ASUS Rampage III Extreme reviewed!

Hi,

just finished my review about the RIIIE on AwardFabrik :cool:

I just wanted to post the most important things here so you get an impression about the board, specially compared to the RIIE.
Some pictures first:

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7151/65411884.th.jpg http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8030/60363714.th.jpg http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5115/67096439.th.jpg http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2710/56162809.th.jpg

more pictures...

Test system:

http://www.awardfabrik.de/images/sto...iew/system.png

Let's compare voltages RIIE vs. RIIIE

http://www.awardfabrik.de/images/sto...evergleich.png

QPI is undervolting quite a lot with QPI LLC disabled (just like it was with RIIE) - booting higher results in higher QPI as booted at lower voltage and raised via TweakIT. As soon as you enable QPI LLC (make sure to have the latest BIOS - 0504 and later!) it will get much more accurate. With 1.350V set in Bios it was 1.31V without and 1.34V with QPI LLC. A feature I really missed on the RIIE so don't forget to set the jumper near the 24pin ATX plug :yepp:

http://www.awardfabrik.de/mambots/co...d0a5870c9e.jpg

Let's compare RIIE vs. RIIIE in 32m

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/773...ghzriie.th.jpg http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9...hzriiie.th.jpg

Let's test some RAM - 6 GB @ DDR3-2250 32m easy, DDR3-2310 1m, DDR3-1900 with 12 GB 32m :up: It could also do CL7 past 2000 - I always had issues with that with my RAMs on RIIE.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9...2mfinal.th.jpg http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5...dr32250.th.jpg http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9...8b558aa.th.jpg http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2...ram32ms.th.jpg http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/7986/6c7o6omm.th.jpg

Voltages during that RAM-Testing (kept it around thoose all the time)

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4...ddr2300.th.jpg

Here are my Bios settings under air - so that you have a starting point :toast:

http://www.awardfabrik.de/mambots/co...6a690c6bbe.jpg http://www.awardfabrik.de/mambots/co...48325624b5.jpg

And some friends of mine - the BenchBrothers - already showed that this board also goes sky high under LN2 :hehe:

I can only say that this is one of the best boards I ever tested - great piece of hardware! 3 thumbs up :up: :up: :up:

Can't wait to freeze it myself after all the results I've seen :yepp:

Did you set the QPI LLC jumper enable adj. to the 24pin? ;)
and disable all OCP options?

You're fast, very informative.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TinTin

Did you set the QPI LLC jumper enable adj. to the 24pin? ;)
and disable all OCP options?

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OCP Options were enabled as I think under air people won't disable it with this cooling. But you totally got me with that jumper - was set to 1-2 during all tests. So I'll retest this with jumper set to 2-3 - thanks for the hint!!

€dit: Ok TinTin I just wanted to test it but as soon as I set the jumper to 2-3 for enabling QPI LLC it won't boot - will show following screen and reboots. I'll ask my contact at ASUS what this is or has anybody already an idea? The LLC seems to work as I could measure 1.31V while having 1.325V set in BIOS before but it always brings me to that strange rog-fw-update ^^

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/442/u4nl9j3q.th.jpg

nice.. i wish i can get the chance to use RIIIE since i am using RIIE right now.. though i dont have anything to complain.. well.. i can see the beauty of this motherboard..

i really like the ROG connect feature.. and the future proof usb 3.0 and sata 6.0.. for my RIIE.. i need to add the card.. sighhh

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoF

OCP Options were enabled as I think under air people won't disable it with this cooling. But you totally got me with that jumper - was set to 1-2 during all tests. So I'll retest this with jumper set to 2-3 - thanks for the hint!!

€dit: Ok TinTin I just wanted to test it but as soon as I set the jumper to 2-3 for enabling QPI LLC it won't boot - will show following screen and reboots. I'll ask my contact at ASUS what this is or has anybody already an idea? The LLC seems to work as I could measure 1.31V while having 1.325V set in BIOS before but it always brings me to that strange rog-fw-update ^^

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/442/u4nl9j3q.th.jpg

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It is just like the Vcore Vdroop Load Line Calibration. It reduces the QPI (VTT) Vdroop....! Andre, Nick, and I always enable to prevent droop of VTT. Maybe your CPU don't like too hard VTT! Did you try another CPU? :)

VTT with jumper was exactly the same as before (I just lowered to 1.32V in Bios) - seems something Bios-related or so. Tested VTT up to 1.35V real under air already 32m stable for RAM-testing. The screen I showed always comes up when I set the LLC jumper to 2-3. I aleady asked what this could be and will post info asap :)

This is a great motherboard but if Asus delays it one more time im afraid that i will buy another brand motherboard..

Good review, but just oc why?? no videogame results , no usb or disk speed results..it would be a better review with it..

Cheers

I waited for somebody to ask about that - I had no USB 3.0 device here and 2.0 performance shouldn't be a problem on a board like this. Also no suitable SATA 6 GB device :(
And game-benchmarks is just something I do not really care about - additionally I am usually not testing motherboards so I didn't had any comparisons under equal conditions. So I decided to focus on what this mobo is built for: overclocking :D
There will be others testing USB/SATA/LAN performance and doing some game benches I am sure ;)

€: just got a new BIOS which should fix my problem with QPI LLC :)
€2: new BIOS fixed the problem, now running 1.34V QPI when 1.35V is set in BIOS - thanks TinTin! Updated the QPI part in first post.

WANT

That's awesome.

Thanks for the comparison.

Were you able to test max bclk for this board?

edit, I just noticed 240+ :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoF

I waited for somebody to ask about that - I had no USB 3.0 device here and 2.0 performance shouldn't be a problem on a board like this. Also no suitable SATA 6 GB device :(
And game-benchmarks is just something I do not really care about - additionally I am usually not testing motherboards so I didn't had any comparisons under equal conditions. So I decided to focus on what this mobo is built for: overclocking :D
There will be others testing USB/SATA/LAN performance and doing some game benches I am sure ;)

€: just got a new BIOS which should fix my problem with QPI LLC :)
€2: new BIOS fixed the problem, now running 1.34V QPI when 1.35V is set in BIOS - thanks TinTin! Updated the QPI part in first post.

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GO GO GO...ROG connect is a killer function for 3D benching! I always boost my GTs to 6.37~6.4G :D
Make more numbers for us! :up:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [200]

Were you able to test max bclk for this board?
edit, I just noticed 240+ :)

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That 240 is bugged - a known issue with i7 at the bclk limit that happens sometimes. under air I think ~230+ is in there - maybe better under cold, not had the chance to test it yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TinTin

GO GO GO...ROG connect is a killer function for 3D benching! I always boost my GTs to 6.37~6.4G :D
Make more numbers for us! :up:

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http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7599/77873244.th.jpg

I still fight Q3QP but could get some OK scores in Pifast and 06 for the things I had - I was laughing loud when seeing that 33333 :p: Found a 32m we did in between 3D but that CPU won't like to do that past 6 :( Strong CB-issues with that CPU but compared to my runs on RIIE and Classi that RIIIE seemed to at least run it as good as possible.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6161/pifasts.th.jpg http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7136/15050056.th.jpg http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8027/32m.th.jpg

But when stummerwinter sits next to you on 3. AOCM you just look like a damn beginner - 6200 06 :slobber: We got some nice numbers with the boards there :up:

http://oc-x.de/bench/3D06-39230.jpg

I said it in the news thread, and I'll say it again, I want that Mushkin ram!!!

They look so nice.

With 2 guys I tested another Q3QP which showed some potential but also behaved somehow strange sometimes - it had not really CB issues but didn't liked some voltages...you needed to find a good one and all of a sudden it ran quite ok. we should have tested pifast maybe that would have run at even higher clockspeeds ;) but it was after 36h without sleep so we were fine with it :p:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6931/rveoq57n.jpg

yeh, i want some rog connect in action videos pls! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by saaya

yeh, i want some rog connect in action videos pls! :D

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together with you testing my new DICE CPU pot which I will get in some time - yeah that would be cool ;) :D

where can you download any other bios besides 402

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deboyzfun

where can you download any other bios besides 402

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Yes SoF were can we find the new bios?

anybody can order one RIIIE in USA then ship to SGP for me? I pay the shipping charges, appeciate your help first. ASUS seling 30% higher price than US in asia region, piss off......

new bios should be available on official support page soon ;)
interesting info: since bios from 31/3 I had 2 more versions and they always saved me some more seconds in 32m :D
so when going for that bench be sure to have latest bios!

Mine just dispatched from OCUK today :up::up::up::up::up:

Will have to wait untill Monday to get it though :(.

Omg omg omgo mogmofom .... I cant wait :(

One more great review ASUS VS EVGA :)
http://www.hwgurus.com/testovi/matine-ploce/153.html

KEEP PUSHING IT

It`s one of the best motherboards, if not the best, I have ever tried.

It`s hard to describe with words, how wicked strong and a pleassure to bench under ln2 the board is.

I just came back home and saw new bios in my mails - popped in 920 just for the fun...bclk testing goes into new round hopefully :D
PS: if anybody needs newer bios just pm me your email :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoF

I just came back home and saw new bios in my mails - popped in 920 just for the fun...bclk testing goes into new round hopefully :D
PS: if anybody needs newer bios just pm me your email :)

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Show me some 250 lovin :yepp: :D

Nice one SoF :up:

thx! Under air no difference so far for me with 920 - but not tested if lower voltage is possible with new bios - I need some cold next week :D still 223-224 out of the bios 32m stable easy but 225 no boot with skews on auto with 1,4v qpi (lower not tested)

my team-mate RedCobra tested 975 and got some nice bclk! looks like you just need the right chip :up:

235BCLK@975

http://www.abload.de/thumb/38458punk...lkqpi1joxc.jpg

One thing I cant figure, SoF makes this board, or this board makes SoF? :-)

Good work buddy, and yeap, it is enjoyable with the features.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SoF

got some nice bclk! looks like you just need the right chip :up:

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I's always a mix Chris, the 3540 I got here is 235 certified on the classified on air... till now with 0534 bios I'm at 233Bclock... maybe time to test 0601 (but not now, got some real life issues)