ASRock X99 OC FORMULA/3.1 (Intel LGA 2011-3)

[cadaveca]

ASRock's updated X99 OC FORMULA is here, now called the ASRock OC FORMULA/3.1. Fitted with the latest in USB technology, the ASRock X99 OC FORMULA/3.1 is ASRock's top-level overclocking board built to smash clock records time and again. USB 3.1 isn't everything: we've got SATA Express, Ultra M.2, Xeon, and ECC support - every high-speed item you could ask for when overclocking X99 is here.

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[Ferrum Master]

What's with the memory latency? You sure the timings actually stuck?

 

[JBVertexx]

Am I missing something? I'm not seeing where you show overclocking?

 

[L|NK|N]

When I first saw the review image on the front page for this review, I thought I had traveled back in time about ten-twleve years. I thought it was an old AMD DFI Lanparty motherboard. Man the good ol' days were fun. First class review as always, Dave.

 

[Farmer Boe]

Dave, why do you suspect the memory performance is consistently lower compared to other boards? Maybe the secondaries are looser to allow for higher (LN2) frequencies? Also, I didn't spot the overclocking section in the review.

Love your mobo reviews so keep up the good work.

 

[cadaveca]

Am I missing something? I'm not seeing where you show overclocking?

I don't overclocking reporting on X99 due to the socket fiasco, and due to the fact that the users with X99 are not likely to OC seriously enough to warrant me spending hours developing coverage.

But mostly it is due to the OC socket. ASRock's BIOSes have never been as "hand-tuned" as some other brands, so while the board is capable, it does take some serious work on my end. CPU quality is pretty varied, too, throwing a wrench in the works. I have two 5930K CPUs to test with, and I simply verify that maximum OC is reached. As reported in the review, this board does not scale the NB frequency as well as some others.

What's with the memory latency? You sure the timings actually stuck?

Yep, I am sure things are working right, but by default this board does not have balanced RTL. It is likely down to that.

Am I missing something? I'm not seeing where you show overclocking?

See above. Also, until I have open access to CPUs like some other sites, pushing systems hard is something I cannot risk, since replacement CPUs cost at least $750 locally. I've already killed 3 CPUs and cannot afford more.

Also consider that a proper board and chip to OC, as well as a memory kit, costs nearly 2,000 CAD before you add in GPUs. If you are spending that sort of money to OC, what I report on a review for OC isn't going to matter, since I am always open to answering questions.

 

[Ferrum Master]

I've already killed 3 CPUs and cannot afford more.

How? How did you manage to do that?

 

[cadaveca]

How? How did you manage to do that?

Some CPUs are quite robust... others... not so much. Honestly, though, it was while playing with OC socket investigations and CPU cache scaling.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Some CPUs are quite robust... others... not so much. Honestly, though, it was while playing with OC socket investigations and CPU cache scaling.

oh the LGA2011v3 only then? I'll keep that in mind.

 

[JBVertexx]

I have been looking at this board. It is the only one that offers both of the following scenarios: (1) Dual GPU x16/x16 with enough extra spacing in between the slots for cooling AND (2) Triple GPU x8/x8/x8 plus x4 m.2 with a 5820K CPU.

The MSI X99 SLI Plus offers both options as well, but the Dual GPU x16/x16 slots are next to each other, or you can run x16/x8 with the additional spacing.

 

[Deleted member 138597]

I would ask about the OC results, but that has been answered. Anyway, nice review though.

Seems like ASRock lists out MSI, ASUS and GIGABYTE's BIOSes, gives it a good stir, adds some magic of their own, and wala! their ASRock BIOS.
What I mean actually is, ASRock's BIOS, while standing out from the competition, seems more like a mixture of MSI and ASUS's BIOS layout and a bit of GIGABYTE's too. I certainly don't mean this is something a deal breaker, or should be labeled as "bad" or pointing fingers towards ASRock for this.

That Nick Shih OC profile (along with DRAM OC profile) is a very unique and nice touch. Love it! This is making me wonder if EVGA's KPE GPUs have Vince Lucido's (aka, K|NGP|IN) OC profile! I liked this feature the most apart from every other "features" of this board, and very handy for people wanting real deal OC with not so much of experience to do by themselves, tweaking down to the granular level. Would've loved some OC results with these two "lovely" features.

Say, I've heard ASRock cheats on voltages and timings. Did you notice anything about that Dave?

And also, do the bundled features feel like bloatwares or sorts or are real deal?

 

[cadaveca]

oh the LGA2011v3 only then? I'll keep that in mind.

I do quite purposefully push CPUs until they degrade or die, so I know how far to push when doing reviews. I've killed at least one on every platform in the past 10 years or so.

I would ask about the OC results, but that has been answered. Anyway, nice review though.

Seems like ASRock lists out MSI, ASUS and GIGABYTE's BIOSes, gives it a good stir, adds some magic of their own, and wala! their ASRock BIOS.
What I mean actually is, ASRock's BIOS, while standing out from the competition, seems more like a mixture of MSI and ASUS's BIOS layout and a bit of GIGABYTE's too. I certainly don't mean this is something a deal breaker, or should be labeled as "bad" or pointing fingers towards ASRock for this.

That Nick Shih OC profile (along with DRAM OC profile) is a very unique and nice touch. Love it! This is making me wonder if EVGA's KPE GPUs have Vince Lucido's (aka, K|NGP|IN) OC profile! I liked this feature the most apart from every other "features" of this board, and very handy for people wanting real deal OC with not so much of experience to do by themselves, tweaking down to the granular level. Would've loved some OC results with these two "lovely" features.

Say, I've heard ASRock cheats on voltages and timings. Did you notice anything about that Dave?

And also, do the bundled features feel like bloatwares or sorts or are real deal?

I will do OC reporting when time permits. Currently I have other projects taking up my time. I have gathered quite the collection of benchmarks and info to share.

I did not find anything "suspect" when pushing the OC FORMULA/3.1. "Cheating" is word that I'd never use, since any differences between products are usually easily explained by circuit analysis. Any other "FUD" that comes from the "pro-OC" crowd, to me, is not worth paying any attention too, since that style of PC enthusiast has very different needs from the majority of users, and that's just life. I believe there is very good reason why that side of the industry isn't getting as much focus as of late, but at the same time, I do see the need for that segment of the market, too. Heck, I love pushing ram as hard as possible, but I was talking about twcl and such long before those guys were (it's even part of one of my reviews), so to me, they are a bit behind the game, so to speak.

 

[Athlonite]

The Audio is crap my shitty old PCIe Xfi xtreme audio gets excellent across the board and the realtek ALC1150 can't even keep up with that

 

[cadaveca]

The Audio is crap my shitty old PCIe Xfi xtreme audio gets excellent across the board and the realtek ALC1150 can't even keep up with that

How you test things and how I test things is not equal. I have tested so many boards now... maybe 100+. Audio is fine on this board. The hate is interesting, though.

 

[Athlonite]

How you test things and how I test things is not equal. I have tested so many boards now... maybe 100+. Audio is fine on this board. The hate is interesting, though.

There's no hate cad just a fact that for a vastly newer chip than the xfi xtreme audio I would have thought it would perform better considering the xtreme audio is not really an Xfi at all and as for the testing I used the latest version of RMAA to test the audio the same as you did

 

[cadaveca]

There's no hate cad just a fact that for a vastly newer chip than the xfi xtreme audio I would have thought it would perform better considering the xtreme audio is not really an Xfi at all and as for the testing I used the latest version of RMAA to test the audio the same as you did

View attachment 66847

you used a loopback cable? You have the same cable I do; the same version of software? You tested at same volume level? There are many different ways to test using RMAA.

I have been asked my a couple of OEMs to change to their method, which gives similar results to what you have there. The point in testing is to expose weakness so they can be improved, not show things in their best light always.