EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing the EK-Quantum Momentum² Strix Z690-I Gaming D-RGB - Plexi, a new Intel LGA1700 socket-based monoblock belonging to the Quantum Line of products. This monoblock is engineered specifically for the ROG STRIX Z690-I GAMING motherboard from ASUS. The addressable D-RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS Aura Sync RGB control and offers a full lighting customization experience for every single diode at any given time. This Momentum² monoblock is EK-Matrix7 compatible.

This is a complete, all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for Intel 12th gen Core series processors and is compatible with the LGA 1700 socketed ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming ITX motherboard. The monoblock uses the latest generation of EK Velocity² cooling engine to ensure the best possible CPU cooling without reducing the flow to other components. This water block directly cools the Alder Lake CPU and the VRM section. A special M.2 heatsink has been added to cool the front-mounted M.2 SSD drive. EK also added an additional I/O piece that carries the stock I/O cover, so the original look of this ROG Strix motherboard is preserved.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Delta S Wireless, the first-ever dual-mode wireless ROG gaming headset. The Delta S Wireless features low-latency 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth modes for incredible listening experiences on consoles, PCs and mobile devices. The headset's concealed AI Beamforming Microphones with AI Noise Cancelation enable clear voice communication, giving users the benefits of a wireless headset with hidden mics without compromising voice communication quality. The Delta S Wireless offers up to 25 hours of battery life for non-stop gaming. Additionally, this lightweight headset includes ergonomic D-shaped ear cushions for comfortable listening.

Dual wireless modes
With dual-mode wireless 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connectivity, the Delta S Wireless enables incredible listening experiences across a multitude of devices, including PCs and mobile gaming devices. USB-C 2.4 GHz technology takes advantage of built-in antennas for almost-instantaneous signal transmission at a range of up to 25 meters. Similarly, Bluetooth mode provides a low-latency connection to ensure seamless audio.

Just under a month ago, ASUS posted a teaser for its first internal SSD, the ROG Strix SQ7 and now the company has finally released the full specs. It is indeed based around the 12 nm Phison E18 controller, as predicted by our Editor-In-Chief, something he spotted from the sneak peek picture. Although ASUS didn't specifically mention what kind of flash the drive is using, they kindly left the flash model number visible in one of its pictures of the drive. Although the full model name isn't visible, enough of it is visible to identify it as Micron's 176-layer TLC flash. The ROG Strix SQ7 also sports a DDR4 cache, as expected, although ASUS doesn't mention clock speeds.

ASUS claims the drive will deliver sequential read speeds of up to 7000 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6000 MB/s, which places the ROG Strix SQ7 in direct competition with several other Phison E18 based high-end drives from the likes of Kingston, MSI, Sabrent and others. Unfortunately, ASUS doesn't mention IOPS or random performance, although an unspecified "large" SLC cache is mentioned. Other features include TGC Opal and AES 256-bit encryption. ASUS also provides its own SSD dashboard, which of course is ROG branded, but looks like a skinned version of Phison's standard SSD dashboard, rather than something custom made. ASUS also provides a copy of NTI Backup Now EZ software and the drives appear to have a five year warranty. ASUS mentions PS5 compatibility outside of the PC space. No word on pricing or retail availability was provided and so far ASUS has only listed a 1 TB model.

Back in 2012, ASUS released the world's first ever 144 Hz monitor, and we've been chasing high refresh rates ever since. From the first 240 Hz NVIDIA G-SYNC display we released in 2017 to the first 360 Hz display in 2020, ROG is committed to pushing competitive gaming to new heights at every opportunity. Now, we're ecstatic to announce that we've done it again: introducing the ROG Swift 500 Hz, a groundbreaking new gaming monitor that refreshes 500 times per second, for the most fluid, fast-paced motion you'll find in modern Esports.

In competitive, intense firefights, every single millisecond counts. The ROG Swift 500 Hz draws frames more than eight times faster than typical 60 Hz displays in a single second, which means you have that much more time to get a leg up on your opponent in esports titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Valorant, Overwatch, and Rainbow Six Siege. With super low response times and unprecedented improvements in input lag, the ROG Swift 500 Hz is the new benchmark in Esports, offering the same competitive advantage that made its 360 Hz predecessor the official display at last year's DOTA 2 The International championship. The ROG Swift 500 Hz features a 24.1-inch Full HD (1920x1080) panel, allowing your GPU to push as many frames as possible. ROG was able to push refresh rates to the limit by using new Esports TN (E-TN) technology, which offers 60% better response times than standard TN panels, allowing us to reach a new milestone in speed and clarity.

In January, we introduced the ROG Strix SCAR 2022, an ultra-powerful esports gaming machine designed to blow away any and all competition. But we couldn't leave well enough alone, so we decided to make it even better. We're proud to announce the ROG Strix SCAR 17 Special Edition, the ultimate laptop for competitive gaming.

For most gamers, the regular 2022 Strix SCAR is the perfect companion, since it's lighter and more affordable than the new Special Edition, while offering exceptional gaming performance. But for gamers who need the absolute best of the best, cutting-edge technology paired with a bold cyberpunk design, the Strix SCAR 17 SE has arrived.

With Gigabyte and more recently MSI offering internal consumer SSDs, it now looks like ASUS is getting ready to join the fray. There's no shortage of companies that are selling SSDs and most are based on very similar hardware and firmware, so the question is what ASUS is going to bring to the market to differentiate itself from the competition. The company hasn't provided any real details at this point in time, beyond a picture posted on its Taiwanese Facebook page.

The picture doesn't give away a ton of details, but what's clear is that ASUS aims to use its ROG gaming brand for the first product that ends up under the Strix sub-brand. The first drive will be called SQ7 and it's a standard M.2 PCIe 4.0 drive that not unsurprisingly uses four PCIe lanes and will come in at least a 1 TB size. It's possible that ASUS will launch its new SSD either during its "Boundless" event on the 17th of May, or during Computex, which kicks off on the 24th of May.

Update: Based on the sharp-eyed observations of our Editor-In-Chief, its highly likely that the ASUS ROG Strix SSD will be based on Phison's E18 controller, paired with Micron's 176-layer NAND, using Phison's reference PCB design. This means that ASUS would go straight after other high-performance drives, like the Kingston KC3000, Corsair MP600 Pro LPX and MSI's Spatium M480. Keep in mind that not all early product shots are of the actual product though, so we're just going to have to wait and see what ASUS brings to the table.

EK, the leading liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is ready to support the enthusiast-favorite ROG MAXIMUS Z690 FORMULA motherboard with a unique, patented liquid distribution VRM Bridge. The EK-Quantum Momentum VRM Bridge ROG Maximus Z690 Formula D-RGB is a purpose-engineered connection piece that bridges the integrated CrossChill EK III VRM cooling on the motherboard and the EK-Quantum Velocity² 1700 CPU water block into a single entity.

The EK-Quantum Momentum² VRM Bridge is the only off-the-shelf solution that will bridge multiple liquid cooling components with a unique mounting mechanism. It is specially made for the ROG Maximus Z690 Formula, to which you attach any of the existing Intel LGA 1700-socket-compatible EK-Quantum Velocity² CPU water blocks, after which this VRM bridge binds them together.

ASUS today unveiled its highest-Wattage variant of the ROG Thor line of premium power supplies. The new ROG Thor 1600 W Titanium comes with not just an enormous amount of power, but also the latest connectivity, including an ATX 3.0-compliant 16-pin connector that ASUS specifies can deliver 600 W of power. There are also as many as ten 8-pin PCIe power connectors, two 8-pin EPS, a 24-pin ATX, and a dozen SATA power connectors.

Under the hood, the ROG Thor 1600 W Titanium uses high-end GaN FETs in its switching circuitry, and a single +12 V rail setup that meets 80 Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium efficiency. The 135 mm fan can stay completely off until 800 W load, thanks to an array of heatsinks designed by ASUS, which along with the low overall noise, earn this PSU Cybenetics Lambda A++ acoustic rating. ASUS is backing it with a 10-year warranty. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS today announced the ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3090 Ti and TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti graphics cards, arriving in Standard and OC editions. The GeForce RTX 3090 Ti features a record-breaking 10,752 CUDA cores, 78 RT-TFLOPs, 40 Shader-TFLOPs and 320 Tensor-TFLOPs of power.

The ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3090 Ti includes a closed-loop liquid cooling system that keeps temperatures and noise levels under control. Featuring a custom-designed cold plate that extends over the GPU die and the onboard GDDR6X memory and 560 mm tubing, consumers will have flexibility installing the radiator in larger cases or builds that also feature an AIO CPU cooler. The 240 mm radiator on the GPU is cooled by a pair of 120 mm ARGB fans designed to improve airflow at high static pressure. A blower-style fan and a low-profile heatsink under the shroud expel the heat produced by the power delivery components, all in a slim 2.6-slot design.

Editor's note: You can find our review for the ASUS ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3090 Ti here.

ASUS today introduced the ROG Swift PG329Q-W gaming monitor. Essentially a white-body variant of the ROG Swift PG329Q, its design sees matte-white take up must of the back body panel with matte-aluminium accents—a diagonal strip and another one around the pivot. The stand has the same 2-tone finish. At the front, you see matte-white only take up the bottom bezel. The screen is still framed in a thin black bezel.

The ROG Swift PG329Q-W is a 32-inch planar monitor with a Fast IPS display panel. It offers WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution, 175 Hz refresh-rate, 1 ms (GTG) response time, and technologies such as ELMB Sync, NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, and DisplayHDR 600. You also get ASUS innovations such as Shadow Boost, Game Visual (game genre-optimized display presets), Game Plus (OSD crosshair, timer, and FPS counter. Display inputs include one DisplayPort 1.2a, and two HDMI 2.0 ports. The company didn't reveal pricing.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the achievement of a new overclocking world record for fastest memory frequency at DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88, in cooperation with ASUS. This amazing frequency speed was achieved by the extreme overclocker "lupin_no_musume" with G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 memory, ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard, and Intel Core i9-12900K processor. To see the moment this amazing overclocking world record was set, please click the following video link: https://youtu.be/OgQFbUOs6i8

DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88 - Pushing the Speed to the Limit
At the dawn of the DDR5 era, G.SKILL and ASUS have been constantly exploring the memory speed limitations of the latest Intel Z690 platform. Surpassing the previous DDR5-8704 world record in November 2021, a new memory frequency world record is achieved at DDR5-8888 under liquid nitrogen extreme cooling. The memory speed has been validated by CPU-Z. Please refer to the screenshot and validation link below: https://valid.x86.fr/qgvylc

EK, is introducing a whole series of liquid cooling products for ASUS ROG Strix RTX graphics cards. RTX 3080, 3080 Ti, and 3090 ROG Strix cards get their Vector² water block with passive backplate, new synergistic active backplate, and other aesthetic pieces to customize your water-cooled 30-series Strix GPU to your own desires. The EK-Quantum Vector² Strix RTX 3080/3090 D-RGB is a complete liquid cooling solution including a new Vector² water block, black-anodized aluminium backplate, and mounting mechanism. The new look of the next-gen water blocks is dominated by minimalistic straight lines.

The 3rd-generation Vector cooling engine combines the jet plate with a 3D machined Plexi insert to improve flow distribution and thermal performance. This new cooling engine is still based on an Open Split-Flow cooling engine design, which proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings, and still achieve top performance. Great care was taken to achieve a symmetrical flow domain by utilizing an internal bridge to secondary components. This was done to ensure the cooling of secondary components without sacrificing flow distribution over the GPU core.

ASUS today announced a new lineup of Z690, H670, B660, and H610 motherboards to support 12th Gen Intel Core processors, offering the latest technologies to a broader audience. The Z690 lineup expands with new ROG Strix and TUF Gaming models: the ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi, TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi, and TUF Gaming Z690-Plus. The new Z690 additions arrive with support for DDR5 memory modules.

ASUS full lineup of B660, H670, and H610 motherboards brings the Intel 12th generation platform to the mainstream. The B660 lineup features a PCIe 5.0 slot, memory overclocking, and support for DDR5 or DDR4 memory modules. The H670 chipset includes one PCIe 5.0 slot, multiple PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, and support for DDR4 memory modules. Lastly, the H610 lineup provides an affordable option for all PC builders.

ASUS has today announced two new ROG Rapture WiFi routers during their ROG CES 2022 livestream with the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 and ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro. The ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is a WiFi 6E gaming router featuring a 2.0 GHz quad-core 64-bit CPU along with ASUS RF technology and RangeBoost Plus. The new 6 GHz frequency band can help to increase performance on supported devices and reduce congestion on existing frequencies while the dual 10 Gbps LAN ports, 2.5 Gbps WAN port, and quad 1 Gbps LAN ports enable bandwidth-demanding tasks. The router also supports ASUS AiMesh for use in a mesh system.

The ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro is a tri-band WiFi 6 gaming router also featuring a 2.0 GHz quad-core 64-bit CPU paired with dual 2.5 Gbps ports that support link aggregation and load balancing. The router also supports ASUS RangeBoost Plus technology and features an additional 160 MHz channel in the 5 GHz band for increased backhaul capacity. The ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 will be available in the USA, and Europe while the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro will be available worldwide in 2022.

ASUS has today announced two new 4K OLED gaming monitors during their ROG CES 2022 livestream with the ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ/PG42UQ. The two models measuring 42-inches and 48-inches feature a 120 Hz refresh rate with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 0.1 ms GTG response time. The OLED panels cover 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and are cooled with a custom heatsink and internal thermal layout. The monitors both include HDR10 and 10-bit color support along with an anti-glare micro-texture coating. The onboard connectivity includes dual 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports supporting Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low-Latency mode in addition to x2 HDMI 2.0, x1 DisplayPort 1.4, and USB hub. The ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ & PG42UQ will be available to purchase worldwide in 2022.

ASUS has today announced the ROG Chakram X gaming mouse featuring the ROG AimPoint optical gaming sensor during their ROG CES 2022 livestream. The Chakram X includes the first ROG gaming mouse sensor with a 8000 Hz polling rate and an adjustable DPI of 100 to 36,000 with <1% CPI deviation. The mouse features a newly designed detachable joystick that can operate in analog and digital modes along with 11 configurable hotkeys including four side buttons and 9 zone RGB lighting. The ASUS ROG Chakram X weighs 127 g and will be available to purchase worldwide in Q1 2022.

ASUS has today announced two new full size gaming keyboards during their ROG CES 2022 livestream with the ROG Strix Flare II Animate and ROG Strix Flare II. The keyboards both feature ROG NX mechanical switches available in Red, Brown, and Blue variants paired with PBT Doubleshot keycaps and sound-dampening foam. They also feature a 8000 Hz polling rate and 0.125 ms response time along with dedicated media controls and wrist rests. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate also features a customizable AniMe Matrix LED display along with hot-swappable switches and RGB lighting on the wrist rest. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate and ROG Strix Flare II will be available to purchase in late January 2022 for 219.99 USD and 179.99 USD respectively.

ASUS has today announced two new gaming headsets during their ROG CES 2022 livestream with the ROG Fusion II 500 and ROG Fusion II 300. The headsets both feature the high-resolution ESS 9280 Quad DAC paired with 50 mm ASUS Essence drivers to deliver a virtual 7.1 surround sound experience. They also feature addressable ASUS Aura RGB lighting and integrated beamforming microphones featuring AI noise-cancellation. The Fusion II 500 features extensive connectivity options including 3.5 mm, USB-C and USB-A along with a dedicated game volume chat control wheel while the Fusion II 300 is limited to USB-C and USB-A. The ROG Fusion II 500 (179 USD MSRP) and ROG Fusion II 300 will both be available to purchase worldwide in Q1 2022.

With the current short supply and maybe more importantly, the rather insane pricing for DDR5 memory, ASUS is working on what could be called a quick fix for the problem, an adapter that would allow DDR5 motherboard owners to put DDR4 memory in their motherboards. It's not what we'd call an elegant solution at this point, but it's said it'll be refined before it's ready for retail—if it ever enters the market—since apparently the engineer that developed the adapter doesn't always get to see his projects hit retail, as from our understanding he's responsible for a lot of the more unusual products from ASUS' ROG brand.

That said, considering that a lot of high-end Z690 motherboards only support DDR5, this might be an interim solution that makes sense for a lot of people until availability of DDR5 improves. There's some complexity in making the adapter work though, as not only does it need its own power regulation, since DDR4 memory doesn't have onboard power conversion components unlike DDR5, but there's also the 2x 32-bit vs 64-bit bus to take into consideration as well. On top of this, the DRAM traces are obviously extended, which could lead to instabilities, which is why it's apparently only tested with one type of memory right now, which appears to be G-Skill's Tridentz Royal. A further limitation of the adapter is that it requires a special UEFI version to be installed that allows DDR4 memory to be used, but this might be the smallest issue in this "skunk works" project from ASUS' ROG team.

ASUS is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. We have recently received incident reports regarding the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboard. In our ongoing investigation, we have preliminarily identified a potential reversed memory capacitor issue in the production process from one of the production lines that may cause debug error code 53, no post, or motherboard components damage. The issue potentially affects units manufactured in 2021 with the part number 90MB18E0-MVAAY0 and serial number starting with MA, MB, or MC.

You can identify your part number by referring to the product packaging: Please reference the attached image. As of December 28, 2021, there have been a few incidents reported in North America. Going forward, we are continuing our thorough inspection with our suppliers and customers to identify all possible affected ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboards in the market and will be working with relevant government agencies on a replacement program.

ASUS today rolled out white color variants of the ROG Strix LC II line of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers that the company debuted back in May 2021. The lineup currently includes two sub-variants based on radiator size—the ROG Strix LC II 240 ARGB White Edition, and the ROG Strix LC II 240 ARGB White Edition. White now makes up the radiator fins, radiator frame, the included 120 mm fans, the Nylon sleeving for the tubes, as well as much of the pump-block. The illuminated ARGB-illuminated ROG logo on the pump-block remains in contrasting piano-black. The functional specs of these coolers remain identical to their black counterparts. A notable functional change compared to the original from May, is out-of-the-box support for Socket LGA1700. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Rapture GT-AX6000, a high-performance WiFi 6 (802.11ax) gaming router with a striking all-new design. The futuristic ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 gaming router lets gamers connect more devices, and upgrades their gaming experience to the next level. Powered by a 2.0 GHz 64-bit quad-core Broadcom CPU and flagship next-gen Broadcom WiFi 6 chipsets, it delivers wireless speeds up to 6000 Mbps with ASUS RangeBoost Plus for enhanced range, so it's always primed for the biggest battles. Fully customizable ASUS Aura RGB lighting effects make the GT-AX6000 a router that demands to be seen. Built for high-speed throughput to deliver more bandwidth to more devices, the GT-AX6000 features two 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports, and the router supports both WAN and LAN aggregation.

The ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 is a powerful 4x4 dual-band WiFi 6 router that delivers combined speeds of up to 6000 Mbps—1148 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 4804 Mbps on the 5 GHz band—which is up to 2.3X faster than a 4x4 dual-band WiFi 5 router. With a combination of 160 MHz channels, OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, WiFi 6 provides up to 4X-greater network capacity and efficiency in traffic-dense environments, making it ideal for heavily populated networks.

ASUS debuted its second generation ROG Thor power supply series with the ROG Thor 1000 W Platinum II. The design focus with these appear to be low noise and next-gen connectors. ASUS used heavier heatsinks over the various hot components of the PSU, which have double the "volume" (surface area for heat dissipation, as well as heatsink size). These are paired with a 135 mm ASUS Axial-Tech fan that is designed to direct all of its airflow axially. The PSU can sustain fanless cooling up to 500 W load, and 12-15% fan-speed up to 700 W load, with the fan only beginning to ramp up beyond 700 W. This gives the PSU a Cybenetics Lambda A++ noise-rating certification. The switching efficiency is rated 80 Plus Platinum.

Under the hood, the ASUS ROG Thor 1000 W Platinum II features a single +12 V rail design, with most common electrical protections, against over/under voltage, overload, overheat, and short-circuit. The fully-modular PSU comes with connectors that include a 24-pin ATX, two 4+4 pin EPS, one 12-pin Molex microFit 3.0 capable of up to 450 W delivery, six 6+2 pin PCIe power, twelve SATA power, three Molex, and a Berg. The PSU features a monochrome LED display that puts out realtime load, voltage, and thermal monitoring. There's plenty of addressable-RGB LED illumination, which can be controlled via a standard 3-pin ARGB connection. The company is backing this with a 10-year warranty.

Intel is set to launch their 12th Generation Alder Lake desktop processors on November 4th alongside the new Z690 chipset supporting DDR5 and PCIe 5.0. We have recently seen the first of these new Z690 motherboards from ASUS being listed for sale by PC Canada. The listings include TUF, ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, and Prime motherboards but we don't see any mention of Apex or Extreme boards so they may not be available at launch. The models all appear to retail for less than their Z590 counterparts except for some of the Prime series models which will come as a pleasant surprise to many. We are also aware that the VRM design for these boards will receive various upgrades according to a recent report from @Komachi. The Z690 Hero is set to feature a 20+1 phase design with 90 A Power Stages while the lower-end boards will get a 14+1 design.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced an all-new gaming peripherals lineup that channels the minimalist feel of monochrome through a striking Moonlight White color scheme. The ROG Strix Scope NX TKL 80%, tenkeyless mechanical RGB gaming keyboard, ROG Strix Impact II ambidextrous gaming mouse, ROG Strix Go Core gaming headset and ROG Cetra II Core in-ear gaming headphones are all now available in North America in this stunning colorway.

ROG has a long history of weaving Aura Sync into a huge ecosystem of devices to let gamers shine a light on their personalities through their gear - but many players also seek a minimalist look. That's why the ROG color palette is expanding to include the Moonlight White series, providing a commanding counterpart to the signature red-and-black color scheme.