead, Asus appears focused on refining the AM5 experience through:
Improved wireless connectivity
Cleaner cable management
Enhanced storage and memory cooling
User-friendly installation features
These changes reflect lessons learned over the past decade of PC hardware evolution—especially when compared to older systems from the gaming laptop 2016 era, where cooling and cable routing were far less optimized.
New AIO_POGO Connector Could Eliminate Cooler Cable Clutter
One of the most eye-catching details in the teaser is a set of pogo pins located next to the AM5 socket, clearly labeled “AIO_POGO.” Pogo pins—spring-loaded electrical connectors commonly used in phones and wearables—are extremely rare on desktop motherboards.
This suggests Asus may be working on a new plug-and-play AIO liquid cooler interface, potentially eliminating the need for traditional PWM, SATA, or USB cables. If implemented fully, this could drastically simplify AIO installation and reduce visible wiring, aligning perfectly with Asus’s BTF (Back to the Future) initiative focused on hidden connectors and cleaner PC builds.
Vapor Chamber Cooling for M.2 SSDs?
Another subtle but potentially major upgrade appears in the M.2 area. A partially visible label reading “3D VC M.2” hints at vapor chamber cooling for SSDs.
While early PCIe 5.0 SSDs struggled with thermals, modern drives still benefit from aggressive cooling under sustained workloads. By integrating vapor chamber technology—already proven in GPUs and CPU coolers—Asus could deliver lower SSD temperatures, sustained peak speeds, and improved longevity.
If confirmed, this would be one of the more advanced M.2 cooling implementations on consumer motherboards.
NitroPath DRAM Expands Across the Neo Lineup
Asus originally introduced NitroPath DRAM Technology with select high-end boards to enable ultra-high-frequency DDR5 memory with improved signal integrity. Until now, NitroPath was limited to flagship models such as:
ROG Crosshair X870E Hero
ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi
ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme
The teaser strongly suggests that NitroPath DRAM is coming to the entire Neo lineup, allowing more users to achieve higher DDR5 speeds and better stability—an especially important upgrade amid ongoing DDR RAM shortage, memory shortage, and even periodic memory outage concerns affecting global supply chains.
Asus Quietly Abandons Q-Release Slim
Another notable takeaway is what isn’t present. The teaser hints that Asus is stepping away from its controversial Q-Release Slim PCIe mechanism. Originally designed to allow tool-free GPU removal, the feature drew criticism after reports of graphics card connector damage.
After earlier revisions, Asus now appears to be reverting to a traditional PCIe release button, prioritizing long-term reliability over experimental convenience.
CES 2026 Is Almost Here
With CES 2026 less than a week away, Asus is clearly setting the stage for a full reveal of its Neo AM5 motherboard lineup. From smarter AIO integration and SSD cooling to faster DDR5 memory support during a global memory shortage, the Neo series looks like a polished evolution of AM5 rather than a radical redesign.
More details—including full specifications, pricing, and launch timelines—are expected very soon.
0 Comments