ASUS Rampage IV Extreme: review, instructions and reviews

A series of the most productive motherboards in the world has been replenished with another product that can attract the attention of all potential users. This is a novelty ASUS Rampage IV Extreme, which was created with the participation of a team of overclockers, known under the brand ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers). And this means that the motherboard is able to satisfy the requirements of not only ordinary game lovers, but also experts in the field of overclocking and improving the entire system to obtain maximum platform performance.

Red suitcase

Designers of ASUS have worked on the product for glory. This is even indicated by the packaging of the motherboard - a suitcase of huge sizes in aggressively red halftones really attracts the eyes of all users. In their responses, many owners compare a cardboard box with a toy house for kiddies - its disclosure is similar, giving the owner access to each component separately. ASUS LGA2011 Rampage IV Extreme X79 has its own container, for spare parts a separate box is provided, and the manufacturer has placed descriptions and characteristics on all sides of the package.

Confuses only one fact. The manufacturer was so enthusiastic about innovations to ensure the presentability of the appearance of the package, which overlooked the usual security of the device during transportation. A box of an expensive product (all the same, the cost is in the range of 50,000 rubles) does not have any ribs of rigidity or equipment with protective elements.

Building enthusiast kit

Will like the future owners and the bundle, which is equipped with a motherboard ASUS Rampage IV Extreme. Manual, disks with software and a stub is here, rather, for pro forma. This is one of the few motherboards on the market, in the configuration of which there is everything that not only the normal user needs, but also the overclocker:

• Uniquely 4 SATA 3 Gb / s cables and four similar interfaces for SATA 6 Gb / s will appeal to any owner;
• ROG Connect and USB 2.0 cable will be useful for users who want to take performance from ASUS Rampage IV Extreme motherboard;
• A complete set of stickers for all cables and interfaces will allow to put things in order inside the case;
• A set of cards combining graphics cards: CrossFire for two devices and the whole 3 SLI-bridge for combining 2, 3 and 4 video cards;
• Adapter for quick connection of buttons and housing indicators to the motherboard will simplify the task for many users.

Spacecraft: view in profile

The motherboard ASUS Rampage IV Extreme has a non-standard form factor EATX, which necessarily requires the owner to purchase a system case with support for this size. Do not forget about buying the appropriate power supply for high-quality power supply to all elements of the device. Using non-standard allowed to place on the motherboard more components that affect the performance of the gadget.

Many owners of ASUS Rampage IV Extreme did not go unnoticed by the fact that the manufacturer used a fairly dense textolite in the production of the motherboard. Many users claim that the motherboard is highly durable, due to the many layers of wiring, but when comparing textolite sheets, the difference can be seen with the naked eye. High strength is a guarantee of safety when assembling or installing passive cooling systems in the computer, which have a heavy weight.

The correct approach to installing the processor

Since the ASUS LGA2011 Rampage IV Extreme X79 motherboard was created primarily for the most high-performance Intel Core I7 processor, the manufacturer did not play with fire and provided the device with all the resources for unimpeded installation of any cooling system. The socket itself and the available space around it are not cluttered with microcircuits and batteries.

As experts note in their reviews, the manufacturer ASUS gave the owner the option of mounting even a passive radiator. And do not worry that a one and a half kilogram design can snatch the processor along with the socket. Technology companies on the back of the motherboard placed metal pressure plates, which provide the entire system with high rigidity.

There is not much memory

All without exception, users on their first acquaintance are attracted in the motherboard ASUS Rampage IV Extreme Black Edition 8 slots for installing DDR3 memory . The most interesting thing is that at the hardware level the device supports four-channel mode of operation. However, for this, the user needs to buy 4 identical DDR3 slats. Since it is a question of working with a Core I7 processor, the owner may not worry that ASUS will make frequency limitations on the operation of memory modules - the range is impressive: 1066-2400 MHz. The maximum amount of RAM for the entire platform is 64 GB.

In their responses, experts assure that the very placement of modules the manufacturer has greatly complicated the work of users. If there is only one memory bar, then it will work only in the connector "D1". For the other modules, there are other slots. Benefit for the motherboard ASUS Rampage IV Extreme instruction in Russian, otherwise many owners in ignorance would return their purchases to the store as non-working.

Tricks with the work of video adapters

Not so simple as it seems, and with the installation of graphics accelerators. Closing my eyes to the fact that the manufacturer has equipped its device with a number of jumpers SLI and only one CrossFire interface, users will certainly encounter another rebus. Game solution ASUS Rampage IV Extreme LGA2011 has 5 full-fledged PCIex16 connectors version 3.0. And four of them have a red color, and one interface is painted in gray.

There is nothing to be surprised at. The manufacturer worried about users who have an older graphics accelerator on hand that does not support the PCIex16 interface version 3.0. Such a video card can be inserted into the gray connector and enjoy the full operation of the system. When installing several modern video adapters, the user will have to refer to the instructions. The manual describes the algorithm for installing gaming accelerators to achieve maximum application performance.

The choice is always

It will not hurt to study the owners of the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme manual and if you need to connect multimedia devices to the expansion card located on the back of the computer. The abundance of free USB ports has a number of limitations. One interface USB 2.0 is compatible only with the monitoring system ROG Connector, accordingly, the multimedia device it will not accept. Naturally, the board also features the latest USB 3.0 controller . The manufacturer did not limit itself to two ports, as it is implemented on most motherboards.

From the convenience of the back panel is worth noting the presence of the old port PS / 2, because change your favorite mouse or keyboard because of the new motherboard is inconvenient. The manufacturer delivered to the panel ASUS Rampage IV Extreme and reset button BIOS. A pretty handy solution if you take into account the purpose of the motherboard (overclocking). Here, the user will also find the button to turn on the ROG monitoring system. Present on the rear panel and outputs for acoustics. The standard seven-channel system does not surprise anyone, unless the optical audio connector is of interest.

Overclocker control panel

Studying the motherboard ASUS Rampage IV Extreme review, the user will find that in the upper right corner of the system device manufacturer placed a real panel to manage the functionality of the gadget. The presence of the built-in indicator of POST-codes, voltmeter and thermocouple tells the owner about the serious approach of the developer to overclocking the components installed on the motherboard. In order not to be distracted by the inclusion and reboot of the computer, the manufacturer supplied the control panel with the corresponding buttons. In the responses of the owners you can see the negative, which is caused by the size and appearance of these buttons, but no overclocker has confirmed their uselessness.

Apparently, for the motherboard manufacturer ASUS Rampage IV Extreme, how to roll back the BIOS to its original form was the main task. Otherwise, there is no other explanation to the fact that the buttons "Reset BIOS" dotted the entire motherboard (three switches - this is clearly overkill). On the other hand, many overclockers are very convenient when the entire tool is at hand.

Quality cooling - the key to successful acceleration

It will please the owners of the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme LGA2011 motherboard and the manufacturer's approach in terms of decent cooling of chips and batteries. First and foremost, an active cooler deserves our gratitude, which the company's technologists prudently placed on the south bridge. Still, managing multiple video cards and hard drives is critical for all devices.

There are no questions for overclocking enthusiasts and for providing quality heat dissipation from all the power elements placed by the manufacturer in the area of the processor socket on the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme. Only solid capacitors are opened, which, as practice shows, do not lend themselves to heating at all. A cooling system at the highest level has been organized. The user only depends on the supply of cold air to the motherboard and the quality removal of heat outside the system unit. And this means that the owner only needs to purchase a decent case for a PC format EATX.

Finally

Call the device ASUS Rampage IV Extreme Black motherboard, many experts in the field of IT technology just sometimes not able to. In fact, this motherboard is a whole complex of features and services, endowed with a special functionality. In addition to the usual connection of the main components and the system start-up of the computer, it has a control panel for overclocking, a center for securing the PC from overheating or unsuccessful overclocking, a monitoring and alert system, not to mention providing data on inoperability in the form of POST codes. The motherboard is designed for the convenience of overclockers. And you can not even argue with that.