Motherboard Asus Hero 7. Review and testing of the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard

Let us remind you that simultaneously with the announcement of the new Intel 9-series chipsets, Asus has updated its lineup of PC motherboards. The gaming series (ROG) of Asus boards based on the Intel Z97 chipset is called Maximus VII, and we have already tested one of the boards in this series, the Asus Maximus VII Ranger model. In this article we will look at another new product - Asus Maximus VII Hero.

This ATX gaming board is very similar to the Asus Maximus VII Ranger, but a little higher class. The differences are not fundamental, but they still exist: the cooling system is slightly better, higher quality (and more expensive) processor voltage regulator elements are used, and in addition, the Asus Maximus VII Hero board has more SATA 6 Gb/s ports. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and tell you about everything in order.

Options and packaging

The Asus Maximus VII Hero board comes in a compact burgundy box, on which the name of the board and logos of supported technologies are laminated. In addition to the board itself, the package includes a user manual (English only), a DVD with software and drivers, six SATA cables (all connectors with snaps, three cables have an angled connector on one side), an SLI bridge, a plug for rear panel of the board and a traditional Asus Q-connector to facilitate connecting wires from the power button, reboot, etc. to the board.

Board configuration and features

A summary table of the characteristics of the Asus Maximus VII Hero board is given below, and further in the text we will look at all its features and functionality.

Supported processors	Haswell, Haswell Refresh
CPU socket
Chipset
Memory	4 × DDR3 (up to 32 GB)
Audio subsystem
Network controller
Expansion slots	2 × PCI Express 3.0 x16 1 × PCI Express 2.0 x4 (in PCI Express x16 form factor) 3 × PCI Express 2.0 x1 1 × M.2 (Socket 3, M-type key)
SATA connectors	8 × SATA 6 Gb/s (chipset and ASMedia ASM1061)
USB ports	6 × USB 3.0 7 × USB 2.0
Rear Connectors	1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x DVI-D 4 × USB 3.0 2 × USB 2.0 1 × RJ-45 1 × S/PDIF (optical, output) 6 × audio minijacks 1 × PS/2
Internal connectors	24-pin ATX power connector 8-pin ATX 12V power connector 8 × SATA 6 Gb/s 6 × 4-pin fan headers 1 × USB 3.0 header 3 × USB 2.0 headers
Form factor	ATX (305×244 mm)

Form factor

The Asus Maximus VII Hero board is made in the ATX form factor (305x244 mm) and can be installed in a case that supports boards with the ATX form factor or larger ones. There are 9 standard holes for mounting the board.

Chipset and processor socket

The Maximus VII Hero board is based on the top-end Intel Z97 chipset and naturally supports fourth-generation Intel Core processors (codenamed Haswell) and updated fourth-generation Intel Core processors (Haswell Refresh and Devil’s Canyon) with LGA1150 socket. In addition, this board will also support fifth-generation Intel Core processors, which will appear early next year.

Memory

To install memory modules, the Asus Maximus VII Hero board has four DIMM slots, which allows you to install two DDR3 modules on each of two memory channels with a maximum capacity of up to 32 GB (when using 8 GB modules). Memory slots belonging to different channels are marked in different colors (black and red), which is convenient when installing modules. Note also that the board supports memory with XMP profiles.

Expansion slots

To install video cards or expansion cards on the Asus Maximus VII Hero motherboard, there are three PCI Express x16 and three PCI Express x1 slots.

2 slots with PCI Express x16 form factor (they are marked in red) are made using 16 PCI Express 3.0 lanes of the Haswell processor. As usual, one of these slots (closest to the processor socket) can operate in both x16 and x8 modes (multiplexers/demultiplexers of PCI Express 3.0 ASMedia ASM1480 lines are used to switch operating modes), and the second always operates in x8 mode. Accordingly, if only the first slot (closest to the processor) is used, then it will operate at x16 speed, and if both slots are used simultaneously, then they will operate at x8 speed.

When installing two discrete video cards on the Asus Maximus VII Hero board, Nvidia SLI and AMD CrossFireX technologies are supported.

The black PCI Express x16 slot always operates at x4 speed and is implemented using four PCI Express 2.0 lanes of the Intel Z97 chipset (essentially, this is a PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot in the PCI Express x16 form factor). Likewise, three PCI Express x1 slots are implemented using three PCI Express 2.0 lanes of the Intel Z97 chipset.

Video connectors

Since Haswell processors have an integrated graphics core, and the Intel Z97 chipset supports the use of processor graphics, there are HDMI (maximum resolution 4096x2160@24 Hz), DVI-D and VGA (D-Sub) ports for connecting a monitor on the rear panel of the board.

SATA ports and M.2 connector

To connect storage devices, the board has eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Six ports are implemented on the basis of a controller integrated into the chipset and support the ability to create RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 5, 10

Two more SATA 6 Gb/s ports are implemented on the basis of a two-port ASMedia ASM1061 controller.

The Asus Maximus VII Hero board also has an M.2 (PCIe x2) connector, support for which is implemented at the Intel Z97 chipset level. This connector has a type M key (Socket 3) and only supports the installation of PCIe drives of size 2260/2280. To implement the M.2 connector, two PCI Express 2.0 lines are used.

USB connectors

To connect various peripheral devices, the board provides six USB 3.0 ports and seven USB 2.0 ports. Let us remind you that the Intel Z97 chipset itself supports up to 14 USB ports, of which up to 6 ports can be USB 3.0 ports.

Four USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports are located on the rear panel of the board, and to connect other ports, the board has one USB 3.0 connector and three USB 2.0 connectors. Moreover, two connectors for connecting USB 2.0 ports allow you to connect two ports per connector, but the third connector, firstly, is designed for only one port, and secondly, it is shared with the ROG Extension connector, which is used to connect an optional (in not included in delivery) OC Panel control panel, designed for overclocking the system.

Network interface

To connect to the local network segment, the Asus Maximus VII Hero board implements a gigabit network interface based on the Intel i218-V PHY controller (physical layer controller) (a MAC-level controller integrated into the chipset is used).

Note that the Asus Maximus VII Hero board, like all boards of the Asus Maximus VII series, uses a new type of RJ-45 connectors (LANGuard technology). The new RJ-45 connectors use premium capacitors and components that protect the connector from ESD Guard and surge voltage. The board comes with the traditional GameFirst III utility, which allows you to configure network traffic priorities for various applications.

How does this work

If you count the number of controllers, connectors and slots using PCI Express 2.0 lines of the Intel Z97 chipset, you will get the following picture. A PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot and three PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots require a total of seven PCI Express 2.0 lanes. Two more lines are required for the ASMedia ASM1061 SATA controller and the Intel i218-V network controller. In addition, two more lines are required for the M.2 connector. As a result, we find that a total of 11 PCI Express 2.0 lanes are required. But in the Intel Z97 chipset, the total number of PCI Express 2.0 lanes cannot exceed eight (from six to eight PCI Express 2.0 ports taking into account Flexible IO technology).

The shortage of PCI Express 2.0 lanes is solved as follows. A PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot, three PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots and an M.2 connector are shared with each other. If the PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot is in x4 mode, the M.2 connector and three PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots will not be available. If the M.2 connector is enabled, the PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot operates in x2 mode, and the PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots will not be available. Well, if PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots are used (at least one of them), then the PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot will operate in x1 mode, and the M.2 connector will be unavailable. Thus, a PCI Express 2.0 x4 slot, three PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots, and an M.2 slot require a total of four PCI Express 2.0 lanes.

Taking into account the Intel i218-V and ASMedia ASM1061 controllers, we find that everything requires only six PCI Express 2.0 lanes. It would seem that if the Intel Z97 chipset supports up to 8 PCI Express 2.0 ports, then why separate all the PCIe 2.0 slots and the M.2 connector? After all, if the M.2 connector is made inseparable from PCIe 2.0 slots, then exactly 8 PCI Express 2.0 lanes will be required.

However, let's not forget about the limitation of 18 high-speed ports of the Intel Z97 chipset (PCI Express 2.0, SATA 6 Gb/s, USB 3.0). And if we remember that the Asus Maximus VII Hero board has six more SATA 6 Gb/s chipset ports and six USB 3.0 chipset ports, then, taking into account the six PCI Express 2.0 ports, we get that there are just 18 high-speed input ports in total. output.

The connection diagram of controllers, connectors and ports to the chipset is shown in the figure:

Additional Features

If we talk about additional features of the Asus Maximus VII Hero board, it is worth noting the presence of a power and reset button on the board itself. In addition, there is a ClearCMOS button and the traditional MemOK! button. On the rear panel of the board there is a USB BIOS Flashback button, which allows you to easily update the board's BIOS using a USB flash drive.

There is also a POST code indicator and two more new buttons that are only present on Maximus VII series gaming boards: KeyBot and SoundStage.

The KeyBot button activates the function of the same name, which allows you to program individual keys on a USB keyboard. This is a hardware-software solution, and the board itself uses a separate chip (KeyBot microprocessor) to implement this function. To take advantage of this feature, just connect the keyboard to a USB port.

As for the SoundStage button, it is part of the new audio subsystem of the Asus Maximus VII series boards and allows you to adjust the audio subsystem to the running application (FPS, Racing, Combat, Sport). However, if the board is installed in a case, using this button will be problematic. However, the functionality of the button is duplicated by the new Sonic SoundStage utility, which allows you not only to select the desired profile, but also to configure it. There is also a Sonic Studio utility that allows you to customize audio effects.

Power system

Like most boards, the Asus Maximus VII Hero model has 24-pin and 8-pin connectors for connecting the power supply.

The processor supply voltage regulator on the board is 8-channel and is based on a Digi+ VRM PWM controller labeled APS 1257. Note that the MOSFET drivers are located on the reverse side of the board and are covered with heat-dissipating metal plates.

Cooling system

To cool the MOSFET transistors of the processor voltage regulator, the board has two heatsinks connected by a heat pipe, which are located next to the processor socket. On the reverse side of the board, as already noted, two heat-dissipating plates are installed on the MOSFET drivers. In addition, another heatsink is installed on the chipset.

The chipset heatsink has a red backlight, for which purpose there is a miniature power connector on the board next to the heatsink.

To create an effective heat dissipation system, the board has two four-pin connectors (CPU_FAN, CPU_OPT) for connecting processor cooler fans and four four-pin connectors for connecting additional case fans.

Audio subsystem

On all new boards of the Asus Maximus VII series, the SupremeFX audio subsystem has been further developed. In addition to what was already implemented previously, the SupremeFX 2014 version includes a new Sonic SenseAmp amplifier, which automatically detects headphone impedance (32/150 ohms or higher) and automatically adjusts the amplifier to the load.

The basis of the audio subsystem on the Asus Maximus VII Ranger board is the Realtek ALC1150 HDA audio codec. The rear panel of the board has six mini-jack audio connectors (3.5 mm) and one S/PDIF optical connector (output). The Realtek ALC1150 codec itself is covered with a metal casing with the SupremeFX inscription, and all elements of the audio path are isolated at the PCB level from other elements of the board.

To test the output audio path intended for connecting headphones or external speakers, we used an external Creative E-MU 0204 USB sound card in combination with the Right Mark Audio Analyzer 6.3.0 utility. Testing was carried out in stereo mode, 24-bit/44.1 kHz. According to the testing results, the audio path on the Asus Maximus VII Hero board received a “Very Good” rating. The full report with testing results in the RMAA 6.3.0 program is posted on a separate page, followed by a short report.

Frequency response unevenness (in the range 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB

Asus Maximus VII Ranger, and therefore we will only briefly consider the main features. So, the UEFI BIOS provides the ability to configure shared PCI Express x1, PCI Express x4 and M.2 slots. By default (Auto mode), the PCI Express x4 slot operates in x1 mode, all three PCI Express x1 slots are available, and the M.2 connector is not available. In order to change the operating mode of the slots, you need to configure the operating mode of the PCI Express x4 slot on the Advanced/Onboard Devices Configuration tab. All settings intended for overclocking the system are traditionally collected on the Extreme Tweaker tab. The set of settings here is typical, so we won’t repeat ourselves. Let us note only as a reference that we managed to overclock the Intel Core i7-4770K processor on the Asus Maximus VII Hero board to a frequency of 4.8 GHz with a BCLK Frequency value of 100 MHz. For our instance of the Intel Core i7-4770K processor, this is a typical result in terms of overclocking (although on the Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark II board this processor also ran at 4.9 GHz). Well, traditionally, through the UEFI BIOS you can configure the speed mode of all connected fans. Naturally, the Asus Maximus VII Hero board comes bundled with a large number of different utilities. In this case, the set of utilities is exactly the same as in the case of the Asus Maximus VII Ranger board, in the review of which you can see their description. Conclusions Let us repeat that the Asus Maximus VII Hero gaming board is very similar to the Asus Maximus VII Ranger board, but in a slightly higher class. And if the cost of Asus Maximus VII Ranger is about 7,000 rubles, then Asus Maximus VII Hero costs about 8,000 rubles. This is quite logical, since the new Hero model is slightly superior in functionality to the Asus Maximus VII Ranger, and it’s not just the two additional SATA 6 Gb/s ports. For a thousand rubles you get an improved cooling system and a more advanced processor voltage regulator. It is quite possible that for some these minor differences will be of fundamental importance (after all, for some, 6 SATA ports may simply not be enough). Overall, the Asus Maximus VII Hero board makes a very good impression. It is quite suitable not only for gaming PCs, but also simply for high-performance computers, as well as for assembling a system for overclocking processors. The board was provided for testing by the manufacturer

Not long ago the latest chipset from Intel called Z97. Despite the lack of significant differences compared to the “outdated” Intel Z87, many manufacturers greeted the release of the system logic set with great enthusiasm. There is already a wide range of motherboards on the new chip, and making a choice from such a variety of models is not so easy.

Quality of the company's products ASUS generally accepted, but the manufacturer decided to go even further and created a separate series of devices for professional gamers and enthusiasts. Evaluate the high functionality and quality of the series products ROG (Republic Of Gamers) we can use the example of a motherboard ASUS Maximus VII Hero.

Specification

• Manufacturer: ASUS;
• Model: MAXIMUS VII HERO;
• Socket: LGA1150;
• Supported processors: fourth and fifth generation Core i7/Core i5/Core i3/Pentium/Celeron;
• Chipset: Intel Z97;
• Memory: 4 x DIMM, up to 32GB, DDR3;
• Expansion slots: 2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x8+x8), 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4) 3xPCIe 2.0 x1;
• SATA/RAID support: chipset 6xSATA 6Gb/s ports with support for Raid 0, 1, 5, 10; third-party controller ASMedia 2xSATA 6Gb/s ports with support for RAID 0, 1;
• M.2 slot: yes;
• Network controller: Intel I218V, 1000 Mbit/s;
• Audio codec: Realtek ALC1150;
• USB ports: 6xUSB 3.0, 7USB 2.0;
• Motherboard power supply: 24+8 pin;
• Connectors on the rear panel: 6xUSB, optical output, D-Sub, DVI, HDMI, Ethernet, PS/2 (keyboard/mouse), 6 × audio connectors;
• Form factor: ATX;
• Price: 7500 rub.

Packaging and accessories

The packaging is designed in the style of ROG (Republic of Gamers), the size of the box and the weight are impressive. The list of characteristics can be found on the back of the package, but it is unlikely that this board will be bought by a “mere mortal” who is completely unfamiliar with the subject. In addition, the manufacturer decided to highlight some of the features of Maximus VII Hero:

• ROG GameFirst III - monitoring and optimizing network traffic;
• SupremeFX - improved sound;
• KeyBot - key programming function;
• Extreme Engine Digi+ III - advanced power subsystem.

Before purchasing, you can evaluate the appearance of the product; you just need to lift the top cover. Some features of the board are also mentioned here, of which we can highlight the protection of the network adapter from lightning and static electricity.

The package includes:

• User's Guide;
• Six SATA 6 Gb/s cables;
• Rear panel cover;
• ROG logo sticker;
• Q-connectors for quick connection;
• Bridge SLI;
• Driver disk;
• Door sign;
• Cable stickers.

It is unlikely that such a warning will be of any use, but the very fact of the presence of such a bonus in the kit cannot but rejoice. The inscription itself is not without a fair amount of pathos: “Do not disturb! A champion at work."

Appearance and features of the board

The form factor of ASUS Maximus VII Hero complies with the ATX standard (305x244 mm); to install it in the case, you need to fix the motherboard with nine screws. The design of the device contrasts sharply with the background of crafts for the masses; the board looks prestigious. The combination of black PCB with red inserts favorably emphasizes its belonging to the ROG series.

There are massive radiators on the power subsystem and on the chipset, and on the reverse side you can see special plates for mounting. The layout of the elements is not satisfactory; all important ports are neatly located along the edges of the board.

Let's start with the rear panel, the following connectors are available here:

• 1 x PS/2 for connecting a keyboard/mouse;
• 1 x DVI;
• 1 x D-Sub;
• 1 x HDMI;
• 1 x LAN (RJ45);
• 4 x USB 3.0;
• 2 x USB 2.0;
• 1 x optical output;
• 6 x audio jacks;
• 1 x button for updating BIOS from a USB flash drive.

There are 4 slots available for RAM with the ability to install up to 32 GB. Declared support for a wide range of frequencies from 1333 MHz to the “sky-high” 3200 MHz in overclocking mode. There is only one latch on each slot; a latch is provided on the other side. This approach greatly simplifies the installation of RAM.

A 24-pin power connector is located nearby.

The second 8-pin connector for additional processor power is located in the upper left corner, at the very edge of the PCB.

Features of ASUS Maximus VII Hero include the presence of power and reset buttons directly on the board itself. This is very convenient when building a test bench. Just above there is a POST code indicator, which will help indicate a particular malfunction or incompatibility of equipment. Using the MemOK! the most secure settings for memory are provided at system startup, and we’ll talk about KeyBot’s functions a little later.

The power supply for the memory is organized according to a two-phase circuit, and the Digi+ ASP1103 PWM controller is responsible for control.

Another feature is the ability to adjust the fan speed through the appropriate utility. There are 6 connectors available for connection, two are reserved for the processor cooler, one for the fan on the front panel, one for the rear, and two more connectors at the very bottom of the board. If six fans are enough for you to cool the entire system, then you will no longer need a reobass; this is a significant plus for the ASUS Maximus VII Hero.

In the very center, under the processor socket, there is an M.2 connector (Socket 3), to support the new standard for ultra-fast storage. Theoretically, when connecting a compatible device, the new connector can provide throughput of up to 10 Gbps. In this case, one feature of the board should be mentioned: if the PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (PCIEX4_3) operates in x4 mode, then the PCIe 2.0 x1 (PCIEX1_3) and M.2 (Socket 3) slots are blocked.

Six SATA ports are based on the Z97 chipset and it is in them that it is recommended to connect SSD and HDD.

Additional two ports are provided by a third-party ASMedia ASM1061 controller.

For audio output, the Realtek ALC1150 audio codec is used, encased in a case labeled SupremeFX.

The network interface is controlled by an Intel I218V controller supporting speeds of up to 1000 Mbit/s.

There are 6 PCI-e slots for installing expansion cards. Red PCI-e 3.0/2.0 x16 connectors are capable of operating in x8 mode when sharing video accelerators (SLI/CrossFire design). Pay attention to the distance between the connectors; this board can easily install two video cards with a three-slot cooling system. The black PCI-e 2.0 x16 connector is capable of operating in x4 mode. The remaining three PCI-e 2.0 x1 slots do not have limiters, which allows you to install full-size cards in them, but the speed will be limited by the x1 mode.

To distribute the bandwidth of the PCI-e bus, a specialized multiplexer ASM1480 manufactured by ASMedia is used, with its help the operation of three PCI-e x16 ports is implemented according to the x8-x8-x4 scheme.

A controller with ROG 035-A2 is required to use specialized function panels.

The connector for connecting two additional USB 3.0 ports is located next to the 24-pin power connector.

Let's walk along the bottom edge of the board, from left to right there are:

• AAFP - sound output is not the front panel;
• Soundstage - button for switching sound profiles (FSP/Racing/Fighting/Sport);
• CLR-CMOS - BIOS reset button;
• ROG_EXT - port for connecting ASUS ROG panels;
• USB13/USB1112/USB910 - connectors for connecting additional USB 2.0 ports;
• TPM - connector for TPM module, to increase system security;
• T_Sensor1 - for connecting a cable with a thermistor;
• Panel - connection of case panel connectors.

Despite the common heat pipe, both radiators are mounted on separate plates on the back of the motherboard. The radiator contacts the power switches through thermal rubber bands. And the plates are in contact with divers, which are soldered on the opposite side.

The lower aluminum heatsink removes heat from the chipset and is secured with 4 spring-loaded screws. Power is supplied through a two-pin connector to illuminate the logo; LEDs with a red glow are hidden inside the radiator.

After dismantling the radiators, the motherboard looks new. Red inserts are applied to the top layer of the printed circuit board.

The photo below shows the top Intel Z97 chip

The Nuvoton NCT6791D controller is responsible for system temperature monitoring.

The power part for powering the processor is made according to an eight-phase circuit. The phase chokes of the power converter are made on unusual “square” cores. You can immediately feel the power and hundreds of amperes of current delivered. Power keys are visible - flat black squares. Filter capacitors are polymer electrolytic.

The ASM1442K chip acts as a signal converter, thereby supporting 4K video playback through the corresponding ports.

Let's take a closer look at the power switch. A specialized chip CSD87350Q5D is used, which contains two power N-channel field-effect transistors connected as a half-bridge and a driver for these transistors.

The power is controlled by a multiphase PWM controller from Digi+ ASP1257.

The chip in a dip-8 package marked GD25B64BPIG is an SPI flash memory.

On the reverse side of the board, opposite the controller power converters, there are IR3535 field-effect transistor drivers.

And also, on the reverse side you can find the chip responsible for the KeyBot technology. If you are the owner of a mediocre keyboard, then do not despair, this function will allow you to program keys F1 to F12. Thus, you will expand the functionality of the keyboard and gain access to macro commands.

SettingsUEFIBIOS

The simplified BIOS mode is called EZ-Mode. Basic information about the system state is available here, it is possible to select a boot device and change the language.

The most interesting thing is revealed when you switch to Advanced Mode. The first Favorites tab is empty by default, with its help you can create a custom window with the desired set of parameters. This is very convenient when overclocking, because this way you don’t have to scour the tabs to find the right option.

Extreme Tweaker - this window contains all the parameters for overclocking the system. It should be noted that there are many more options available for change here than on any average motherboard.

In the Main Menu, you can view system information and set the language in the menu, set the date/time or password for logging into the system.

The Advanced Menu, by analogy with the name, contains advanced settings for configuring built-in devices and various controllers. Here you can also turn off the backlighting implemented on the heatsink, printed circuit board and built-in audio codec housing.

Monitor Menu - monitoring temperature and voltage indicators, as well as controlling fan speed.

The Boot Menu provides a number of options to optimize booting and allows you to configure the priority between drives.

The Tool Menu contains a number of useful utilities. EZ Flash 2 will help update the BIOS, and Secure Erase guarantees a complete cleanup of your SSD to restore its previous speed. Also, in the menu you can load a previously saved profile or change some parameters for interacting with the ROG OC panel.

Exit Menu exits with saving changed parameters or rolls back to factory settings.

Even though the main tabs are gone, there are still a few interesting options left on the top of the general menu:

• Qfan Control - automatic or manual adjustment of the rotation of all fans connected to the motherboard;
• EZ Tuning Wizard - automatic selection of parameters for overclocking the processor and memory;
• Quick Notes - journal for notes;
• Hot Keys - description of the functions assigned to hot keys.

Branded utilities

On the official website in the support section you can find a whole bunch of useful utilities. Let's start the story with ASUS AI Suite 3, this package contains a number of utilities, switching between which is done by clicking on a separate icon in the upper right corner. This includes settings to increase transfer speed via USB3.0 ports, system information, special settings for fast charging of mobile devices via a USB port, updating BIOS firmware via the Internet or from a flash drive.

We would like to specifically mention PUSH Notice. This function will allow you to configure alerts for a specific event, for example, when the permissible temperature is exceeded or the voltage drops.

The main utility of the ASUS AI Suite 3 software package is Dual Intelligent Processor 5. The number five in the name symbolizes the number of main partitions; below we will look at some of them.

TPU section - provides access to changing the multiplier and processor supply voltage.

Fan Expert 3 - adjusts the operation of connected fans, you can configure it manually or select from ready-made options (quiet/standard/turbo/full speed).

Digi+ VRM - settings to increase stability when overclocking the processor, and there is also a separate tab for adjusting the voltage and frequencies of the RAM.

Now let's move on to other independent utilities. Game First III is a network monitor with ready-made scenarios for the priority of incoming/outgoing network traffic.

Sonic Radar II - allows you to fine-tune the equalizer for the required game scenario. The improvement is achieved by highlighting a specific frequency range. For example, you can select High Range from ready-made profiles, this will allow you to hear shooting/steps/running more clearly.

Supreme FX - advanced options for the built-in sound card.

Asus Boot Setting - contains two functions, enabling fast system boot without repeating initialization and direct entry into the BIOS when rebooting without pressing the corresponding key.

Asus PC Diagnostics - provides basic information about the computer and the components used, and also has a built-in stress test to check system stability.

Despite some usefulness of such utilities, I would like to note the fact that all the options above are available for direct change through the BIOS. The benefit of all these utilities is the ability to change parameters without restarting the computer, through the OS in real time.

Test bench configuration

• Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K (4000 MHz);
• Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VII Hero, BIOS version 1002;
• Cooler: Prolimatech Armageddon;
• Fans: 2 x NZXT FN-140RB;
• Thermal interface: Arctic Cooling MX-2;
• Memory: 4 x 4 GB DDR3 1866, Crucial BLT2CP4G3D1869DT2TXOBCEU;
• Video card: ASUS Radeon R7 260;
• Hard drive: WD40PURX 4000 GB;
• Power supply: Antec VP650P, 650 Watt;
• Housing: open stand;
• Monitor: VIEWSONIC VP2770-LED;
• Operating system: Windows 7 64-bit Service Pack 1;
• Drivers: Catalyst 14.7 Beta.

Installing the cooler did not pose any difficulties. The space around the socket is enough to install large coolers with two fans. In this case, the memory slots are not blocked and you can easily install all four modules.

An Intel Core i7-4790K was used as the central processor, the TurboBoost option was disabled. Testing was carried out on the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard, BIOS version 1002. Arctic Cooling MX-2 was used as thermal paste.

Overclocking and testing

Taking into account the automatic increase in processor frequency using TurboBoost technology to 4400 MHz, it was decided to present the results for this frequency. The only difference compared to the automatic mode is that the frequency will be fixed for each core, and not for one. The XMP profile was used as settings for RAM. There was no need to increase the supply voltage; the processor passed all tests reliably.

This instance was overclocked to 4800 MHz, the supply voltage was 1.39 V. When overclocking the RAM, it was possible to reach frequencies of 2200 MHz without changing the timings, the supply voltage was 1.65 V.

I suggest you familiarize yourself with the results of various test applications.

Based on the test results, we can conclude that the motherboard has good overclocking potential, especially taking into account memory overclocking. When used in the assembly of the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard, you can be sure that the board will get the most out of the processor and memory.

Conclusion

ASUS Maximus VII Hero is an excellent motherboard built on the top-end chipset from Intel Z97. There were no significant drawbacks; everything here points to thoughtfulness and quality. The board is suitable not only for any gaming computer, but also as an overclocking stand, since the manufacturer has provided everything necessary.

Pros:

• Good equipment;
• Bright design;
• Stylish lighting;
• Excellent overclocking functionality;
• Use of quality components;
• High reliability of the power subsystem;
• Availability of M.2 connector (Socket 3);
• CrossFireX and SLI support in x8+x8 mode;
• Good sound quality of the built-in audio codec;
• Possibility of flexible adjustment of all connected fans;
• A range of useful proprietary technologies such as KeyBot;
• The presence of power and reset keys on the board itself.

Cons:

• Limitations associated with the common bus of the PCIe 2.0 x16 slot /PCIe 2.0 x1 slots and the M.2 connector.
• The price is not something everyone can afford.

According to the editors, taking into account all the pros and cons, the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard receives the “Gold” award.

Review and testing of the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard.

After the appearance of the new (or partly new, rather it’s just an update) Intel Z97 chipset, manufacturers updated almost all motherboards. For example, a newcomer has appeared in the Republic of Gamers family - . Today we will talk about his older brother - Maximus VII Hero. What is remarkable about the new Hero and what is he capable of?

The price of ASUS Maximus VII Ranger in Moscow retail at the time of writing this review is from 7,400 rubles.

1. Board review, technical part
2.
3.

Let's start, as usual, with packaging. You can’t tell much here - the design style remains the same.

But since new technical and software solutions were implemented, attention was paid to them on the back of the box. Here the manufacturer notes the SupremeFX audio subsystem, the GameFirst III software suite, the new KeyBot technology and the Extreme Engine Digi+ III power subsystem. The user can also study the main technical specifications and look at a schematic diagram of the rear panel of the board.

On the front page of the box you can read about the technologies used in a little more detail, and we will describe them as we review the board itself. Or you can check them out.

You can look at the motherboard without opening the box.

The scope of delivery includes:
— user manual
- disk with drivers and software
- sign on the door
- plug for the rear panel
— 6x SATA 6 Gb/s cables
- sticker on SATA cables
— SLI bridge for combining two video cards
- Q-Connector set

At the presentation of the Maximus VII motherboards, the manufacturer separately noted that these boards are based on a printed circuit board painted matte black. It looks very cool, especially in combination with the signature red color. The red color in the design of the printed circuit board is also worth noting - it is, however, hidden by radiators, so you will be able to see it a little later.

Let's also add the official slide:

To install expansion cards, the user has the following options:
- two PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (operate in x16 or 8+8 mode, in the second only 8 lanes are soldered)
— one PCIe 2.0 x16 (black, operates in x4 mode maximum and shares lanes with PCIe 2.0 x1 and M.2)
- three PCIe 2.0 x1 (PCIEX1_1/2/3), which will be automatically disabled if the PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (PCIEX4_3) is in x4 mode or an M.2 slot is used

Directly behind the PCIe slots on the back of the board is a KeyBot chip. The manufacturer has added S5 mode, in which the KeyBot chip monitors the state of the keyboard and waits for a signal from certain keys.

Hidden under the cover labeled SupremeFX is the Realtek ALC1150 audio codec.

Along the bottom edge of the board are located:
— Sound Stage button (switching audio settings profiles)
- CMOS reset button
— connector for connecting OC Panel
— a pair of connectors for connecting two USB 2.0 ports to each

The motherboard has eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Six of them are implemented using the Intel Z97 chipset, and two more are implemented by a third-party ASMedia ASM1061 controller.

The SATA Express interface is not provided on Maximus VII motherboards, but M.2 is available. This connector is located between the processor socket and the upper PCIe x16 slot.

Power buttons, reboot buttons, MemOK! and KeyBot are located in the upper right corner. There is also a POST code indicator () and a pair of memory power phases, the voltage of which is controlled by the Digi+ ASP1103 digital controller.

The following set of interfaces is displayed on the rear panel:
- combined PS/2 port
- DVI
- D-Sub
- HDMI
- RJ45
— 4x USB 3.0 ports
— 2x USB 2.0 ports
— optical output S/PDIF
— 6x audio connectors
- USB BIOS Flashback button

The manufacturer also notes that all USB ports are supplied with a stable voltage.

The processor power subsystem is cooled by a radiator consisting of two sections, which are united by one heat pipe. When overclocking the processor to 4.6 GHz, the temperature of the hottest one fluctuated around 54-56 degrees. But since we used the air cooler, the radiator was not blown in any way. When using top air cooling systems, the radiator temperature will be lower.

The chipset is cooled by a fairly large radiator, and its temperature fluctuated around 41-43 degrees.

In addition, it has a red backlight:

Radiators on the reverse side. The thermal pads seem to be soft and do not crumble, like the Maximus VII Ranger.

Motherboard without cooling system. Now you can fully see the red color of the printed circuit board in the radiator area. It’s a pity, of course, that this is not visible at all in everyday work.

The processor power subsystem has 8 real phases (doublers are not used).

The digital controller Digi+ ASP1257 is responsible for voltage control.

To conclude the technical part, we present an official slide on which the manufacturer highlighted additional pleasant features of the board:
— improved plug on the rear panel of the case, which reduces the risk of cutting yourself
— convenient latches for PCIe slots (although they were there before)
- one-way latches for RAM slots (also existed before)
- protection of RAM from overcurrent
— presence of backplates for heatsinks of the processor power subsystem
— protection of PS/2, USB, audio and network ports from static electricity
- improved I/O panel frame
- improved solid capacitors

The technical characteristics of the ASUS Maximus VII Hero motherboard are shown in the table.

ASUS Maximus VII Hero
Supported processors	Processors Intel Core i7 / Core i5 / Core i3 / Pentium / Celeron in LGA1150 version (fourth, updated fourth and the fifth generation of Core microarchitecture)
Chipset	Intel Z97 Express
Memory subsystem	4 × DIMM DDR3 unbuffered (non-ECC) memory up to 32 GB; dual-channel memory mode; support modules with frequency 3200(O.C.)/3100(O.C.)/3000(O.C.) /2933(O.C.)/2800(O.C.)/2666(O.C.)/2600(O.C.)/2500(O.C.)/ 2400(O.C.)/2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/ 1800(O.C.)/1600/1333 MHz; XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) 1.3/1.2 support
GUI	the integrated graphics core of the processor allows the use of HDMI (1.4a), DVI-D and D-Sub ports; Resolutions up to 4K are supported; maximum video memory 512 MB; support for Intel InTru 3D, Quick Sync Video, Clear Video HD Technology, Insider technologies; ability to simultaneously connect three displays
Connectors for expansion cards	2 PCI Express x16 slots, x16 and x8/x8 operating mode, Gen 3; 1 PCI Express x16 slot, x4 operating mode, Gen 2; 3 PCI Express x1, Gen 2 slots
Video subsystem scalability	NVIDIA Quad-GPU SLI Technology; AMD Quad-GPU CrossFireX Technology
Drive interfaces	Intel Z97 Express Chipset: 6 × SATA 3, bandwidth up to 6 Gbit/s; 1 × M.2 (PCI Express x1, Gen 2), bandwidth up to 10 Gbps (type 2260/2280); Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage, Intel Smart Connect Technology and Intel Smart Response, NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug. ASMedia PCIe SATA controller: 2 × SATA 3, bandwidth up to 6 Gbps.
Network interface	Network controller Intel Gigabit LAN I218V (10/100/1000 Mbit)
Audio subsystem	7.1-channel HD codec SupremeFX 2014 (Realtek ALC1150); support 192 kHz/24-bit audio output; SupremeFX technology; ELNA premium audio capacitors; Sonic SenseAmp headphone amplifier automatically detects the impedance of the connected headphones (below 65 ohms, from 65 to 150 ohms, or above 150 ohms); hardware sound profile switch Sonic SoundStage; Perfect Voice noise reduction system; Sonic Radar II imaging technology; support for detecting the type of connected device, multi-stream playback, reassignment of front audio panel connectors
USB interface	Intel Z97 Express Chipset: 6 USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 - on the rear panel, 2 - connected to the corresponding connectors on the motherboard); 7 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (2 on the rear panel, 5 connected to the corresponding connectors on the motherboard).
Connectors and buttons on the rear panel	2 USB 2.0 ports and combined PS/2; 1 HDMI port; 1 optical output S/P-DIF interface; 1 DVI-D output; 1 D-Sub output; 1 USB BIOS Flashback button; 4 USB 3.0/2.0 ports; 1 RJ-45 LAN socket (LANGuard); 6 audio jacks
Internal connectors on the system board	1 24-pin ATX power connector; 1 8-pin ATX 12V power connector; 8 SATA 3; 1 M.2; 1 audio connector for front panel; 1 USB 3.0/2.0 connector; 3 USB 2.0/1.0 connectors; 1 TPM; 6 4-pin connectors for fans with PWM support; group of connectors for the front panel (Q-Connector); 1 Reset button; 1 MemOK! button; 1 Power-on connector with LED; 1 Clear CMOS button; 1 KeyBot button; 1 Sonic SoundStage button; 1 connector for external temperature sensor; 1 ROG Extension connector
BIOS	1 × 64 Mbit AMI UEFI BIOS with multilingual interface and graphical shell (SD/HD/Full HD); ACPI 5.0a compliant; SM BIOS 2.7 support; DMI 2.7 and WfM 2.0 support
Brand functions, technologies and features	Gamer's Guardian: - ESD Guards on LAN, Audio, KBMS and USB3.0/2.0 ports; - DRAM Overcurrent Protection; - 10K Black Metallic Capacitors; - Stainless Steel Back I/O. ASUS Exclusive Features: - MemOK!; - AI Suite 3; - AI Charger; - USB Charger+; - USB 3.0 Boost; - Disk Unlocker. ASUS EZ DIY: - ASUS O.C. Profile; - ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3; - ASUS EZ Flash 2; - ASUS USB BIOS Flashback; - Push Notice. ASUS Q-Design: - ASUS Q-Shield; - ASUS Q-Code; - ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED); - ASUS Q-Slot; - ASUS Q-DIMM; - ASUS Q-Connector. Overclocking Protection: - ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall). Media streamer
operating system	Microsoft Windows 8.1/8/7
Form factor, dimensions (mm)	ATX, 305×244
Manufacturer's warranty, years	3
Minimum retail price*, rub.	12 410

* According to Yandex.Market data as of July 19, 2015.

⇡ Packaging and accessories

The large cardboard box in which ASUS Maximus VII Hero is sealed is decorated in a style typical of the ROG series with a predominance of scarlet tones. The front side contains information only about the product model, and at the bottom, icons indicate the features of the board.

But the back of the box is as informative as possible. Here are the key advantages of the device, specifications and outputs are listed, as well as the addresses of ASUS headquarters.

The front panel of the box is folding and provides potential buyers with additional information about the technologies implemented in ASUS Maximus VII Hero and proprietary advantages in comparison with competitors' products.

Inside the box, the board is sealed in an additional tray with a transparent plastic cover, that is, it is protected quite reliably.

Among the accessories supplied with the board, you can find a plug for the rear panel, six SATA cables with latches, a connecting bridge for SLI and a pair of connectors for conveniently connecting case cables.

Among other accessories, we note the presence of detailed instructions for setting up and operating the board, a disk with software and drivers, stickers on hard drive cables, a sticker with the ROG logo and a label on the door handle asking not to disturb gamers when they are busy with pressing matters.

Our copy of ASUS Maximus VII Hero is version 1.01 and was released in China. The board comes with a three-year warranty. In Russia, at the time of writing this article, this model can be purchased at a price slightly above 12,000 rubles.

⇡ Design features

The design of ASUS Maximus VII Hero is strict, but at the same time not boring, like, in general, all ASUS ROG series products. The scarlet slots and connectors, as well as the inserts on the radiators of the power circuits and chipset, contrast wonderfully with the dark textolite of the printed circuit board. From the always hidden reverse side, everything is much simpler - we note only the reinforcement plates of the processor socket and the same radiators on the VRM.

In terms of dimensions, the board belongs to the ATX standard, so its dimensions are quite familiar 305 × 244 mm.

The schematic arrangement of the key elements of ASUS Maximus VII Hero is as follows.

The ASUS Maximus VII Hero output panel has two USB 2.0/1.1 ports combined with a universal PS/2 connector, optical audio output, HDMI, D-Sub and DVI-D video outputs, BIOS reset button, four USB 3.0/2.0 ports, network LAN port (RJ-45 LANGuard), as well as a panel with six gold-plated audio outputs.

The top left USB port is connected to the KeyBot chip, thanks to which you can assign macros to the F1-F10 function keys on the keyboard, as well as configure hotkeys to launch any applications and control the playback of multimedia files.

The processor socket of the LGA1150 design is covered with a plastic cover that protects it from dust and accidental damage to the contacts. The contacts here, unlike flagship boards with LGA2011-v3, are very ordinary, no optimizations are announced.

The list of supported processors is provided on the official ASUS website.

The processor power supply system is eight-phase, digitally controlled by Extreme Engine Digi+ III, using 60A Ferrite Choke chokes and capacitors with increased stability and reliability (10K Black Metallic).

The capacitors have a 20% increased temperature resistance and a five times longer service life.

On the reverse side there are IR3535 microcircuits manufactured by International Rectifier, cooled by heat distribution plates through thermal pads.

The DIGI+ PWM controller labeled ASP1257 is responsible for managing the processor power.

The Intel Z97 Express chipset is covered with a flat aluminum heatsink, with which it is in contact through a thermal pad.

ASUS Maximus VII Hero is equipped with four DIMM slots for DDR3 RAM.

The total amount of supported memory does not exceed 32 GB, which will be enough for any gaming system for at least another two to three years. Note that overclocking modules with frequencies of 3200 / 3100 / 3000 / 2933 / 2800 / 2666 / 2600 / 2500 / 2400 / 2200 / 2133 / 2000 / 1866 / 1800 / 1600 / 1333 MHz and XMP profiles (Extreme Memory Profile) are officially supported. versions 1.3/1.2. Of course, there is no support for error correction modules (ECC). Note that the connectors have a lock on only one side, which simplifies the installation of memory modules in them. The list of modules officially compatible with the board can be downloaded from the board’s page.

The organization of memory power supply is entrusted to the DIGI+ PWM controller labeled ASP1103.

As for the board's power connectors, everything is quite familiar: it is provided through 24-pin and 8-pin headers, located in the most convenient areas of the board for connecting power cables.

The motherboard is equipped with six PCI Express slots. The two red connectors belong to the 3.0 x16 standard, and video cards can be installed in them to create SLI and CrossFireX configurations in x8/x8 mode.

If you use the third PCI Express x16 version 2.0, you can install three video cards, but they will work in x8/x4/x4 mode. The remaining three PCI Express x1 slots are intended for expansion cards, and the top one shares the number of lanes with the M.2 connector. PCIe/M.2 operating modes are switched on the board using ASM1440 and ASM1480 switches.

ASUS Maximus VII Hero has eight SATA III connectors with a bandwidth of up to 6 Gbps.

Six of them are implemented using the Intel Z97 Express chipset, and two more are implemented by the ASMedia ASM1061 controller.

Supports the creation of arrays of RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 levels, as well as Intel Rapid Storage, Intel Smart Connect, Intel Smart Response, NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug technologies.

In addition, the board has a high-speed M.2 connector with a throughput of up to 10 GB/s.

Drives of 2260 and 2280 form factors are supported.

The network controller on ASUS Maximus VII Hero is the widely used gigabit Intel WGI218V.

The RJ-45 network connector has additional proprietary LANGuard protection against power surges, lightning and static electricity.

USB on the board is implemented only using the Intel Z97 Express chipset. Four USB 3.0/2.0 ports are located on the rear panel, and two more can be taken from the block on the board. Two USB 2.0/1.1 ports are also located on the output panel, and five more can be connected to the board using expansion strips. Let us remind you that one USB 2.0 connector on the interface panel is connected to the KeyBot microprocessor, and the second can be used as an ROG Connect interface and BIOS Flashback. TrueVolt USB technology provides a stable 5V voltage across all ports without dropout.

The Nuvoton NCT6791D controller, which is well known to us, is responsible for the functions of monitoring, controlling fans and the combined PS/2 connector on the board.

ASUS Maximus VII Hero is equipped with a 7.1-channel HD audio codec SupremeFX 2014, which is based on the Realtek ALC1150 chip.

Traditionally, ASUS has optimized this audio codec and, in addition to the hardware separation of the digital and analog sections, the built-in Sonic SenseAmp headphone amplifier, the use of premium ELNA audio capacitors, as well as the routing of the left and right channels in different layers of PCB, endowed it with Sonic software “improvers” SoundStage, Perfect Voice noise reduction and Sonic Radar II imaging technology.

Support for the ROG Extension interface on the board is provided by the ROG chip labeled 035-A2.

The KeyBot chip already mentioned twice today is soldered on the reverse side of the PCB.

There is only one BIOS chip on the board; it is soldered next to the top PCI Express 3.0 connector.

BIOS recovery in case of damage is carried out via USB BIOS Flashback.

As usual, on the lower edge of the board's PCB there are audio connectors, SoundStage buttons, CLR_CMOS, the ROG Extension interface, additional USB connectors, a four-pin fan connector, a TPM connector and a contact area for cables to the front panel.

Note that to connect fans to ASUS Maximus VII Hero, there are six four-pin connectors with support for PWM control.

In the upper right corner of the board there is a POST code indicator, backlit start and reset buttons, as well as a MemOK! button. and KeyBot.

The cooling system on ASUS Maximus VII Hero is passive; it consists of two radiators connected by a heat pipe on VRM circuits, two plates on the back side of the PCB and a flat chipset radiator.

The latter is equipped with a very beautiful backlight, which can also be adjusted.

Let's supplement the review of the board with a link to the operating instructions and move on to getting acquainted with the features of the BIOS.

Continuing our acquaintance with the updated line of ASUS ROG motherboards, we will talk about another model created on the flagship Intel Z97 chipset. We'll talk about the version ASUSMAXIMUSVIIHERO, which is a neighbor to the ASUS Z97 MAXIMUS VII RANGER we recently reviewed. For a clearer comparison of the two models, we suggest taking a look at the following table:

	ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO	ASUS Z97 MAXIMUS VII RANGER
external/internal
external/internal
RAM
Video outputs
Audio outputs	6 Optical S/PDIF-out	6 Optical S/PDIF-out
SATA 6 Gb/s
Power phases

As you can see, both motherboards offer very similar capabilities. At first glance, the only thing we can note is that the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO has a larger number of SATA 6 Gb/s ports. As for the cost, at the time of writing the review, ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO can be purchased for an average of $280, while the previously reviewed model will cost approximately $40 less.

However, first things first, let’s first look at the detailed technical specifications of the new product.

ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO motherboard specification:

Manufacturer
	MAXIMUS VII HERO (rev 1.01)
CPU socket
Supported processors	Intel Core i7 / Core i5 / Core i3 / Pentium / Celeron fourth and fifth generations: Intel Haswell, Intel Haswell Refresh, Intel Devil`s Canyon, Intel Broadwell
Frequency of used memory	3200* / 3100* / 3000* / 2933* / 2800* / 2666* / 2600* / 2500* / 2400* / 2200* / 2133* / 2000* / 1866* / 1800* / 1600 / 1333 MHz
Memory support	4 x DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 32 GB memory
Expansion slots	2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16
	3 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
Disk subsystem	Intel Z97 chipset supports: 1 x M.2 (M.2 2260, M.2 2280) 6 x SATA 6 Gb/s RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 ASMedia ASM1061 controller supports: 2 x SATA 6 Gb/s
	1 x Intel WGI218V (10/100/1000 Mb/s)
Sound subsystem	ROG SupremeFX codec 8 channel audio
	1 x 24-pin ATX power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX12V power connector
Fans	2 x CPU fan headers (4-pin) 4 x system fan connectors (4-pin)
Cooling	Aluminum heatsink on chipset Aluminum radiators on elements of the power subsystem, connected by a heat pipe
External I/O ports	1 x Optical S/PDIF out 6 x audio ports 1 x PS/2 (for connecting a mouse or keyboard) 1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button
Internal I/O ports	1 x USB 3.0 supporting dual USB 3.0 (19-pin) 2 x USB 2.0, each with support for connecting two USB 2.0 1 x USB 2.0 combined with ROG_EXT connector 8 x SATA 6 Gb/s 1 x TPM connector 1 x Front Audio Output Connector 1 x front panel connector block 1 x CMOS reset button 1 x MemOK! button 1 x power button 1 x reset button 1 x diagnostic LED indicator 1 x KeyBot Button 1 x Sonic SoundStage Button
	64 MB Flash ROM UEFI AMI BIOS PnP, ACPI 5.0a, SM BIOS 2.7, DMI 2.7, WfM 2.0
Equipment	user manual warranty brochure disk with drivers and utilities 1 x set of ASUS Q-Connectors 6 x SATA cables 1 x 2-Way NVIDIA SLI bridge 1 x interface panel blank
Form factor,
Manufacturer's website

Packaging and accessories

The motherboard comes in a familiar cardboard box with a flip-up lid. The design of the new product is made in the corporate style of the ASUS ROG line. On the front side, in addition to the name of the manufacturer and device model, you can pay attention to a number of logos at the bottom, indicating support for Windows 8.1, NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX technologies, as well as image output to displays with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels ( 4K Ultra HD).

On the back of the flip-up lid, under which there is a viewing window, there is a description of the following advantages of ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO:

• SupremeFX - pre-installed audio codec offers support for eight-channel audio. To avoid interference caused by electromagnetic interference, a special Black chrome EMI cover technology is used, and special ELNA audio capacitors are used to ensure maximum sound quality. Last on the list, but far from least important, is support for DTS Connect, BD Audio Layer Content Protection and Music PnP technologies, as well as the presence of an S/PDIF out port on the interface panel of the motherboard itself.
• Sonic Studio is proprietary software that allows you to activate the virtual sound playback function in 7.1 format, and also offers a wide range of audio settings.
• Sonic SoundStage - provides hardware switching of audio profiles using a special button on the printed circuit board.
• Sonic SenseAmp is a software and hardware technology that allows you to adjust sound playback based on the impedance level of the user's headphones.
• Intel Ethernet - a pre-installed network controller from Intel has increased throughput and consumes less processor resources than competitive solutions.
• LANGuard - a special fuse is used as part of the LAN port, which will help prevent damage to the system due to static electricity or during a thunderstorm.
• GameFirst III is a technology designed to optimize Internet traffic in order to increase the priority of online games, which should reduce delays and, accordingly, make the gaming process more comfortable. You can also choose “media streaming”, VoIP or file sharing as a priority.
• KeyBot - using proprietary software, a special controller and a button on the surface of a printed circuit board, you can record macros and create functional buttons even for ordinary keyboards.
• 10K Black Metallic Capacitors - the motherboard uses exclusively black solid-state capacitors with an increased service life of up to 10,000 hours and 20% higher efficiency when operating at low temperatures.
• DRAM Over-current Protection - special fuses protect RAM modules and DIMM slots from damage due to overvoltage or short circuit.
• ESD Guards - special fuses for increased protection against electrostatic discharges.
• Stainless Steel Back I/O - the interface panel is made of high quality stainless steel coated with chromium oxide. It has increased resistance to oxidation processes, which makes it three times more wear-resistant.
• Black Nickel-coated Q-shield - the interface panel plug has rounded edges, which will protect the user’s hands during its installation.
• Q-DIMM - for greater user convenience, the slots for installing RAM modules are equipped with a latch on only one side.

On the back of the package, in addition to a brief technical specification of the new product and a schematic representation of the interface panel, there is a repeated mention of support for SupremeFX, GameFirst III, KeyBot technologies, as well as the Extreme Engine DIGI+ III digital power system.

The ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO package is almost identical to that of the ASUS Z97 MAXIMUS VII RANGER, with the exception of the presence of two additional SATA cables.

As a result, in the box with the new product we found:

• six SATA cables;
• a set of ASUS Q-Connectors, which greatly simplifies the process of connecting the front panel of the PC case;
• ASUS ROG logo sticker;
• NVIDIA SLI bridge;
• door hanger.

Board design and features

The ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO printed circuit board is designed in a rather original way, where the designers decided to diversify the usual black color with splashes of red in the areas of the chipset, audio codec, and processor power subsystem, which looks fresh and generally attractive.

As for the layout of the onboard elements, everything is done at the highest level: all key ports and connectors are concentrated on the edges of the printed circuit board, and the DIMM slots, as we mentioned earlier, are equipped with latches on only one side. As a result, in terms of such parameters as design and layout, ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO deserves exclusively the highest ratings.

The reverse side of the motherboard greets us not only with the usual support plate of the processor socket and screws for securing the radiators, but also with two support plates located under the components of the processor power subsystem. They act as low-profile radiators.

At the bottom of the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO circuit board there are the following connectors: a block for connecting the front panel audio connectors, buttons for resetting CMOS and switching Sonic SoundStage audio profiles, a TPM port, as well as a block for connecting the front panel. Additionally, we note three connectors for activating USB 2.0 ports, one of which is combined with the ROG_EXT connector. In total, the chipset supports seven USB 2.0 ports on the board: five internal and two on the interface panel.

The possibilities for organizing the disk subsystem are represented by an M.2 connector, which supports SSD drives of the M.2 2260 and M.2 2280 formats, and eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. There is support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 arrays. Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports and an M.2 interface operate thanks to a set of system logic, while two additional SATA 6 Gb/s ports are implemented using the ASMedia ASM1061 controller.

The ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO motherboard is equipped with four DIMM slots for installing DDR3 RAM modules, which are equipped with latches on only one side for greater convenience. RAM can operate in dual-channel mode. To implement it, the strips must be installed either in the first and third, or in the second and fourth slots. Modules operating at frequencies from 1333 to 1600 MHz in nominal mode and up to 3200 MHz in overclocking mode are supported. The maximum memory capacity can reach 32 GB, which will be enough for almost any task.

The connector for connecting a remote panel with USB 3.0 ports is traditionally also located on the right side of the printed circuit board. In total, the new chipset supports six USB 3.0 ports: two internal and four on the interface panel.

The upper right corner of the printed circuit board deserves special attention, since it contains: the MemOK! button, which allows you to automatically select the necessary RAM operating parameters for a successful system start; diagnostic LED indicator, as well as power, reboot and KeyBot function activation buttons.

The cooling system of the new product in question consists of three main aluminum radiators: one removes heat from the Intel Z97 chipset, while the other two, connected by a heat pipe, cover the elements of the processor power subsystem. During testing, the following temperature indicators were recorded:

• chipset cooling radiator - 37.2°C;
• radiators for cooling elements of the processor power subsystem - 35.1°C.

The results obtained can be safely described as excellent, which indicates that the components of the cooling system were effectively selected.

The processor is powered using an enhanced 8-phase circuit for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter itself is based on an ASP1257 digital PWM controller with a built-in Extreme Engine DIGI+ III power management subsystem. All components of the processor power supply are highly reliable: Black Metallic solid capacitors, NexFET MOSFETs and 60A Ferrite Chokes are used. The main 24-pin and additional 8-pin connectors are used to supply power voltage.

To expand the functionality of the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO motherboard, there are six slots:

1. PCI Express 2.0 x1;
2. PCI Express 3.0 x16 (in x16 or x8 mode);
3. PCI Express 2.0 x1;
4. PCI Express 3.0 x16 (in x8 mode);
5. PCI Express 2.0 x1;
6. PCI Express 2.0 x16 (in x4 mode).

Thanks to support for AMD CrossFireX technology, as well as three PCI Express x16 expansion slots, you can organize a graphics subsystem of three video cards. However, in this case, the distribution scheme of the x8+x8+x4 lines will not allow the potential of this combination to be properly revealed. Therefore, the most optimal would be to install one or two graphics accelerators using NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFireX technologies.

Also note that due to the lack of free chipset lines, the PCI Express 2.0 x16 connector shares bandwidth with the PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots and the M.2 interface. By default, the BIOS activates the automatic line allocation mode, in which the system itself determines the user's current needs depending on the installed devices in one of the connectors mentioned above and allocates the required number of lines for its full operation, thereby disabling unused interfaces.

If you decide to take advantage of the capabilities of the graphics core integrated into the CPU, then you have three video outputs at your disposal: HDMI, DVI-D and D-Sub, switching between which is carried out by the ASMedia ASM1442K chip.

Multi I/O capabilities are assigned to the NUVOTON NCT6791D chip, which controls the operation of system fans, the PS/2 port, and also provides monitoring.

To support network connections, an Intel WGI218V gigabit LAN controller is used.

The audio subsystem of the motherboard in question is based on the 8-channel ROG SupremeFX HDA codec, which supports 2/4/5.1/7.1 audio systems and has a number of proprietary features that we mentioned at the beginning of the review.

The interface panel of the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO model includes the following ports:

• 1 x HDMI;
• 1 x DVI-D;
• 1 x D-Sub;
• 1 x PS/2 for connecting a mouse or keyboard;
• 1 x LAN (RJ45);
• 4 x USB 3.0;
• 2 x USB 2.0;
• 1 x optical S/PDIF out;
• 1 x USB BIOS Flashback button;
• 6 x audio ports.

In our opinion, this layout is very successful, since it has a sufficient number of USB ports, three video outputs (including HDMI with the ability to display images on displays with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels (4K Ultra HD)), and also allows you to comfortably connect multi-channel acoustics. Additionally, we note the function of updating the BIOS firmware from a flash drive using the corresponding button.

ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO has quite wide possibilities for organizing cooling inside the system case. There are six 4-pin fan connectors, two of which are used to cool the CPU, and the other four are for system fans.

UEFI BIOS

The new product being tested uses a modern preloader based on the UEFI graphical interface, in which you can make settings using the mouse. It offers two main use cases.

EZ Mode, in which all the necessary settings are grouped on one screen, and overclocking is carried out using the EZ Tuning Wizard.

Or the usual Advanced Mode, where all settings must be made manually.

All settings related to system overclocking are located in the “Extreme Tweaker” tab.

The memory frequency multiplier allows you to set the speed of connected modules in the range from 800 to 3400 MHz.

You can also access memory delay adjustments if necessary.

To increase stability during overclocking, the DIGI+VRM digital power subsystem control settings can be used.

The settings required for overclocking and optimizing the system are summarized in the table:

Parameter	Menu name	Range
System bus frequency
		100, 125, 166, 250
RAM frequency	Memory Frequency	3400, 3200, 3000, 2933, 2800, 2666, 2600, 2400, 2200. 2133, 2000, 1866, 1800, 1600, 1400, 1333, 1066, 800
RAM timings		CAS Latency, RAS to CAS, RAS PRE Time, RAS ACT Time, DRAM COMMAND Mode, RAS to RAS Delay, REF Cycle Time, Write Recovery Time, READ to PRE Time, FOUR ACT WIN Time, WRITE to READ Delay, Write Latency
	Min. CPU Cache Ratio Limit
	Max CPU Cache Ratio Limit
Operating frequency of the PWM controller of the processor power converter	Fixed CPU VRM Switching Frequency(KHz)
	Long Duration Package Power Limit
	Package Power Time Window
	Short Duration Package Power Limit
	CPU Integrated VR Current Limit	0,125 - 1023,875
	Power Current Slope	Auto, Level -4 - Level 4
	Power Current Offset	Auto, -100% - 100%
	Power Fast Ramp Response
	Power Saving Level 1 Threshold
	Power Saving Level 2 Threshold
	Power Saving Level 3 Threshold
CPU voltage	CPU Core Voltage Override
	CPU Cache Voltage Override
System agent voltage	CPU System Agent Voltage Offset
	CPU Analog I/O Voltage Offset
	CPU Digital I/O Voltage Offset
CPU input voltage	CPU Input Voltage
Voltage on RAM modules		1,20000 - 2,40000
Chipset voltage	PCH Core Voltage	0,70000 - 1,80000
		0,80000 - 2,00000
		0,60000 - 1,40000
	DRAM CTRL REF Voltage	0,39500 - 0,63000
	DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA	0,39500 - 0,63000
	DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB	0,39500 - 0,63000
	Clock Crossing VBoot	0,10000 - 1,90000
	Clock Crossing Reset Voltage	0,10000 - 1,90000
	Clock Crossing Voltage	0,10000 - 1,90000
	VCCIN Shadow Voltage
	Initial PLL Termination Voltage	1,00000 - 3,00000
	PLL Termination Reset Voltage	1,00000 - 3,00000
	Eventual PLL Termination Voltage	1,000000 - 3,00000
		0,600000 - 2,20000	The “Monitor” section provides access to monitoring the temperature of the processor and chipset. Additionally, in this section you can monitor the voltage on the processor cores, RAM and chipset. But you can monitor the voltages on the +12V, +5V and +3.3V power lines, as well as some other parameters, from any section, since this information is constantly displayed on the right side panel. Separately, it is worth noting the ability to take “screenshots” in the BIOS and support for the Russian language. Overclocking capabilities Based on the results of manual overclocking of the Intel Core i7-4770K processor, by increasing the multiplier to x46 and the voltage to 1,210 V, its stable operating frequency was 4600 MHz, which is a good result for a high-quality motherboard. Manually increasing the system bus frequency allowed us to reach a level of 159.97 MHz, which is a good result. As for automatic overclocking, we tested the functionality of this function in the bundled ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 5 software. Auto OC 4600 MHz As a result, the maximum result was a frequency of 4600 MHz at a voltage of 1.273 V, which is a good indicator for automatic overclocking, which is carried out by pressing just one button in the bundled software. At the same time, the RAM was accelerated by the system to a frequency of DDR3-2400 MHz. As for the automatic overclocking capabilities in the BIOS, to start the EZ Tuning Wizard, which we mentioned earlier, you need to select the scenario for using your computer: Daily Computing or Gaming/Video Editing. Next, you should indicate the type of cooling system installed: a complete box cooler, an improved cooling tower, a liquid cooling system, or an option with a question mark for those who are not sure about the type of cooling used. Depending on the combination of the points mentioned above, the optimal (according to the system) automatic overclocking profile will be selected. For example, after selecting the “Daily Computing” and “Box cooler” items, the system set the overclocking to 23% for the processor and 40% for the memory, which resulted in a processor frequency of 4300 MHz at a voltage of 1.224 V, while the RAM worked at a frequency DDR3-2400 MHz. Selecting the most extreme items (“Gaming/Video Editing” and “Water cooler”) offers an overclocking of 31% and 43% for the processor and memory, respectively. That is, the CPU frequency reached 4589 MHz at a voltage of 1.273 V, and the memory speed was set at DDR3-2446 MHz. Testing To test the capabilities of the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO motherboard, the following equipment was used: CPU Intel Core i7-4770K (LGA1150, 3.5 GHz, L3 8 MB) Turbo Boost: enable C1E:enable Scythe Kama Angle Rev.B RAM 2 x 4 GB DDR3-2400 TwinMOS TwiSTER 9DHCGN4B-HAWP Video card AMD Radeon HD 6970 2 GB GDDR5 Video capture device AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable Hard drive Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS, 500 GB, SATA-300, NCQ Optical drive ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA power unit Seasonic X-560 Gold (SS-560KM Active PFC) CODEGEN M603 MidiTower (2 x 120 mm in/out fans) Test results The ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO model demonstrates excellent performance indicators that are on par with its competitive counterparts. This allows us to talk about the high quality of its execution, the selection of a good element base and the successful optimization of BIOS settings. Testing the audio path based on the codecROGSupremeFX Test report in RightMark Audio Analyzer 16-bit, 44.1 kHz Noise level, dB (A) Very good Dynamic range, dB (A) Very good Harmonic distortion,% Very good Very good Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % Very good Overall rating Very good Operating mode 24-bit, 192 kHz Frequency response unevenness (in the range 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB Noise level, dB (A) Dynamic range, dB (A) Harmonic distortion,% Very good Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A) Intermodulation distortion + noise, % Interpenetration of channels, dB Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % Overall rating Very good The pre-installed 8-channel ROG SupremeFX audio codec with a number of interesting features that we talked about earlier demonstrates excellent sound quality, which will be more than enough for everyday use. In addition, it supports several profiles optimized for different genres of games, which can be switched using the Sonic SoundStage button on the PCB. Conclusions Based on the results of our acquaintance with the model ASUSMAXIMUSVIIHERO from the updated ASUS ROG series, created on the basis of the flagship Intel Z97 chipset, we can confidently say that it will definitely find its buyer thanks to a number of advantages. First of all, I would like to note the pleasant design, excellent quality of the element base, competent layout of on-board elements, good capabilities for manual and automatic overclocking, the presence of a high-quality audio codec, as well as a number of interesting proprietary technologies that we introduced you to at the beginning of the review. Separately, we highlight the good layout of the interface panel, as well as ample opportunities for organizing the disk subsystem, which consist of eight SATA 6 Gbit/s ports and an M.2 (NGFF) interface for connecting high-speed drives with a throughput of up to 10 Gbit/s. As for the features, due to the lack of free PCI Express 2.0 chipset lanes, the PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slot shares bandwidth with PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots and the M.2 (NGFF) interface, respectively, their simultaneous use is impossible. As a result, ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO is a slightly improved version of the ASUS MAXIMUS VII RANGER we recently reviewed. It is perfect for building a high-end gaming PC with one or two video cards. Advantages: reliable 8-phase digital power subsystem Extreme Engine DIGI+ III; improved element base for more reliable and stable operation of the motherboard; interesting and stylish design; support for a large number of USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s ports; the presence of an M.2 connector (NGFF) with a bandwidth of 10 Gbit/s; good delivery set; high-quality sound subsystem; support for DDR3-3400 MHz RAM modules; for the equipment provided for the test bench. All prices for Asus+Maximus+VII+Hero Article read 5726 times Subscribe to our channels