ASUS RAMPAGE II GENE (Retail) : ROG. X58 m-ATX preview

That has to be one of the best reviews I've saw of the Rampage II Gene, as I said, very comprehensive - excellent. I'm waiting on a few parts but that review reminded me of the hot MOSFETs on the back of the board so I'll be careful when routing that 8-pin CPU EATX cable behind the board.

For your IOH to be at 65 C maximum while Priming is very good, I've read articles of temperatures as high as 80 or 90, and that's with the top part of the stock cooling removed and a third party heatsink installed! It sounds like I can get by with just the Spot Cool fan blowing over the Northbridge area.

I'll have this board in an Antec Mini P180, but with 98 CFM Sanyo Denki fans front and rear, and an 86 CFM fan on the Thermalright Ultra 120 CPU heatsink. Of course, I still have the 200mm fan on the top panel. I'm willing to give up silence (in favour of noise) for more air moving inside the case.

For my TRUE I likely won't use any washer modification, nor lap. I checked my Core i7 920, it's completely flat as per the steel ruler. When I get the TRUE I'm hoping it will be flat as well. I really don't want to lap anything to be honest, and I doubt the temperatures will be that much lower even if I did.

I'll be aiming for 4.0 GHz with my system, 200 BLK @ 20 CPU Ratio.

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Originally Posted by scottc19

Is that the gene, does Turbo-v work with this board?

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Yes, Turbo-V works...

I don't know whether it's just me being stupid or something. But under some configurations, the memory goes unstable if I drop the base clock.

As in:
Prime-stable booting with x base clock.
I drop base clock with Turbo-V, and almost immediate prime95 crash or BSOD.

Why would lower the base clock in a stable configuration make memory unstable?

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Originally Posted by aln688

I may consider this heatsink for cooling the Northbridge, be it directly over the chip or on the stock heatsink:

http://pcsilent.de/en-pd-passive-hea...ooler-946.html

http://pcsilent.de/ppic-MAXI-passive...eklafoetzi.jpg

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I got the xigmax or whatever its called. i had to mickey mouse the mounting on top of the existing system minus the heatsink, but it works perfect. keeps NB below 55 all the time. Even cooler if I add a fan to the setup.

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Originally Posted by Nanometer

I got the xigmax or whatever its called. i had to mickey mouse the mounting on top of the existing system minus the heatsink, but it works perfect. keeps NB below 55 all the time. Even cooler if I add a fan to the setup.

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The Xigmatek N881 "Porter"? Below 55 C is quite an achievement, well done! Is that 55 C under load with Prime95, LinX, etc.? I saw the N881 but wasn't sure if it would fit, so I bought the Noctua U6 instead.

Do you have a picture of the N881 installed? It would be good to see the clearance it allows between that and the graphics card, the N881 has a "lean" on it which could become a problem. Thanks.

I couldn't find any way to mickey mouse or otherwise the Xigmatek CN881 over the stock heatpipe baseplate short of shimming it up somehow or cutting a notch in the stock part. Got pics?

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Originally Posted by canislupy

I couldn't find any way to mickey mouse or otherwise the Xigmatek CN881 over the stock heatpipe baseplate short of shimming it up somehow or cutting a notch in the stock part. Got pics?

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I haven't got my CPU heatsink yet, a TRUE, but here's my setup with the Noctua U6:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DSC00137.jpg

I'm going to use a TRUE as it's 63mm thick which allows a good deal of room between the Noctua U6 and itself, even with a fan installed. I'm going to either attach a 60x15mm fan to the U6, or an Antec Spot Cool over the entire area. That's my contribution to combating the excessive heat from the NB!

Are you the same canislupy from the hardforum web-site? I saw your latest build, it looks great! I'm hoping I get fairly low temperatures with the U6 and fan combined, but to start with for ease of testing, I'm to try just the Antec Spot Cool first, see what that results in.

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Originally Posted by aln688

The Xigmatek N881 "Porter"? Below 55 C is quite an achievement, well done! Is that 55 C under load with Prime95, LinX, etc.? I saw the N881 but wasn't sure if it would fit, so I bought the Noctua U6 instead.

Do you have a picture of the N881 installed? It would be good to see the clearance it allows between that and the graphics card, the N881 has a "lean" on it which could become a problem. Thanks.

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What you do mean Achievement? I bolted a U6 to the NB assembly 3 months ago with those temps and have been using it ever since lol
You should get the same.

Nanometer got a picture of your NB cooling solution? Preferably some close up shots of how you bolted it on.

For those who installed a U6 or Xigmatek to the stock heatsink assembly, which compound did you use under the U6? I was considering using Arctic Silver 5. It's pointless to waste my IC Diamond or Shin-Etsu X23 as they need much more pressure to flatten out the thick compound.

aln68 - Yup, the same. Thanks. My temps worry me though, up to 80C showing in Everest when playing games even with the NC-U6. I'm beginning to wonder about how well the thermal pad is doing underneath the stock plate. I just used the thermal paste that came with the Noctua, but I am also worrying whether I actually have a Noctua since it is (I assume) nickel plated verses every other NC-U6 I have seen being straight copper. Might this also explain why my temps are so much higher? I have plenty of sinks to try on this board if I remove the stock assembly, but the mosfet cooling is the PITA. I have a HR-09S type 2, but its fit is not exact, needs mod and also is generally in the way of the 12v 8pin. What to do, what to do....

You guys remove the thermal tape on the stock NB sink and reapply with better tim?

Good to know about the compound choice.

Well let me tell you, I have two Noctua U6's, one has copper pipes the other has silver-looking pipes - each one ordered from different vendors. I think the latter just has nickel plating on it, similar to what the larger Noctua U12P heatsink has. I don't know if you saw the earlier Noctua CPU heatsinks, they had copper pipes and now you don't see any copper on the later heatsinks, even although there is copper in there. I think the nickel plating is just to stop corrosion, as the copper version of my U6 has a white label over the base, the other one doesn't have a label over it - indicating a lack of concern regarding corrision. That's just my take on it.

The MOSFET cooling is the area I'm baffled over. I considered using an Enzotech MST-88, but it's not quite long enough. The Thermalright HR-09 S Type 1 will work, if you hack and cut at the clip, personally I can't be bothered doing that and would be concerned about a lack of pressure of the shorter clip pressing on both ends of the heatsink. Also not to mention the part that sticks up would be in the way of the CPU heatsink, I want to orientate it to point upwards.

It leaves me wondering, what else is there? I e-mailed Enzotech and suggested a MOSFET cooler to them, and even gave them detailed diagrams of the shape. I have quite literally searched for hours and hours to find a MOSFET heatsink, no luck.

I wouldn't remove the thermal tape on the stock heatsink, MOSFET end, the tape is good as it fills in the voids and gaps from the MOSFETs being at different levels on the board. In all honesty, the yellow thermal "glue", for lack of a better term, I think it does a good job as the stock heatsink can fry eggs - if the stock yellow thermal glue was that bad, it wouldn't heat up the stock heatsink so much.

Of course, copper transfers heat better than aluminum, I would like nothing better than to remove the stock heatsink and place my U6 directly on the NB (IOH) - but those roasting MOSFETs, how do I cool them? Right now, no idea. I'll have my system up and running in a few days, I'll report back with my temperatures on the NB area - I'll be using plenty of fans as well though.

Here's what the Hardware Canuck's web-site has to say about the stock compound:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...review-14.html

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Originally Posted by aln688

For those who installed a U6 or Xigmatek to the stock heatsink assembly, which compound did you use under the U6? I was considering using Arctic Silver 5. It's pointless to waste my IC Diamond or Shin-Etsu X23 as they need much more pressure to flatten out the thick compound.

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I'm glad to see somebody else who has also done the same thing I did! I used Arctic Silver 5 and it works awesome. I do recommend you clean the compound under the northbridge and the area on the heatsink that makes contact. It's tough to clean, but I assure you it's worth it.

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Originally Posted by canislupy

aln68 - Yup, the same. Thanks. My temps worry me though, up to 80C showing in Everest when playing games even with the NC-U6. I'm beginning to wonder about how well the thermal pad is doing underneath the stock plate. I just used the thermal paste that came with the Noctua, but I am also worrying whether I actually have a Noctua since it is (I assume) nickel plated verses every other NC-U6 I have seen being straight copper. Might this also explain why my temps are so much higher? I have plenty of sinks to try on this board if I remove the stock assembly, but the mosfet cooling is the PITA. I have a HR-09S type 2, but its fit is not exact, needs mod and also is generally in the way of the 12v 8pin. What to do, what to do....

You guys remove the thermal tape on the stock NB sink and reapply with better tim?

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I don't know if you have already, but you could try blowing a fan over the area, such as the Antec Spot Cool, or even buy a 60x15mm fan to attach to the U6. I've got an Antec Spot Cool but have ordered a 60x15mm fan as well - I want to try both to see which works better.

Yeah, I have a 60x15 but there's no room with my 275GTXs in SLI with the UH-12P 1366SE with twin fans. I placed an order for the antec spotcool today, so hopefully that will help.

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Originally Posted by canislupy

Yeah, I have a 60x15 but there's no room with my 275GTXs in SLI with the UH-12P 1366SE with twin fans. I placed an order for the antec spotcool today, so hopefully that will help.

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I positioned the U6 centred so I could fit a 60x15mm between the U6 and my 4870 X2, but maybe the GTX's are wider which gives you less room. That's good with your Antec Spot Cool order, on the fastest setting it blows 22 CFM of air. If you can report back with any drop in temperature, and if possibly the best position for the Spot Cool. I'm still waiting on my TRUE and some RAM in the mail, I'm not quite at the stage of switching on.

Well, I could mount the 60x15 to the U6, but I would need to reverse it from its current orientation (as can be seen below). Currently it is oriented so that the 12P fans should be drawing air through it, but that air unfortunately is coming off of the toasty GTX. I would think that putting a fan there might be worse in that the intake of air would be closer still to the surface of that hot GTX. Thus my deciding to try to angle in some air with the spotcool.

http://canislupy.com/images/nc-u6_fin.jpg

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Originally Posted by canislupy

Well, I could mount the 60x15 to the U6, but I would need to reverse it from its current orientation (as can be seen below). Currently it is oriented so that the 12P fans should be drawing air through it, but that air unfortunately is coming off of the toasty GTX. I would think that putting a fan there might be worse in that the intake of air would be closer still to the surface of that hot GTX. Thus my deciding to try to angle in some air with the spotcool.

http://canislupy.com/images/nc-u6_fin.jpg

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You're right, I would centre the U6 then, move it away slightly from the Noctua fan so the air can circulate around it on both sides and as a final measure use the Antec Spot Cool to blow air over the entire area. It's true, if a 60x15mm fan was installed, it would draw hot air from the GTX, where-as the Spot Cool sits in mid-air. The Spot Cool being 80mm has a wider area of coverage than a 60x15mm.

I tested my Spot Cool yesterday by attaching it to the PSU, on the high setting it's quiet but doesn't appear to move much air, but if you direct it close-up to the NB/MOSFET area I'm sure it will work well. I'm going to bolt mine to one of the PCI slots and use the fan header at the back of the board. Actually in saying that, I'm assuming this Spot Cool has RPM output from the fan, so I can monitor in the BIOS/Windows whether its stopped working or not.

Nice photograph by the way! I'll be posting more of my system when I get the parts and my camera is returned to me.

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Originally Posted by canislupy

...but I am also worrying whether I actually have a Noctua since it is (I assume) nickel plated verses every other NC-U6 I have seen being straight copper. Might this also explain why my temps are so much higher? I have plenty of sinks to try on this board if I remove the stock assembly, but the mosfet cooling is the PITA. I have a HR-09S type 2, but its fit is not exact, needs mod and also is generally in the way of the 12v 8pin. What to do, what to do....

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I asked the vendor who I bought my second U6 from, which was silver metal looking (not copper), they replied with this:

"Noctua has now plated the copper base with nickel to match all their other heatsinks. Therefore, it is still copper, just is now nickel plated over the top. Please let us know if you require any further assistance, now or in the future. Thank you for contacting us."

...also look at this:

http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NC-U6-C.../dp/B000OGV1XK

Granted, I can't find much about it online, even Noctua's own web-site shows the copper version! Anyway, let me know how that Antec Spot Cool works out, as it turns out I'm going to be using the same NB and CPU heatsinks as you, just different fans.

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Originally Posted by aln688

The Xigmatek N881 "Porter"? Below 55 C is quite an achievement, well done! Is that 55 C under load with Prime95, LinX, etc.? I saw the N881 but wasn't sure if it would fit, so I bought the Noctua U6 instead.

Do you have a picture of the N881 installed? It would be good to see the clearance it allows between that and the graphics card, the N881 has a "lean" on it which could become a problem. Thanks.

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Yea, this is on load. I just insulated my whole case with sound proof material, so it might be a little high, it may reach 60 under load but otherwise it's at 52c. They key keeping it cool was removing all the crappy stock compound.

I'll look for some pics.. but i might have deleted them haha

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...0724091717.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...0722091423.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...723090311a.jpg
And all cables sleeved by my, it took a long time, but I enjoyed the final product a lot Only thing I didn't sleeve was the psu cables....

Anyways you can sort of see the chipset heatsink in there. The heatpipes posed a fitting issue.. that's why I had to make it a weird mount... but it works great, so I don't care :D

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Originally Posted by Nanometer

Yea, this is on load. I just insulated my whole case with sound proof material, so it might be a little high, it may reach 60 under load but otherwise it's at 52c. They key keeping it cool was removing all the crappy stock compound.

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You mean the compound under the removable part of the stock heatsink? On my removable heatsink it had a green colored mush with threads going through it.

I had white stuff under my heatsink lol. I mean taking the whole unit apart including the VR cooler. Being warm helps it to come off... it took 15 minutes of scratching the crap off. I'm sure there's compounds to help clean it, but I didn't have any.

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Originally Posted by Nanometer

I had white stuff under my heatsink lol. I mean taking the whole unit apart including the VR cooler. Being warm helps it to come off... it took 15 minutes of scratching the crap off. I'm sure there's compounds to help clean it, but I didn't have any.

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The pictures look great! So you took the entire stock cooling system off? Did you leave it like that or just to replace the stock compound? I would have taken the stock cooling off but I don't know how I would cool the MOSFET area.

I left the stock cooler for the VRM area including the thermal pad, that I kept there. I just cleaned all the junk on the NB and I had to remove it to get to it. I would of done the same as you but I also wanted VRM cooling, and I think it looks good :)

Oh so you just removed it to get rid of the yellow thermal "glue", then presumably put another thermal compound on it? I thought you removed the stock heatsink in its entirety as you found a MOSFET cooler and were putting your Xigmatek directly on the NB.

For me I'm going to use the stock heatsink from Asus, but just remove the top and install the Noctua U6. I wanted to remove the entire stock heatsink and mount the U6 directly to the NB, but I can't find a MOSFET heatsink for the back of the CPU area.

So Noctua U6 mounted to the stock system, with Antec Spot Cool fan (or 60x15mm) it is!

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Originally Posted by Nanometer

I had white stuff under my heatsink lol. I mean taking the whole unit apart including the VR cooler. Being warm helps it to come off... it took 15 minutes of scratching the crap off. I'm sure there's compounds to help clean it, but I didn't have any.

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Yeah. Anything short of acetone really does nothing to that Asus gunk. I spent more than 15 mins before I busted out the heavy cleaner.

Have to say great review...