Alas! We've all been through this before, through the everlasting pain and beset by the agony of waiting forever and ever. Beneath years of tears and doubt, it takes patience to wait for that special silver lining, and so is the long anticipated AMD FM2+ series. Although the new FM2+ "Kaveri" APUs will not be available until next year, AMD fans can still get the latest ASRock FM2+ motherboards that also support FM2 APUs first right now, and then wait for the upcoming FM2+ APUs, but don't hold your breath.

ASRock's first FM2+ motherboard, FM2A88X Extreme6+ is based on AMD's most high end A88X chipset, and as aforementioned, the socket will support both FM2+ and FM2 APUs. Major improvements for this next generation AMD motherboard includes support for PCIe Gen 3.0 with FM2+ APUs, Quad Monitor from the onboard DVI, D-Sub, HDMI, DisplayPort connectors, Dual channel DDR3 DIMMs that can reach up to 2600+MHz. And then there's also AMD Radeon HD 8000/7000 Series graphics with DX11.1, Japan made premium gold capacitors, Digi Power and 8+2 power phase design.

ASRock unveiled its first socket FM2+ motherboards, ready for the upcoming A-Series "Kaveri" APUs, and backwards-compatible with A-Series "Richland" and "Trinity" ones. Among the most notable of ASRock's FM2+ products are the FM2A88X-Extreme6+ and the FM2A88M-Extreme4+. The former is a feature-rich ATX form-factor offering, while the latter isn't too far behind with its feature-set, albeit in the micro-ATX form-factor. The FM2A88X-Extreme6+ features a 10-phase VRM to power the APU socket, which is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (electrical x8/x8 when both are populated). A third PCI-Express x16 is electrical gen 2.0 x4, and wired to the A88X FCH. Two each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and legacy PCI make for the rest of the expansion.

Storage connectivity on the FM2A88X-Extreme6+ includes seven SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and one eSATA 6 Gb/s. Display connectivity includes dual-link DVI, DisplayPort 1.2, and possibly HDMI 2.0. 8-channel HD audio with optical SPDIF output, gigabit Ethernet, and six USB 3.0 ports. Moving on, the FM2A88M-Extreme4+ features a simpler 6-phase VRM for the APU socket, which is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, and a single PCI-Express 3.0 x16. The other long slot is electrical gen 2.0 x4. One each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI make for the rest of its expansion. Display connectivity includes dual-link DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI (2.0?). Four USB 3.0 ports, 8-channel HD audio, and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of it.

The world's leading motherboard brand ASRock today announced the winner list of the 8 Series OC Competition with HWBOT, sponsored by Intel, Kingston, Antec, Nvidia and Gainward. Two contestants broke the record for the highest Haswell CPU frequency and both crossed the threshold of 7.1GHz, which is also the only two in the world to exceeded 7.1GHz for the time being. The final champion of CPU-Z, Dfordog (China) reached an all-time high CPU-Z score of 7.13609 GHz with ASRock Z87 OC Formula and Intel Core i7 4770K Haswell CPU and won the bonus prize of USD1,000.

Besides the incredible result in the CPU-Z category, the final champion of memory clock CherV (Hong Kong) created a stunning score of 2155.7 MHz which ranks second on the worldwide memory frequency chart. The contest successfully generated awesome OC results with ASRock 8 series motherboards: Five scores entering the top 10 Haswell CPU frequency scores, two scores entering the HWBOT Super Pi 32M Hall of Fame and three scores entering the HWBOT Memory Clock Hall of Fame. The final and bi-weekly champions either utilized ASRock Z87 OC Formula or Z87M OC Formula, which strongly corroborates the power of Z87 OC Formula Series, regardless the form factor.

Wouldn't it be great if your computer's CPU could be pushed over 5Ghz with no sweat? Unfortunately, not all CPUs are packed with enough punch to deliver insanely high frequencies. Moreover, you can't expect all motherboards to withstand such overwhelming power and heat. Luckily, AMD has just released its 5GHz FX-9000 Series CPUs and a list of minimum system requirements for building an AMD certified 5GHz computing monster, and ASRock's 990FX Extreme9 is no doubt one of the best choices for this arduous yet rewarding task.

It isn't easy to be enlisted in the AMD FX 5 GHz support list. ASRock's flagship model 990FX Extreme9 has passed several tests to determine its build quality, and also proved itself worthy of recommendation through various benchmark tests. With a 990FX Extreme9 motherboard and AMD FX-9590 processor, first we've reached a high score of 8.55 on Cinebench R11.5, which is a whopping 25% increase compared to the former FX-8350! Next in line, 990FX Extreme9 passed Super PI 1MB test by 18.377 seconds. And then it rocketed up to 18894 points on PC Mark Vantage's PC Mark score, summing up to a huge 15.31% boost, and rocked PC Mark 8 (Home score) with 4777 points. Lastly the VGA performance was satisfying too, with a total of p38038 points on 3D Mark Vantage (Performance).

ASRock unveiled the H87E-ITX/ac, its first mini-ITX motherboard featuring 802.11ac WLAN. Based on Intel's H87 Express chipset, the board seats Core "Haswell" processors in the LGA1150 package. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning it for the CPU with a 4-phase VRM. Up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory is supported through a pair of conventional 240-pin DIMM slots. A PCI-Express 3.0 x16 makes for the board's lone expansion slot, aside from the mPCIe that's populated by the WLAN card.

Connectivity on the H87E-ITX/ac include 802.11ac WLAN, based on Intel's i217V chipset, offering up to 867 Mbps of wireless bandwidth, gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth 4.0. It makes use of all SATA channels of the H87 PCH, offering five internal SATA 6 Gb/s, and an eSATA 6 Gb/s. 8-channel HD audio based on Realtek ALC1150 CODEC, with optical SPDIF, four USB 3.0 ports, a pair of USB 2.0/1.1 ports; and display connectivity that includes one each of DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI, make for the rest of it. ASRock will begin shipping the board a little later this week.

Who ever said that only K series CPUs and the Z-family platform are capable of being overclocked? The avant-garde company ASRock has broken this limitation with an exciting new feature named Non-Z OC! Via this feature overclockers may install their K series CPUs to ASRock's Fatal1ty H87 Performance or any other H87 B85 chipset motherboards and start overclocking immediately!

The first ASRock motherboard that implements the Non-Z OC feature is Fatal1ty H87 Performance, which is also the H87 motherboard with the most number of power phases in the market currently. Along with its powerful 8 Power Phase design, the CPU frequency can be effortlessly overclocked up to 26%! Simply update to the latest version of our UEFI, then you'll find the Non-Z OC feature sitting in the OC Tweaker page, select a frequency from a couple of preset settings, restart, kick back to enjoy your drink and voila!

Accidents happen, especially when you try to avoid them. But rest assured that ASRock's latest ATX sized OC Formula Series motherboards, including Z87 OC Formula/ac (with 802.11ac WiFi support) and Z87 OC Formula are protected by a special layer of Conformal Coating. As you've probably already heard, Conformal Coating protects the motherboards from conductive liquids, dust, corrosion and extreme temperatures*. And if you still feel skeptical about the lifespan of your overclocking oriented motherboards, fear not! ASRock guarantees 5 year warranty!

ASRock's Z87 OC Formula/ac and Z87 OC Formula are designed by the world famous overclocker Nick Shih. These two motherboards possess both hardware and software features for extreme overclocking, and they are also fully loaded with a set of lifestyle based features named A-Style. ASRock provides the five year warranty package as long as the malfunctions and defects occur under normal use conditions and aren't caused by misuse or abnormal operations**. If unfortunately the motherboard cannot be repaired, ASRock will replace the product with equivalent or next generation products.

The one and only ace of overclocking Nick Shih continues to push DDR3 memory frequencies to new boundaries which no man has ever set foot on. He has reached a ludicrous DDR3 4285.6MHz with ASRock's Z87M OC Formula, the micro sized Z87 motherboard he designed specifically for overclocking, and it all happened on this year's overclocking show at COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2013.

ASRock's Z87M OC Formula meets Team Group Xtreem-LV-2666! Nick Shih tops the memory clock world record with an unbelievable DDR3 4285.6MHz score (validation). The masterpiece is done by the world's best overclocking team : Nick Shih, HKEPC's John Lam and Splave.

Premium socket LGA1150 motherboards shipping with Thunderbolt connectivity hardly surprise us, yet ASRock managed to do so, with a nifty little addition to its functionality. The company's Thunderbolt-equipped motherboards, namely Z87-Extreme4 TB4, Z87-Extreme9/ac and Z87-Extreme11/ac, feature a full-size DisplayPort input in addition to two Thunderbolt ports that each double up as mini-DisplayPort outputs wired to the processor's integrated graphics. This allows you to install a discrete graphics card of your choice, wire its DisplayPort output to the board's input, and get its digital display output relayed through the Thunderbolt ports, using which you can daisy-chain your high-resolution display with other high-bandwidth devices. On its specs sheets, ASRock is dubbing this implementation as an "experimental feature," and isn't making a song-and-dance about it. In any case, it sure gives ASRock a sharp edge over Thunderbolt-equipped motherboards from other brands, and in our opinion, is the best implementation of Thunderbolt to date.

ASRock Z87-Extreme11/ac motherboard can connect to no less than 22 drives over its six SATA 6 Gb/s, and sixteen SAS3 ports, so why not show it off? It's just that ASRock chose 22 Plextor M5 Pro SSDs, which make for a creepy cemetery-like sight. Sadly, they couldn't give us performance numbers because the 22 drives aren't exactly striped across in any RAID configuration, but at least you know you can take something like this to your next Left4Dead LAN, and pull crowds. It's not just the drives, ASRock also fitted the board with four Radeon HD 7970 cards in CrossFireX, maxed out the memory, and wired the board to its Wi-SD box accessory, a 3.5-inch front-panel that features the board's WiFi+Bluetooth antenna, a couple of USB 3.0 ports, and a multi-format card reader.

Take a good minute to reminisce all the joy and fun you had on the internet. Good times, I tell you. Then take another solid minute to recollect those dark depressing moments when the connection was either slow or unstable. Images turning into rectangles with red crosses, laggy videos that took forever to load, downloads that tragically failed at the last few seconds, and it all seemed like the world was coming to an end. Rest assured that ASRock is bringing better Internet connections to the upcoming Intel 8 Series motherboards with A-Style: 2T2R Dual Band 802.11ac WiFi + Bluetooth v4.0.

If you've been following news of computing technologies, you've probably already noticed the presence of Thunderbolt technology. Now the maestros of motherboard manufacturing, ASRock is the world's first to add more of these wonderful Thunderbolt ports to the upcoming Intel 8 Series motherboards! What's more, the company's top-of-the-line Z87 Extreme9/ac motherboard is the world's first Intel 8 Series motherboard to pass the Intel Thunderbolt certification.

These Thunderbolt ports will come on ASRock's Z87 Extreme9/ac, which are allegedly arriving to the market very soon, along with dozens of other exciting new features, such as ASRock's A-Style. So, if you're looking forward to build a solid next gen desktop rig with insanely fast data transfer abilities and innovative new software or hardware features, keep your eyes open for this bad boy.

Among the pile of new features motherboard makers are coming up with, for their next-generation socket LGA1150 motherboards, this one from ASRock is bound to stand out. Select ASRock 8-series motherboards will feature water-proofing. Why do you need it? Because the enthusiast crowd likes to use water-cooling, and custom-built water-cooling loops are prone to leaks and spills, if not done right. Water-proofing ensures the board is more resilient to coolant spills. ASRock doesn't guarantee protection from all kinds of liquid coolants, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Other innovations by ASRock include enhanced onboard audio, HDMI in (for video recording), 802.11 ac WLAN, and HomeCloud software.

ASRock is serious about breaking the 1 million motherboards-shipped mark for this year. The company is going into the emerging Intel Z87 chipset-based socket LGA1150 motherboard market with an extremely strong lineup covering a wide range of price-points. The company is preparing as many as three OC series models, two Fatal1ty series ones, and six Extreme series models. A defining feature of ASRock's lineup is the introduction of onboard 802.11 ac WLAN controllers on select models. The "/ac" brand extension denotes this feature.

Three of the company's top models based on the Z87 Express chipset include the Z87 Extreme11, Z87 Fatal1ty Professional, and Z87 OC Formula. The Z87 Extreme11, available with the /ac option, is the company's flagship socket LGA1150 motherboard, maxing out the platform's feature-set, and augmenting it with an additional PCI-Express lane budget, Thunderbolt, 802.11 ac, and a plethora of connectivity options. The Extreme series targets consumers who want the most connectivity. Other models in the series include the Z87 Extreme 9(/ac), Z87 Extreme6(/ac), Z87 Extreme 4, and the micro-ATX Z87M Extreme4.

Onboard audio solutions, an essential yet long-overlooked part of computing, especially in this era of rich multimedia contents. In the past, the quality of these onboard audio solutions has been loathed by music lovers, while countless audiophiles mourned over bleeding ears caused by distortion. Woe no more! Everyone can dry their eyes now, because ASRock is here with music to your ears. ASRock's 8 Series motherboards will be packed with a set of various new features with the code name A-Style, which includes Purity Sound, a revolutionary audio solution for people who take audio seriously.

Purity Sound is a combination of several hardware, software audio solutions and technologies that will satisfy even the pickiest audiophiles. Including 7.1 CH HD audio with Realtek ALC1150 audio codec that supports 115dB SNR DAC, and two TI NE5532 amplifiers, one is a Differential Amplifier and the other one is a Premium Headset Amplifier which supports up to 600 ohm headphones. And there's also cap less Direct Drive technology, EMI shielding cover, PCB isolate shielding and support for DTS Connect.

Noctua today announced the availability of an alternative mounting option for its NH-L9a low profile heatsink. The new option does not make use of a backplate and thus now permits to install the NH-L9a on AMD mainboards that have components in the area at the rear side that is reserved for the backplate in the AMD specifications. The new mounting parts will be provided to NH-L9a users free of charge.

"The SecuFirm2 mounting system of the NH-L9a complies strictly to the AMD specifications and guarantees 100% compatibility with mainboards that follow these specifications", explains Mag. Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "We've been overwhelmed with the great press and customer feedback on this cooler, but unfortunately, some mini-ITX mainboards do not follow the AMD specifications, so the NH-L9a could not be installed on these. We have now designed an alternative mounting option and will provide the new parts to customers who need it free of charge."

Even though nothing much about ASRock's next generation Intel 8 Series motherboards can be revealed yet, we simply can't restrain ourselves from spilling out the good news that ASRock's Z87 Extreme4 is the world's first Intel 8 Series motherboard to pass Windows 8 hardware certification. So, yeah, users may be ensured that ASRock's Z87 Extreme4 will support the latest operating system from Microsoft without any problems, and bear in mind that it's coming to you real soon.

ASRock is always striving for the most advanced hardware designs, as well as the latest software applications. The company is dedicated to offer users only the best cutting edge technology, which of course includes the latest Windows 8 operating system. Why settle for second place when you can be number one? Be the first to lay your hands on the 8 Series computers with ASRock.

EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manucturer, is proud to introduce the company's first full-board water block for ASRock motherboard - the Z77 Extreme11. EK-FB ASR Z77 Extreme11 water block is a complete liquid cooling solution for ASRock Z77 Extreme11 motherboard. This water blocks directly cools Intel Z77 southbridge (PCH), PLX PEX 8474 PCIe lane splitter, LSI SAS2308 control hub as well as power regulation (VRM / MOSFETs) module. It is a high flow water block that can be easily used with systems using weaker water pumps.

Base of the waterblock is made of nickel plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality POM Acetal material. The sealing is performed by quality rubber gaskets. The nickel plated brass screw-in standoffs are already preinstalled and allow for easy and trouble-free installation.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC hardware market, today announced new Vengeance Extreme 8GB dual-channel DDR3 memory kits rated at 3000MHz, the world's fastest rated production PC memory kits. Fitted with low profile "racing red" heat spreaders, the new 2x4GB memory kits operate at 3000 MHz air-cooled, with latency settings of 12-14-14-36, at 1.65V. A Kingpin Cooling memory cooler is included for overclockers who want to use LN2 (liquid nitrogen) to reach memory speeds well beyond 3000 MHz.

The extreme-speed 3000 MHz rating of the Vengeance Extreme memory kits is the result of a rigorous internal four-stage hand-screening process performed by Corsair engineers. This process is passed by fewer than one in 50 memory ICs. Performance qualification is performed on select Intel Z77 based motherboards, including the ASUS P8Z77-I DELUXE and ASRock Z77 OC Formula. To hit their rated speeds, the modules require a 3rd Generation Intel Core unlocked processor with an Integrated Memory Controller capable of running 3000 MHz.

Apart from motherboards, the only big product segment ASRock made a name for itself is with pre-built mini-PCs. The company wants to put its experience to good use by cashing in for the market's newfound love for compact (mini-ITX) gaming PCs, the ones that save precious real-estate on congested living room TV racks and dorm rooms. Pictured below is the company's first such effort, timed with the launch of Intel's next-generation Core "Haswell" processor, and supporting socket LGA1150 platform based on Z87 Express chipset.

There are three components to ASRock's creation: a unique SFF case, co-designed by BMW Design; the ASRock Z87E-ITX motherboard, and a GeForce GTX 680 graphics card. The case looks pretty slick, coming from BMW. It stays slim by using a PCI-Express riser, allowing you to install graphics cards along the plane of the motherboard. The Z87-E ITX, like most efforts by ASRock in the past, is extremely feature-rich for its size. It uses a 6-phase VRM to power the LGA1150 CPU, features two DDR3 DIMM slots, PCI-Express 3.0 x16 and mini-PCIe 2.0, for the WLAN+Bluetooth card.

Here is the first selection of ASRock socket LGA1150 motherboards, pictured at the 2013 CeBIT expo being held in Hanover, Germany. Intel's 4th generation Core "Haswell" desktop processor family introduces the new 1150-pin LGA socket and Intel 8-series chipset, to form the platform. An upgrade to to "Haswell" processors should hence also involve buying new motherboards. Top-two motherboard manufacturers ASUS and GIGABYTE reportedly lack booths at CeBIT, leaving only the rest to show off their LGA1150 goods. This first compilation includes boards by ASRock and BIOSTAR. The boards are also a little rough on the edges, as their component/PCB color schemes, heatsinks, etc., haven't been finalized.

ASRock unveiled two LGA1150 motherboard models, the entry-level B85M, and the high-end Z87-Extreme6 (pictured in that order). The B85M, based on the chipset that succeeds today's small business-optimized B75 chipset, is a compact micro-ATX motherboard. It features just the two DDR3 DIMM slots, an expansion area with a PCI-Express 3.0 x16, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), and two legacy PCI slots. Connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, 8-channel HD audio, four USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet; DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI display outputs, legacy connections such as COM/LPT over headers, and PS/2 mouse/keyboard connectors.

In addition to the FM2A85X-ITX, ASRock expanded its socket FM2 motherboard lineup with the FM2A85X Pro. This slim ATX form-factor motherboard, as the name suggests, is based on AMD A85X chipset, supporting socket FM2 APUs. By ATX standards, the board has a very slim feature-set, which should keep its price considerably low. To begin with, the FM2 socket is powered by a cost-effective 5-phase VRM, which draws power from an 8-pin EPS connector. It is wired to just two DDR3 DIMM slots (32 GB max., dual-channel DDR3-1866); and a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 connector.

In addition to a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 that's wired to the APU, the FM2A85X-ITX features another long slot, only this one is electrical 2.0 x4, and wired to the A85X FCH. Three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and two legacy PCI make for the rest of the expansion slot area. The board features a total of eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports, but are spread apart in two clumps of four ports each. Connectivity is pretty basic: dual-link DVI, D-Sub, four USB 3.0 ports (two rear, two by header), 6-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, PS/2 mouse and keyboard; and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports. We expect this one to go for around $80, if not less.

In what could bring an ear-to-ear grin on DIY NAS/home-server builders, ASRock launched the industry's first mini-ITX motherboard with a total of eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports (of which one is eSATA 6 Gb/s). The new FM2A85X-ITX, as the name suggests, is a socket FM2 motherboard based on the AMD A85X chipset, in the mini-ITX form-factor. Everything on this board is just where you'd want it to be: the centrally-located APU socket is powered by a fairly strong 6-phase VRM, which along with ancillary phases, draws power from 24-pin ATX and 4-pin CPU power connectors.

The APU socket, which supports today's AMD A-series "Trinity" APUs, and likely tomorrow's A-series "Richland" APUs, is wired to two DDR3-DIMM slots supporting a maximum of 32 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 memory; and the lone expansion slot, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16. The AMD A85X FCH wires out seven internal SATA 6 Gb/s ports (with RAID 0/1/10 support), and an eSATA 6 Gb/s port. Display connectivity includes one each of dual-link DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. The board features a total of four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers). Gigabit Ethernet, 8-channel HD audio, PS/2 keyboard, and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports make for the rest of the connectivity. The ASRock FM2A85X-ITX is expected to be priced around US $110.

One of the last few bastions where growth prospects of the PC industry are stable, China, will see motherboard makers ASRock and MSI eke it out, for market supremacy. According to industry observer DigiTimes, the two companies, which are the third and fourth biggest players in the motherboard industry, respectively, lagged behind industry leaders ASUS and Gigabyte, and as such hedging their bets on the Chinese market.

MSI held a marketing conference in Kunshan, in which is reportedly laid out a strategy to increase motherboard shipments this year from 5 million to 6-6.5 million this year. ASRock, on the other hand, held overclocking competitions in China, to spice up its credentials as a high-quality board maker, in an effort to raise its annual board shipments number to 9 million.

Leading motherboard manufacturer ASRock has announced today the debut of its most deluxe motherboard of the AM3+ Series - introducing ASRock 990FX Extreme9. Even though packed with the same chipset, this motherboard has added multitudes of features to stir up anticipation for the AMD product lines. Features such as premium gold caps, rock steady power phase design, top notch Intel gigabit LAN solution and also the ASRock exclusive X-Boost for easy and efficient overclocking.

ASRock 990FX Extreme9 is composed by the most luxurious hardware components. It uses AMD 990FX and SB950 chipsets and supports AM3+ processors with up to eight cores, the CPU is provided with high quality power solutions. Premium gold caps that extend the motherboard's life span 2.5 times longer than usual, Digi Power for smoother CPU Vcore voltages, 12+2 power phase design for stable performance and revolutionary Dual-Stack MOSFET for larger die area, lower Rds(on) and better CPU Vcore power efficiency.