Power Consumption

We measure CPU power consumption since one of our first tasks is to truly verify system stability. I isolate the power coming through the 8-pin ATX connector using an in-line meter that provides voltage and current readings, and total wattage passed through. While this may not prove to isolate the CPU power draw in all instances, it does serve as a good indicator of board efficiency and effective VRM design. Total system power consumption is no longer reported as this figure can change depending on what VGA is installed. The sole board-only power measurements possible without physically modifying a motherboard are those taken via the 8-pin CPU connector, making it the only figure of value worth reporting. I use wPrime with eight threads selected in its options since it provides a consistently high workload throughout the full length of the test and runs long enough for the VRM and CPU to produce a fair bit of heat. Most average workloads will draw far less than that, although distributed computing applications are quite similar. This is not supposed to test stability since I use several other applications to do so, but merely serves to provide repeatable power draw numbers anyone can replicate. The meter used is an off-the-shelf Zalman unit that has been on the market for some time. In my test environment, it provides results similar to a FLUKE 337 clamp meter.


For such a fully featured board to have a "default" stock power profile is nice, and once you push things, the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII EXTREME is there to manage power delivery effectively. You can also adjust numerous power delivery settings within the BIOS that can affect these numbers, which makes opting for the minimum or cramming the maximum down your CPU's throat possible.

Fan Control

*Actual fan minimum dependent on installed fan


ASUS has had some of the best fan-control options for as long as I can remember them being offered. This is even further evidenced by the sheer number of fan headers available, which is more than pretty much any other product has on offer if you use both the OC Panel's and add-on card's headers. Nearly all of these headers come with individual controls, allowing for both customized profiles and set percentages for consistent fan speeds or dynamic cooling profiles depending on what tickles your fancy.


Part of getting the most out of your fans involves having the board test your fans (either in BIOS or the software inside the OS), so that the fan's minimum and maximum speeds can be calibrated for each individual fan. Having the foresight to do so, knowing that not everyone uses the same fans, shows how much time and effort ASUS has put into making sure you get the best-possible experience out of this board no matter how you use it.