ASUS ROG OC Station Review

[sacha35]

Overclocking on the fly, no need for reboots, stylish dual bay design. Meet the Asus OC station. The ultimate in overclocking device.

Let's have a look at the Box and contents.







This has to be easily the most stylish OC controller on the market at the moment.



Specifications:
Display 3” Color TFT LCD (3.0 inch WQVGA)

Key Features
Pure hardware-based overclocking support
Adjustable system voltages, frequencies and fan speeds
Real time display of temperatures
Photo Slideshow
Stylish design with 30-degree-tilt moveable faceplate
Supports ROG exclusive CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU
Seamless integration with ROG exclusive CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU-6 Engine

To work well with CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU, ensure that you've updated AI Suite to S1.05.27 and EPU-6 Engine (Intel platform)
to 1.01.11; EPU (AMD platform) to 1.00.18 or later version, and launch the firmware update utility to achieve data processing.

Other Special Features
Boot Debug Code: Post Code, String
Alarm thresholds with audio alerts
8 sets of OC Station's profile settings available
I/O Ports POWER: 1 x ATX 4-pin Power Connector
GP: 1 x 20-pin Connecting Port
FAN: 4 x 3-pin Extra Fan Connectors
Power Voltage: +12V,+5V,+5VSB
Power Consumption : 5A Extra Fan x4 (12V) = 4A; System(+5V,+5VSB) Max = 1A

Accessories
1 x Data connecting cable
1 x Screw set
1 x User guide
Software Support DVD:
Drivers and applications
Installation Requirements 2 x 5.25" Bay required for installation
1 x 4-pin power cable from PC's power supply unit

Compatibility
Motherboard:
ROG Rampage II Extreme, Crosshair III Formula, and Rampage II GENE

Visit the ASUS website at www.asus.com for the latest motherboard support/compatibility lists.
Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version for better compatibility


The OC Station connects to the ROG series motherboards that ASUS make and provides full hardware based overclocking changing the BIOS settings in real time meaning that it isn't an interface extension for some software running on the Operating system

The ROG OC Station is a device that features controls for system overclocking or viewing system infomation on the fly, along with various temperature, voltage, fan speed control, monitoring added to the mix.



As a fan controller, the OC station provides output to four separate fans also it features system information and even a photo slideshow function.




The three Controls buttons take care along with a rotary switch, while a TFT-LCD screen keeps the user posted about clock-speeds, voltages, fan-speeds and temperatures, which might help when the system's display is busy running 3D benchmarks or games.




The device can be used on the desk, where it's front panel can tilt upwards to a 30° angle which makes things much easier for better user viewing also it can be fitted virtually to any PC case, where it occupies two 5.25-inch drive bays making overclocking easy for all user's.




Conclusion.
Let's face it most overclocking gadgets are more often a load of rubbish and don't work well if at all, However with the Asus OC station everything works straight out of the box giving you all the settings you could possible want to change or tweak on a hardware level.

No longer does the user have to be a god to overclock there system, overclocking is made simple with this device for the masses to use in most environments, saving profiles and changing settings on the fly could not be more simpler now that the ASUS OC station is hear, it does it all with a few pushes on the buttons and a twist of the toggle wheel.

[Bojamijams]

This is gonna work with Maximus 3 Formula as well right?

Price?

[sacha35]

This is gonna work with Maximus 3 Formula as well right?

Price?

Yes this will work once a bios update is available, but you may also know the Maximus III will have ROG connect.

[UNIXgod]

What does something like this cost?

[Mean Machine]

It's about €100, which means expensive as hell. Have one as well, they're fun to play with, handy, but you can do pretty much the same with TweakIt.

[Hazzan]

so far I try work perfect on :

Rampage II Xtreme
Rampage II Gene
Maximus II Gene
Maximus III Formula
Crosshair III Formula


..............

[sacha35]

It's about €100, which means expensive as hell. Have one as well, they're fun to play with, handy, but you can do pretty much the same with TweakIt.

As for price I have found a site that sells these for £93.75, this may seem quite an expensive as you said for this bit of kit, but when you think of the fan controllers and screen which can be used to view photos ect then it puts things in prospective of the price these sell for, as a good fan controller on its own would cost around £40.00 to £50.00, plus most gamers ECT want their PC's in case's at LAN parties, so having this ASUS OC station control panel makes things very easy for them to see what is going when clocking there systems in real time without any software intervention meaning it provides full hardware based overclocking changing the BIOS settings in real time.

[damtachoa]

so far I try work perfect on :

Rampage II Xtreme
Rampage II Gene
Maximus II Gene
Maximus III Formula
Crosshair III Formula


..............

Does it support Rampage Extreme? The price is so headache.

[Bojamijams]

As for price I have found a site that sells these for £93.75, this may seem quite an expensive as you said for this bit of kit, but when you think of the fan controllers and screen which can be used to view photos ect then it puts things in prospective of the price these sell for, as a good fan controller on its own would cost around £40.00 to £50.00, plus most gamers ECT want their PC's in case's at LAN parties, so having this ASUS OC station control panel makes things very easy for them to see what is going when clocking there systems in real time without any software intervention meaning it provides full hardware based overclocking changing the BIOS settings in real time.

Oh its a fan controller too! Nice.. how many channels and how many watts per channel? Do you know?

[sacha35]

Does it support Rampage Extreme? The price is so headache.

Not at the moment, but as said when bios update's for other M/B's are available it will be fully functional

Oh its a fan controller too! Nice.. how many channels and how many watts per channel? Do you know?

Specifications:
Display 3” Color TFT LCD (3.0 inch WQVGA)

Key Features
Pure hardware-based overclocking support
Adjustable system voltages, frequencies and fan speeds
Real time display of temperatures
Photo Slideshow
Stylish design with 30-degree-tilt moveable faceplate
Supports ROG exclusive CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU
Seamless integration with ROG exclusive CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU-6 Engine

To work well with CPU Level Up and ASUS EPU, ensure that you've updated AI Suite to S1.05.27 and EPU-6 Engine (Intel platform)
to 1.01.11; EPU (AMD platform) to 1.00.18 or later version, and launch the firmware update utility to achieve data processing.

Other Special Features
Boot Debug Code: Post Code, String
Alarm thresholds with audio alerts
8 sets of OC Station's profile settings available
I/O Ports POWER: 1 x ATX 4-pin Power Connector
GP: 1 x 20-pin Connecting Port
FAN: 4 x 3-pin Extra Fan Connectors
Power Voltage: +12V,+5V,+5VSB
Power Consumption : 5A Extra Fan x4 (12V) = 4A; System(+5V,+5VSB) Max = 1A

Accessories
1 x Data connecting cable
1 x Screw set
1 x User guide
Software Support DVD:
Drivers and applications
Installation Requirements 2 x 5.25" Bay required for installation
1 x 4-pin power cable from PC's power supply unit

[hiwa]

Thanks for this, expensive? Guys a decent Fan controller with 6 cannel costs 60 eu i think the price is ok, but it's useless for 90% of users

[sacha35]

Thanks for this, expensive? Guys a decent Fan controller with 6 cannel costs 60 eu i think the proce is ok but it's useless for 90% of users

This may sound expensive to you but the price you listed is around £52 in the Uk, for just a fan controller, for an extra £40 you get full function overclocking use of this item On ROG line of M/B's, plus the 3” Colour TFT LCD that can display Photo Slideshow, Real time display of temperatures not software, and all the overclocking functions, when you look at it the OC station is priced accordingly and I think it is not to bad on the price, as it is much more than just a fan controller.

Yes this item will be only useful to Guys that own the ASUS ROG line of motherboards, so the numbers will be limited to ASUS users only, but I think we all have to remember the picture is bigger than just us extreme overclockers, there are general users and Gamers out there that like to be fully in control with their setup and settings, so having this ASUS OC station that looks very cool will offer a lot to these guys as well as ourselves.

[Icebob]

Do you know where to buy In the U.S.? Been googling but cannot find anything

[skugpezz]

can someone tell me what am3 Motherboards this is compatible with?

[Icebob]

can someone tell me what am3 Motherboards this is compatible with?

The only one I know is the Crosshair III Formula

[slim142]

I would say I hope support for older ROG board comes out soon but idk if its really worth having this.

[WhiteFireDragon]

Power Consumption : 5A Extra Fan x4 (12V) = 4A; System(+5V,+5VSB) Max = 1A[/B][/U]

i'm confused by this. so how many amps can each channel able to handle for the fan controller?

[Zeus]

Honestly, i'm dissapointed with mine.

With the original firmware/driver that came with the included cd (v10106) there are plenty of bugs.

It just starts beeping but doesn't show an alarm for example.

The saved profiles seem to have amnesia as the setting "stand by" saved to "disabled" is forgotten after every reboot and the oc station goes in stand by mode after 5 minutes.

For the fancontroller function, i have to load a profile after every reboot or else the fans are blowing full blast. It's not loading the latest used profile.

By default the oc station is turned off so it has to be turned on manually every time at booting up.

With the v10206 it has deleted the saved profiles after every reboot!

Also, with the downloaded files from asus i cannot upgrade firmware as it say the files are not correct firmware files.

I'd like to use the latest driver cause it might have a few bugs ironed out but i have no clue how to install it, it's only 92kb or something.

Also tried to install EPU but i get an error saying it's not for this version. Version of what? mainboard? OS?

I hope future drivers/firmware releases will solve most of these issues, some are very annoying.

[sacha35]

Sorry to hear you are having problems with your OC station Zuus, I have passed all your concerns and problems onto ASUS HQ for them to look into.

I must admit though I have not experienced any of the mentioned problem you are having, but my testing was done on the REII, so it could be that this problem is with your Motherboard or operating system and not the OC station.

[Chris_redfield]

This is a really nice idea, but tbh I think Asus missed a trick here. If they had included a connector so that it was also able to connect up to their GPU's then that would have made it so much better.

[Dumbo]

Just a quick note to say that similarly to Zeus, my OC Station running v1.02.31 on a Vista64 Rampage II Extreme (1504) fails the loading and saving of profiles. As long as you’re not rebooting its “Sure to save/load?” works fine. However, come the next startup and all profiles are gone.

Hopefully ASUS is working on another firmware update, ‘cos this is ridiculous…

[spajdr]

Thanks for mentioning this product, totally missed it, but already ordered it, should be with me in the middle of next week.

[rkgriffin]

For the Maximus III series, does this OC Station had any features that are not available through ROG Connect? Other than the fan controller of course.

[El_Lute]

It just starts beeping but doesn't show an alarm for example.

Also, with the downloaded files from asus i cannot upgrade firmware as it say the files are not correct firmware files.

Even those are exactly my experiences with Rampage II Extreme(Also Bios 1504 and Firmware 02.031). I am about the matter in contact with the ASUS Support.
They gave this answer:

I am confirming with the relative department. If anything update, I will reply to you ASAP.

[Zeus]

One more thing, the CPU temp shown by the OC station is different to what Coretemp for example says.