ASUS Z87 Motherboards - Overview, Guides and Official Support

[Ziwro]

Use the red slots - manual is misleading on that. T-topology routing for this gen favors the red slots (1&3) over the black.

I'm using Hero. Am i use red slots too ?

[Praz]

I'm using Hero. Am i use red slots too ?

Yes. As Raja typed in the part you quoted slots one and three get the edge because of T-Topology trace routing.

[cadaveca]

What about DIMM slots on these boards?

[LardArse]

I am using M6E BIOS 0711.

After I have already set this and F10 out of BIOS I have noticed that when I go back into BIOS and I change my CPU Vcore value it changes my CPU CORE RATIO from PER CORE back to SYNC ALL CORES then I have to go back and change it back to PER CORE. When you change it back my CPU RATIO LIMIT blanked out for all four cores and I had to put those values back in.

Is this a bug in the BIOS because I do not think that settings in BIOS should change on there own!

its due to a relational synchronization between fully manual mode enabled & per core & c3/6
per core works normally only with c3/c6
fully manual mode cannot work together with c3/c6 since c6 wants to drop the vcore to 0v while fully manual mode wants to keep it at set volts. this is in contradiction.
therefore per core with set values will blank out fully manual mode and vice versa.

[owikh84]

M6I is better in mem OC. It overclocks this CFR surpassing 3100+ when its elder bro can't.



3250 12-15-15-35-2T @ 1.75v

[idahosurge]

its due to a relational synchronization between fully manual mode enabled & per core & c3/6
per core works normally only with c3/c6
fully manual mode cannot work together with c3/c6 since c6 wants to drop the vcore to 0v while fully manual mode wants to keep it at set volts. this is in contradiction.
therefore per core with set values will blank out fully manual mode and vice versa.

Okay

[Anusha]

If purely overclockability concerned, should I go for the Z87 Pro or the Maximus VI Hero?
What I'm asking is, could one of them be able to achieve the same clocks with a less Vcore than the other (because even a 0.005V matters)?

One more thing. Not really regarding the motherboard, but will having 4x4GB sticks lower the chances of achieving a higher CPU OC compared to 2x8GB sticks, if the memory is only rated at 1600MHz?

[Shiranui Gen-An]

Haswell handles larger DIMMs better than Ivy Bridge, so 4x4GB vs 2x8GB isn't going to make a difference at 1600MHz. As far as overclockability goes, as I understand it all of the Asus Z87 boards are going to get the same clocks on air or water in term of CPU speed, but the ROG boards will get farther on LN2/other extreme cooling and overclock memory better.

[Anusha]

Haswell handles larger DIMMs better than Ivy Bridge, so 4x4GB vs 2x8GB isn't going to make a difference at 1600MHz. As far as overclockability goes, as I understand it all of the Asus Z87 boards are going to get the same clocks on air or water in term of CPU speed, but the ROG boards will get farther on LN2/other extreme cooling and overclock memory better.

Thanks. So, for normal 24/7 OC, they should perform the same right?

Since 4 DIMMs @1600 won't be an issue, I'll keep mine as they are.

One more question. How does the SupremeFX chip perform compared to X-Fi Titanium audio card? Do they perform on par of each other, or the Titanium is still better?

[RPGWiZaRD]

Sorry about all the spam regarding onboard audio but I was really set on to order a VI Gene but then I happened to find this http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/...und-issue.html

There's also a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6rEhXSrGI

What should one make out of this, defect motherboard or faulty design? Appearently it only happens with the op-amp powered green jack and I'd specifically buy that board to use it with that output... I don't want to kill my ears or headphones in the process too... but from all the research I've done this board is still the one to get if you want the best Realtek audio solution around (MSI's has pretty bad sound quality for an ALC1150 chip solution, ASRock suffers from noise issues, Gigabyte doesn't use opamps and only for the SoundCore3D chip integrated solutions) so I'd really want this Gene VI...

[Raja@ASUS]

I'd contact your local ASUS service dept if your board does that.

[Anusha]

Can anyone explain how do I get QuickSync working with ROG MVI Hero without the LucidVirtu software when my GTX670 is also there?

[Dumo]

Impact @ 3600 ram air single

[Praz]

Can anyone explain how do I get QuickSync working with ROG MVI Hero without the LucidVirtu software when my GTX670 is also there?

You will need to use Virtu MVP.

[owikh84]

I saw Andre used older MemTweakIt 1.02 the drop down arrows are not greyed out maybe this particular version can adjust timings in OS?



Where can I get the v1.02?

[Anusha]

You will need to use Virtu MVP.

that's a shame. wonder why Asus boards don't carry MVP license.

[RPGWiZaRD]

that's a shame. wonder why Asus boards don't carry MVP license.

Guess Lucid also needs to make their business but would be cool to have it automaticly licensed as it would be part of the package IMO. Just like one simply downloads Realtek drivers to make the onboard audio chip work etc. But then it's up to the motherboard manufacturers to decide whether it's worth licensing it or not, probably most doesn't think it's worth the cost yet.

[RPGWiZaRD]

Hmmmm.... my onboard audio madventures continues... I was very pleased and even surprised when I fired up this VI Gene board to hear NO EMI noise AT ALL even at max amp volume it was dead silent when browing around the internet.

But then I started listening to the audio quality of the VI Gene and I'm not very happy, it's kind of muffled, both compared to ASRock Z87 Extreme6 and the old ALC889A chip on my Gigabyte P55-UD5, missing some sparkle and mids too, very bass dominant and not of overly good quality either. It's like even bassier than a SoundBlaster ZxR that I already thought was on the bassy side....

[Eldonko]

I thought mem timings were locked and not adjustable in windows regardless of software. Raja can you confirm?

I saw Andre used older MemTweakIt 1.02 the drop down arrows are not greyed out maybe this particular version can adjust timings in OS?

Where can I get the v1.02?

[andressergio]

I saw Andre used older MemTweakIt 1.02 the drop down arrows are not greyed out maybe this particular version can adjust timings in OS?



Where can I get the v1.02?

Wow would be nice to have that

[andressergio]

I am using M6E BIOS 0711.

After I have already set this and F10 out of BIOS I have noticed that when I go back into BIOS and I change my CPU Vcore value it changes my CPU CORE RATIO from PER CORE back to SYNC ALL CORES then I have to go back and change it back to PER CORE. When you change it back my CPU RATIO LIMIT blanked out for all four cores and I had to put those values back in.

Is this a bug in the BIOS because I do not think that settings in BIOS should change on there own!

0711 ??? latests is 0038 and before is 0035 if im wrong somebody correct me plz

[Raja@ASUS]

I thought mem timings were locked and not adjustable in windows regardless of software. Raja can you confirm?

They are locked. Those drop down boxes do nothing.

[RPGWiZaRD]

Seems now I managed to get a very satisfying sound. I was earlier connecting front panel via AC97 config instead of the HD Audio (stripped off another front panel from a case I had lying around). Now as I got the front panel rerouting speaker window functioning if I select "front speakers" as the connected device (not headphones! even if I'm using that) it to me sounds very nice. Connecting as headphone it removes a slight amount highs amount and just makes it more muffled sounding (bass also looses slight texture) and it very slightly hurts soundstage as well. All is fine though if using "Front speakers" as connected device. Now I've got a very clear sound with veeeerry wide & deep soundstage, something even the expensive SoundBlaster ZxR card can't touch!! :P

Using 5.1 speakers (all checkboxes disabled in speaker config), in levels tab (windows control panel when right clicking the audio device -> properties), "front" slider set to 98% (for slightly less "in-your-face soundstage and clearer sound) and then connected device at the front panel as "Front speakers". This seems to be the very ideal config when using headphones if you just want maximum possible sound quality. If you are using headphones, I'd give this a try, very impressive sound quality right there with some mad soundstaging which I've not experienced yet with 3rd party soundcards (why I'm using onboard). ;p

EDIT: Still slightly unsure, the mids especially seem slightly too laid-back (since I will be using WASAPI a lot of times EQing won't then work either). Maybe I have to go back to the ASRock mobo, it was better balanced to my ears, shame about the EMI noise though but it was low enough if configured amp volume low. Will definitely miss all nice ASUS software though But audio comes as priority #1 though as I promote and master a lot of newcomer hardstyle producer's tracks.

[owikh84]

ASUS guys,

The Impact can't boot at 3000 with straps 125 & 100 but it was working with 3250 strap 125.
I'm using the CFR TridentX 2800 11-13-13 2x4GB and BIOS 0401 & 0038.

M6I: 3250 12-15-15-25-2T @ 1.75v


M6E booted fine @ 3000 with strap 125 and 100. But not 3250.

M6E: 3000 12-14-14-25-2T @ 1.65v


btw, please feel free to read my reviews on M6E and M6I here:
ASUS Maximus VI Extreme - Performance Test
ASUS Maximus VI Impact - Performance Test

[owikh84]

Team Xtreem 2666C11 (Hynix-MFR) @ 3466MHz 12-16-15-35-1T @ 1.955v on ASUS Maximus VI Impact | CPU water / RAM air