So, of course, it is 2017 now, not 2007, and perhaps watercooling a motherboard is outdated. An overwhelming majority of the people who might buy such a board aren't going to put it under LN2 either, so I don't exactly know why you need all these extreme overclocking features here. There are other ASUS boards that are better for those uses anyway
This is a no no.
It absolutely misses the entire point of technology or products within the technological arena.
How many people take their Porche 911R's out on to the track? How many people use their Aventador's on track?
Let's make it even more relevant. How many people can and do use the Torque vectoring capabilities of their FOCUS RS cars? How many use the Racing modes on even a Cayman S. How many people took their McLaren F1's to the track or their MP4-12Cs even. Yet the entire cost of the car and where they shine is right here in the technical department on track.
What you seem to be suggesting is that there should not be a Sport+, Corsa mode, Launch control, active aero etc, because "most people" don't use it. Here's the thing though, most people don't push technology. It is the minority, the few that live at the edge that do it. And what they discover at the edge is exactly what ends up helping the Joe soap, the so called "average" user that doesn't care for these things.
That you don't care for something does not mean it shouldn't exist or isn't necessary!
If you don't or can't appreciate what the LN2 mode does, that's fine.
You may have never experienced LN2, cold bugs, cold boot bugs or anything of the sort, but believe me the people who have, do appreciate it. It takes nothing away from the average user to have it, but it means something profound and important to those people who use it. It also allows said average user to one day try their hand at it. The same people who care about LN2 mode make sure that your XMP kit works correctly. These are the same people who pushed for DRAM frequencies past what JEDEC had specified. The people that made sure that you even know what B-die is (not necessarily why this particular IC matters). They are the ones that push the limits so you don't have to.
So you can say I loaded XMP and it worked. For that to happen, there are people involved, who do plenty of work to make sure you end up with the product that you can score so highly, but speak out against because it has an LN2 mode.
So when vendors resort to only differentiating their products by RGB LED, then don't complain or be surprised because the one area where they can differentiate themselves, is said to be unimportant.
How many people use every single feature on any one product?
What this suggests is a profound misunderstanding of what it is that defines the work that is done by ROG. The engineers, the hours poured into it isn't for the LEDs. It's right there at the edge, right where performance matters.
I could not do a review of the 488 GTB by driving it to the mall and back at 60mph or whatever. I couldn't turn around and say all these suspension adjustment knobs aren't necessary because most people won't use them. That would be ridiculous. Having them doesn't hurt me who drives to the mall, but it helps those who will go to the track and test the capabilities of the car. If I want to make that statement, I must prove my metal and put out some good laps on any track and then I can say, xyz isn't necessary as the track times are the same. The handling, tire wear, brake fade, my cornering, exit speed is the same etc. However to make that statement means I would have to go the distance. The same applies here, if you're not going to do the LN2, then rather not mention it or if you do don't mention it in the pejorative as you've clearly removed yourself from the individual who can appreciate what all this means.
There are some people that don't care for car racing, but you know what? Energy recovery system that's in regular cars today came from F1. The rubber that ends up in performance cars, is derived from motor sport. A great many things that we take for granted came about because someone out there was pushing the limits.
it's getting old...