ASUS Maximus VI HERO Motherboard
Conclusions
Contents
The ASUS Maximus VI HERO is clearly targeted to the enthusiast who wants an above-the-average motherboard based on the new Z87 chipset for the new “Haswell” CPUs (fourth-generation Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processors).
The highlights of this motherboard include the presence of an extremely high-end audio section, six USB 3.0 ports, eight SATA-600 ports, two PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, a voltage regulator circuit with high-end components, a POST diagnostics display, and more.
There are motherboards with a similar number of ports and slots costing less than the ASUS Maximus VI HERO. However, what makes this model from ASUS unique is the quality of the components it uses.
The audio section uses the new Realtek ALC1150 codec, which is currently the most high-end audio codec available, and is physically separated from the rest of the motherboard. Also, there is a metallic shield around the audio section and it uses premium Japanese audio capacitors, from ELNA. These features ensure that the theoretical signal-to-noise ratios can be truly achieved.
The CPU voltage regulator uses high-end components, with “10K Black Metallic Capacitors,” from Nichicon, which have a lifespan five times higher than regular Japanese solid capacitors and have a higher temperature tolerance (between -55° C and +105° C, making them military-grade components). This allows you to use liquid nitrogen on your CPU without damaging the capacitors. All coils are high-end models with gold-plated cores supporting up to 60 A.
In summary, if you are an average user looking for a motherboard with above-the-average features and price is, for you, the most important factor when picking a motherboard, then you may prefer to pick a cheaper product. However, for the savvy user who wants above-the-average features, quality, and life-span, the Maximus VI HERO is a good pick, especially if you are into overclocking.
There is, however, one drawback with this motherboard, but it shouldn’t affect most users. It is regarding the PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot, which works at x4 but comes configured as x1. This slot shares PCI Express lanes with PCI Express x1 slots, and they can’t be used at the same time. Also, you can’t use it with SLI and CrossFireX configurations, rendering it pretty much useless.