ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced that an international group of elite overclockers has set four world records with an ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore motherboard featuring the new Intel Core i9-14900KS processor. Along with the ASUS overclocking team, overclocking expert Elmor pushed this processor to a dazzling 9117.75 MHz. Safedisk used the same setup to achieve three additional world records: PiFast completed in just 6.79 seconds, SuperPI 1M finished in 3.768 seconds, and PYPrime 32B finished in 97.596 seconds.

The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard family is the ultimate choice for enthusiasts and overclockers seeking style and power in their gaming setup. The motherboards are built to help the world's most talented overclockers shatter barriers on their way to new records. In the past few years, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard was used to push a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900K processor past the 9 GHz barrier for an impressive world record, and the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore was used to push the 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900KF to 9043.92 MHz.

EK, the leading liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is ready to support the new enthusiast-favorite ROG MAXIMUS Z790 FORMULA motherboard with a unique, patented liquid distribution VRM Bridge. The EK-Quantum Momentum² VRM Bridge ROG Maximus Z790 Formula D-RGB is a purpose-engineered connection piece that bridges the integrated ASUS HyperChill III VRM cooling on the motherboard and EK-Quantum Velocity² 1700 CPU water block into a single entity.

And for those with the last-gen Z690 VRM Bridge, EK has an upgrade kit with a two-fold use. It can convert EK-Quantum Momentum² VRM Bridge ROG Maximus Z690 Formula to feature a white stand-out piece that fits its color scheme. It also allows you to use the existing Z690 bridge with the new ROG MAXIMUS Z790 FORMULA motherboard. It is confirmed that the integrated ASUS HyperChill III VRM Z790 Formula water block is copper-based and poses no issues for custom loop liquid cooling. The use of purpose-made PC liquid cooling coolant is still mandatory to avoid corrosion issues. All the users who encountered issues with the VRM water block on the Z690 Formula should contact ASUS directly to get the issue resolved.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce the launch of a new Trident Z5 RGB DDR5 memory kit specification at DDR5-8400 CL40-52-52-134 48 GB (2x24GB), aimed at the latest 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processor & Intel Z790 chipset platform.

Extreme Memory Speed at DDR5-8400 CL40
Developed on the latest 14th Gen Intel Core desktop processor and Intel Z790 chipset platform, G.SKILL is announcing a new DDR5 memory specification at DDR5-8400 CL40-52-52-134 with 48 GB (2x24GB) kit capacity. As shown in the screenshot below, this extreme speed memory kit is validated on the Intel Core i9-14900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore motherboard, and demonstrates incredible memory bandwidth speeds at 128.88 GB/s read, 127.03 GB/s write, and 123.83 GB/s copy in the AIDA64 memory bandwidth benchmark.

Intel has officially pulled back the curtain on its 14th Gen Core CPUs, giving gamers, creators, enthusiasts, and everyday users a new tier of processors that elevate everything they do. We've already teased several of our Z790 motherboards purpose-built for the latest Intel Core CPUs, but now we're ready to share all the details. In total, we're releasing seven new Z790 motherboards for your consideration as you hunt for the best motherboard for your 14th Gen Intel CPU. Our cutting-edge ROG Maximus motherboard family is expanding with the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore, and the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula. For gamers everywhere, we're expanding our ROG Strix lineup with three new models, and fans of our TUF Gaming series will be pleased to see the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi make its debut. These new motherboards join our existing Z790 and Z690 motherboards, which also support Intel's latest and greatest chips through a simple firmware update.

There's a lot to go over with the new additions to our Z790 motherboard family: they mark the debut of our first WiFi 7 motherboards, for one, and we're increasing the number of models with onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. They offer our latest game-changing innovations like DIMM Flex, and they make the process of building a PC easier than ever with their DIY-friendly features.

With Intel about to launch its 14th generation of Core processors, the motherboard makers are refreshing their LGA-1700 motherboards, as Intel won't be releasing a new chipset for the 14th gen CPUs. ASUS has now revealed three new boards that will come ready out of the box for Intel's 14th gen Core CPUs. This kind of meagre lineup is likely what we'll be seeing from all of the major board makers, since it doesn't make sense to overhaul all of their boards for the new CPUs, since only a BIOS/UEFI update is needed for the new CPUs to function in just about any 600- or 700-series motherboard. ASUS' lineup of new boards consist of the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, the ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II, and the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi.

Apart from a design overhaul of all three models with some minor changes to slot placements, which includes new, improved M.2 heatsinks with a much more refined look, ASUS has added WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support to two of the three new models. On the ROG Hero board, ASUS has dropped the Hyper M.2 Card in favour of an onboard M.2 slot with a taller heatsink, looking much like what we've seen on some AMD X670E boards. ASUS has also added support for USB PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 4+ to the front USB Type-C ports and even made an app that shows how much power is being delivered by the port in question. Furthermore, ASUS has added support for AEMP II which the company claims makes it easier to optimise memory performance on the boards. ASUS did not reveal when the new boards will be available or what they'll cost. Specs of all three boards after the break.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced collaboration centered around EVA-02 and Asuka from the long-celebrated Evangelion anime series. PC DIY builders and anime lovers can now enjoy a second impact of premium ROG components and peripherals elevated by the classic EVA-02 red and orange colorway with a variety of custom Evangelion-themed decals and graphics. The new powerhouse arsenal includes a ROG Maximus motherboard, ROG Strix GeForce RTX graphics card, ROG Ryujin AIO cooler, ROG Hyperion gaming case, graphics card holder, peripherals and other gear.

ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition motherboard
This special version of the feature-packed ROG Maximus Z790 Hero arrives with EVA-02's signature red and orange theme, with traces of green. The backplate design comes with EVA-02 Beast Mode and Evangelion patterns, supporting this motherboard's immense power and control, as it takes 13th Gen Intel Core processors and DDR5 memory kit to the next level. And an A.T. Field design around the CPU socket and Polymo lighting on the I/O cover switches between Asuka and regular EVA-02 as another artistic flourish.

ASUS today announced that it has achieved significant recognition at the Computex 2023 Best Choice Awards. The company's commitment to pushing boundaries and delivering exceptional products has resulted in several accolades, including the esteemed Computex 2023 Best Choice Golden Award for the Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED (UX8402) laptop. The ExpertBook B9 OLED business laptop, recipient of the Sustainable Tech Special Award, combines powerful performance with an incredibly lightweight and professional design. Launched as the world's lightest 14-inch OLED business laptop, it is also the first all-magnesium-lithium ASUS laptop to employ an eco-conscious manufacturing technology that reduces production materials by up to 29% and shortens manufacturing time by up to 75% to maximize energy efficiency.

ASUS also received multiple Category Awards for products including the ExpertBook B9 OLED laptop; the ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED (H7604), Studiobook 16 3D OLED (H7604JI) and Studiobook Pro 16 OLED (W7604) laptops; the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 router; the ROG Swift OLED PG49WCD monitor; the ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme motherboard; the ASUS HealthHub remote-care solution; and the ASUS PINBO robot. These accolades highlight our continuous pursuit of innovation, exceptional user experiences, and commitment to sustainability.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is announcing an extreme performance DDR5 memory kit based on the latest 24 GB module capacity, with a specification of DDR5-8000 CL38-48-48 at 48 GB (24 GB x2) under the flagship Trident Z5 RGB series, and setting a new bar for extreme overclocked memory with 24 GB capacity modules.

ASUS today announced BIOS updates for its Intel 700 and 600 series motherboards in partnership with Corsair, adding support for up to 192 GB of DDR5 memory and support for the new Corsair Vengeance DDR5 48 GB (2 x 24 GB) 7000 MT/s modules.

When builders acquire a 700 or 600 series Intel motherboard from the ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, ProArt, TUF Gaming or Prime lineups, they often have a choice to make: grab an option with support for budget-friendly last-gen DDR4 memory, or future-proof their purchase with a DDR5 model. As the market for DDR5 RAM has matured, it has become difficult for enthusiasts to ignore the performance potential of next-generation memory. With this latest BIOS update, ASUS motherboards with DDR5 support are formidable options. The entire selection of ASUS 700 and 600 series motherboards now supports the latest 24 and 48 GB DDR5 memory modules.

Intel Core i9-13900K processor has just been launched, and overclockers worldwide got their hand on a few samples to make history. According to the HWBot submission, a Swedish overclocker named "elmor" has pushed Intel's top-end consumer SKU to a fantastic 8.812 GHz. For more than eight years, the record for the single-highest overclocking speed was held by AMD FX-8370, from the now-bygone era of AMD Black Edition processors. The overclocking attempt was performed using liquid nitrogen (LN2) that cools the chip using its −195.8 °C temperature. Pushing core voltage to 1.850 Volts and VCCIN to 2 Volts, multiplier set to x88, and a bus speed of 100.15 MHz. In addition to the Core i9-13900K CPU, elmor used ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 APEX motherboard and 32 GB DDR5 GSKILL memory running at 4808 MT/s.

As a reminder, the FX-8370 CPU was holding the number one sport for eight years with a speed of 8.722 GHz. Beating the FX-8370 by just 90 MHz, it will be interesting to see if any of the upcoming CPU SKUs can match this overclocking record, and we are curious if any contender will come to beat elmor's current record.

ASUS today announced the availability of new Intel Z790 motherboards, including the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex, TUF Gaming Z790-PLUS WiFi and ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi - all of which provide DDR5 memory module support and PCIe 5.0 slots for video cards and storage.ASUS Z790 motherboards offer tremendous value to anyone assembling an Intel 13th Gen machine that includes AEMP II, AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 6E, Quick Charge 4+ technology and comprehensive connectivity. Overall, new ASUS Z790 motherboards are ideal solutions for any user who wants to build a next-gen machine or upgrade their existing system.

First up is the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex. The ultimate option for memory overclocking enthusiasts, this motherboard boasts a cutting-edge feature set. Then, for creative professionals of all kinds, ASUS offers the ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi. This motherboard offers premium connectivity and bespoke style, and it's fully ready for next-gen graphics cards and ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 storage. Finally, ASUS is bolstering its TUF Gaming lineup with the TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi, which brings DDR5 support to the family.

It's a busy day when it comes to Intel Raptor Lake benchmark leaks and this time around, we're looking at a pair of Core i5-13600K CPUs, but in two different motherboards. The first CPU sits in an ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme board and is paired with 32 GB of DDR5 memory, whereas the second CPU is in an ASRock Z690 Steel Legend WiFi 6E board, this one also paired with 32 GB of RAM, but DDR4 rather than DDR5. Both systems are running Windows 10 and unlike the Core i9-13900K results that we saw a couple of weeks ago, these two results are both valid according to the Geekbench results browser.

Courtesy of @harukaze5719 we have a nice graph with the results below, even comparing them to the average Geekbench results for a Core i5-12600K, as well as a Ryzen 9 5950X and a Ryzen 5 5600X. The Core i5-13600K beats everything in the single threaded results and the ASUS system is not far behind the Ryzen 9 5950X in the multithreaded tests. The ASUS system is significantly faster than the ASRock one though, so it seems like Raptor Lake is really making the most out of DDR5 memory. As we don't know the memory clocks, it's hard to say if that is also a contributing factor here, but it's likely that the ASUS system uses much faster memory, as in some of the sub-tests like Rigid Body Physics, the two systems are on par in terms of performance. It'll be interesting to see how Intel prices these upcoming CPUs, especially considering that the company has already warned it'll raise its prices in time for the retail availability of Raptor Lake.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the achievement of a new overclocking world record for fastest memory frequency at DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88, in cooperation with ASUS. This amazing frequency speed was achieved by the extreme overclocker "lupin_no_musume" with G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 memory, ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard, and Intel Core i9-12900K processor. To see the moment this amazing overclocking world record was set, please click the following video link: https://youtu.be/OgQFbUOs6i8

DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88 - Pushing the Speed to the Limit
At the dawn of the DDR5 era, G.SKILL and ASUS have been constantly exploring the memory speed limitations of the latest Intel Z690 platform. Surpassing the previous DDR5-8704 world record in November 2021, a new memory frequency world record is achieved at DDR5-8888 under liquid nitrogen extreme cooling. The memory speed has been validated by CPU-Z. Please refer to the screenshot and validation link below: https://valid.x86.fr/qgvylc

ASUS' upcoming Z690 motherboards have been revealed and the company has put its product pages as well as posted additional details of most of its upcoming boards, which gives us a good look at where they're heading with the Z690-series. As mentioned before, ASUS has something like 30 different SKUs, so expect to spend some time to go over all the different models.

We're not going to spend too much time on the details right now and we suggest you head over to the source links and read up on the nitty gritty bits there. A few things to point out though is that ASUS appears to have worked on its own memory overclocking standard called AEMP, which is said to handle memory that lacks XMP profiles, which implies that Intel might not have had time to work with memory manufacturers to get XMP ready for DDR5. ASUS' ROG Maximus and ProArt motherboards feature dual PCIe 5.0 slots, whereas all other models only feature one, albeit obviously a single x16 or dual x8 slots. Some boards will feature Thunderbolt 4 and ASUS has even put a front connector on some of those, although we're not sure how that will work in terms of case compatibility.

Intel is set to launch their 12th Generation Alder Lake desktop processors on November 4th alongside the new Z690 chipset supporting DDR5 and PCIe 5.0. We have recently seen the first of these new Z690 motherboards from ASUS being listed for sale by PC Canada. The listings include TUF, ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, and Prime motherboards but we don't see any mention of Apex or Extreme boards so they may not be available at launch. The models all appear to retail for less than their Z590 counterparts except for some of the Prime series models which will come as a pleasant surprise to many. We are also aware that the VRM design for these boards will receive various upgrades according to a recent report from @Komachi. The Z690 Hero is set to feature a 20+1 phase design with 90 A Power Stages while the lower-end boards will get a 14+1 design.

Intel Core i9-11900K processor, the flagship model from the 11th generation "Rocket Lake" CPU lineup, has been overclocked to more than 7 GHz by the "Rog-Fisher". Thanks to the report coming from VideoCardz, we have information that the top-end Rocket Lake processor is possibly a very good overclocker. Running at 7048 MHz, the CPU managed to achieve that frequency using "only" 1.873 V. There is no doubt that the system was being cooled by LN2, as such overclocks need it to remain stable, however, we don't have any data on that. The CPU was paired with the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Apex motherboard, designed for extreme overclocking purposes.

It is important to note that the CPU didn't run any benchmarks, as it was just validated at that frequency by Valid x86. The sample was likely supplied by Intel, so it could be a cherry-picked model. For the official benchmark results of Rocket Lake processors, we have to wait until tomorrow (March 30th), when NDA lifts.

A number of upcoming Z590 ASUS motherboards have recently been pictured. The four upcoming motherboards include the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Extreme Glacial, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero, ASUS Prime Z590-A, and the ASUS TUF Z590-PLUS WIFI. These new motherboards feature an LGA1200 socket the same one found on existing Z490 boards and are targeted towards Intel's upcoming 11th generation processors. The new Rocket Lake-S processors will introduce support for PCIe 4.0 which should be fully supported on these new boards.

The Z590 MAXIMUS XIII EXTREME GLACIAL is a high-end premium motherboard with integrated monoblock from EK. The board is similar to the Z490 GUNDAM and comes in an E-ATX form factor. The 13th edition ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero includes dual EATX12V 8-pin power connectors an upgrade from the 8+4 pin configuration found on the Z490 series. These new motherboards are expected to be announced in the coming days during CES.

When AMD introduced its Smart Access Memory technology, everyone was wondering will other GPU and CPU providers, namely Intel and NVIDIA, develop a similar solution to complement their offerings. The SAM technology is just AMD's way of naming PCIe resizable Base Address Register (BAR) technology, which has been present in PCI specifications for years as an optional feature. Why it's emerging now you might wonder. Well, the currently used PCIe revision has reached enough bandwidth on the bus to complement the complex data movement that GPU requires and now supports the use of the wider VRAM frame buffer.

It appears that not only AMD has this technology in its portfolio. ASUS has updated its BIOS firmware for its ROG Maximus XII Apex motherboard based on the Intel Z490 chipset, with some pretty interesting features. According to Tom's Hardware, we have information that the next release of BIOS firmware update 1003 for the ROG Maximus XII Apex motherboard will bring support for resizable BAR, making it a first on an Intel platform. For now, the beta 1002 BIOS supports it, however, a stable version will roll out in BIOS 1003. With the motherboard using PCIe 3.0 standard, a lower-bandwidth revision compared to AMD's platform, it will be interesting to see how resizable BAR is performing once the first tests come.

Update 09:45 am UTC: Chris Wefers, ASUS PR Germany, has announced that resizable BAR will be coming to all ASUS motherboards with Intel Z490/H470/B460 chipset, with alleged 13.37% performance increase in Forza Horizon 4, per ASUSes testing. You can see the test configuration in the image below.

Here's the first picture of the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme Gundam, a new Socket LGA1200 motherboard based on the Intel Z490 chipset, courtesy of VideoCardz. Based on the original Maximus XII Extreme, the Extreme Gundam is a step-up, and comes with a custom-design full-coverage water block, and styling resembling that of a Gundam mecha. Vast bits of silver covering the acrylic top of the FC block, fuse with bright bits of blue, red, and yellow. Supplied by EK Water Blocks, the full-coverage water block cools the processor, CPU VRM, and the Z490 PCH. It's also possible that the M.2 heatsinks on the board shed some of their heat onto the block. The board is otherwise identical to the original Maximus XII Extreme. We're also getting to learn that ASUS has a whole lineup of products planned, based on the Gundam theme.

Here are some of the first pictures of the ASUS' high-end Republic of Gamers (ROG) Maximus XII family of socket LGA1200 motherboards based on Intel Z490 chipset. The lineup consists of an impressive 5 SKUs: ROG Maximus XII Extreme and Extreme Glacial (M12E); ROG Maximus XII Formula (M12F), ROG Maximus XII Hero WiFi (M12H), and the ROG Maximus XII Apex (M12A). The Maximus XII Extreme leads the pack with its 16-phase VRM that probably uses 90 A power stages. It includes Thunderbolt 3 and 10 GbE support. The Glacial version is possibly a combination of cosmetic- and functional changes (such as preparation for sub-zero cooling).

The Maximus XII Formula is the go-to board for overclockers with elaborate liquid-cooling setups. The board comes with liquid-cooling ready VRM heatsinks. Compared to the Extreme, the Formula loses out on Thunderbolt, but retains 10 GbE. The Maximus XII Hero (WiFi) is next in line, and somehow better endowed than the Maximus XII Apex, in featuring an 8-layer PCB like the Extreme and the Formula; and a combination of 5 GbE and 1 GbE networking. The Maximus XII Apex comes with a 6-layer PCB, a single 2.5 GbE connection, but somehow a similar CPU VRM configuration to the Extreme. This is probably how the Apex could end up pricier than the Hero. Find specific details in the specs sheet below.

EK Water Blocks, premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer from Europe, is releasing a second Intel LGA1151 socket based monoblock from the Quantum Line. The EK-Momentum Maximus XI Hero is tailor-made for the ROG Maximus XI Hero motherboard. The monoblock is equipped with a 3-pin D-RGB LED strip and it offers unparallel aesthetical customization alongside superior performance with VRM cooling. The RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS AURA RGB control, thus offering a full lighting customization experience for every single diode separately!

EK Water Blocks, premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer from Europe, is releasing a new Intel LGA1151 socket based monoblock from the Quantum Line. The EK-Momentum Maximus XI Extreme is tailor-made for the ROG Maximus XI Extreme motherboard. The monoblock is equipped with a 3-pin D-RGB LED strip and it offers unparallel aesthetical customization alongside superior performance with VRM cooling. The RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS AURA RGB control, thus offering a full lighting customization experience for every single diode separately.

This is a complete all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for motherboards that supports the 8th and 9th generation of Intel Core processors. It is compatible with the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Extreme Z390 motherboard. Designed and engineered in cooperation with ASUS , this monoblock uses the latest generation of EK cooling engine used on the Quantum lineup to ensure the best possible CPU cooling while not reducing flow to other components. This water block directly cools the LGA1151 socket type CPU, as well as the voltage regulation (MOSFET) module.

Almost exactly one year after introducing six-core Coffee Lake processors alongside Z370 motherboards, Intel is back with more cores, higher clocks and the new Z390 chipset. The new 9th Generation Intel Core processor family offers up to eight cores and 16 threads of parallel processing horsepower that's perfect for content creation, heavy multitasking, and other demanding workloads. With clock speeds as high as 5GHz on the flagship Core i9-9900K, these new processors also raise the bar for gaming performance, especially if you're streaming, recording, and chatting simultaneously.

ASUS is excited to support this new generation of Intel processors with a wide variety of new motherboards based on the Intel Z390 chipset. The collection is led by a diverse cast from the Republic of Gamers that elevates gaming and overclocking to new heights. ROG Strix offers more streamlined alternatives that include a mighty Mini-ITX model, while TUF Gaming focuses on the essentials to hit more affordable price points. Outside the gaming sphere, the Prime family serves up signature ASUS features in a professional package, and the WS sets the stage for serious workstations and prosumer builds.

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between thie Maximus IX Hero and the Code stands in that the Hero is absent from the Code's PCB front shielding, the 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11 AC WI-FI capabilities, as well as the and USB 2.0 (2+4) front panel connectors, putting it in an even lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing (though, being part of the ROG line, that doesn't mean it will be cheap).

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between the ROG Maximus IX Code and the IX Formula stands in that the Code is absent from the Formula's integrated water-cooling solution, which puts it in a somewhat lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing.