[Extreme Overclocking Review] Asus Rampage III Formula

[Afrokalle]

Asus Rampage III Formula




Hi fellas

Asus was so kind to send me their new Motherboard the Rampage III Formula from the ROG Series to do some tests and of course some LN2 benches .



Picture's from Chrisch


The Rampage III Formula is cheaper then his big brother the Rampage III Extreme which is in my opinion actual the best choice for extreme overclocking.....

.....let's see if the Rampage III Formula can overclock like his big brother....




While the Rampage III Extreme is built for extreme overclocking the Rampage III Formula is mainly built for the gamers. But this motherboard comes with a lot of nice overclocking features too



Features and Layout:



As you can see the Rampage III Formula have a lot of nice features as all RoG Series Motherboards.



For us overclockers the Extreme Digi+ is integrated like we already know it from the Rampage III Extreme. The Extreme Digi+ is a combination of analog and digital elements....



Here you can see the difference to other's digital PWR solution...


ASUS AI Lifestyle Features Extreme Engine Digi+ Power Design:

8-phase CPU Power
3-phase QPI/DRAM Power
2-phase NB Power
2-phase Memory Power




Having two bios rom is always a really nice thing...



Specifications:

CPU
• Intel® Socket 1366 Core™ i7 Processor Extreme Edition/Core™ i7 Processor
• Support Intel® Turbo Boost Technology.

Chipset Intel® X58 / ICH10R
• System Bus Up to 6400 MT/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
• Triple channel memory architecture
• Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
*Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs.
*Refer to user manual for compatibility see 2-16 to 2-24.

Expansion Slots
• 3 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (dual x16 mode) , x16 x8 x8.
• 2 x PCIe x1
• 1 x PCI 2.2
• Multi-GPU Support
• Support NVIDIA 3 way SLI™ / ATI CrossFireX™ Technology
• Storage Intel ICH10R controller
• 6 xSATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (gray)
• Intel Matrix Storage Technology Support RAID 0,1,5,10
• Marvell® 9128 PCIe SATA6Gb/s controller
• 2 xSATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (red)
• JMicron® 363 Controller.
• 2 xeSATA 3.0 Gb/s ports,
• LAN
• Intel® Ethernet 82567V Gigabit LAN
• Gamefirst
• Audio SupremeFX X-Fi 2 Built-in
• 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
• EAX® Advanced™ HD 5.0
• THX TrueStudio PC
• 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 port(s) (1 port at back panel, 1 port at midboard)

USB
• NEC® USB 3.0 controller
• 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (at back panel)
• Intel® ICH10R Southbridge
• 12 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (5 ports at midboard; 6 ports at back panel,1 reserved for ROG Connect)

ASUS AI Lifestyle Features Extreme Engine Digi+ Power Design:
• 8-phase CPU power.
• 3-phase QPI/DRAM power.
• 2-phase NB power.
• 2-phase Memory Power.

ROG Connect
• ProbeIt
• iROG
• GameFirst
• CPU Level Up
• MemOK!
• Extreme Tweaker
• Bios Flashback
• Q-Fan Plus (without thermal sensor cables)
• Loadline Calibration
• Intelligent Overclocking Tools:
• ASUS TurboV EVO
• O.C Profile
• ROG Extreme
• LN2 Mode
• Q Reset.
• Overclocking Protection:
• COP EX (Component Overheat Protection - EX)
• Voltiminder LED
• ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall)
• Special Features ASUS MyLogo3
• ASUS Fan Xpert
• ASUS EZ Flash 2
• ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
• ASUS Q-Connector
• ASUS Q-Slot
• ASUS Q-DIMM

Back Panel I/O Ports
• 1 x PS/2 Keyboard
• 1 x CLR CMOS Button.
• 1 x S/PDIF Out (Optical)
• 1 x IEEE 1394a
• 2 x Extreme SATA Sockets.
• 1 x LAN(RJ45) port
• 1 x ROG Connect On/Off switch
• 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (Blue)
• 7 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (1 port also for ROG Connect)
• 8 -Channel Audio I/O

Internal I/O Connectors
• 2 x USB 2.0 connectors support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports
• 8 x SATA connectors: 2 x SATA 6G connectors (Red); 6 x standard

SATA connectors (Gray)
• 8 x Fan connectors: 1 x CPU / 1 x PWR / 3 x Chassis / 3 x Optional
• 8 x ProbeIt Measurement Points
• 1 x Go Button
• 3 x Thermal sensor connector
• 1 x IEEE1394a connector
• 1 x SPDIF_Out Connector
• 1 x 24-pin ATX Power connector
• 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power connectors
• 1 x En/Dis-able Clr CMOS header
• 1 x En/Dis-able QPI_LL Jumper.
• 1x LN2 Mode Header.
• 1 x START (Power On) button
• 1 x RESET button
• 1 x Front panel audio connector
• 1 x System panel connector

BIOS
• 16 Mb AMI Flash ROM PnP,
• DMI2.0,
• WfM2.0,
• SM BIOS 2.5,
• ACPI2.0a
• Multi-Language BIOS

Manageability
• WOL by PME,WOR by PME,PXE

Accessories
• 1 x ROG Connect cable
• 1 x SLI Cable
• 1 x 2 in 1 ASUS Q-Connector Kit
• 3 x 2-in-1 SATA signal cables
• 1 x 2-in-1 SATA 6G cables
• 1 x I/O Shield
• 1 x Cable Ties Pack
• 1 x 12-in-1 ROG Cable Label
• 1 x ROG theme label
• 1 x User's Manual
• Support DVD:
• Drivers and Applications
• Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 Utility
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus
• ROG GameFirst Utility
• ASUS Turbo V EVO
• ASUS AI Suite II
• ASUS PC Probe II
• ASUS Update

Form Factor
• ATX Form Factor
• 12 inch x 9.6 inch ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm )


Mainboard:









Pic's from Chrisch


RoG Xpander:



The Asus RoG Xpander allows you to use Quad SLI with 4x16 Lanes.






Overclocking:




Super PI 32M@6433MHz:




Pifast@6495MHz:




still benching

The Rampage III Formula is a very good and stable motherboard with a really good performance. The Bios have the same overclocking features then we know from the Rampage III Extreme and my chip can do the same in all 2D tests as on the big brother - i think there is nothing more to say...

....good job Asus

I will show soon some more tests/benchmarks and hope i can also do some nice 3D benching with this great motherboard. In my first aircooling tests the Rampage III Formula shows a outstanding 3D Performance too...

later more

Pic Line:





I will upload more benches and some Bios Screenshots soon too

I want to say big thanks to Asus for giving me this beast


Afrokalle

[runmc]

Man that expander is outrageous. I can't wait to see it in action. Thank you for the review.

[OCBalmang]

I would like to see how the Expander attaches to the R3F, like from beneath to get the voltages needed to power it.

[dctokyo]

Many Thanks for the review

[emertX]

Great Review as usual...thanks man!

[Raiden]

You call this a motherboard review?

I call it an overclocking review wich anyone could have done , anyway good mb but there is a lot in this new Rampage III formula that could have been reviewed, like the raid controllers , memories , gaming without and with oc , not just vantage , i really cant understand why a Overclocker does this kind of review for the masses it isnt the best

[Afrokalle]

Thanks guys

@Raiden: Yes this is a overclocking review and you can see it in the headline: [Extreme Overclocking Review] Asus Rampage III Formula - i never called it motherboard review...

Asus gave me this motherboard for some extreme overclocking cause i'm an extreme overclocker...

There are a lot of reviews out show the other stuff about this motherboard and i think this here is XS and a lot of people are interested in (extreme) overclocking.

And i think you even not read that review cause there is no Vantage included

[sofos1990]

Nice start man
Can't wait for the 3Ds

[neonatas]

Errrm, i do get that this is an xtreme review. As in xtreme short. Only product spec's and pictures and a few screenshots from your desktop.
You basically posted your scores, and didnt review the board.

Your scores are grand! that i must say! Thx for showing them

[lesstutrey]

I would like to see how the Expander attaches to the R3F, like from beneath to get the voltages needed to power it.

@OCBalmang I see two molex power adapters on it, plus the one already present on the r3f, so it's got 3 4pin molex adapters total, to power the lanes.. And it just plugs on in to the full size pcie slots.

What i'd like to see, someone using a bloomfield on it, though i noticed VISS has a 250+ bclk on a 920 with it on the bot, so the early stories that it sucks with bloomfields and was only good with gulftowns seems unfounded. I'd like some more results on that... For 100$ less than the r3e it seems like the perfect board for a "low budget" extreme bencher like myself. But since asus is marketing this at the lower budget than r3e guys, wouldn't one of you extreme benchers give a bloomfield a try for a while? I know you all still have one laying around somewhere This board seems like a godsend for my w3550, price/performance wise, just want to see more than one person getting high bclks with it and bloomfields.

[Leeghoofd]

Viss used slow mode... which is useless for Bclock comparison and 3D... don't get fooled by the bclock tricks !!

Awaiting more scores Afrokalle !!!

[Viss]

Nice tests Afrokalle Strong little board indeed, mine is waiting for a goooood chip

[Afrokalle]

Nice tests Afrokalle Strong little board indeed, mine is waiting for a goooood chip

Thanks buddy

Mine too and a good gpu of course....

Feel free to post your impressions and benching score's here too

I will update with some 3D benches soon


@lesstutrey: sorry i don't have any Bloomfield atm but maybe i can borrow one from a friend to do some test...

[crustytheclown]

Great Job man...
Can you share with us your bios settings?

[nickshih]

wow , good run ... so ur chip is still alive , ROLF!

[Afrokalle]

wow , good run ... so ur chip is still alive , ROLF!

Thanks bro

That chip is still alive and rockin but not in my hands anymore....

I hope i will find a new one soon....

Great Job man...
Can you share with us your bios settings?

Thanks Crusty

As soon as i have a new Gulftown i will post some pictures from my Bios Settings and continue with testing...

This motherboard is strong and i really like bench it

The efficiency is not that good cause i lost one dimm and that score's are only dual channel....

.....the efficiency of the Rampage III Formula is from what i've seen in my air testing really good...