ASUS are looking to complete their ROG line up of X58 motherboards with the new Formula so let’s see how well it fits in.
Product on Review: ASUS Rampage III Formula
Manufacturer and Sponsor: ASUS
MSRP: Not yet disclosed
Street Price: US $299 (Not available in Europe)
Hot off the press with the recent release of the ASUS Rampage III Gene, the company has had no time to idle and have already announced their next Republic of Gamers motherboard to complete their Rampage series based on the X58 chipset. Sporting the Formula moniker, the motherboard represents what enthusiasts and gamers alike have been accustomed to seeing on ASUS’s flagship platform, unparalleled performance coupled with a feature rich solution to meet any needs. So not surprisingly, the Formula boasts an array of ROG features along with the now customary USB3 and SATA 6Gb/s support, which we have seen on both the ASUS Rampage III Gene, and the Rampage III Extreme. The question is, where exactly does this board fit into the already populated line up of X58 motherboards ASUS have in retail?
ASUS have several target audiences at whom they’ve aimed their ROG segment. While the Extreme is destined to world class overclockers and power users, the GENE caters to LAN party participants and case modders thanks to its small micro-ATX form factor. The Formula on the other hand is primarily targeted towards hardcore gamers and PC enthusiasts. We can argue that the Extreme and GENE are already brilliant motherboards when it comes to gaming performance but it’s a welcoming addition to have a board that boasts some of the best features of the Extreme while retaining a lower price point. It’s also a new venture in the X58 line up since the original Rampage II series lacked the Formula offering. In terms of features, the Formula combines key features from the GENE and the Extreme to present a very good compromise for those who want a feature rich board and low price point, so users can expect to see ROG specific features such as ROG Connect for remote overclocking and ASUS Probelt, and other multi-media components such as the built in SupremeFX X-Fi 2 sound. More of the features and specifications will be detailed over the next few pages.
A bit about ASUS:
ASUS comes from the last four letters of Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology that represents the inspiration of art and learning. ASUS embodies the strength, creative spirit and purity symbolized by this regal and agile mythical creature, soaring to new heights of quality and innovation with each product it introduces to the market.
ASUS pursues technological and aesthetic perfection through continuous innovation. We place ourselves in our customers’ shoes to develop a deep understanding of, and genuine empathy for, their needs—enabling us to create user experiences that transcend the norm.
ASUS Design Philosophy
ASUS Design develops high-quality solutions our customers will enjoy.
Our design process is built on thorough research, early anticipation and well-planned execution.
We act with a global vision and a focus on local strengths, conditions and heritage.
ASUS comes from the last four letters of Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology that represents the inspiration of art and learning. ASUS embodies the strength, creative spirit and purity symbolized by this regal and agile mythical creature, soaring to new heights of quality and innovation with each product it introduces to the market.
ASUS pursues technological and aesthetic perfection through continuous innovation. We place ourselves in our customers’ shoes to develop a deep understanding of, and genuine empathy for, their needs—enabling us to create user experiences that transcend the norm.
ASUS Design Philosophy
ASUS Design develops high-quality solutions our customers will enjoy.
Our design process is built on thorough research, early anticipation and well-planned execution.
We act with a global vision and a focus on local strengths, conditions and heritage.
ASUS certainly appears to be using a winning “formula” so let’s see if the board is worthy of its name. Before moving on, I have to highlight that the Rampage III Formula will unfortunately not be making its way to Europe. Will those in Europe miss out on what promises to be a very capable board? Read on to find out.
Specifications
| CPU -Intel® Socket 1366 Core™ i7 Processor/Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition -Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology *Note: This board does NOT support the i7 8xx series of CPU Chipset -Intel® X58/ICH10R System Bus Up to 6.4 GT/s with QuickPath Interconnection Memory -6 x DIMM, Max. 24 GB, DDR3 2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066 Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory modules -Tri Channel memory architecture Expansion Slots -3 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (supports x16; x16/x16; x16/x8/x8 configurations) -2 x PCIe x1 -1 x PCI 2.2 Multi-GPU Support -Supports 3-Way NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology / ATI® CrossFireX™ Technology Storage Intel® ICH10R Southbridge -6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports -Intel Matrix Storage Technology Support RAID 0,1,5,10 JMicron 363 controller -2 x SATA 3.0Gb/s port (1 x SATA On-the-Go, 1 x power eSATA port) Marvell® 9218 PCIe SATA 6Gb/s controller -2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (Red) LAN -Intel Ethernet 82567V Gigabit LAN -Gamefirst Audio SupremeFX X-Fi 2 Built-in -8 Channel Audio CODEC -EAX® Advanced™ HD 5.0 -THX TrueStudio PRO -X-Fi® Xtreme Fidelity™ -Creative ALchemy -Supports Blu-ray audio layer content protection -Supports Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking -Supports 1 x Optical S/PDIF out port at back panel IEEE 1394 2 x 1394a ports (1 port onboard, 1 port at back I/O) USB NEC® USB 3.0 controller -2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (at back I/O) Intel® ICH10R Southbridge -12 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at back I/O, 1 port at back I/O reserved for ROG Connect, 1 port for OC station header) Back Panel I/O Ports -1 x IEEE 1394a -1 x LAN(RJ45) port -8-Channel Audio I/O -1 x Clr CMOS switch -1 x PS/2 Keyboard port (purple) -1 x Optical S/PDIF out port -2 x External SATA ports -2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (Blue) -7 x USB 2.0 ports (1 port also for ROG Connect) -1 x ROG Connect On/Off switch -S/PDIF Out (Optical) Software -Drivers and Applications -Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 Utility -Kaspersky Anti-Virus -ROG GameFirst Utility -ASUS TurboV EVO Utility -ASUS PC Probe II -ASUS Update -ASUS AI Suite II ASUS Specific Features Power Design: -8-phase CPU power -3-phase QPI/DRAM power -2-phase NB power -2-phase Memory power ROG Features: -ROG Connect -ProbeIt -iROG -GameFirst -Extreme Tweaker -BIOS Flashback with onboard BIOS switch button -Loadline Calibration -ROG Extreme OC kit – LN2 Mode – Q Reset -Intelligent overclocking tools: – ASUS AI Booster Utility – OC Profile -Q-Fan Plus (without thermal sensor cables) -Loadline Calibration Overclocking Protection: -COP EX (Component Overheat Protection – EX) -Voltiminder LED -ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall) Other Features -CPU Level UP -MemOK! -Onboard switches: Power/Reset/ Clr CMOS -ASUS MyLogo3 -ASUS Fan Xpert -ASUS EZ Flash 2 -ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 -ASUS Q-Connector -ASUS Q-Led (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED) -ASUS Q-Slot -ASUS Q-DIMM Form Factor ATX Form Factor: 12 inches x 9.6 inches ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm ) |
The specifications is what we have come to expect from ROG boards, impressive and packing everything that users will ever want. A lot of the notable features present on the Extreme that were missed out on the GENE make a comeback on the Rampage III Formula. This includes the Extreme Engi Digi+ feature that ensures superior power delivery to conventional digital or analog VRM designs. Similarly to cater for overclockers, LN2 mode has been reintroduced in this model whereas the GENE made do without. Since the board is also targeted at gamers, ASUS have incorporated the SupremeFX X-Fi2 chip for greater sound fidelity than traditional solutions. Remote overclocking also makes its way to the Formula through ROG connect whereby the bundled ROG cable can simply connect up to an external windows based devise to run the RC TweakIT application. Unfortunately, RC Bluetooth has been omitted and remains solely on the ASUS’s Extreme variants. An important note to make is that the Formula adheres to the normal ATX form factor so compatibility is assured in all ATX cases without sacrificing many features.
Rampage III Extreme VS Rampage III Formula
The above table shows the main differences between the Rampage III Extreme and the new Formula. Despite the smaller and regular ATX form factor, there is very little that the Formula omits from its bigger brother. Instead of four PCIe x16 slots, the Formula only brandishes three. This isn’t a great loss considering most users only use one or two GPUs and Quad SLI support isn’t present even on the Extreme, hence demonstrating the welcoming compromise the board has reached. In terms of power circuitry and overclocking feature, the Formula only has a 2 phase VRM circuitry for the Northbridge and memory instead of 3 but it is still superior to the GENE’s design. As previously mentioned, the RC Bluetooth module is also absent but ROG Connect serves the same functionality. The Formula does benefit from a few additional features over its bigger brother such as the onboard SupremeFX X-Fi2 chip , ASUS GameFirst and additional onboard USB ports to remain true to its gaming prowess.
Features
| iROG Intelligent multiple control at hand The iROG is a special IC which enables several ROG highlighted functions that gives users full disposal of the motherboard at any stage! This design allows advanced user control and management to be processed purely at a hardware level. iROG greatly increases fun during overclocking for PC enthusiasts and it offers system maintenance and management with more control and efficiency. ROG Connect Plug and Overclock – Tweak it the hardcore way! Monitor the status of your desktop PC and tweak its parameters in real-time via a notebook—just like a race car engineer—with ROG Connect. ROG Connect links your main system to a notebook through a USB cable, allowing you to view real-time POST code and hardware status readouts on your notebook, as well as make on-the-fly parameter adjustments at a purely hardware level. ROG Connect even allows you to flash your BIOS from the notebook, which means that you can OC your system to the max without any fear of permanently bricking the motherboard due to a corrupted BIOS. GameFirst The speed you need to pwn Low Internet latency allows you to frag more, and get fragged less. That’s why ROG has introduced GameFirst, a feature that manages the flow of traffic according to your needs so that you can still listen to online music, download and upload files, and engage in Internet chats without sacrificing the low ping times you need to pwn your opponents. Probelt Get all hands-on with hardware-based overclocking ProbeIt takes the guesswork out of locating the motherboard´s measurement points, identifying them clearly in the form of 5 sets of detection points so you´ll know exactly where to get quick yet accurate readings using a multimeter. CPU Level Up A simple click for instant upgrade! Ever wish that you could have a more expansive CPU? Upgrade your CPU at no additional cost with ROG’s CPU Level Up! Simply pick the processor you wanted to OC to, and the motherboard will do the rest! See the new CPU speed and enjoy that performance instantly. Overclocking is never as easy as this. Extreme Engine Digi+ Powerful combination of analog and digital design elements Extreme Engine Digi+ equipped with high performance digital VRM can easily achieve the ultimate performance with adjustable CPU PWM frequency. It expedites heat dissipation and achieves better electric conduction keeping critical components reliable. Now you’ll be able to push your spanking new Intel CPU to the limit, hitting benchmark scores that others only dream of. Extreme Engine Digi+ balances the need for voltage and the desire for rock solid performance to bring the ultimate user experience. COP Ex Maximum OC with confidence with burn proof protection to chipsets and GPU! The COP EX allows overclockers to increase chipset voltages without the worries of overheating. It can also be used to monitor and save an overheating CPU. The COP EX allows more freedom and less constraint for maximum performance achievement. Loadline Calibration Optimal power boost for extreme CPU overclocking! Maintaining ample voltage support for the CPU is critical during overclocking. The Loadline Calibration ensures stable and optimal CPU voltage under heavy loading. It helps overclockers enjoy the motherboard’s ultimate OC capabilities and benchmark scores. LN2 Mode Cold-boot bug is a barrier which overclockers often need to face when conducting subzero overclocking with LN2 (Liquid Nitrogen). When the cold-boot bug occurs, the CPU will no longer POST till it has been warmed up again. The LN2 Mode exclusively supported by Rampage III Extreme enables users to remedy this limitation, delivering non-stop smooth extreme overclocking capability, which makes Rampage III Extreme the perfect choice for all overclockers under LGA1366 platform. SupremeFX X-Fi 2 Built-in Play with ultra-real cinematic in-game surround sound! SupremeFX X-Fi 2 delivers incredible gaming audio experiences to ROG die hards. It features hardware-accelerated EAX 5.0 and OpenAL for ultra-real cinematic in-game audio. It even comes with THX branding, which makes games, music and movies sound way better! SupremeFX X-Fi 2 also implements gold-plated jacks and high quality capacitors to ensure high definition adventures in audio. Onboard Switch No more shorting pins or moving jumpers MemOK! Bios Flashback Two BIOS ROM. Two BIOS settings. Twice the overclocking flexibility. ASUS Q-Connector Make connections quick and accurate ASUS Q-DIMM ASUS Q-Slot ASUS Q-LED ASUS Q-Shield |
The feature set on the Formula is very much complete. The LN2 jumper, dual BIOS system and EZPLUG make a comeback which enthusiasts will be pleased with. All the regular ASUS specific features are also present for ease of use and convenience. In addition to the Extreme’s feature set is the inclusion of GameFirst and the built in SupremeFX X-Fi2 audio engine. Most notable for enthusiasts is the Extreme Engine Digi+ which the GENE didn’t implement. Unfortunately RC Bluetooth didn’t make its way onto the board and there is only one E-ATX 12V power connector compared to the Extreme. Similarly only one EZPLUG Molex connector is present as opposed to two on the Extreme.
Packaging and Content
The Republic Of Gamers’ packaging
We will all be familiar with ASUS’s choice of packaging by now for their Republic Of Gamers series of motherboards. The motherboard is packaged in an attractive and vibrant red cardboard box that depicts the gazing eye of the ROG logo at the top left and the motherboard’s name below in a reflective silver finish. The box is slightly smaller than the Extreme’s given the board itself is 1 inch narrower but that doesn’t detract it away from the heritage we have grown accustomed to expecting from the exclusive red ROG box.
The front of the box
The bottom displays a few icons that show the board supporting Intel Core i7 on LGA 1366 socket including the latest 6 core CPUs, Nvidia SLI and ATI CrossFireX. The box also has a handle at the top which may come useful when transporting.
Turning to the back
At the back, ASUS list the technical specifications, albeit not all of it (check the specification page for more detail). These are nicely laid out in tables and lists the main aspects of the board in 7 languages, showing the global appeal for this enthusiast board.
A closer look at the illustrations
Looking closer, we can also see some of the key selling features such as ROG Connect, Intel Ethernet in combination with GameFirst, SupremeFX X-Fi2 audio and support for 3-way SLI/CrossFireX. Illustrations are attached to each to give buyers an idea of their functionality.
Opening the front lid
As with the Rampage and Maximus III Extreme packaging, the front cover acts as a lid attached using Velcro patches. Upon opening the flap, the motherboard is revealed underneath. Again, the colour theme is evident throughout, using the popular red and black that just never seems to get old. A clear plastic cover protects the motherboard and teases potential buyers. Overall, the box gives a sense of quality and professionalism that hopefully the motherboard can deliver as well.
The lid
The flap has typically held more in depth information on some of the board’s unique feature and the Formula doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Each feature is followed by a small description, repeated in 6 other languages. Pictures accompany some of them to show their implementation. Kaspersky Anti-Virus is also bundled freely so users can get a head start during installation. At the bottom, ASUS present its main overclocking features through icons. These include iROG, Probelt, Extreme Tweaker, CPU Level UP, Voltiminder LED and Loadline Calibration. Although targeted primarily as a gaming motherboard, the flap is titled “Ultimate Overclocking Performance”.
Closer Look: The Bundle
The interior box
Inside there are two smaller boxes, one holding the motherboard and the lower one occupied by the rest of the bundle. The cardboard boxes are fairly secure and protect the components well during transit. The motherboard fits snugly into the fold out box.
The lower compartmentalised box holding the bundle
The lower box is compartmentalised and holds all the extras. Everything is neatly arranged and packaged in plastic sleeves so users can easily access what they need. The box is thinner than the Extreme’s due to the lack of the chipset heatsink and fan. Instead, a more traditional chipset fan is bundled. ASUS have packaged all the necessary cables, manual, multi-GPU connectors, I/O shield and a few extras so let’s take a closer look.
The cables
The cables’ compartment contains:
1 x 2-in-1 SATA 6.0Gb/s Cables
3 x 2-in-1 SATA 3.0Gb/s Signal Cables
1 x E-SATA + 2 x USB 2.0 module
1 x ROG Connect Cable
The SATA 6.0Gb/s cables can be differentiated by their white tipped end. Each pack contain 2 cables, one being straight ended and the other with a right angled connector at one end. This is enough to fill all the 6 Intel and 2 Marvell SATA ports on the motherboard. For additional USB ports, ASUS also include an E-SATA + USB 2.0 module which connect directly to the motherboard. The white ROG connect cable enables connectivity between the motherboard and other windows based devices for remote hardware monitoring and overclocking. More on that later!
The rest of the bundle
In the next two compartments are:
1 x User’s Manual
1 x I/O Shield
1 x CrossFireX cable
1 x SLI Cable
1 x 3-way SLI Cable
1 x Driver CD
1 x 12-in-1 ROG Cable Label
1 x Cable Ties Pack
1 x 2-in-1 ASUS Q-Connector Kit
The I/O plate continues ASUS’s trend of offering padding on both side of the metallic plate. Thankfully, the plate doesn’t have any protruding metal clips that we are accustomed to see with other manufacturers. The foam padding helps ease installation. The manual is a very in depth booklet that covers every aspect of the board, from its layout, installation and specifications, to a more comprehensive look at the software utilities and the BIOS features. The support disc includes ASUS AI Suite II, ASUS ROG Connect, ROG GameFirst and all the required chipset drivers. The former is an all in one application that incorporates several ASUS utilities such as TurboV EVO, ASUS Probe II, AI Direct Link and FAN Xpert. More on that later on. Since the board supports Tri-SLI and CrossfireX, it comes bundled with the appropriate SLI and 3-way SLI cable, and one CrossFireX cable. Generally ATI graphics cards will also come bundled with one.
The additional chipset fan
Finally, ASUS have bundled one of their unique chipset fans. This can easily be attached to the MOSFET heatsinks surrounding the CPU area to dissipate the heat away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit with my Noctua NH-D14 installed. There are a few missing extras with the Formula, namely the RC Bluetooth module due to the feature being omitted, the thermal sensors despite the connectors being present on the motherboard, and most importantly the large ROG case sticker.
The Rampage III Formula
The Rampage III Formula is a very striking looking motherboard from the first time you take a glance. Continuing the “Crystal Clash” theme, the Formula keeps its red and black colour to impose a sense of power and robustness. We only have to look at the cooling system to understand the quality that ASUS hopes to bring with this board. Measuring 12 inches x 9.6 inches ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm ), the Formula complies to the standard ATX form factor and yet ASUS have managed to fit most of its unique overclocking features without making the board looked crammed. The layout of the board is also more attuned to that of the P6X5
-E motherboard recently reviewed, which ASUS emphasize will bring performance benefits through lower latencies. We will have a closer look at the layout later on.
Closer Look: The Motherboard
Looking straight at the motherboard
Looking straight at the motherboard, we can see the arrangements of all the components. The CPU socket, DIMM slots and expansion slots are all in their standard location. Being based on the X58 chipset with triple channel memory support, it’s no surprise to see six RAM slots, colour coded using the ongoing red and black theme to facilitate installation. Next to the RAM slots on the edge of the motherboard, ASUS have implemented several unique ROG features and unlike the Extreme board, they didn’t expand the size to accommodate those. Overall, the Formula has a very clean layout that is intuitive and easy to use.
The back of the motherboard
Turning to the back of the motherboard, we can see the LGA1366 socket retention’s backplate. All the chipset heatsinks are screwed on using spring loaded screws rather than push pins, so excellent contact can be made with the components for efficient heat dissipation. Unlike the P6X58D-E, the heatsinks do not have backplates.
The I/O ports
The I/O panel sports a plethora of connectors including (going from left to right):
PS/2 keyboard port (purple)
USB 2.0 ports 5 and 6
Clear CMOS switch
Optical S/PDIF Out port
USB 2.0 ports 3 and 4
IEEE 1394a port
Power External SATA port
USB 2.0 ports 1 and 2
External SATA port
ROG Connect switch
ROG Connect port
LAN (RJ-45) port
USB 3.0 ports 1 and 2 (blue)
8 Channel Audio I/O ports
A total of 8 SATA ports ensures that users can connect all the peripherals they need. For good measure, 4 more ports are supported through the front panel headers. The most significant addition is the power external SATA ports. It means external hard drives can easily be connected without requiring other power sources, similar to standard USB devices.
The I/O shield installed
The I/O plate is clearly labelled to help users with installation and it also gives a sleeker finish compared to standard metal I/O shields. The switches and some of the ports are also lit up to further aid in accessing the back, especially if the computer is placed in a dark corner. In terms of connectivity, the Formula is very similar to the Extreme whilst lacking the RC Bluetooth functionality. To enable the Clear CMOS button, a jumper has to be set on the motherboard. This allows users to disable the function if they are prone to accidentally pressing the switch at the back. ROG Connect, not surprisingly, makes a comeback enabling users to connect up a laptop for remote monitoring and overclocking. The port can also be used to easily flash the BIOS by using a flash drive and simply depressing the ROG Connect button. This feature was lacking on the GENE.
The NEC D720200F1 chip and the EZ-PLUG
Behind the I/O ports, the board sports the NEC D720200F1 chip that delivers USB 3.0 support to the board. It uses the PCIe 2.0 bus for the USB 3.0 controller (5Gb/s). This chip is found in all current motherboards that provide the same functionality. Another nifty feature shown above is the EZ-PLUG, or male Molex power connector to you and me. This was seen on the Rampage III Extreme and the plug allows more power to be delivered to the graphics cards, especially in multi-GPU configurations. When seriously overclocking graphics cards, the 6 + 8 pin connectors may not provide enough power and that’s where the EZ-PLUG come in handy.
The 8 pin E-ATX 12V CPU power connector
The Formula only sports a single 8 pin E-ATX 12V power connector but this should provide more than enough power for overclocking the CPU. At the edge of the motherboard are two 4 pin fan headers. Each of the total of 8 fan headers support PWM fans for full fan control in BIOS. There are also 2 pin headers to which users can attach thermal sensors but these haven’t been bundled with the Formula.
Closer Look: The Motherboard (Continued)
The chipset cooling
The ASUS X58 ROG line has been utilising the “Crystal Clash” design and the Formula is no exception as can be seen from the angular looking chipset cooling. The chipset cooling system is more akin to the P6X5
-E rather than the Rampage III GENE/Extreme, in that there are 3 heatsinks surrounding the CPU socket. The advantage is that the CPU socket now has a more central position with the MOSFETs distributed around for a more efficient design. The three heatsinks also provide much greater surface area for heat dissipation and the aluminium fin construction further contributes to this. The ICH10R southbridge chip also has a wide but low profile shape to create a larger surface area whilst maintaining compatibility expansion cards. The ICH10R and X58 chipset heatsinks are connected by a single flat heat pipe and another rounded one connects the X58 chipset heatsink to the left most MOSFET heatsink. A last heat pipe then connects the 2 MOSFET heatsinks. The X58 chipset heatsink is a tall block featuring a step like shape so that one side is of low enough profile to accommodate devices installed in the top PCIe x1 slot. The heatsink is fully compatible with large CPU coolers such as the Noctua NH-D14 or Thermalright Silver Arrow.
The CPU and RAM area
Like all ASUS X58 motherboards, the Formula makes use of 6 DIMM slots for Tri-channel memory support. Q-DIMM is also present meaning that the latch on the memory slot is only on one side to prevent conflicts with long expansion cards. A unique feature of this ROG motherboard is the centrally positioned CPU socket with respect to the RAM slots that minimises the trace distance between the two components. The benefit is lower memory latencies and this design proved of assistance to the P6X5
-E.The VRM circuitry
Here, we can take a closer look at the VRM design ASUS have employed. They have dubbed it Extreme Engine Digi+ to emphasise its superior design over conventional VRM circuitry. The system uses a digital + analog hybrid VRM design that allows the board to deliver the same power as normal motherboards at a much lower switching frequency of 250KHz as opposed to 800KHz. This can always be altered by users to up to 1000KHz. The 8 phase Extreme Engine Digi+ design is also more power efficient than conventional 10 phase digital VRMs and even 16 phase designs found on boards such as the P6X5
-E. Additionally, the metal inductors (chokes) can support a massive 40A of current as opposed to 15A from conventional designs. Basically, the whole systems ensures power stability and power efficiency for extreme overclocking. The board delivers 8-phase digital VRM power for the CPU, 3-phase digital VRM power for the QPI/DRAM, 2-phase NB power, and 2-phase memory power. Overclocking certainly looks promising!
ROG Probelt
Here we can see several ASUS ROG features around the 24 pin EATX motherboard connector. Firstly on the edge of the motherboard is the Probelt feature which gives users easy access to voltage probe connections measurement. One of the demands of extreme overclockers is the ability to do monitor voltages without having to probe the power supply or modifying the board so ASUS have provided this. By simply probing the labelled connections (CPU, CPU PLL, QPI/DRAM, IOH, DRAM, etc) with a multitester, the user can monitor voltages in real time. Unfortunately, the Formula uses small probe points as opposed to the handy connectors akin to the Extreme.
Next to the Probelt kit are the Start and Reset buttons to facilitating users to turn on/off the motherboard outside of a case. Next to the switches is the Q-Reset button. Should the CPU completely stop functioning during extreme overclocking, the button temporarily stops power from the power supply thereby recovering the CPU from its frozen state if the LN2 jumper does not work. The final button to the left of the picture is the red GO_Button. When the system is off, holding the button on boot activates MemOK! which initiates self-memory patching if there are compatibility issues. Otherwise, it acts as a quick OC button based on the user’s profile as set in BIOS.
There are also two sets of jumpers next to the Probelt tool. The right most one is the LN2 jumper and when enabled can alleviate the cold boot bug during post. The QPI_LL_SW jumper is next to the Q-Reset button and acts as a loadline calibration for the QPI voltage so that it doesn’t drop during overclocking.
The last feature to be crammed into that small area, apart from another fan header, is a set of Q-LEDs, giving user direct indication of component failure if the motherboard does not boot up. This is located just in front of the motherboard power connector as labelled. There are also various voltage LEDs for the CPU, RAM and NB/SB. Three lights, green, yellow and red are indicative of the voltages set. ASUS are keen to improve user friendliness so all the features mentioned have been appropriately labelled.
The SATA II/III ports
On the edge of the motherboard are 6 Intel ICH10R SATA II ports and 2 red Marvell SATA III 6Gb/s ports. Here, we can also have a glance at the ICH10R heatsink. The grooves suggest that the construction makes uses of fins to generate a greater surface area for efficient heat dissipation and ASUS merely placed a cover on top for a more appealing finish.
The iROG chip
Moving down, we can get a clearer picture of the components around the SATA ports. The iROG chips (below the heatsink) are unique to ASUS and acts as the hub for all ROG interactivity. Through this, real time overclocking and monitoring can be conducted outside of BIOS. Next to the large heatsink are two BIOS chips. The dual BIOS system minimizes the chance of the board going wrong in case of incorrect bios flashes. Should one BIOS become corrupted, the other acts as a failsafe, during which time the first can be reflashed.
The red BIOS-button in the corner allows the user to switch between each one and LED lights below each chip indicate which one is operational. Alternatively for hardcore overclockers, one bios could be used to save extreme overclocking profiles while the other stores more stable configurations. Just above the BIOS chips is the CLRTC_SW jumper. The latter has to be set to “enable” to give functionality to the Clear CMOS button on the I/O panel.
Closer Look: The Motherboard (Continued)
The front panel headers
As usual, all the front panel headers and pin connectors are found at the base of the motherboard, away from other components. Starting from the left, the Formula sports the BIOS switch, the system front panel connectors, for which the Q-Connector is bundled, one 4 pin fan header, the two BIOS chips, 3 USB connectors, the OC Station connector, two more 4 pin fan headers, and finally the red IEEE 1394a port connector.
The Realtek based SupremeFX X-Fi2 Audio engine
Like earlier ROG motherboards, the Formula makes use of the SupremeFX X-Fi 2 audio chip. While the sound quality delivered is no doubt better than onboard Realtek solutions, the SupremeFX shouldn’t be mistaken for a real X-Fi chip. Under the metal cover is a Realtek chip running the X-Fi Codec enabling software support for EAX 5.0 and other X-Fi specific features.
The expansion slots
Without the limitations of the micro-ATX form factor, there is plenty of room for expansion slots and the Formula boasts three red PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, two close ended PCIe x1 slots and a PCI slot. The main difference with the Rampage III Extreme is the absence of an extra PCIe x16 slot but this is not a worry due to quad GPU configurations not being popular. Tri-SLI and three way CrossFireX is still supported, enough GPU grunt for all the latest games. The first and third slot are both electrically set to x16 while the middle slot is limited to x8 at all time. For dual GPU setups, it is therefore recommended to use the first and third slot for full x16/x16 bandwidth. This is also ideal for GPU airflow. Using three cards, the slots operate at x16/x8/x8 whereby the last slot downgrades from its default x16 link width. For a comparison of x16 VS x8 performance, check the Rampage III Extreme results. The slot spacing is not only ideal for airflow but it also means that the bottom graphics card will not conflict with the connectors at the bottom.
The EPU engine
Hidden between the expansion slots and chipset heatsink is a small ASUS EPU engine chip. For increased efficiency in daily usage, ASUS have implemented their EPU engine, allowing users to control power management and clock speed based on their needs. More will be covered on that later on.
The Q-Fan installed
The bundle Q-Fan can be attached to the MOSFET heatsinks but will hinder CPU cooler compatibility. Installing it is a simple matter of clipping it on.
Size comparison with the Rampage III Extreme
Finally, here’s a shot of the Rampage III Formula alongside the Extreme for size comparison. Both visually striking and the Extreme one inch wider.
Test Setup
Graphics card – XFX HD5870 1024MBPower Supply – Enermax Revolution 85+ 850W
Hard Drive – Samsung F1 320GB
Western Digital Caviar WD3200AAKS 320GB
Drivers – ATI Catalyst 10.5
Cooler – Noctua NH-D14
CPU/Motherboard/RAM
CPU – Intel Core i7 920
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ platinum DDR3 1333mhz
Motherboard – ASUS Rampage III Extreme
CPU – Intel Core i7 920
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ platinum DDR3 1333mhz
Motherboard – Biostar T-Power x58
CPU – Intel Core i7 920
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ platinum DDR3 1333mhz
Motherboard – ASUS P6X58D-E
CPU – Intel Core i7 920
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ platinum DDR3 1333mhz
Motherboard – Rampage III Gene
CPU – Intel Core i7 920
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ platinum DDR3 1333mhz
Motherboard – Rampage III Formula
Benchmark Suite
Core Temp 0.99.5
LinX stress Test
PC Wizard
3DMark Vantage
3DMark 06
Cinebench 11.5
x264 HD Benchmark
SiSoftware Sandra
Everest 5.01.1700
Far Cry 2
Street Fighter IV
Batman: Arkham Asylum
BIOS
Same as the Rampage III Extreme, the first screen we are greeted with when entering the BIOS is the Extreme Tweaker one where users can configure system frequencies and voltages. The number of tweaking options is staggering but thankfully ASUS provide a simple tool named CPU Level Up. The feature allows users to choose from a list of pre-overclocked profiles giving a maximum speed of 3.20GHz on the i7 920. Setting the AI Overclock Tuner to manual reveals a plethora of frequencies and settings that can be tweaked such as BCLK, DRAM, QPI and voltages. Sync mode allows synchronization with other ROG devices so that changes made on one system will apply to the BIOS and be recorded on the ROG application in real time thanks to the iROG chips.
The main screen presents a number of basic system configurations, all of which can be accessed and configured as the user wishes. Here, the time/date and SATA controllers can be configured.
Moving on to the advanced window, a range of other chipset features can be configured. Onboard devices such as the HDA/1394/J-Micron controller can also be configured from here. More uniquely, the ROG features can be controlled, such as being able to sync remote software to the motherboard for real time tweaking. Users also have the ability to control the onboard LED lights which they can specify to indicate a range of voltages or simply be disabled.
Selecting the CPU Configuration tab, a range of CPU settings can be enabled/disabled. Disabling unneeded settings such as the Virtualization Tech may improve overclocking headroom. Power features such as SpeedStep, Turbo Mode and Intel C-State technology can also be enabled/disabled.
The power tab is where users can configure power management features such as s3 sleep state.
Going into the hardware monitor tab, users can monitor voltages, temperature and fan speed with the additional benefit of being able to control fans. With 5 four pin fan headers on board, PWM functionality is supported with compliant fans, allowing users to control them based on temperature.
The Tools menu includes the EZ Flash 2 utility to safely flash the BIOS, and other utilities. BIOS flashback also makes its way back so users gain another simple and safe method of flashing the two onboard BIOS.
Going to the ASUS O.C. Profile sub menu, users can save their system settings on up to 8 CMOS profiles. This is a very handy tools for overclockers who may want to save a certain overclock for access later on. It is also possible to name the profiles prior to saving them.
Users can configure the Go Button to their desired settings such that simply pressing the onboard button will load up the file.
Software Bundle
The Drivers CD comes bundles all the essential motherboard chipset, controller and sound drivers. Also included is the browser configuration utility but it’s not necessary to install. As can be seen, audio drivers comes from Realtek as opposed to creative. The Marvell and USB 3.0 drivers enable SATA III 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 support respectively. The additional JMicron controller is for the eSATA ports on the I.O panel.
ASUS include a number of useful utilities such as ROG Connect, for remote overclocking, ROG GameFirst, for the lowest latencies when gaming, and AI Suite II. The latter is an evolution of the old software and incorporates other ASUS tools such as PC Probe II, Fan Xpert and TurboV Evo. The Sound Blaster X-Fi software is similar to Creative’s bundled solution with their own X-Fi range of sound cards so users can expect an intuitive interface to manage all the sound options.
ASUS’s TurboV Evo is a unique overclocking software. It gives users a more comprehensive list of settings/voltages that can be configured, similar to that given in BIOS. Through this software, settings can be tweaked in real time when overclocking to improve stability or to push the CPU further. Changes made here are permanent but they can also be saved as profiles for future use. I ended up using this myself to gain a better insight as to what settings made high clock speeds unstable, without requiring to reboot every time to access BIOS. I recommend only making small changes using the utility since big changes will require a reboot or be unstable. With the Formula, the TurboV Evo application is integrated into AI Suite II but it was installed separately in this case.
Alternatively, the easy option is to use the CPU Level Up feature, again as found in BIOS. The maximum frequency option is 3.2GHz but choosing this setting requires a reboot. Again changes are made on a BIOS level rather than software. The CPU Level Up feature is now integrated into TurboV Evo.
AI Suite II
ASUS AI Suite II is very intuitive utility with a range of configurations and monitoring options that are presented in a sleek user interface. The tabs indicate the different types of utilities present in AI Suite II.
Clicking on the Tool tab, we can see four different utilities. Sensor recorder allows users to monitor voltages, component temperatures and fan speed, similar to the hardware monitor page in BIOS. Thanks to the iROG chip, users can monitor all the sensors in Windows. A graph is presented to show any fluctuations in voltages. On the right hand side, the CPU tab shows the frequency at which it’s running and the CPU usage across all cores. The tool tab would normally also incorporate ASUS’s famed TurboV Evo application but since the program was previously installed separately, it does not appear on the list. The tab also reveals a new utility, AI Direct Link, which allows users to transfer files between computers using an RJ45 cable. Despite the EPU integrated chip on the Formula, there is no utility to take advantage of it.
Staying on the Sensor Recorder tool, the temperature tab monitors CPU, motherboard and chipset temperatures in real time. On the right hand side, it is possible to interchange between the CPU and Sensor tabs. Here, the sensor tab has been selected to monitor all the voltages numerically.
PC Probe II is no longer a standalone program with AI Suite II. Unfortunately, it’s not a very useful program in terms of overclocking. Its main use is to change the threshold values of the voltage, temperature and fan speed options to prevent overvolting or overheating.
Fan Xpert takes advantage of the PWM functionality of the onboard fan headers to give users the ability to control their PWM fans’ speed based on temperature. The graph can be used to construct a profile for each fan.
The update tab allows users to download the latest BIOS and install it. I personally recommend saving the BIOS to a USB stick and updating using EZ Flash 2, USB Flashback or remotely using ROG Connect.
The final tab provides some basic system information on the CPU and memory specifications
ROG Connect
ROG Connect is a unique feature that I have personally highly commended on previous ROG motherboards. Along with the RC TweakIT software, it’s a very unique method of remotely overclocking the CPU and monitoring the motherboard on another system. Not only is it intuitive but it brings both functionality and practicality to users. Unlike the Rampage III Extreme and P55 based Maximus III Extreme, the Formula doesn’t have the Bluetooth functionality. Instead, to enable the feature, all that is required is to plug the white bundled USB 2.0 male to male connector into the motherboard on one end and to a laptop running Windows XP or above operating system on the other. The best aspect is that accessing BIOS is not required and all the changes are made in real time with permanent effect. Whilst it shouldn’t be relied on for large overclocks, it is ideal for fine tuning settings.
The software allows you to change a number of settings using the corresponding sliders. It’s very similar in style to the ASUS TurboV EVO application and similarly different profiles can be saved. Let me iterate that changes made here will also be applied to the BIOS! Everything is nicely laid out for ease of use with plenty of different options to manipulate.
Moving on from the voltage screen, there is the temperature monitoring screen keeping track of the CPU, motherboard and chipset temperatures.
All 8 possible fans that can be plugged into the motherboard can be monitored using the RC TweakIt software. It is important that there is always one fan connected to the CPU fan connector to make sure that the motherboard does not detect an error on boot.
Finally, the individual frequencies can be monitored.
Similarly to the AI Suite II utility, a number of settings can be logged to watch for fluctuations during overclocking. This allows overclockers to go to the root of any possible problem or catch wild fluctuations. The whole log can be viewed by simply going through each page/cycle.
Here we have a range of different settings that can be logged. A maximum of three items can be selected in total.
RC Remote, as you can imagine, can remotely turn the Formula on/off, reset it or clear the CMOS. It proves priceless during overclocking sessions when the computer locks up and has to be forced to switch off/restart. When restarting the motherboard, it’s still possible to adjust the voltages to render the system more stable without going into BIOS.
Another useful feature is the ability to flash the BIOS remotely. Simply save the ROM file on the remote computer and point to it when updating the BIOS. There is less risk associated to this method because a failed update can still be reflashed. As well as EZ Flash 2 and BIOS Flashback, ASUS have ensured that users can easily flash to the latest BIOS without any risks. Furthermore, the dual BIOS lowers the risks even more.
Overclocking and Temperatures
The Rampage III Formula was an excellent overclocker. Even with the myriad of options and methods available, it didn’t take long to achieve the magic 4GHz mark on the i7 920. Since the Formula is targeted as an enthusiast motherboard, ASUS have implemented many different ways in which overclocking can be performed. To avoid alienating first time users with complicated BIOS options, the board includes CPU Level Up, which at the touch of a mouse, can overclock the i7 920 to 965 levels at 3.2GHz. The board is programmed to take other CPUs further just as quickly and stably. Otherwise, the TurboV Evo utility can also be used but this is recommended for smaller tweaks rather than large overclocks. RC TweakIT works in the same way albeit on a remote system. There is also the Go Button that can load up a pre-programmed profile at the press on the onboard button. For enthusiasts, the BIOS is still their main playground and ASUS doesn’t disappoint in providing all the necessary settings and options.
Armed with Extreme Engine Digi+, the Formula boasts quality components easing the overclocking procedure. Using the BIOS, I quickly managed to reach 4GHz with a base clock of 4GHz and 1.3V. This was the same voltage as that used on the GENE and the P6X5
-E but marginally higher than on the Extreme. Stock
4GHz
The QPI/DRAM voltage had to be set to 1.35V and after a few tweaks on the RAM settings regarding CAS latencies being loosened to achieve 1600MHz, the Formula remained stable under stress. Although reported as 1.3V on CPU-z, RC TweakIT claimed a lower vCore. ASUS themselves advise users to trust their own programs and the Probelt tool over third party applications for more accurate voltages.
4.189GHz
Lowering the multiplier allowed me to increase the BCLK for a better representation of what the board can achieve even with the poor overclocker that my CPU is. With a core voltage of 1.35V and QPI/DRAM voltage of 1.375V, the benchmark 220MHz BCLK was achieved. The voltage used on the core was slightly higher than on the Rampage III Extreme but lower than on the GENE so the Formula proves to be a good compromise between the two as we expected. A PCIe frequency of 105MHz was needed to unlock the higher BCLK.
Memory overclocking was a lot easier than on the Rampage III GENE. At 4GHz on the CPU, the stock 1333MHz memory easily overclocked to 1600MHz on a 1:8 ratio at CAS 8, the same result as the Extreme motherboard. The ratio had to be dropped to 1:6 using a base clock of 220MHz, leaving the RAM at 1323MHz CAS 7.
Problems
An inherent benefit of an overclocked CPU is of course better performance and with the clock speed set to 4GHz, the Formula performed brilliantly. However, when the BCLK was increased to over 216MHz, I started noticing severe slow down in gaming performance and this wasn’t limited to just one game. CPU performance was in line with what was to be expected so the culprit was definitely lower GPU performance. The link between a higher BCLK and the latter was never resolved and despite tweaking the chipset voltages, altering the PCIe frequency and using different slots, it was clear that the Rampage III Formula couldn’t uphold its otherwise good performance. Even using additional power through the EZ-Plug didn’t have a positive impact on GPU performance.
*Update*
After reading a few comments regarding this issue, I thought I’d make it a bit clearer as to why I think it was the base clock that caused the problem. When I first noticed the issue, the whole overclocking procedure was done through BIOS so it was hard to determine what the actual problem was. So I settled on using TurboV Evo to make minor adjustments to the voltages and PCIe frequency while the BCLK was set to 220MHz. Neither resolved the problem. In fact, I noticed that a PCIe frequency of 104MHz and 106MHz yielded worse results than 105MHz, suggesting that there was little logical progression to the way it affected performance. Following that, I used the application to reduce the BCLK while keeping all other settings intact. This is where I noticed the performance drop at 217MHz BCLK.*Update II*
Based on the testing, it was the GPU that seemed to be dropping in performance and not the CPU itself despite the BCLK being the culprit. So I decided to test a different graphics card, the Zotac GTX460 1GB recently reviewed. Strangely, the problem didn’t manifest itself in any of the games I tested, even with a BCLK of 220MHz. Going back to the ATI HD5870, the performance drop was once again apparent. Disabling SpeedStep was of no help and neither was switching the board to X-Power mode. I also updated to the latest Cat 10.9 drivers but the problem didn’t go away at 220MHz BCLK.
Temperatures
Chipset temperatures were generally very good. With the IOH and ICH voltage set at 1.2V from the default 1.1V, the chipset temperatures rose to a maximum of 66C under full stress. During normal usage, the heatsink kept the temperatures below 50C.
Cinebench 11.5 & x264 HD Benchmark
Cinebench 11.5
Based on the MAXON animation software CINEMA 4D, Cinebench is a test suite that uses the system’s processing power to render a photorealistic 3D scene. This makes it an excellent benchmark to measure CPU and motherboard performances.
The Rampage III Formula performs exceptionally well here. At stock speed, only the GENE can outperform it and similarly at 4GHz, it is bested by the Biostar T-Power X58 while maintaining a slight lead over its brothers. Fully overclocked, the Formula manages to pull ahead of the competition.
x264 HD Benchmark
The x264 HD Benchmark from Tech ARP is a useful benchmark that demonstrates the encoding performance of systems by encoding a short HD quality video clip into a high quality x264 video file. The test uses multiple cores efficiently to give a good representation of real world performance.
Again, the Formula demonstrates another strong showing although the GENE and Extreme do have a marginal lead.
The story remains largely unchanged at 4GHz with all the ASUS motherboards yielding excellent results. It’s hard to differentiate the results although the Extreme has a noticeable advantage.
The Formula takes a very clear lead here, even besting the more expensive Extreme despite the same maximum clock speed. The result reflects the unparalleled performance the Formula gained in Cinebench at the same clock speed.
SiSoftware Sandra
SiSoftware Sandra is a Windows system analyzer that includes benchmarking, testing and listing modules. It tries to go beyond other utilities to show you more of what is really going on under the hood so comparisons can be drawn. With an array of CPU and memory tests, it is ideal in comparing the P55 platform against the x58 chipset.
In all the CPU tests, the Formula performed admirably. What performance was lost in the Dhrystone ALU test compared to the other boards, was compensated by unmatched multi-core performance. Thanks to the central design of the CPU socket relative to the memory slot, we can expect excellent memory performance and the Formula doesn’t fail in that regard. Memory bandwidth is superior to the other ROG boards and the P6X58D-E which also shares the same design orientation. The drop in bandwidth with the fully overclocked CPU was to be expected because of the lower RAM speed but it was still a touch above the other boards. Similarly, the Formula generated impressive bandwidth in the cache/memory test. The aim of the Formula’s design was to reduce memory latency and the test suggests that it paid off.
Everest
Everest Ultimate is another useful computer diagnostic tool that provides the most up-to-date hardware information. It is home to a number of CPU and memory benchmarks, supporting all the latest motherboard chipsets and processors. Everest also provides accurate hardware monitoring capabilities that makes it a must have tool for system tweaking and maintenance.
Cache & Memory benchmark
Stock speed
ASUS Rampage III Extreme
ASUS Rampage III Gene
ASUS Rampage III Formula
All three ROG motherboards perform similarly here, not surprising considering that the same CPU and RAM speed each are operating.
Overclocked 4GHz
ASUS Rampage III Extreme
ASUS Rampage III Gene
ASUS Rampage III Formula
The Formula once again delivers brilliant performance in both the memory bandwidth and through lower latencies. On the whole, the superior memory support makes it a better solution than the Rampage III Gene. The Extreme delivers higher L3 Cache bandwidth.
Overclocked 4.19GHz
ASUS Rampage III Extreme
ASUS Rampage III Gene
ASUS Rampage III Formula
Fully overclocked, the Formula ends up the superior motherboard with excellent all round performance and lower latencies. It demonstrates that ASUS’s design has paid off with excellent memory support and stability, resulting in better performance.
In the CPU centric tests, performance across all the boards showed marginal difference.
Far Cry 2
One of the most hyped games of 2008, Far Cry 2 had some big shoes to fill. It was built to be the next best thing since well… Far Cry I suppose. Combining an open-world game play with highly detailed graphics, physics and AI, what more could we possibly want? The game puts us in the body of a malaria inflicted mercenary hunting down the “Jackal” in the heart of Africa, in a bid to stop an ongoing conflict between two rival factions. The storyline can be hard to follow sometimes but I’m no game reviewer, so let’s concentrate on the graphics and performance. After all, we all need to know if our hardware will be able to handle the scorching savannah burning at the hands of our flamethrowers.
Throughout the Far Cry 2 benchmark, the Formula underperformed. With the CPU at stock speed and 4GHz, the difference is only a few FPS but there’s a dramatic drop when it’s fully overclocked using a 220MHz base clock. The difference represents a drop of around 25%, not an acceptable result for a motherboard geared towards gaming. I could find no solution to rectify the problem but my findings suggest that the performance drop appears at 216 BCLK and gradually worsens as the latter increases.
Street Fighter IV & Batman: Arkham Asylum
Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter is back in its 4th iteration and its bigger and better than ever. Combining fluid, fast based sparring with stunning artistic visuals, the game delivers tremendous game play. Be reacquainted with some of the most popular characters in video game history while you battle your way to the top, be it with Ryu or the mighty Bison. The game might be frustratingly hard in some cases but there’s nothing like the satisfaction of K.O’ing your opponent with a well stringed death bringing combo.
In Street Fighter IV, the difference in performance between all the boards remains marginal except when it comes to the Rampage III Formula running the CPU at 4.189GHz. Yet again, there is a small drop in performance. Based on previous results, we can conclude that the game is more GPU limited and overclocking the CPU has little impact. With the Formula, the overclocked CPU is somehow limiting the GPU’s performance leading to a 2% drop in performance.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
The Dark Knight takes on his greatest challenge yet when he becomes trapped with all of his most dangerous villains inside the insane asylum of Gotham City – Arkham Asylum. The game exposes you to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes you to the depths of Arkham Asylum, Gotham’s psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane.
Under both settings, the Formula performs well. Overclocking helps improve the minimum FPS to ensure smoother gameplay and this time the maximum overclock didn’t hinder the GPU performance.
3DMark 06 & Vantage
3DMark06
Futuremark has been the testing ground for enthusiasts ever since their first release in 1999! While 2006 is long gone, it’s still very popular amongst benchers.
The CPU score on the Rampage III Formula is impressive at all clock speed. The Extreme still retains its crown when fully overclocked but at 4GHz, the Formula takes the lead. Following the earlier trend, the GPU performance was actually lower than usual at 4.189GHz although this hasn’t been presented here.
3DMark Vantage
This latest benchmark suite from Futuremark introduces DX 10 PhysX support. Despite being on the verge of DX 11 games arriving, Vantage is still the chosen benchmark amongst enthusiasts these days.
The results on all 4 ASUS motherboards are close here, therefore choosing a winner is difficult.
Power Consumption
Load power consumption was recorded by fully loading the system running LinX and MSI Kombustor simultaneously. The maximum power usage recorded was then assigned to the load power consumption, while the minimum recorded without loading the system was assigned to the idle consumption.
The Rampage III Formula is fairly efficient at stock speed, yielding the lowest load power consumption. Overclocked, it falls behind the GENE and the Extreme, albeit by around 8W. If anything, it emphasises the efficiency of the Rampage III Extreme. Fully overclocked, it consumes more power than the other two ROG boards but manages to be more efficient that the cheaper P6X58D-E by 9W. The reason for the 32W difference between the Formula and the Extreme isn’t clear. One hypothesis is that using both 8 pin E-ATX 12v power connectors on the latter provides cleaner power.
Conclusion
Generally it’s easy to conclude an ASUS ROG motherboard. The name itself implies the cream of the crop and all previous boards tested have done their moniker justice. Testing the Rampage III Formula, my expectation were inherently very high; features that compared it to the almighty Rampage III Extreme, aesthetics to make any potential buyers drool with anticipation, and quality components to ensure a solid motherboard. To top it off, pricing would have made it even more attractive to people wishing to jump on the X58 bandwagon. It was hailed to be the perfect compromise between the flagship Extreme motherboard and the practical micro-ATX Rampage III GENE. What could possibly go wrong?
Last Monday, news reached my inbox that reviewing the Formula would be pointless and it turned out that the motherboard was not going to be available in Europe. The reason wasn’t clear but since availability would still be present everywhere else worldwide, I continued on. At least those in the Americas and Asia could still enjoy this promising motherboard. Then the next issue hit me, gaming performance, more specifically using the maximum BCLK I could achieve stably. The 220MHz base clock caused a large drop in performance, especially in Far Cry 2 where it was around 25%. Other games replicated the problem and to make sure it wasn’t isolated to the few games I tested, I fired up Battlefield Bad Company 2. At 1920 x 1200 and 4x anti-aliasing, there was a 7 FPS drop representing a 10% performance deficit. I tried a number of ways to solve the problem, from moving the graphics card to a different slot to providing additional power using the onboard EZ-Plus but nothing worked. The only way to achieve a high overclock without affecting GPU performance was by using a BCLK of less than 216MHz. Realistically, most users will end up using a BCLK of 200MHz so this issue will only affect a small percentage of people but for a motherboard marketed for its overclocking and gaming abilities, this was a disappointing observation.
*Update*
The overclocking page has been updated with further details of the problem. It appears that the Nvidia GTX460 doesn’t suffer from the same issue as the ATI HD5870 at high BCLK.Apart from that key negative point, the Rampage III Formula proved to be a very good motherboard. All the features we have grown accustomed to seeing are back; ROG connect brings remote overclocking and monitoring while the innovative Extreme Engine Digi+ VRM circuitry ensures stable operation. ASUS know how to cater for a range of users and for their primary gaming audience, they even included their SupremeFX X-Fi2 audio engine and ASUS GameFirst to avoid latency issues when gaming. All that translates to a board that performs exceptionally (under the right settings) and provides a much cheaper alternative to the Rampage III Extreme.
Does it deserve the Republic Of Gamers status? Feature wise, it’s a definite yes but in terms of extreme performance for enthusiasts looking to break records, the answer is no.
Pros
+Loaded with features
+ROG functionality
+Excellent overclocker and stable
+Cool and efficient
+USB 3.0 and SATA III 6Gb/s
+Attractive finish
+Excellent packaging and bundle
+Excellent performance below 216MHz BCLK
+Memory support and performance
+Price
Cons
-No plans for European release
-Poor gaming performance over 216MHz BCLK (based on HD5870 tests)
The ASUS Rampage III Formula earns the Vortez Hardware Silver Award.
I would like to again thank ASUS for providing us with this sample. To discuss this article or product, please visit our forums.
