Here are some of the first pictures of the ASUS' high-end Republic of Gamers (ROG) Maximus XII family of socket LGA1200 motherboards based on Intel Z490 chipset. The lineup consists of an impressive 5 SKUs: ROG Maximus XII Extreme and Extreme Glacial (M12E); ROG Maximus XII Formula (M12F), ROG Maximus XII Hero WiFi (M12H), and the ROG Maximus XII Apex (M12A). The Maximus XII Extreme leads the pack with its 16-phase VRM that probably uses 90 A power stages. It includes Thunderbolt 3 and 10 GbE support. The Glacial version is possibly a combination of cosmetic- and functional changes (such as preparation for sub-zero cooling).

The Maximus XII Formula is the go-to board for overclockers with elaborate liquid-cooling setups. The board comes with liquid-cooling ready VRM heatsinks. Compared to the Extreme, the Formula loses out on Thunderbolt, but retains 10 GbE. The Maximus XII Hero (WiFi) is next in line, and somehow better endowed than the Maximus XII Apex, in featuring an 8-layer PCB like the Extreme and the Formula; and a combination of 5 GbE and 1 GbE networking. The Maximus XII Apex comes with a 6-layer PCB, a single 2.5 GbE connection, but somehow a similar CPU VRM configuration to the Extreme. This is probably how the Apex could end up pricier than the Hero. Find specific details in the specs sheet below.

EK Water Blocks, premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer from Europe, is releasing a second Intel LGA1151 socket based monoblock from the Quantum Line. The EK-Momentum Maximus XI Hero is tailor-made for the ROG Maximus XI Hero motherboard. The monoblock is equipped with a 3-pin D-RGB LED strip and it offers unparallel aesthetical customization alongside superior performance with VRM cooling. The RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS AURA RGB control, thus offering a full lighting customization experience for every single diode separately!

EK Water Blocks, premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer from Europe, is releasing a new Intel LGA1151 socket based monoblock from the Quantum Line. The EK-Momentum Maximus XI Extreme is tailor-made for the ROG Maximus XI Extreme motherboard. The monoblock is equipped with a 3-pin D-RGB LED strip and it offers unparallel aesthetical customization alongside superior performance with VRM cooling. The RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS AURA RGB control, thus offering a full lighting customization experience for every single diode separately.

This is a complete all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for motherboards that supports the 8th and 9th generation of Intel Core processors. It is compatible with the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Extreme Z390 motherboard. Designed and engineered in cooperation with ASUS , this monoblock uses the latest generation of EK cooling engine used on the Quantum lineup to ensure the best possible CPU cooling while not reducing flow to other components. This water block directly cools the LGA1151 socket type CPU, as well as the voltage regulation (MOSFET) module.

Almost exactly one year after introducing six-core Coffee Lake processors alongside Z370 motherboards, Intel is back with more cores, higher clocks and the new Z390 chipset. The new 9th Generation Intel Core processor family offers up to eight cores and 16 threads of parallel processing horsepower that's perfect for content creation, heavy multitasking, and other demanding workloads. With clock speeds as high as 5GHz on the flagship Core i9-9900K, these new processors also raise the bar for gaming performance, especially if you're streaming, recording, and chatting simultaneously.

ASUS is excited to support this new generation of Intel processors with a wide variety of new motherboards based on the Intel Z390 chipset. The collection is led by a diverse cast from the Republic of Gamers that elevates gaming and overclocking to new heights. ROG Strix offers more streamlined alternatives that include a mighty Mini-ITX model, while TUF Gaming focuses on the essentials to hit more affordable price points. Outside the gaming sphere, the Prime family serves up signature ASUS features in a professional package, and the WS sets the stage for serious workstations and prosumer builds.

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between thie Maximus IX Hero and the Code stands in that the Hero is absent from the Code's PCB front shielding, the 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11 AC WI-FI capabilities, as well as the and USB 2.0 (2+4) front panel connectors, putting it in an even lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing (though, being part of the ROG line, that doesn't mean it will be cheap).

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between the ROG Maximus IX Code and the IX Formula stands in that the Code is absent from the Formula's integrated water-cooling solution, which puts it in a somewhat lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing.

With the ever-closer release of Intel's Kaby Lake family of CPUs, details and leaks are becoming more and more difficult to stem. As such, the ASUS ROG Maximus IX Formula, ASUS's high-end offering for the Z270 chipset and LGA 1151 socket, has been detailed.

The board features the ATX form factor, with the solid red and black colors that are ROG's identity, with red LEDs spread throughout the board - part of the new Aura RGB lightning which offers 3+2 independent on-board LED areas that can be customized by users. The board comes with a 8+2+2 Phase Digital power design that features 10K black metallic capacitors, MicroFine Alloy Chokes, NexFET PW (Power) block MOSFET and DIGI+ Power Control Utility for real-time adjustments. All of these components are part of the new ASUS Extreme Engine Digi+ technology that improves CPU stability and overclocking, with power being fed through a single 8-Pin connector.

SUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VIII Formula, a Z170 Express chipset-based ATX gaming motherboard with exclusive CrossChill EK cooling, epic aesthetics and strength with Aura RGB lighting and ROG Armor, and 5-Way Optimization, Intel Gigabit Ethernet and LANGuard to deliver game-conquering performance.

Equipped with an LGA1151 socket and optimized to unleash the maximum performance of 6th-generation Intel Core ('Skylake') processors and DDR4 memory, Maximus VIII Formula is also engineered with champion-level SupremeFX 2015 audio technology to elevate even the smallest in-game sound details - making every battle arena sound as real as life.

ASUS announced the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Maximus VIII Hero Alpha. This socket LGA1151 motherboard, based on Intel Z170 Express chipset, is what the company claims to be the first with native support for multi-color RGB LED headers. The board features an RGB LED controller with a Windows app that lets you set RGB color lighting across two independent 4-pin headers (typically connected to RGB LED strips). The ROG "eye" logo on the PCH heatsink features an RGB LED, too, and the app lets you set even that. ASUS' reference LED strip for this board, named AURA, can be purchased separately.

The rest of the board's feature-set is similar to the original Maximus VIII Hero. You get a powerful 10-phase CPU VRM, four DDR4 DIMM slots, and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots feeding in and out of the CPU socket. The storage connectivity does away with bulky SATA-Express connectors, replacing them with two U.2 16 Gb/s connectors, sitting next to six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. USB 3.1 10 Gb/s ports, including type-C and type-A ports, sitting next to 802.11 ac WLAN, are a highlight in the feature-set. Expect the board to be priced slightly higher than the original Maximus VIII Hero.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly and Matrix GTX 980 Ti, our flagship Z170 gaming motherboard primed for epic gaming performance and overclocking, and the enthusiast graphics card that delivers record-breaking performance and extreme overclocking potential - both finessed with ROG's all-new futuristic Plasma Copper scheme for color-matched extreme gaming and overclocking rigs.

Introducing the stunning Plasma Copper color scheme, ASUS ROG's Global Marketing Director, Derek Yu, said: "To be ROG is to be the rebel. To be ROG is to break every rule. We are rebellious ROG, breaking our own rules to envision a new future. A future forged with striking distinction. ROG is red. ROG is black. And now ROG is also Plasma Copper: elite assemblies for elite gamers. This is our mark of invincibility - and the new emblem of dominance for the world's best gamers."

Ahead of its launch, ASUS showed off its flagship socket LGA1151 motherboard, the ROG Maximus VIII Extreme. Based on the Intel Z170 Express chipset, this board offers the largest feature-set from ASUS' stable, for the enthusiast crowd. Built in the ATX (almost E-ATX wide) form-factor, the board retains the styling of its series siblings, such as the Maximus VIII Hero, but does away with the red+black for a more contemporary golden orange+black scheme, which made its debut with the GeForce GTX 980 Ti MATRIX Platinum graphics card (also pictured here).

The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 4-pin ATX power connectors, and conditions it for the CPU with a 16-phase VRM. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots. Expansion slots include four PCI-Express 3.0 x16, from which three are wired to the CPU, and one to the PCH. All four are PCIe gen 3.0. Storage connectivity includes an SFF-8639 U.2 32 Gb/s connector, an M.2 32 Gb/s slot, two SATA-Express 16 Gb/s, and eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Networking includes 802.11 ac WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, and gigabit Ethernet (all Intel controllers). The new SupremeFX onboard audio solution borrows a lot of tech from ASUS' discrete sound cards, and comes with an 5.25-inch front-panel bay with rotary controls, and front-panel jacks. The board features a boat-load of overclocker-centric features, including dual-BIOS.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VIII Hero, Maximus VIII Ranger and Maximus VIII Gene, three new gaming motherboards based on the latest Intel Z170 Express chipset and engineered with multiple exclusive technologies to deliver epic overclocking performance of Intel 6th-generation processors and DDR4 memory.

ROG's new gaming beasts pack 5-Way Optimization auto-tuning technology for instant performance boosts, second-generation T-Topology for next-level DDR4 memory overclocking, best-ever cooling potential with dedicated water-pump and multiple PWM onboard headers and thermal sensors, plus Pro Clock technology for turbo-charged base-clock (BCLK) frequencies.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VII Formula and Maximus VII Formula/Watch Dogs, Z97 chipset-based ATX gaming motherboards ready for the latest 4th-, new 4th- and 5th-generation Intel Core processors - codenamed 'Haswell', 'Haswell Refresh', 'Haswell Refresh K-Series' ('Devil's Canyon') and 'Broadwell' - and engineered with many new and exclusive ROG game-boosting features.

The Maximus VII Formula series supports dual-channel up to DDR 3300+ (OC) memory, and quad-GPU SLI and 3-way CrossFireX for gaming rigs with multiple graphics-processing units (multi-GPU). The new motherboard series also includes two SATA Express and ten SATA 3.0 connectors, as well as eight USB 3.0 and six USB 2.0 ports.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today displayed at Computex 2014 its new line-up of products for gamers in pursuit of portability, class leading design and extreme performance. These exciting products include the powerhouse G20 small-form-factor desktop, the GR8 that delivers PC gaming power in a console design and the ultra-thin, ultra-cool GX500 gaming notebook.

To tantalize gaming and performance enthusiasts, ROG also showcased the flagship Z97-based Maximus VII Formula, Maximus VII Impact mini-ITX powerhouse, Crossblade Ranger - ROG's first AMD FM2+ gaming motherboard - and the limited-edition Ares III, the world's fastest graphics card powered by dual Radeon Hawaii XT GPUs and cooled by a custom-designed EK water block.

Intel's next socket LGA1150 quad-core processors for overclockers, namely the Core i7-4790K and the Core i7-4690K, codenamed "Devil's Canyon," could be exclusive to motherboards based on the 9-series chipset. For overclockers, the choices would hence narrow down to motherboards based on the Z97 Express chipset. Marketing material distributed to retailers ahead of the processors' mid-June launch, mention "Devil's Canyon" to be supported by "new Intel 9 series chipset," while the same material detailing unlocked Pentium 20th Anniversary Edition mention it to be supported by "both Intel 8 and 9 series chipset."

Intel not mentioning that for "Devil's Canyon" is leading some to speculate that it won't be supported by motherboards running 8-series chipset, notably Z87 Express. For overclockers with expensive Z87 motherboards such as the ASUS Maximus VI Extreme, Gigabyte Z87X SOC, and MSI Z87 MPower MAX, this could spell trouble. Based on binned "Haswell Refresh" silicon, "Devil's Canyon" chips are special, in that they feature enhanced on-package electricals that can tolerate higher current; an enhanced thermal interface material between the die and the integrated heatspreader (IHS), enhanced LGA contact points, and increased voltage and thermal limits.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the Maximus VII Gene mATX, Maximus VII Hero ATX, and the new Maximus VII Ranger ATX gaming motherboards. These Intel Z97 chipset-based Maximus VII motherboards feature the LGA 1150 socket and support Intel 4th, new 4th and 5th-generation processors (Haswell, Haswell Refresh, Haswell Refresh K-series/ Devil's Canyon) to give enthusiasts unmatched gaming performance.

These three gaming motherboards build on the renowned and trusted ROG gaming legacy. All three motherboards sport the distinctive ROG black and red color scheme, with the Maximus VII Gene and Hero featuring the world's first dual-color PCB with a matte black and red finish. The Maximus VII series features premium components, black nickel processor socket covers and improved circuit layouts. The Maximus VII series also boasts advanced networking and audio for gaming, along with an upgraded UEFI BIOS and M.2 (PCIe x2) with up to 10 Gbit/s data transfer speeds.

EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to introduce the EK-SB ASUS M6G - a new water block for water cooling of the Intel Z87 Express PCH (Periphery Hub Controller; also known as south bridge) on ASUS Maximus VI Gene and -Hero 4th generation Intel Core series motherboards.

This product is ready to be fitted on to the ASUS Maximus VI Gene motherboard out-of-the-box. Installing this water block on a ASUS Maximus VI Hero motherboard requires re-fitting of the standoffs to alternative mounting holes by using the enclosed mini wrench.

EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is proud to introduce the EK-MOSFET ASUS M6G - a new water block for water cooling of the power regulation (VRM / MOSFETs) module on ASUS Maximus VI Gene and Hero series motherboards. This product features pre-installed nickel-plated brass standoffs and utilizes ASUS factory provided backplates.

EK-MOSFET ASUS M6G features a high flow design allowing the water block to be easily used with systems using weaker water pumps and is available in three different flavours:

• EK-MOSFET ASUS M6G - Nickel - 44,95€
• EK-MOSFET ASUS M6G - Acetal+Nickel - 44,95€
• EK-MOSFET ASUS M6G - Nickel (Original CSQ) - 44,95€

After releasing the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe full cover block in August, Bitspower is currently working on a second full cover motherboard block, this time around designed for ASUS' latest mITX marvel, the Maximus VI Impact, arguably the top Haswell mITX motherboard currently available. The block, like it's previously released sibling, is what Bitspower calls a U.S.C design (Unibody Style Construction Design), which is a concept Bitspower uses to define a single solid block that covers all the major heat generating parts on a motherboard. In this case, the Z87 chipset, the CPU/socket and the vertical VRM.

Bitspower uses C1100 Copper for the block's base and hi-quality acrylic for the top cover. The base comes in two versions, Nickel plated or bare Copper, while the top can be had in ICE Black of Clear acrylic, making possible a total of four chromatically distinct versions of the block. The product package will include a thermal pad, a 2.5 grams syringe of Arctic Matrix thermal compound, a backup o-ring and the usual assortment of mounting screws and accessories.

ASUS has disclosed the details of the ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final which will be organized with support from Corsair. The AOOC 2013 final will be held in Moscow on October 5, 2013, as part of the Igromir 2013 expo to be hosted by the Crocus Expo Center from October 3 to 6, 2013. The ASUS booth will be located in Pavilion 1, Hall 1 of the Crocus Expo Center.

The ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final will be attended by the 13 overclocking teams from Europe and the CIS selected in the qualification round and by the winners of AOOC 2012. These are the best of the European overclocking scene, repeatedly placing in the top of HWBot.org with record-breaking results, so we can be sure that they can deliver their best in ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 using components from ASUS Republic of Gamers and Corsair.

G.SKILL International Co. Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and superior solid-state storage, tops the memory frequency world record chart once again with "G.SKILL TridentX" overclocked to an amazing DDR3 4400 MHz. Using 4th Generation Intel Core i7 4770K, ASUS Maximus 6 Impact and a steady flow of LN2, professional overclocker James "YoungPro" Trevaskis from TeamAU were able to push the factory spec G.SKILL TridentX DDR3 3000MHz C12 4GB stick to the world's fastest DDR3 4400MHz CL13.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VI Formula, an ATX gaming motherboard ready for the latest 4th generation Intel Core processors and packed with exclusive ROG features.

Based on the new Intel Z87 chipset, Maximus VI Formula is brimming with the kind of innovative and exclusive features that ROG fans expect. CrossChill hybrid air and water-cooling gives efficient heat dissipation for extreme overclocked performance, SupremeFX Formula onboard audio with a dedicated 600ohm headphone amplifier ensures immersive high-quality audio and a mini-PCIe Combo II card adds dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi for next-generation wireless networking. Maximus VI Formula also features Extreme Engine DIGi+ III technology and high-quality electronic components for precise power delivery with stable performance.

Over the past couple of months, motherboard vendors from across the industry offered BIOS updates for their motherboards based on Intel B85 Express and H87 Express chipsets, which enable CPU overclocking for Intel's unlocked Core processors denoted by "K" brand extension (Core i7-4770K, i5-4670K). This reportedly hasn't gone down well with Intel. Intel's Bxx and Hxx chipsets are significantly cheaper than its Zxx series chipset. Sensing a clear threat to its revenue, from the prospect of motherboard vendors coming up with high-end or overclocking-ready (strong CPU VRM) motherboards based on cheaper chipsets in the near future, Intel cracked down on them.

Intel is giving final touches to a CPU microcode update that restricts Core "K" Haswell processors from overclocking on chipsets other than Z87 Express. A microcode update can be deployed both through BIOS updates, and surreptitiously through Windows Update. Intel's used the tried and tested "stability" bogey to justify the update. While it's true that motherboards based on B85 and H87 tend to feature weaker CPU VRM, there's nothing to say that ASUS wouldn't have gone on to design its next ROG Maximus on H87 Express, and save on manufacturing costs. While it's purely hypothetical, something like that wouldn't be in Intel's commercial interests. What next? Intel will push this new microcode update on to motherboard vendors, instructing them to issue BIOS updates with it; and future batches of Intel "K" CPUs may not support overclocking. If that isn't enough to contain the problem, Intel may give Microsoft a ring, and ask it to push the update through Windows Update. It tried that once in the past.

EK Water Blocks, Ljubljana based premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is preparing a a new line of blocks for the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX based ASUS DirectCU II series graphics cards and ASUS Republic of Gamers Z87 LGA-1150 motherboards:

ASUS Republic of Gamers Motherboards:

• ASUS Maximus VI Extreme
• ASUS Maximus VI Formula
• ASUS Maximus VI Hero
• ASUS Maximus VI Gene
• ASUS Maximus VI Impact

Graphics cards:

• ASUS GTX780-DC2-3GD5 GeForce GTX 780 3GB GDDR

ASUS announced that the Intel Z87-based Republic of Gamers Maximus VI Extreme motherboard has achieved a decisive 91% success rate at a Computex Taipei 2013 overclocking summit sponsored by Intel and Corsair. Additionally, the board tallied eight world performance records at a separate gathering that took place at ASUS headquarters, all mere days after its official launch.

Ten out of eleven wins at the Intel and Corsair Computex OC Main Event
Competing against top-tier overclocking motherboards from a variety of brands, Maximus VI Extreme took ten out of eleven top spots (or 91%) at the Intel and Corsair Computex OC Main Event. Full details found here.