Introduction

It's only been a short while since Intel's latest HEDT platform launched, and already I have in one of my systems ASRock's top-end overclocking motherboard, the ASRock X299 OC Formula. That OC Formula name has been around for many generations, but now, we have a new look from ASRock's X299 OC Formula, along with everything else that makes ASRock's OC Formula boards so great for those who like to push the limits of what modern hardware can do.

Intel's X299 platform supports not just a CPU, but two totally different ones (KabyLake-X and SkyLake-X) inside the same socket without the need for any fuss; just swap the CPU out, plop in the new one, and you are good to go. That means there are plenty of CPUs for benchmarkers to play with this go around, and we even have the HCC (High Core Count) CPUs which have just been released. Building and designing a motherboard capable of meeting the needs of any user who might want to push any CPU or memory that is compatible with Intel's X299 socket under LN2 is no easy task, especially given the added complexity of multiple CPU designs and the HCC chips. That's why ASRock has Nick Shih working closely with this motherboard, so much so that his name is literally on these motherboards; printed right on to the board's surface. As an extreme overclocker and hardware guru with many records under his belt, there are few on this planet who are as capable as he is in making sure a benchmarker's needs are met, never mind his high level of understanding when it comes to the difficulties those users experience when attempting to break records.

With the previous top-dog Intel 7900X CPU, we have 10 cores and 20 threads of a CPU grunt, but the actual power pulled from the socket is pretty modest even under an overclock, with a good slice of silicon. Pushing 250W while overclocked is easily done and handled by most motherboards, but there are some motherboards out there with a 275-285 W power limit programmed into the BIOS when power isn't as stable as it could be. These boards, however, do tend to have a proven record that shows they can handle that 250W just fine. The ASRock X299 OC Formula, on the other hand, is ready to push 450W easily (provided the VRM has the required airflow), making it one of the few boards out there ready to push the new i9-7980XE CPU I have sitting here on my desk. These CPUs can pull that 250W at stock, if not more, when Turbo is enabled. So if you've got plans on getting one of Intel's HCC CPUs, you best pay attention to this motherboard that is ready to break past such limits.

Specifications