Introduction

Having had the opportunity to use quite a few Intel Z87 motherboards over the space of a couple months, I've been fortunate to see a lot of variety in innovation and style from Intel's board partners with products for the new platform. We've now seen two Dragons, the Tank, and the Racer, but those aren't the only new board designs available for purchase right now. Sitting in my test bench is another new product from ASUS, whose slice of the technology market's sales figures cannot be ignored.

ASUS started the ROG branding program many years ago now, and as time and platforms have progressed, ASUS has grown as well. The sales figures put up quarter after quarter show that the ROG line-up is one of today's most liked line-ups around the world. ASUS started the ROG line-up with just one or two products, but the branding now includes nearly every type of product ASUS makes, from boards and VGAs to cases, soundcards, and peripherals. This time around, ASUS is expanding upon the board line-up after tons of requests from end users. Enthusiasts raised their voices and ASUS listened.

The ASUS MAXIMUS VI HERO is a brand-new, value-centric addition to the ROG line-up, a line-up whose products traditionally carried a price premium. The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VI HERO has come to save the enthusiast some money, offering a fully-fledged ROG experience by putting everything the Republic Of Gamers brand has been known and respected for into a small and easily digestible package that's quite a bit lighter on the wallet. Can the ASUS HERO save the day, or will I be singing along to Tina Turner?

Specifications

Intel Z87 Chipset

New and fresh on the scene for June of 2013 is Intel's latest Socket 1150 platform, with Intel's Z87 chipset taking the top-tier spot in chipset functionality, and for performance options on this platform.


Most of the basic functionality offered by Intel's new Z87 chipset is quite similar to what was offered with Intel's Z77 Express, but there are more USB 3.0 ports, and they are faster too. All of the SATA ports provided offer SATA 6 Gb/s functionality. Intel's Z77 Express only had two ports at those speeds. There are also new power-saving features to keep power consumption at a bare minimum, and Z87 also includes all the features of the Intel Z77 Express. The chipset offers PCIe speeds of up to 5 GT/s for fast access to peripheral devices and networking with up to eight PCI Express 2.0 x1 ports that can be configured to act as x2-, x4-, or x8 ports. Intel's functionality diagram for the Z87 chipset is shown above.


The new 4th Gen Intel Core CPUs are 64-bit, multi-core chips built on a 22nm process; pairing with the Intel Z87 chipset enables the performance-tuning features of "K"-SKU CPUs, allowing independent changes to core-, graphics-, "ring"-, and memory frequencies. This allows you to clock up one part of the chip while running any other part of the chip at stock speeds, which is extremely useful for enthusiasts that like to overclock, as each part can be clocked and tested independently for the absolute most out of your chip if the time is taken to test everything fully. Users who prefer the simpler approach of past platforms can use it instead, ensuring everyone's needs are met. For PCIe connectivity, Intel Z87-based platforms allow the processor's PCI Express 3.0 port to be configured into three different configurations: 1x16, 2x8, or 1x8 and 2x4. The third x8 and 2x4 configuration is primarily meant for use with Intel Thunderbolt Technology but can be used to support other devices as well.

Other TPU reviews cover the CPUs themselves in more detail. We will now also separate those reviews. One will cover iGPU performance and the other will cover CPU performance.

Packaging

So, I've got all these ASUS ROG boards here, and they are all in roughly the same box. Every ROG product since the Maximus III Series comes in ASUS's signature red package fans can scan store shelves for. Simply look for the product name as that is the only real difference.


However, not all of these boxes have had flaps that open to reveal the board inside with a short description of the features at hand. None of these features are exactly rare, though. All are rather ho-hum, to be honest.


Inside the lid of the box, under a plastic cover I removed for the above picture, sits the board, and although the box was rather, well, boring, the board itself definitely makes a statement the first time you look at it. But we are back to the boring with all the goodies found below the board once it is out of the box.

Contents

I did find some interesting things amongst those accessories. A full list is below:

• 1 x User guide
• 1 x Software manual
• 1 x I/O shield
• 6 x SATA 6Gb/s cable
• 1 x SLI bridge
• 1 x ASUS ROG case badge
• 1 x Driver disc
• 1 x "ROG door hanger
• 2 x Q-Connector kit
• 1 x Cable stick-on label sheet