Introduction

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Looking for a smaller motherboard, but still want the performance of a full-size board? Lately we've seen several requests in the forums for such a product, and none other than ASUS has stepped up to the plate with a solution based on the Intel Z68 Platform, with the Maximus IV Gene-Z. Like it's much larger brethren, the Maximus IV Gene-Z is straight from the ROG line of products from ASUS, a product line that seeks not only to meet every gamer's needs, but also the needs of those looking to push their system to the max. We take the Maximus IV Gene-Z ROG racer for a spin around the track; will it make the fastest lap?

Specifications

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2">Specifications: ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">CPU SUPPORT:</th>
<td>Intel Socket 1155 2nd Gen Core Family/Unlock Processor</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">POWER DESIGN:</th>
<td>CPU Power: 8+4 phase <br />
Memory Power: 2 Phase <br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">CHIPSET:</th>
<td>Intel Z68 Express</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">INTEGRATED GRAPHICS:</th>
<td>Intel Integrated (via installed CPU)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">MEMORY:</th>
<td>4 x DIMM, Max. 32 GB, DDR3 1066 to DDR3 2200
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">BIOS:</th>
<td>UEFI AMI BIOS with 64 Mb Flash ROM </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">SLOTS:</th>
<td>2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slots (x16/0 or x8/x8)<br />
1 x PCIe 2.0 x4 slot</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">HDD CONNECTIVITY:</th>
<td>4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s (Intel Z68) <br />
2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s (Intel Z68) <br />
2 x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s (JMicron JMB362)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">NETWORKING:</th>
<td>Intel 82579 PCIe Gigabit Ethernet</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">PORTS:</th>
<td>12 x USB 2.0 ports (8 at back panel, 4 at front panel)<br />
4 x USB 3.0 ports (2 at back panel, 2 at front panel) <br />
1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo connector <br />
1 x HDMI port<br />
2 x eSATA port <br />
1 x RJ45 LAN port <br />
7 x Audio port with 6 analogue audio jacks + 1 Digital <br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">AUDIO:</th>
<td>SupremeFX X-Fi 2 8-Channel HDAudio CODEC</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">FORM FACTOR:</th>
<td>uATX Form Factor( 244 mm x 244 mm ) </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">ASUS FEATURES:</th>
<td>

ROG Connect
Extreme Engine Digi+
Mem TweakIt
ROG Extreme OC kit
ROG BIOS Print
GPU.DIMM Post
Game First
iROG
Extreme Tweaker
COP EX
ASUS C.P.R.
MemOK!
ASUS EZ DIY
ASUS Q-Design
Lucid Software Bundle

</td>
</tr>
</table>

Intel Z68 Chipset

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In the middle of May Intel launched its new "mainstream-enthusiast" product line, based on the Z68 Express chipset. With the P67 and H67 chipsets launched just a few months before, the Z68 takes the best features of both, and combines them together to offer extreme flexibility and several key features. The first, and most obvious of these features is the ability to use not only discrete graphics cards, but also allows use of the Sandy Bridge integrated GPU, at the same time. The majority of other chipsets that offered integrated graphics only allow use of one or the other, but the Z68 chipset has none of these limitations. In fact, through the use of third-party software, you can even use just one monitor, and both the Intel HD2000 integrated GPU and a discrete graphics card can work together, combining the features of both solutions into one big all-in-one solution.

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The second feature not seen in P67 or H67 is Intel's "Smart Response Technology", which allows the combination of both a mechanical disc drive and an ultra-fast SSD into one, offering the superfast speed of the SSD, and the storage space of a mechanical drive in one solution. Combining technologies seems what Z68 is all about, and this is no different. Once set up, it requires no user intervention, and will automatically keep commonly used files on the SSD, for quick and easy access.

The Intel Z68 Express chipset also allows overclocking of both the CPU, and the GPU, which neither previous SKT1155 offered. Intel has offered a lot with the Z68 package, such that it's questionable why the P67 and H67 chipsets are even around, and some OEMs agree, such as ASUS, who has dropped all P67-based products in favor for Z68 chipsets. And with that in mind, it's also important to mention that OEMs are not required to enable all features available on the Z68 platform, and certain things, like PCIe lane configurations and if the display outputs are enabled, are all up to the OEM to implement.

ASUS launched their ROG line a bit over five years ago, and over the years, the line has matured not only in hardware features and performance, but also in software and looks, too. Today the entire line features a unified set of overclocking and gaming specialized features, combined with a racy red and black color scheme that now wraps Intel's Z68 in a tiny but quick mATX dragster, the Maximus IV Gene-Z:
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Packaging

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Clad in the blood red that has become traditional for the ROG line of products, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z showed up on our doorstep just a short time ago, ready for action. First and foremost on the front of the box is the board's name, with several small technology logos on the bottom edge. The simple design helps that box stand out on the store shelf, with very few distractions in the design that may detract from the overall impression given. The top has a flip-up top, under which we find several detailed descriptions on the Maximus IV Gene-Z's included features, while on the back, we find a listing of the Maximus IV Gene-Z's specifications, a copy of what we find on the ASUS website.

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Once we opened the box, we found the board right on top, with a clear plastic cover on top that allows full view of the board itself, great for consumers that like to see what they are buying when they visit their local retailer. The board is contained within its own box, and when we removed it, we found the included accessories below, set in the bottom of the main packaging, with a small divider to both prevent the accessories from tossing around the box during shipping, as well as providing support for the board's inner packaging.

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ASUS has quite often had accessories packages in their ROG line that we love; there's all the standard stuff including drive cables, software DVD, and manuals, as well as several stickers to label your drives and cables, and a little baggie of zip ties to help with cable management once the board is installed. Take a look below for the full listing:

1x I/O Shield
1x User Manual
1x Xonar Promo Flyer
1x Driver DVD
6x SATA cables with locking pins
1x ASUS Case Badge
1x SLI Bridge
1x ROG Sticker Package
1x Q-Connector Kit
1x ROG Connect Cable
1x Zip-Tie package

The Board - Layout

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With the board out of the box, the small red-highlighted black square stands proudly, with the sheer amount of onboard features really adding to the heft of the board itself. The red highlights are restricted to just a few places; the PCIe x16 slots, two of the four DIMM slots, the USB 3.0 header, and the SATA 6 Gb/s ports are nearly the only red on the board! Flipping the board over, we find the rear of the board quite busy, with solder circles all over the place, as well as many surface-mounted components scattered throughout.

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The socket area of the Maximus IV Gene-Z is quite cluttered as well, but for a product so small, it's completely expected. While the cooling for the VRMs is adequately spaced, there are capacitors on every side of the socket, which will make insulation for sub-zero cooling solutions fairly difficult. Opening the Maximus IV Gene-Z's socket lid, we found that there is open space in the socket center for two components that is not populated, something we will have to keep in mind when investigating overclocking abilities. The rear of the socket is just as cluttered as the front, with the pins for the capacitors on the front side quite close to the factory backplate, but not in a way that should interfere with the majority of aftermarket cooling solutions. We can also see some MOSFETs for the eight CPU power phases mounted on the backside too, and like the socket front, we find the hole in the center of the backside of the socket populated with many components, but there are quite a few spots left empty.

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The pin headers for the Maximus IV Gene-Z are a very simple grouping; on the right side we find the front panel header, a 4-pin PWM fan port, and two USB 2.0 internal headers, while on the left we find audio headers, the ClearCMOS jumper, ON/OFF and RESET switches, and finally, a dual-digit POST display. This is much less than we are used to seeing at the board edge, yet surprisingly, nothing here is missing, or overlooked.

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Taking a look at the rear I/O panel, we find seven black USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port, two blue USB 3.0 ports, and dual red eSATA/USB 2.0 combo ports. There is also a six-port audio tower, a digital optical audio port paired with an HDMI port, as well as a single LAN port. The final two items, a white USB port for the ROG Connect feature, and a small black button that can be used to clear the CMOS, are two overclocking-specific features we have found on nearly every product in the ROG lineup. There are a total of five PWM-based fan headers on the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z, all of which can be controlled via software from within the OS as well as the BIOS. However, the two CPU_FAN headers and the three CHASSIS_FAN headers are grouped together by name, leaving users able to adjust only the CPU and CHASSIS groups separately, and not each fan independently.

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With the Maximus IV Gene-Z being a mATX form-factor product, the expansion slots are very few, with dual red PCIe x16 slots, and a single black PCIe x4 slot. The red slots will operate with x8 electrical connectivity when both are populated, while the upper slot will feature a full x16 connection when used alone. The black PCIe x4 slot is powered off of the Z68 PCH, and features an open-ended slot that can support full-length cards. There are four DIMM slots total, each supporting modules with a maximum density of 8 GB, with support in BIOS for not only up to the 2133 MHz divider we see on every 1155 board, but also for a 2400 MHz divider that was rumored to exist prior to Intel launching the platform into retail. It's also worth noting that the QVL for the board does feature listings for quite a few 2400 MHz memory modules, too.

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The Maximus IV Gene-Z's cooler is fairly large, stretching from the SATA ports all the way over to the PCIe x16 slots, yet with a low profile so as to not interfere with cards installed into those PCIe slots. Underneath we find the Intel Z68 PCH itself surrounded by many surface mounted components that will remain hidden from view under the cooler.

The Board - A Closer Look

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The ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z comes equipped with a 64Mb BIOS chip to hold its customized UEFI firmware. The firmware interacts with the Digi+/EPU VRM controller, which, paired with the "TPU" chip, makes up ASUS's "Dual Intelligent Processor" VRM solution that is found on nearly every enthusiast product ASUS sells. Yes, that is not a typo; there really is a chip labeled "TPU" on the majority of ASUS products today, the very same acronym we use here on the TechPowerUp website, however, in this instance, the letters stand for "Turbo Processing Unit". Or does it? ;)

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The VRM itself features a standard Hi/Low MOSFET design, with the six small black square input drivers seen between the MOSFETs, each powering two full phases. With eight phases for the CPU, and four for the GPU, it's easy to spot which phases are which, considering the inductor arrangement. The DIMM VRM is a true dual phase design, as you can see by the second image above, with two sets of Hi/Low MOSFETs, as well as dual inductors, marked "1R2".

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Intel provides the LAN chip, with a highly popular Intel WG82579V PCIe Ethernet controller that claims to use very little CPU time, something that can be critical for maximizing online game performance. For audio, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z features a software-based X-Fi solution that ASUS refers to as the X-Fi 2 SupremeFX, which utilizes a Realtek ALC889 audio CODEC underneath the metal vanity plate shown in the second picture.

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We find as a Super I/O, what has become a common item on ASUS boards, the Nuvoton NCT6776F. The Nuvoton chip is paired up with the iROG chip seen in the second image to provide full voltage and temperature monitoring, as well as fan speed control. To support the eSATA ports we find on the rear I/O, ASUS has employed the JMicron JMB362, an affordable PCIe SATA 3 Gb/s controller we've seen on countless products.

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The next several components are provided by AsMedia, starting with the ASM1440 PCIe 2.0 switches that swap lanes from the first PCIe x16 slot to the secondary slot. The second component, the ASM1442, is a TMDS that provides the functionality and voltage shifting needed to support the HDMI port on the rear I/O. The last two AsMedia components are ASM1042 USB 3.0 controllers that ride along the PCIe bus. The first USB 3.0 controller, located just below the DIMM slots and shown in the third image above, provides support for the red USB 3.0 front panel header, while the next image shows the secondary controller, at the rear of the board between the VRM cooler and the rear I/O tower that holds the ports the controller is connected to.

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Like the majority of ROG products, ASUS has outfitted the Maximus IV Gene-Z with several buttons; an ON/OFF and a RESET button are found on the board's edge, and they light up when the board is supplied with power, while a third, labeled "GO_BUTTON", provides two distinctly different features. First, it serves to enable ASUS's own "MemOK" functionality, an extra bit of BIOS programming that when the button is pushed before POST is enabled, will test the installed memory and then apply settings it found to be good to guarantee a "safe boot". We've tested this functionality with a set of DIMMs that we know are problematic with most 1155 socket boards, and the "MemOK" function got us into the BIOS, at least, which is more than many other products can claim. Secondly, the "GO_BUTTON" also serves to load-on-the-fly a preset overclock that can be manually configured in the board's BIOS. There is also a set of read points for critical system voltages as we've seen before on other overclocker-friendly products, but these are not our favorite solution, as they are just solder points, and not sockets, which could potentially lead to shorting issues if users are not extremely careful.

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For cooling, we find an "L"-shaped cooler for the VRM, composed of two matching aluminum elements with many thick fins, and each element is connected together via a large flattened heatpipe. The multiple fins are shaped to provide a large surface area for cooling, which allows the cooler to do a good job, even when in low air-flow environments. The PCH cooler seems to be composed of a large solid block of aluminum, with the underside milled out a bit so it doesn't contact other components. After flipping both over we find that both make excellent contact with all necessary surfaces, with the VRM cooler showing such deep impressions from the MOSFETs and input drivers that we can see through the pad in places. The PCH cooler uses the common, but adequate bubble-gum thermal interface we've seen many times over now, which through our testing does a fantastic job. It's worth noting that because of how the pad on the VRM cooler appears, we suggest that users do not remove this cooler unless they plan to replace it with a completely different cooler, such as a waterblock, as we do question the effectiveness of the compressed thermal pad once the cooler has been removed.

BIOS Walkthrough

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="3">BIOS Options</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col">Clocks</th>
<th scope="col">Range</th>
<th scope="col">Step Size</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">CPU BCLK:</th>
<td>80 MHz ... 300 MHz</td>
<td>0.1 MHz</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">PCI-E Frequency:</th>
<td>80 MHz ... 300 MHz</td>
<td>0.1 MHz</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Memory Dividers:</th>
<td colspan="2">x6 (800 MHz), x8 (1066 MHz), x10 (1333 MHz), <br />
x12 (1600 MHz), x14 (1866 MHz), x16 (2133 MHz), x18 (2400 MHz)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="col">Voltages</th>
<th scope="col">Range</th>
<th scope="col">Step Size</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">CPU Vcore:</th>
<td>0.800 V ... 2.155 V</td>
<td>0.005 V</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">DRAM Voltage:</th>
<td>1.20 V ... 2.20 V</td>
<td>0.00625 V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">IMC/System Agent Voltage:</th>
<td>0.800 V ... 1.70 V</td>
<td>0.00625 V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">iGPU Voltage:</th>
<td>-0.635 V ... +0.635 V</td>
<td>0.005 V</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">PLL Voltage:</th>
<td>1.20 V ... 2.20 V</td>
<td>0.00625 V</td>
</tr>
</table>

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With the board installed into our testbench, we fired it up and entered the BIOS, to be greeted by the page you see above that ASUS refers to as "Easy Mode". Containing listings of critical temperatures, voltages, as well as fanspeed, the "Easy Mode" page is ultimately very accurately named, as it allows a quick and easy interface to set boot devices, as well as do some very basic overclocking, or if you so desire, to enable power savings mode as well. Of course, the selections that are offered are a bit limited, however, we find a button at the top right of the page that says "Exit/Advanced Mode", and advanced it really is.

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Entering advanced mode leads directly to the "Extreme Tweaker" page, which offers the majority of critical settings for clock speeds and voltages, and also provides access to sub-menus for things like DRAM timing adjustment, and configuration of the board's CPU VRM. There is a lot contained here, so much so that all three images above are of that same page, with only a few options overlapped between images.

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The DRAM timing page has almost too many settings, many of which most users will not need access to, but those that like to customize their system for maximum performance will appreciate access to so much, so easily. Naturally, every yin needs its yang, and the downside to so many options is that the menus are HUGE, and numerous. There are a couple of things, like the "GPU.DIMM POST" page seen in the third image above, that we just don't understand the usefulness of, especially nearly hidden as they are amongst everything else. The fourth image above shows the "CPU Performance Settings" page, one of the few pages where we'd like to see a couple more settings, such as setting maximum wattage allowances as well as the current settings already available.

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On the subject of current, the options for VRM customization that ASUS offers via their "Dual Intelligent Processor" design is outright amazing. From maximum current, to even VRM frequency, for three different areas of the CPU, is outright fantastic, and allows for clocking like no other motherboard maker's solution does. We cannot stress enough how valuable settings like this are, and ASUS has included technology like this in nearly every product, from entry-level, to products like the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z, which are meant for the ultimate in performance.

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Moving onto the "Main" page, we find what is normally found on near every product on the market, a bit of system information, and access to date and time settings. We were very happy to find security settings here as well, as having a dedicated page like "Extreme Tweaker" and "Main" is a bit overkill for just a couple of settings. This is one of the things that makes the multitude of settings seem like almost too much, as it's quite clear that optimization of the page layout is something ASUS considers, but seemingly there's still a little bit room for further improvement in that regard.

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The next page is labeled as "Advanced", which contains subheadings which each lead into other pages that contain board-specific settings for things like onboard devices, power management, and settings for the ASUS ROG features like ROG Connect. We're not going to go into too much detail about these pages, and they really speak for themselves quite well, each with everything you expect to see under each heading, however, once again, we can't help but feel a few of these could be combined, as we have a total of eleven images here for this tab alone, as you can see.

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The "Monitor" page is similar in fashion to the "Advanced" page, containing a bunch of subheadings that lead to other pages with the actual options, and again we find two more pages that have just two settings each.

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The "Boot" page, on the other hand, is nearly perfect, with everything we expected. The "Tool" page contained a few surprises, including access to listings for DIMM SPD settings, as well as the page to customize the "Go Button" settings, something we wished we would have found on the last two Z68 boards we looked at that featured similar functions.

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There is also a page to store several BIOS profiles, allowing users to create several different overclock profiles, and then switch between them with relative ease. During our usage testing, we experimented with this page to be pleasantly surprised to find everything in perfect working order.

Board Software

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ASUS has included their latest "AI Suite" software, thematically styled to match the Maximus IV Gene-Z. Upon opening the tool we are greeted with the bar you see above, which serves as a launch platform for the literal multitude of software that is contained inside.

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Clicking the "Tool" button pops up a menu that provides access to the seven tools seen above. Providing software adjustment to nearly every aspect of the board itself, the suite of tools very nearly offers every setting we can find in the BIOS, from voltage and clocks, to the VRM, fan speeds, as well as monitoring and USB power functions. We were a bit confused when we found "PC Probe II" and "Sensor Recorder" here, instead of activated via the "Monitor" button on the main bar, but they are tools too, so it does makes at least a little bit of sense.

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The update button launches the tool for updating the board's firmware, as you can see above. We have included several screenshots of the screens shown during the update process, as it also provides the opportunity to change the splash screen seen when the board is first powered on when you update the BIOS, a nice feature for those that desire to do so. We also really appreciate the fact that the entire time it shows not only the current BIOS, but also the BIOS that you are updating too, so there is no confusion as to what is going on.

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The Monitor button, which we mentioned earlier, pops up a real-time monitoring tool that is also available when the majority of other tools are running as well. The settings button provides access to enable or disable the applications that are offered, as well as a few other things, while the "System Information" button lists system information, as expected. All together, the entire suite of software is one of our favorites, giving us everything we could have asked for, as well as a few extras. There is also an auto-tuning function that will automatically overclock your system, but we'll cover that in the overclocking section.

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As with all Z68 products, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z comes with Lucid's Virtu software, which allows use of the SandyBridge's iGPU, while also using a discrete GPU. Unfortunately, with only an HDMI port on the rear I/O, many users won't be able to take full advantage of the software without having a monitor that supports HDMI, but encoding acceleration will always be available.

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As if that wasn't enough in itself, ASUS has also included two other tools, one that offers cloud-based storage capabilities, and a second called "MemTweakIt" that offers memory timing adjustment exactly as seen in the BIOS. It does require a reboot to properly apply the changes made, but at the same time it provides an easy way for users to research advanced timings and then apply them while still in the operating system, rather than having to write things down on a piece of paper, say, and then boot into the BIOS and change settings. And with that, we really have to commend ASUS on the package offered here, as currently it's something that no other OEM can top currently, as not only does it offer a lot, it works too.

Test System

<table class="tputbl">
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="2">Test System</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<th scope="row">CPU:</th>
<td>Intel i7 Gen2 2600K<br />
3.4 GHz, 8 MB Cache</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Memory:</th>
<td>4 GB DDR3 (2x 2 GB) Corsair CMT4GX3M2A2133C9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Cooling:</th>
<td>Noctua NH-C14</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Motherboard:</th>
<td>ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z<br />
Intel Z68, BIOS version 0603</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Video Card:</th>
<td>XFX Radeon HD 6950 2 GB</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Harddisk:</th>
<td>Western Digital Caviar SE 16 WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA2<br />
Seagate Barracuda LP ST2000DL003 2TB SATA3<br />
iomega eGo BlackBelt 500GB USB3.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Power Supply:</th>
<td>Antec TPQ-1200OC</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<th scope="row">Case:</th>
<td>Test Bench<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Software:</th>
<td>Windows 7 64-bit SP1, ATI Catalyst 11.7</td>
</tr>
</table>

Initial Setup

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We found ourselves quite surprised with the ASUS Maximus Gene-Z, as by default, we found that after updating to the most recent BIOS provided to us by ASUS directly, our Intel 2600K performing with an overclock, with all four cores running at 3800 MHz. We cleared the BIOS, the behavior remained, so we had to manually configure the board to get the real defaults of the CPU working. We have to mention though, that all of our testing was performed with ASUS's own defaults of 3800 MHz, as this is the performance level that most users who run "stock" will experience, this is similar to what we've noted in a few instances before, namely with the ZOTAC Z68-ITX WiFi, and the Gigabyte K1.Sniper2 with XMP enabled. We are not sure of what to make of this particular "feature", but as it is something that even our worst 2600K sample is capable of, it shouldn't introduce any stability problems for the majority of users.

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And with that said, in the image above you can see that behavior at play. It's worth noting that the voltage reported by CPU-Z here is fairly accurate, and is also a little higher than what our CPU requests under normal Turbo conditions, which is normally 1.174 V.

PWM Power Consumption

Since one of our first tasks was to truly verify system stability, while doing so, we measure CPU power consumption. We isolate the power coming through the 8-pin ATX connector using an in-line meter that provides voltage and current readings, as well as total wattage passed through it. 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.

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For idle power consumption, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z performed fairly well, pulling just six watts total, a bit higher than the last Z68-based product we tested from Gigabyte, but still in line with the other Z68 products. Load wattage figures were more impressive, with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z pulling a few more watts than the Gigabyte G1.Sniper2, but this is more than likely an side-effect of the quad-phase iGPU VRM, double the iGPU-specific phases the Gigabyte board features.

CPU Performance Results

SuperPi

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Super Pi serves as our memory-focused benchmark, being highly single-threaded. The ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z put out decent numbers, but was only ahead thanks to its clockspeed advantage.

wPrime

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wPrime is much more CPU-focused, but memory plays its role as well. In this test, the numbers were much the same as SuperPi, with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z right at the top of the charts.

WinRAR

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The third test in our motherboard benchmarking suite is the built-in benchmark that is part of the WinRAR software suite. In this test, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z again took the top spot, a full 100 kB/s faster than the second place result.

AIDA64

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We employed AIDA64's memory bench to highlight memory bandwidth. We isolate the write performance metric as it serves as a good indicator of overall memory performance. Here the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z is on top again, right alongside the P8P67 PRO, the other PCIe 3.0 boards we've tested recently left in the dust.

HandBrake Encoding

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Handbrake is used for encoding testing, and provided results much similar to the AIDA64 benchmark, with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z on top yet again, of course. With its clockspeed advantage, we'd be very concerned if it wasn't.

CineBench Encoding

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In Cinebench, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z followed the emerging pattern, but this time just right behind the ZOTAC Z68-ITX WiFi board, but still in second place. The ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z has completely dominated in nearly all CPU-focused benchmarks thanks to its higher clock speed out of the box.

3D Performance Results

Once we completed our CPU test suite, we took some time to play some games with the TPU community to get an overall feel for gaming. After a couple of days we settled in to complete our 3D benchmarking, feeling confident that the ASUS board was going to put on a good show. Let's take a look at what numbers the board provided.

3DMark11

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Once we ran 3DMark11, we were very surprised, with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z nearly matching the Gigabyte G1.Sniper2, but it did take an extra 300 MHz to do so.

Civilization 5

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Our first real-world 3D performance test comes in the form of Civilization 5, using the included benchmark. We let the game recommend us settings, and then disabled V-SYNC and AA to eliminate bottlenecks introduced by the GPU itself. We weren't disappointed in the ASUS Maximus IV as it managed to duplicate average numbers given by the boards we've looked at earlier. The Civilization 5 benchmark does serve to show that everything is working as it should, as any deviations from the average numbers here indicates a problem, and the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z showed no issues, but is at the lower end of the results.

F1 2010

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Our second real-world 3D performance test comes from CodeMasters, in the form of the "F1 2010" included benchmark. We let the game recommend us settings, which included 8xAA with our HD 6950 2 GB from Sapphire. Again we find the numbers a bit high, but now this is what we expected, given the board's exceptional memory performance, and its clockspeed advantage.

Drive and Audio Performance Results

Our drive and audio testing differs a bit from the rest of our testing, for several reasons. First of all, when it comes to drive performance comparison, differences between the P55 and P67 chipsets do leave the P55 platform with a distinct disadvantage, such that we have excluded those results from our reporting. And finally, with audio, we do not list any numbers except for those reported by the product we are testing in order to provide the most information possible, as each audio CODEC will behave quite differently, and each board does not employ the same CODEC. As such, there is no standard we can use other than the numbers themselves. You can always check our other motherboard reviews in order to make direct comparisons to audio performance.

We've tested each drive interface separately, in order to provide the most complete numbers possible. Employing HDTune Pro for all of the testing, we tested each drive outside of the OS environment, using a separate OS on a separate drive, although we do use drives with a fair amount of data on them to simulate performance in real-world situations. For audio, we've changed how we report the numbers provided, using screenshots from the textual results that RMAA provides.

HDTune Pro (SATA2)

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We noticed a divergence from the rest of the numbers when testing drive performance, with our ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z matched in second place with a bunch of other products.

HDTune Pro (SATA 6Gb/s)

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SATA 6 Gb/s again showed quite decent performance, although not high in the chart, but with less than three tenths of a megabyte difference from the best result.

HDTune Pro (USB3.0)

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USB 3.0 drive performance proved to put the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z right near the very bottom of the pile, a very much unexpected result.

RightMark Audio Analyzer

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In the RightMark Audio Analyzer testing, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z performed admirably, getting an overall result of "Good", but it's worth noting that the "Noise Level" and "Dynamic Range" results are some of the best we've seen yet.

Overclocking

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Overclocking with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z is an absolute treat. At this point in time the BIOS is very mature, and ready for the vast majority of memory modules on the market. We did not run into any issues at all, and the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z managed to pull our reference 4500 MHz overclock with just 1.272 V selected in BIOS, one of the best results yet. We also had no problem getting our Corsair sticks running at 2133 MHz, even managing to do so with just 1.6 V, which no other board was able to replicate.

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Of course, ASUS does feature some auto-tuning software that will automatically overclock the system for you, and not just the CPU. Once you click the button to start, a very valid warning appears, letting us know that we were taking the safety of our CPU into our own hands, and this warning couldn't have been more honest, truth be known.

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After a couple of reboots, the software had us WAY over 4500 MHz, clocking in at 5047 MHz on the CPU. It also applied an overclock to the i7 2600K's iGPU, all the way up to 1650 MHz.

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We ran SuperPi 32M at first to check stability, and it passed with flying colors, as you can see in the screenshot above, nearly breaking past the seven minute mark. Under high load, like Cinebench, temperatures rose to a point we were not comfortable with our Noctua cooler, with the CPU initiating thermal throttle fairly quickly. Perhaps with better cooling we could have remained fully stable long term, but it was good fun to see the tiny Maximus board keep up with the 5047 MHz clocks.

Overclocked Performance Summary

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Cinebench provided a substantial performance increase when overclocked, something that resounds true through the entire series of SandyBridge products.

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Likewise, Super Pi 32m results proved the same as Cinebench, with substantial performance increases that are noticed on previous Intel platforms.

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WPrime 1024M numbers further the results, showing that there is true power available when overclocking the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z.

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For a bit of 3D action, we fired up Code Master's F1 2010, to note that we are finally near to finding the optimal CPU speed at stock for F1 2010, with just a very small increase noticed.

Value & Conclusion

<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>

The ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z will be available now with an MSRP of $179.99

</td><br>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>

Full-size board features and capability packed into a much smaller footprint
Excellent overclocking options
Mature BIOS ensures easy setup for near every configuration
Low power consumption
Lucid Virtu support
Fantastic accessory package.
Near the best "Out-of-the-Box" performance we've seen so far
3-Year Limited Warranty

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>

Our first "High-End" board without a USB 3.0 front panel device.
Slot spacing not ideal for multi-GPU configurations
Forced overclock with "stock" ASUS settings
Small size may leave it overlooked by many
BIOS has too many pages
Voltage read points need to be socketed.

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>9.3</th>
<td>We cannot say enough how impressed we are with the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z. When it comes to the BIOS, although we feel that the pages are far too numerous, we wouldn't want to see a single option removed, and the ones we'd like to see added hardly have any effect on usability or performance. With one of the best audio results we've seen so far, and really some of the very best overclocking we've seen yet, this minute board not only offers everything much larger boards do for features, it offers a few things more too, and the fact that it's so small doesn't affect those features one bit. There is one problem, however. With support for dual video cards, both in SLI and CrossFire format, the slot spacing is far too close together for dual high-end cards like nVidia's GTX 580 and GTX 590, or AMD's 6970 and 6990. All of those solutions, from both sides of the fence, tend to require a high-airflow system, and that's just not possible in such a small form-factor. However, for single cards, we do believe many users will have a hard time to find anything lacking, and if high-end multiple-card video solutions are required, aftermarket watercooling is always possible. With the overclocking abilities offered it's almost a shame to not watercool a rig built with this board, as it's definitely able to go even further than we pushed it, provided you have a CPU that is capable. If you are serious about overclocking and plan on using a single VGA, you'd be foolish to not consider this product. We deducted points for the slot configuration, and for the "cheating" stock overclock, although these are very minor issues that one should expect from a product like this. Don't forget to hit us up in the forums when you buy yours, and we'll help you get started.</td></tr>
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</table>