So, what can I really say about the ASRock Z77 OC Formula? Really, not that much. The packaging is simply phenomenal, making an impact like no other. There are several unique features on the board itself, many of which will affect your system's ability to overclock. It comes at a very reasonable price considering its top-shelf design and added SATA ports. The software package is like no other and doesn't add much, if anything at all, to the price. One of these ASRock Z77 OC Formula boards even holds the world record for 3770K frequency.
Other than those things, there's really not a lot that stands out. Honestly, what sits wrong with me are the colors used, which very few components will match. Call me a hipster if you will, but I like my rigs to match, and with the huge number of devices available on the market today, being able to pick color-matching parts should not be much of an issue. But with this board, it WILL be an issue. Do you pick gold? Or yellow? Or black?
I was disappointed that there were no cables for the V-Check points and no driver disc in the box. Two things that are very critical to me were completely ignored. I literally wasted hours waiting for downloads. Not fun at all. I'm even deducting from the score here because of that alone. At the same time, the things the board DID come with, like the included felt bag and the premium thermal paste, really do add to what the board offers, and make it seem like a really good deal. Altogether, I'm torn about what I do actually think.
The ASRock Z77 OC Formula feels like a high-end $300+ product. It sells for $239.99 right this second and is widely available. This board is a steal with that price in mind, and if you want to overclock, really overclock, this board is your only choice. It WILL give you better clocks than nearly any other board out there. If you are a 24/7 user, this board has a lot to offer as well, more so than some others. This board is really good, but, in the end, it is just not my personal cup of tea. It is not for new users unless they want to jump into system tweaking right away, and if so, they best be prepared for a quick and short education. Yet, at the same time, it's pretty forgiving when you do get things wrong. It is great, but it sacrifices too much to be able to excel at anything other than that which appeals to the real die-hard enthusiast. Meanwhile, this board is a real engineering marvel. ASRock has done a fantastic job here, one of their best jobs ever, and it's going to be hard for anyone to beat this feat of engineering unless, of course, they aren't yellow, and then they would win immediately. :p