Asus Maximus Ix Formula Vs Hero

We know that Asus is one of the first manufacturers of motherboards to back up 3D press, making it an effortless task when it comes to altering the appearance of your motherboard; information technology also enhances the organization's performance with a series of printable portions. Today, nosotros're going to focus and talk about the Maximus 9 Hero which is really the most economical entry introduced to the ROG family unit.

Even if this sits behind the Maximus IX Formula and the Maximus Ix Code (both featuring numerous extensions such as onboard Wi-Fi, full trunk shielding, better RGB LED lighting, and MOSFET water blocks), the Maximus IX Hero isn't something that you should overlook or ignore since information technology has its own slew of slap-up specs.

The Maximus IX Hero is something specifically designed for gamers who overclock just how well does this really overclock? Before getting deeper into the specifications and features of the Maximus Nine Hero, let us offset become and check what'southward in the box.

Asus ROG Maximus IX Hero Review – Whats in the Box?

When we got our easily on the Maximus IX Hero's box, nosotros noticed that it still features the aforementioned crimson and black shades that we have seen earlier; there's a difference though, the box has a sharper and more hit appearance that gives off a modernistic look which is, in our opinion, quite attractive and eye-catching. Not but is the Maximus Nine Hero kept in a nice looking parcel, the box is also made from very high-quality cardboard that is thick and perfect for keeping the product safe.

Looking at the box, you are generally going to run across a couple of logos but the merely affair that yous will see on the box'south front end is the huge Republic of Gamers emblem that is obviously familiar to a lot of people. Behind the box, this is where you will observe some details and information about the model's list of specifications, as well every bit the numerous features that take been packed into the Maximus IX; though we noticed that the merely thing missing on the box is the rear I/O panel diagram which is a very handy feature that has become quite mutual for about motherboard boxes. The non-removable chapeau at the top portion of the Maximus IX box is hinged so information technology actually opens smoothly and stands upright even without any grade of back up. It's also quite squeamish since opening the lid of the box will let you lot meet a nice welcome message that is placed within the box.

Once you start opening the container, you will run into the inner box that is divided into two different portions; the top half is where the motherboard is set up and is safeguarded by a thick plastic shield. The bottom portion is where you'll find the multiple bundled accessories, documents, and the software. Between these partitions, you will find a sheet filled with a lot of ROG stickers which is also something that nosotros retrieve is a really cool and interesting add-on to the package.

Beneath the sticker sheet is a drink coaster which is placed right on tiptop of the user'southward guide; the guide includes a DVD and is sandwiched in the middle of two sections that hold all the rest of the accessories included in the box. Overall, with the appearance of the box and how all the accessories and the model itself are tucked safely and neatly in identify, the packaging of the ROG Maximus Ix Hero is definitely sleek and visually highly-seasoned, and again the box is really hard enough to keep everything condom and intact.

Accessories Included
Equally expected from an ROG model, the Maximus 9 Hero comes with a packet of sizeable accessories and the items included in the pack are the post-obit: the user manual / guide that includes an installation DVD, the drink coaster, as well every bit a couple of stickers that you tin utilize on SATA cables to role equally labels for private connections.

ASUS has also included 4 SATA 6 Gbps ports, a black-clad rear I/O shield, a Q connector for linking case wires to the header's front panel, a couple of standoffs and screws for the M.ii slots, also as an SLI HB Span for loftier bandwidth.

The Product

Asus ROG Maximus IX Hero Review – Another Beast of a Motherboard from Asus!

The ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero motherboard features a metallic gray appearance on a black theme that likewise has a couple of abstract linings that serve as this new ROG series' motif. The visitor seems similar they're going for a more singled-out theme per motherboard which is why the Maximus 9 Hero features cutouts along its heat sinks which really bring a cooler and more unique visual entreatment to the model.

This specific motherboard from ASUS has a ten phase ability design that features ASUS' latest long-lasting components for increased durability and stability. Located on the right portion of the motherboard are the DIMM slots that also have the Mem OK button and the debug lawmaking readout. There is also a 3D screw mount as well equally a 3.1 USB header just we are even so waiting for the mass adoption of this USB header.

The ASUS Rog Maximus IX Hero has 3 full length x16 PCI East slots where 2 of these run at x8 when utilized while the bottom slot is at x4. The lath is specifically meant for the boilerplate consumers and with dual card arrangements and the help of NVIDIA, these are more mutual today because of the enforcement of two-bill of fare settings. Additionally, two of the PCI E slots are likewise supported with metallic bracing.

Equally for the ASUS Supreme FX, information technology is powered by a new solution that besides features the ALC 1220 audio bit together with the ESS ES9023P high-definition DAC.

Another great feature of this motherboard is that information technology has been outfitted using the Aura RGB lighting feature; and to increment its performance, there is the presence of two onboard headers so yous can readily plug LED light strips with the use of the RGB LED extension cables. Other than that, ASUS has as well added their own CPU installation tool that volition aid yous install or uninstall the processor from your CPU's socket.

Sound performance

The audio hardware of the ASUS Maximus IX Hero excelled and performed outstandingly throughout our whole testing process. Its stereo crosstalk, frequency response, IMD and dB at 10 kHz had highly notable percentage results; of course, you'll notice that the ratings generally increased when the chip-rate additional which is more often than not a common effect. Overall, the audio performance of the Maximus Nine Hero is perfect and it exhibits the clear signal created by the brand new Supreme FX circuits.

Power Consumption

The Maximus IX Hero consumed lower ability consumption and fifty-fifty when this was manually overclocked to by and large similar levels, it still produced much amend efficiency compared to others; too, even if we tested the Maximus IX at 5.0 GHz machine OC levels, the ROG motherboard still achieved a lower number for ability consumption.

Overclocking

When it came to overclocking the Core i7-7700K, we can say that ASUS performed greatly just as the Maximus IX Hero. This required a Five Core of about one.34 Five to achieve a stabilized 5 GHz; we can say that information technology is doable by virtually all of the high-terminate air coolers and the all-in-1 liquid coolers past just utilizing ane.21 V to attain 4.8 GHz. Looking at this, we can definitely say that this is an first-class board to use for overclocking and yous as well won't demand to spend a lot on cooling.

Specifications

Chipset: Intel Z270
Form Factor: ATX
Socket: LGA-1151
Voltage Regulator: 10 Phases
USB Ports:
10 Gbps: [1] Type C, [i] Type A
5 Gbps: [two] Type A, [2] USB ii.0
Video Ports: Display Port, HDMI 1.4 b
Legacy Ports / Jacks: None
Audio Jacks: [ane] Digital Out, [5] Analog
Other Ports / Jacks: BIOS Flashback, Clear CMOS
PCIe x1: [3] V3.0 – the tertiary slot is shared with the bottom x16

PCIe x4: None
PCIe x8: None
PCIe x16: [three] V3.0 (x16 / x0 / x4P*; x8 / x8 / x4*) – shared with the bottom PCIe x1
Cross Fire / SLI: 3x / 2x
2 Slots: [2] PCIe three.0 x4 / SATA*; [ane] Thou.2 Key East (*consumes SATA Port ane, 5/6)
DIMM Slots: [4] DDR4
SATA Ports: [6] 6 Gb – ports 1, iv/five shared with Grand.ii
ii Ports: None
Legacy Interfaces: None
Fan Headers: [1] 5-Pin Proprietary Extension; [8] four-pivot
USB Headers: [1] V2.0, [1] V3.0, [one] V3.ane
Other Interface: TB Header, FP Audio, [ii] RGB-LED, TPM, PC Speaker, ROG_EXT
Internal Button / Switch: Rest, Power, Condom Boot, MemOK / Slow Mode, Retry
Diagnostics Panel: Numeric
Ethernet Controllers: WGI219V PHY
SATA / RAID Controller: Integrated (0 / 1 / five /ten)
USB Controllers: [ii] ASM2142 PCIe 3.0 x2
HD Sound Codec: ALC1220
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Controllers: None
DDL / DTS Connect: None
Warranty: Three Years

Product Features

LGA1151 socket for 7th/ 6th -gen Intel® Cadre™ desktop processors
5-Mode Optimization: I-click organisation-wide overclocking.
Aureola-Sync RGB LED: Outstanding synchronized furnishings plus [two] Aura iv-pin RGB-strip headers
ROG Water Cooling Zone: controls the cooling system
Supreme FX: limited new codec + intuitive Sonic Radar III & Sonic Studio III
Best gaming connectivity: 3.1 USB front-panel connector, dual M.2 with both the USB 3.1 Type-A & Type-C
Best gaming durability: Condom slot together with premium components for ultimate durability
Best gaming networking: Intel® Gigabit Ethernet, LAN Guard, and GameFirst technologies

Test PC Setup

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus Ix Hero
CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K
Graphics Card: ASUS Strix GTX 1080
RAM: 32 GB HyperX Fury DDR4
ii SSD: Patriot Hellfire 480 GB
SSD: Patriot Ignite SSD 440 GB
SSD: 2x Kingston Hyper X Savage 240 GB

Using the Product

Earlier you outset installing the motherboard, make sure that yous have all the things necessary for the installation procedure. These include the boosted accessories included in the model'due south packaging as well as the user transmission.

Next thing that you need to brand certain of is that you have all the parts needed to build your PC and these include your CPU, the RAM, cables, graphics card, power supplies, etc. We're assuming that you already take everything you need on hand to build your PC but just to brand certain, double check everything especially the screws that are needed for the process.

Once you lot're done checking, read the user transmission for a detailed explanation of each role of the Maximus IX Hero and what these do. Nosotros did our best to provide yous with a general overview of the product simply honestly, this isn't adequate information to really build the specific PC you want; so just brand certain to follow all the important instructions that are mentioned and e'er keep in mind the limitations of the board.

Software

Maximus IX Hero Firmware and Bios

The interface used for the ASUS ROG UEFI BIOS has remained unaltered and information technology even so exhibits one of the richest and about functional interfaces compared to other brands that feature numerous aligning options for gaming enthusiasts and overclockers. A lot of the settings that are available are open, allowing you lot to easily tweak some of the finest features that are present.

At present, let'south go ahead and focus on the features of the main board itself: there are a ton of options to tweak here such as the speed of the fan etc. The BIOS also lets you lot save profiles while also letting you customize the boot screen; considering that this is also a new model, there's definitely going to be a couple of updates popping out here and there, but equally of the moment, we can say that this is very solid. For the BIOS, you'll see that this is categorized into two modes the first is the EZ BIOS for beginners while the other is the avant-garde category which is specifically for users who are generally more tech savvy.

The EZ BIOS mode'south primary page has a list of the nearly vital system parameters which lets yous set an XMP contour and suit the cooling values of RPM. Those who do not really have a lot of technical prowess tin can sit dorsum and relax since modifying the boot order is also uncomplicated; you lot'll just demand to cull from a couple of pre-configured functioning settings and you are good to go. You will get to see the traditional ROG theme that exhibits a articulate and crisp white font to make all the details easy to see and read even from a distance.

When it comes to the advanced mode of the BIOS, this is made up of a wide choice of variables that provide all things necessary for customizing the system based on your specific user requirements or preferences.

A useful characteristic that nosotros as well appreciate is the Extreme Tweaker from ASUS; this is the portion where you can navigate to when you lot demand to set the XMP contour to readjust the BCLK frequency or make whatsoever alterations for overclocking. The target frequency details and hardware monitor are extremely valuable to decide the effects of each alter made in the BIOS. The Tweaker's Paradise is besides made for all pro overclockers besides equally enthusiasts who greatly enjoy altering and modifying all aspects of the arrangement such equally the BCLK Speed Spectrum, the VPPDDR Voltage, also equally the BCLK Aamplitude. There is besides an advanced tab that lets you access a slew of useful sub-menus that offer outstanding customizations.

The EZ Wink 3 Utility from ASUS makes BIOS updating admittedly like shooting fish in a barrel either via direct network connection or downloaded files. The EZ Tuning Wizard likewise asks you lot to reply a couple of basic questions regarding your cooling hardware to precisely determine the optimal settings necessary for automated overclocking. This is another extremely useful and advantageous feature for users who aim to become boosted performance but feel quite intimidated by the whole process of overclocking. On the last portion, you can easily load optimized default settings and save any made changes during the electric current session, disregarding any adjustments that have been made.

Software

The Sonic Studio 3 Audio Application, Sonic Radar Three Noise Source Locator for games, the Game Start IV Network Packet Prioritization, and the ASUS Aura RGB Lightning Controller are all carried over from the other Republic of Gamers' motherboard serial.

Nosotros know that ASUS is amidst the many brands that include a ton of software together with their motherboards and role of the driver disc is the driver software specifically for the Supreme FX audio solution and the numerous utilities that are present; these specific utilities include the ASUS AI Suite 3 which has been the company'south existing board utility for many years. This has come a long way from its previous design and it comes with a big number of informative and detailed displays and tools to continuously maintain your PC.

Specific to a lot of functioning seekers and gamers is the ASUS Sonic Radar 3 which is known every bit a visual enhancement that overlays on the game while as well showing you the management where the sound or audio is coming from. This is specifically designed for FPS gamers since positional audio is definitely beneficial when it comes to determining the enemy'south location. There are also additional features such equally the Primal Bot 2 that allows a congenital-in macro customisation for any blazon of keyboard (regardless of its brand and structure), and the Mem Tweak It from ASUS for memory customisation.

Conclusion

Today, everything is near features when it comes to this continuous battle between different motherboards in the market; and to provide the best for their target consumers, these motherboard creators continue to produce models that include a lot of features and add-ons that they consider necessary for consumers.

When it comes to the ASUS ROG Maximus Ix Hero, its set of multiple features is non just limited by its position since it besides serves as an excellent foundation for a solid build model that supports dual GPUs, high-speed retentivity, every bit well equally a lot of options necessary for overclocking. When information technology comes to options for personalization, information technology goes a long mode with the large-scale AURA support while the software itself does not feature too many effects; so if you lot are the type who prefers only a few transitions, there is a lot correct there.

When we talk of the build quality, we tin can say that ASUS' ROG Maximus 9 Hero scores loftier in this section; and fifty-fifty if its appearance may exist a chip biased, it'south difficult to argue that the model is difficult to look at: it is a model that features a simple colour scheme but has a artistic style for the heatsink. As well, the theme of the lath itself is simply right to brand up for the simple shroud which actually makes the PCB more axiomatic.

Generally, ASUS' ROG Maximus Ix Hero is i excellent motherboard that exhibits a ton of new features that a couple of motherboard builders aim for. They made this highly accessible for beginners to the platform who aims for a solid motherboard with an excellent gear up of features without having to become as well much with a model that is loaded with unnecessary features.

The ROG Maximus Ix Hero features all the necessities for a stylishly awesome gaming rig, and if you are planning to upgrade to a college end motherboard simply prefer not to have the exotic features that are nowadays in college end ROG models, then the ASUS ROG Maximus 9 Hero is the best choice for yous.

Where to Buy

You can purchase the ASUS ROG Maximus 9 Hero for effectually $349AUD from your favourite PC retailer. For more than information head on over to the Asus website.