ASUS MAXIMUS III Formula Review

[sholvaco]

Thanks for your replies sacha, but I think I have ask my question wrong to you.

The first PCIEx16 slot would be free, so Is it possible to have GPU in the second PCIEx16 slot with full functionality and speed? So I would only be using 1 of the PCIEx16 slot`s but just wish to know if using the second slot and not the first one will the card have full functionality and full speed?

No. Eight lanes are electrically hardwired to the first x16 slot while the remaining eight run through lane swithces to either the first or second x16 slot. The second x16 slot is limited to x8 speed whether the first one is occupied or not and this goes for every SLI/CF certified P55 motherboard except those running NF200 or similar dedicated switching hardware.

[Roger_D25]

Thanks very much Sacha35 for posting your review on this motherboard, its greatly appreciated! Like many people here I've been on the fence between X58 and P55 for some time now, thankfully after fully reading through this thread I've been able to decide! Your thoughts along with everyone elses on this board have been very positve! I'm looking forward to contributing my own findings on this board once I get it up and running (should be here Friday if I can decide on a kit of RAM).

[dctokyo]

No. Eight lanes are electrically hardwired to the first x16 slot while the remaining eight run through lane swithces to either the first or second x16 slot. The second x16 slot is limited to x8 speed whether the first one is occupied or not and this goes for every SLI/CF certified P55 motherboard except those running NF200 or similar dedicated switching hardware.

Thanks for the reply sholvaco.
What would happen if you use the first slot and leave the second one empty but use the third slot which is a 1 x PCIe x16 (white) supports at x4 mode which gets it`s lanes from the chipset instead of the CPU as in the first and second PCIe 2.0 x16


If a card is used in the third? Would that force the first slot to use only 8?

[Roger_D25]

That is a great question dctokyo, I was wondering the same thing after reading sholvaco's post at the top of the page.

[sholvaco]

Thanks for the reply sholvaco.
What would happen if you use the first slot and leave the second one empty but use the third slot which is a 1 x PCIe x16 (white) supports at x4 mode which gets it`s lanes from the chipset instead of the CPU as in the first and second PCIe 2.0 x16


If a card is used in the third? Would that force the first slot to use only 8?

Both would run at their full specified speeds: the top red slot at x16, the bottom white one at x4.

[Roger_D25]

Thanks sholvaco for answering that questions so quickly!

[dctokyo]

Both would run at their full specified speeds: the top red slot at x16, the bottom white one at x4.

Thanks sholvaco,

Then this board just might work out for me

[Dahaka]

This is my second MB Asus, and is delicious :inlove.

[sacha35]

This is my second MB Asus, and is delicious :inlove.

Nice speed for the amount of Vcore used, looks like you have a nice chip there, yes the M/B is so nice to work with, it has everything you could want and more.

[edo]

Looking good there, just keep an eye on the temps, if they go any higher get a better heatsink, also you don't want to be running prime to long as its only wasting time and degrading the CPU as it is fully loaded all the time.




There are two options for you as you say, for gaming there is not that much difference between the REII and MF3, the REII will be the better bet but is more expensive and then you have the CPU which again is more expensive, an i5 750 would be good enough with a slight overclock on it for gamming but I don't think you would need the MF3 for this, see my Review of the P7P55D Deluxe with all tests shown with core i5 750 running at 4000MHz
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=233975

hi sacha , i have just realized thad linx is quicker test and give good feedback of sbalility..just changed some fans in my system, now temps are 2/3 °C lower and block higher

3600 with HT , 200block AIR (cooler master Tx3)
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/511/3600ht.jpg

3800 without HT , 200block , AIR (cooler master tx3)
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7773/3800noht.png

what are going to change settings about Skew like clock amplitude etc etc, witch of them leads to better results ? thank you as always

[Dahaka]

hi sacha , i have just realized thad linx is quicker test and give good feedback of sbalility..just changed some fans in my system, now temps are 2/3 °C lower and block higher

3600 with HT , 200block AIR (cooler master Tx3)
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/511/3600ht.jpg

3800 without HT , 200block , AIR (cooler master tx3)
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7773/3800noht.png

what are going to change settings about Skew like clock amplitude etc etc, witch of them leads to better results ? thank you as always

Great oc to, very low vcore .

That settings are not equal for the same plataforms, it's a " try and restart " issue xD.

[unkki]

Hello nice review.

I have a question. I`m doubting between this board and the Gigabyte UD6. What would you say?

Rest of system is going to be:

OCZ platinum ddr3-1600 4gb CL7 kit
i7 860

[sacha35]

Hello nice review.

I have a question. I`m doubting between this board and the Gigabyte UD6. What would you say?

Rest of system is going to be:

OCZ platinum ddr3-1600 4gb CL7 kit
i7 860

Hi unkki

I think I would be the wrong person to ask as to which board you should go for as I could be biased towards the ASUS brand very much like someone whom done a Gigabyte review would be.

All I can say is that I think this review speaks for itself in terms of performance and features that this board has to offer a user, I would also say this is one of the best looking boards in the P55 range to with a lot of bling factor to go with the outstanding performance it offers.

At the end of the day the decision will be down to yourself, but you have to ask yourself what it is that you are looking for in a motherboard and I think you will agree with me the MF3 offers everything you could ever want and more.

As for the parts you have listed they will go well with this board.

[dctokyo]

Hi sacha

any comments on this, has anyone tested this to see if games have better ping times

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.

[Maxx102]

Not sure if this has been asked - but no external LCD for POST codes like my Maximus Formula 1??

[Roger_D25]

Maxx102 - Its odd because the owners manual has a "Debug Code Table" and it mentions the following "The appendix lists the debug code table for the LCD Poster", however this motherboard doesn't come with an LCD Poster nor does it have any connectors for an LCD Poster (I checked because I have one left over from an old motherboard). With that said these codes may be viewable is using the ROG Connect feature but I'm not sure?

Hey guys I just barely got the Maximus III Formula motherboard along with a new i7 860 and a 4GB (2 x 2GB) kit of Corsairs CMG4GX3M2A2000C8 RAM (I'm very glad I decided to get the MIIIF over any of the other P55 motherboards given how I intend to use it)! The hardware was just delivered yesterday and since I needed to use the Internet (because of collage) I quickly loaded Windows 7 (no drivers or software installed and motherboard is running on "Optimized Defaults"). Fortunately I've got the whole day off and don't need to do any homework, so I'm going to reformat (to run HDDErase 3.3 to bring my new X25-M 80GB G2 SSD back to life), after that I'll rebuild Windows 7 and start playing with all this new hardware and I can't wait!

Although I haven't had much time to test yet I can say that this is probably the best hardware upgrade I've ever done (mobo, RAM, and CPU combo). The motherboard layout is excellent with great placement on all connectors (plus this is the first motherboard I've owned with no IDE or Floppy connectors which is awesome). One of the first things I do when getting a new motherboard is test for voltage read-points (to measure actual component voltages with DMM), fortunately this motherboard already has all the important voltage read-points together on the edge of the board in an easy to reach spot (this saved me many hours of testing and probing)!

The only drawback (and one that probably won't effect me) is the use of a Foxconn LGA1156 socket which was recently shown to have poor CPU pin contact. Again this only seems to effect users who overclock using sub-ambient cooling and run high voltages and high overclocks (Anandtech specifically mentioned that overclocks below 4.3Ghz on air/water cooling are probably safe but that users should manually check their CPU pads to check for proper pin contact. Check the article HERE for more information). My new CPU heatsink just got delivered today so I'll be checking my own CPU later today and will check back with results.

With that said thanks for all the help guys and thanks specifically to Sacha for a great review, so far I'm very happy with this motherboard!

[Dahaka]

I'm totally unhappy with this crappy MB, i can't believe that high end MB from Asus have the problem for xtreme overclockers

Come on, xtreme what? xtreme crappy?, if someone have a contact with asus to change this mobo with LOTES/tyco socket please let me know!! really guys!.

[dysgenics]

ultra noobie question here, where might the vtt setting be in the bios on this motherboard?

[meanmoe]

I'm totally unhappy with this crappy MB, i can't believe that high end MB from Asus have the problem for xtreme overclockers

Come on, xtreme what? xtreme crappy?, if someone have a contact with asus to change this mobo with LOTES/tyco socket please let me know!! really guys!.

I've been on the fence between this board, an evga board, and an x58 build. Has anyone confirmed that this board will experience the same issues described on Tom's Hardware and Andatech (originally this forum I think).

I'd hate to spend the cash and then end up with a fired socket or blown vrms.

[Dahaka]

I've been on the fence between this board, an evga board, and an x58 build. Has anyone confirmed that this board will experience the same issues described on Tom's Hardware and Andatech (originally this forum I think).

I'd hate to spend the cash and then end up with a fired socket or blown vrms.

ME, Raja and others user around the globe.

Yesterdey i pull out my core i5 750 and the PADS from proccesor is exactly has pictures from other users.

[dctokyo]

I've been on the fence between this board, an evga board, and an x58 build. Has anyone confirmed that this board will experience the same issues described on Tom's Hardware and Andatech (originally this forum I think).

I'd hate to spend the cash and then end up with a fired socket or blown vrms.

It was reported that this board has the same problems

I was about to get this board, but will hold off until they fix this problem.

[Roger_D25]

Don't get my wrong I'm dissapointed about this socket issue but from what I've read it only becomes an "issue" if your really pushing the board (above 4.3Ghz on sub-ambient cooling with higher than normal voltage levels)? I'm hopeful that I won't experience any nagative effects from this given that I won't be using any crazy clocks or voltages (ideally I'd like to run upwards of 4.0Ghz-4.2Ghz give or take). With that said I still haven't had a chance to actually check my 860's pad contact but will soon.

[dctokyo]

Don't get my wrong I'm dissapointed about this socket issue but from what I've read it only becomes an "issue" if your really pushing the board (above 4.3Ghz on sub-ambient cooling with higher than normal voltage levels)?

this is a more than a simple mounting technique issue

Seriously this is a more than a simple mounting technique issue, the potential for hardware to be damaged even when run at stock is very real. While there is some redundancy built into any design, certainly the hardware is not meant to be operating with marginal contacts between pins (socket) and pads (CPU) and most certainly is not meant to be operated with so many none contacts between the pins and pads. A marginal contact is a hazard in its own right, fewer than designed contacts will place to high a burden on the remaining contact points, with the marginal contacts being most at risk.

[Roger_D25]

Yeah I should have articulated my thoughts better, I do realize its got nothing to do with mounting techniques but with actual issues with the CPU socket design (which is the dissapointing part)! Thanks for taking the time to point that out!

[Hampti]

Real big scores here. But i have two questions. First what is the fastest and stablest bios? The 0902 or the 0801? And the other one.....your cascade reach -130°C ???WOW! tripple or quad?