Nearly ten months have passed since the release of Intel Sandy Bridge processors, during which time motherboard manufacturers managed to release great amount products of various form factors and market segments.
In particular, ASUS has added two new products to its enthusiast ROG series of motherboards: Maximus IV Extreme and Maximus IV Gene-Z. Both boards have excellent overclocking capabilities, wide functionality, and excellent workmanship, but only baby Gene-Z has on board the new Intel Z68 system logic, which allows you to simultaneously use all the advantages of platforms based on P67 and H67. And now a full-sized motherboard for enthusiasts has been born, ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z, the letter Z in the name of which just indicates the use of the Intel Z68 system logic. How close the motherboard is to its predecessor Maximus IV Extreme, we will tell in this review.
⇡ Specifications
| ASUS Maximus IV Extreme Z | |
|---|---|
| CPU support | The entire line of processors for Socket LGA 1155 |
| Chipset | Intel Z68 |
| System bus type | Ring Interconnect + DMI |
| RAM | 4 x slots, support for 1- and 2-channel configurations, support for DDR3 1333/1600/1866 (overclocked) / 2200 (overclocked), support for XMP profiles, the maximum supported volume is 32 GB |
| Expansion slots | 4 x PCI-e x16 (3 x16 slots, one x8) 1 x PCIe x4 1 x PCIe x1 |
| Multi GPU support | Support for NVIDIA 3-Way SLI, ATI CrossFireX, and LucidLogix Virtu technology |
| Disk subsystem | Via Intel Z68 chipset: 4 x SATA 3Gb/s (gray) With the possibility of organizing RAID 0,1,5,10 Support for Intel Smart Response Technology. Via Marvell 88SE9182 controller: 2 x SATA 6Gb/s (red) Via controller JMicron JMB 362: 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s (rear) |
| Net | 2 x Intel Gigabit LAN |
| Audio Features | Realtek ALC889 audio controller with 8-channel configuration |
| Expansion ports | 10 x USB 3.0 (8 on pinout, 2 internal, implemented by NEC controllers and VIA USB 3.0 hubs), 9 x USB 2.0 ports (8 internal, 1 on terminal board for ROG Connect) |
| Form factor, mm |
Extended ATX (305x269) |
⇡ Packaging and equipment
The ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard is packed in a book-type box, traditional for ROG series boards, made in burgundy tones. The front side of the package contains informational icons, among which the Virtu icon appeared, which means that the product supports the software package of the same name.
The reverse side still provides us with information about technical parameters motherboard.
As before, the flipped-down lid of the box allows you to see the motherboard itself through a transparent plastic window, packed in a compartment separate from the bundle.
The accessory compartment itself is full of accessories.
The package includes:
- Detailed user manual;
- Instructions for using the exclusive functions of the ROG series;
- DVD with drivers and software;
- Eight loops for connecting SATA devices;
- End cap for the rear panel, covered with insulating material;
- Bridges for NVIDIA SLI and 3-Way SLI, as well as ATI CrossFireX;
- Plank with two USB connectors 3.0 on the back of the case;
- USB 2.0 cable for ROG Connect;
- RC BlueTooth module connected to a special connector;
- Enthusiast kit including two thermocouples and two adapters for connecting multimeter probes;
- Set of cable ties;
- Body sticker with symbols ASUS series ROG, as well as an advertising "booklet" calling for the purchase of an ASUS Xonar sound adapter.
⇡ Appearance and system logic
Turning to the description of the motherboard itself, first of all, let's pay attention to its appearance. The board is assembled on a black textolite under a glossy varnish, on which black and red layout elements and solid capacitors with a metallic sheen are placed. In a word, the board is framed in strict compliance with the canons of the ROG series. Moreover, in design and layout, it almost completely repeats the Maximus IV Extreme. And this is no coincidence, because in fact our experimental one is a remake of the Maximus IV Extreme motherboard presented at the beginning of this year, with one significant change - the place of the Intel P67 chipset was taken by the PCH Intel Z68.
We have already described the Intel Z68 system logic in one of our articles on the Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 motherboard, but once again we will dwell on the main points.
The Intel Z68 chipset belongs to the same Cougar Point family as the P67 and H67 chipsets, so there are simply no architectural differences. There is still no "native" support for USB 3.0 ports, which will appear only in the system logic for the upcoming LGA 2011 processor socket. The number of PCI-e lanes (eight) that are implemented by the chipset has not changed, in addition to the sixteen PCI-e lanes provided by system agent for Sandy Bridge processors.
However, not everything is so "bleak", of course, there are innovations.
The Z68 chipset corrects the “mistake” of the marketing division of the H67 and P67 chips (the first of which allowed the use of the video core built into the processor, and the second allowed changing the multipliers of the K series processors to achieve overclocking), now all the advantages of these chips are available with one system logic.
Also, the new system logic allows you to implement two software technologies. One of them is called Virtu, it was developed by Lucidlogic, a company notorious for its “graphic experiments”. The technology allows you to use the graphics core built into the Sandy Bridge processors while using a discrete graphics card, which in turn makes it possible to use Intel Quick Sync technology (hardware encoding and decoding of the video stream), which was so “mediocrely idle” with the P67 chipset.
The second technology, called Intel Smart Response, is special treatment operation of the RAID controller, which allows you to assemble an array simultaneously from HDD and SSD drives. The SDD disk in this case serves as a high-speed non-volatile cache of a large volume, while the capacity of the array corresponds to the capacity of the HDD drive. In fact - a kind of hybrid drive from Seagate. As can be seen from the testing that we conducted in the article devoted to the same Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 motherboard, this approach does not always give the desired result, the performance gain is most often observed in frequently repeated operations with magnetic disk, which, however, is quite natural.
If you can take full advantage of Intel Smart Response Technology on your ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard, you just need to install intel driver Rapid Storage Technology 10.5, you won't be able to use Virtu "to the fullest" on this board. This is due to the lack of any video output on the motherboard. And this was done precisely for reasons of economy, since the development of a new design is not a very profitable occupation, despite the fact that the line already has a quite successfully “divorced” Maximus IV Extreme motherboard.
However, it is still possible to use the technology, in the mode d-Mode. The monitor is connected to a discrete graphics card, it takes over all the functions of 3D rendering, while Intel Quick Sync technology remains available for use in video encoding and decoding processes, but only in those programs where there is appropriate support.
⇡ Expansion options
Now let's look at the layout and expansion options of the motherboard.
The high performance of Intel Sandy Bridge processors allows you to experience the benefits of using systems with several modern graphics cards. At the same time, the small number of PCI-e lanes that can be provided by the processor system agent (16 lanes) severely limits the possibility of using such tandems, so the whole "headache" falls on the shoulders of motherboard manufacturers, from the implementation of the PCI-e lane layout of which depends largely on the performance of the graphics subsystem.
ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard has four slots PCI-e format x16, but only the first, second and fourth slots from the top are connected to sixteen lines. Moreover, the connection feature is completely borrowed from the progenitor Maximus IV Extreme.
The above block diagram shows the distribution of all PCI-e lanes. It can be seen that when using one video card, it is most advisable to connect it to the first PCI-e x16 slot, since in this case all sixteen lines of the system agent will be involved. Using a bundle of two video cards is best done using the first and third PCI-e slots, with such a connection, each video card will receive eight PCI-e lines, while the delays caused by the operation of the NVIDIA NF200 bridge are completely eliminated.
NVIDIA NF200 bridge providing an additional 32 PCI-e lanes
The use of three video cards is possible only if they are installed in the first, second and fourth PCI-e x16 slots, while the video cards in the second and fourth slots will receive 16 lines from the NF200 bridge each. However, let's not forget that this bridge is connected to the system agent with only eight lines, so in fact, with such a connection, the formula 8x/4x/4x will be obtained.
PLX PEX8608 bridge implementing an additional eight PCI-e lanes
Not only the graphics subsystem "suffers" from a lack of PCI-e lanes, a large number peripherals and additional controllers, without which today it is impossible to imagine a Hi-End motherboard, also need to be connected to a system agent. To do this, ASUS used another PCI-e hub shown in the block diagram - the PLX PEX8608 bridge. Connected to four PCI-e lanes from the Z68 chipset, the bridge provides an additional eight lanes. Four of them are spent on the PCI-e x4 slot, one more line is connected to the PCI-e x1 slot. Also connected to the bridge is a Marvell 88SE9128 controller that provides two SATA 3 ports (6 Gb / s) and a JMicron JMB363 eSATA port controller (3 Gb / s) located on the rear panel, each of them “consuming” one PCI- e.
Marvell 88SE9128 controller providing SATA 2 (3Gb/s) ports
JMicron JMB362 controller, manager of eSATA ports (3 Gb / s)
Two gigabit network controllers Intel WG82579V and Intel WG82583V
The remaining four lines of the Z68 chipset are used for the needs of a pair of USB 3.0 controllers and two integrated network adapters.
Two NEC D720200AF1 controllers manage USB 3.0 ports
Since each NEC controller provides two USB 3.0 ports and connects to one PCI-e lane, to implement ten USB 3.0 ports, and there are ten of them on the motherboard (eight on the back panel and two internal), at least five controllers and five PCI-e lines, which is not available on the board.
The solution was the use of two USB 3.0 hubs from VIA VLI VL810. Each of them is responsible for its own quartet of USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel, and they are connected to one of the NEC D720200AF1 controllers, while the second NEC controller directly provides us with two USB 3.0 ports soldered on the motherboard in the form of connectors for output to an external panel.
On the back panel of conclusions are located: a universal PS / 2 port, eight USB 3.0 ports, USB port 2.0 compatible with ROG Connect, two eSATA (3Gb/s), two RJ-45 ports, six analog and one optical digital audio, and reset buttons BIOS settings and activation of ROG Connect.
The disk subsystem, in addition to two eSATA ports on the rear panel, includes eight internal SATA ports. Four of them (gray) are SATA 2 (3 Gb / s) and two red ports of SATA 3 (6 Gb / s) are provided with Intel Z68 system logic. And the two extreme red ports, standard SATA 3 (6 Gb / s), operate through a third-party controller Marvell 88SE9128.
The sound is managed by the eight-channel ALC889 codec from Realtek.
The ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard, like all other motherboards under Intel processors Sandy Bridge, supports single and dual channel configurations only random access memory, the new chipset did not bring (and could not bring) any changes here either. Our motherboard is endowed with four slots for installing DDR3 modules with frequencies of 1333, 1600, 1866 MHz (overclocking) and 2200 MHz (overclocking). The maximum supported memory size is 32 GB (four 8 GB sticks). To activate the dual-channel mode, you must install pairs of memory modules in slots of the same color.
The layout and location of the so-called "control and monitoring panel" have not changed either. Below the RAM slots, in a place that is not very convenient for access, there are toggle switches that allow you to disable each of the four PCI-e x16 slots, a “Go Button” button for quickly applying BIOS settings, voltage measurement points for the main system nodes, as well as a triad of irreplaceable assistants for enthusiasts: start, reboot buttons and POST codes indicator. The "LN2 Mode" switch is also not forgotten, which allows you to bypass the so-called "Cold Bug", which can manifest itself when using cryogenic cooling. The switch is located near the NUVOTON NCT6776F multicontroller, which is also responsible for monitoring the parameters of the system.
Below, under the PCI-e slots, additional connectors are traditionally located. There is one of two connectors (Molex) for additional power supply of devices connected to the PCI-e x16 slots (the second connector is located near the first PCI-e x16 slot). It is recommended to use recharge when building a system from several powerful video cards. Nearby are audio connectors for output analog signal on the outer panel connectors for connecting two four-pin fans, one of which can be used in conjunction with a thermocouple, which also has a two-pin connector; four headers to output up to eight ports USB standard 2.0. There are also two BIOS chips connected to the board through the "cribs", and a button fast switching between them.
⇡ Power system and cooling system
The design of the cooling system exactly repeats that of the Maximus IV Extreme motherboard. Cooling is equipped with four radiators, three of which are connected by a U-shaped heat pipe. They serve to cool elements located near CPU, such as the MOSFETs of the processor power system, as well as the hub of the PCI-e lines - the NVIDIA NF200 chip. The fourth radiator is isolated from the rest, designed to remove heat from the Intel Z68 chip. The design has also remained the same, black heatsinks with a matte color have many extended edges, the composition is diluted with red elements, and the emblem of the Republic Of Gamers series still glows red during operation.
All radiators in the places of contact with the elements of the motherboard necessarily have a heat-conducting elastic thermal interface.
Processor socket binding on Maximus IV Extreme-Z
Processor socket binding on Maximus IV Extreme
The processor power system on the Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard is one of the few places that has undergone quite noticeable changes. However, the changes are more quantitative than qualitative. Eight voltage stabilization phases for the processor cores and two phases for the system agent power supply were supplemented by two voltage stabilization phases on the video core integrated into the processor. The phase control circuitry has also changed slightly.
The power supply system is monitored and controlled by ASUS technology Dual Intelligent Processors. It includes an eight-phase power controller DIGI + EPU ASP1000C (aka CHiL CHL8318), which controls the operation of the analog-to-digital PWM regulation of the supply voltage through six ASP0A13 phase doublers with two built-in drivers (which in total gives just the necessary twelve phases), as well as TPU chip KB37200, which is mainly responsible for the possibility of automatic overclocking using ASUS software Turbo VEV.
As for the elemental base of power systems, and all elements in general, there are no obvious reductions in price compared to Maximus IV Extreme. The board uses high-quality ferrite inductors, dressed in cases, metal-oxide transistors with metallized cases, as well as a film capacitor with high speed charging / discharging NEC-TOKIN 0E907, with a capacity of 900 uF.
Voltage stabilization on the RAM modules is managed by a three-phase power controller uP6207.
The power supply of the PLX, NF200 bridges, as well as PCH and PCH PLL is single-phase.
⇡BIOS
Consider the main features of the BIOS.
Using the graphical shell as a BIOS interface on this moment is an almost ubiquitous phenomenon, so every new product, especially from such a giant as ASUS, by definition has and, most likely, will have such a shell in the future. ASUS EFI Shell, and this is the designation of the shell from ASUS, can be designed in various color schemes- colors depend on the series of motherboards. In our case, on the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard, we see a shell made in the same black and burgundy colors, emphasizing the board's direct relationship to the Republic Of Gamers series.
The BIOS shell layout has two modes of operation. The first of them, a simplified mode, is called EZ Mode, it allows you to quickly change the boot device, system performance, as well as quickly obtain basic information about the operation of the system, such as the actual processor frequency, temperatures of the main nodes, voltage along the main lines, rotation speeds fans connected to the motherboard.
The second operating mode of the ASUS EFI Shell is Advanced Mode, it includes the entire range of settings and output information inherent in a Hi-End motherboard. It is this mode of operation of the graphical shell that is launched by default when entering the BIOS.
Let's take a closer look at Advanced Mode. The structure of the tabs, as well as the configurable parameters, to a large extent coincide with those on other Hi-end ASUS motherboards, which we have reviewed more than once, so we will focus only on the main, most interesting sections and points.
first section, Extreme Tweaker, is the most interesting for enthusiasts. Here there is an opportunity to change the supply voltage of all the main elements of the system, set the maximum processor multiplier in Turbo Boost mode, as well as the maximum frequency of the integrated video core, change the frequency of the RAM, activate technologies that speed up the system and reduce power consumption.
There are also well-known subsections:
DRAMtimingcontrol allows you to set the value of major and minor memory delays.
GPU. DIMMPost a completely informational subsection, it displays discrete video adapters installed in PCI-e slots, indicating both the number of lines involved and the “source” of PCI-e lines. It also clearly displays the RAM modules installed in the system with their nominal and actual operating frequencies.
CPU performance settings- a section that allows you to change the multiplier of the "K" series processors, activate Intel Speed Step technologies, and also move the limits of the processor's power supply by current in Turbo Boost mode.
digi+ VRM/ POWERcontrol- a subsection dedicated to the control of an analog-to-digital power system, which allows you to set the frequency of the PWM controller, load calibration to control the voltage on the processor in various operating modes, the number of active power phases, and also set overcurrent protection for the main components of the system.
next most significant section —Advanced. In addition to the items that exist in the corresponding section of the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme motherboard, which are responsible for setting up the basic functions of the system, a subsection has appeared SystemagentConfiguration.
Its main purpose is to activate the integrated video core.
CPU Configuration allows you to control the operation of technologies and power-saving features of the processor. And also change the multiplier for processors, if it is unlocked (which is true for the K series).
SATA Configuration, in addition to setting the operating mode of the SATA controller, allows for each of the connected SATA devices to activate the possibility of a "hot" connection, but only for those ports that are implemented using the Intel Z68 system logic.
In subsection USB configuration configuring the operation of USB controllers.
Onboard Devices Configuration allows you to manage the operation of all the main controllers implemented on the motherboard.
All motherboards of the Republic Of Gamers series for enthusiasts have proprietary functions, there are corresponding items in the BIOS to control them.
iROG Configuration allows you to track the time during which the system was turned on.
Function ROG Connect allows you to manage system settings using external device such as a laptop. This can help offload the system a bit and maybe achieve some more benchmark results.
LED control serves to control the operation of information LEDs located on the motherboard.
tab Monitor contains four subsections.
VoltageMonitor displays the current values of the supply voltages of the processor cores, RAM, chipset, NF 200 bridge, as well as other important system nodes, including the 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V lines.
temperature monitor displays the temperature value from all sensors present on the board, including thermocouples supplied with the board, which, if necessary, can be connected through the appropriate connectors.
Fan Speed Monitor displays the rotation speeds of the fans connected to the motherboard.
Fan Speed Control allows you to configure the binding of fan speeds to temperature values from the corresponding sensors, including external thermocouples.
Chapter BOOT is responsible both for the choice of boot devices, and for the secondary starting parameters for the display and operation of the system.
Traditional section for ASUS boards Tools contains five tools.
ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility serves to update the BIOS from any SATA- and USB-carriers.
ASUS SPD Information allows you to quickly get acquainted with the SPD information of the RAM.
ASUS O.C. Profile allows you to save and load profiles with pre-saved BIOS settings.
Go Button File allows you to set the system parameters that will be applied when you press the Go Button on the motherboard.
BIOSflashback allows you to choose which of the two BIOS chips will be active by default.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the ability to take a “screenshot” in the ASUS EFI Shell BIOS is still preserved: screen capture is performed using the F12 button, the file is saved in BMP format to a USB stick with an automatically generated name consisting of the current date and time.
⇡ Practical tests
It's time to move on to practical tests.
Configuration test bench presented in the table.
| Test stand configuration | |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K |
| CPU cooling system | Thermalright SilverArrow |
| RAM | 2x1024MB DDR3 1600 Super Talent |
| video card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 |
| HDD | Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 750 GB (ACHI Mode) |
| Power Supply | IKONIK Vulcan 1200W |
| Frame | Cooler Master test bench 1.0 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 |
The new Z68 chipset does not make any major changes to the system logic for Sandy Bridge processors, which means that overclocking the processor is still possible only by raising its multiplier. Therefore, for tests, we took a processor with an unlocked Intel Core i7-2600 K multiplier, and exactly the same instance that was used when testing the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme motherboard. This will allow you to visually see if the overclocking capabilities of the board have changed after the “update”.
To begin with, let's check what maximum base frequency our motherboard can provide.
The maximum value at which the system was fully functional was 108 MHz. The result obtained is close to the maximum results in this "discipline" for other boards, however, the increase in the base frequency is still too small to be used as a "tool" for overclocking. Therefore, we will traditionally carry out experiments with overclocking by raising the multiplier. Let's start with the automatic overclocking feature.
For ASUS motherboards, this feature is traditionally called CPU Level UP, and it is activated in the BIOS Extreme Tweaker section. For processor core i7-2600K maximum frequency selected by the board was 4600 MHz, of course, at this frequency the system worked completely stably, since the frequency potential of our processor is much higher.
The next step was to manually overclock.
There are no revelations here either, the frequency of 5200 MHz achieved by the predecessor was also subdued in our case, using similar BIOS settings. However, we did not succeed in squeezing more out of the processor without losing stability, apparently the ceiling of a particular CPU instance has been reached. Therefore, we can assume that the excellent overclocking capabilities of the Maximus IV Extreme motherboard have not deteriorated at least.
The table shows the BIOS settings by default and after manual overclocking.
| Options | Default values | Acceleration values |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Freq, MHz | 3400 (1600-3800) | 5200 |
| CPU Ratio | 34 (16-38) | 52 |
| BCLC, MHz | 100 | 100 |
| CPU Voltage, V | 1,21 | 1,528 |
| DRAM Freq, MHz | 1333 | 1600 |
| DRAM Voltage, V | 1,587 | 1,61 |
| PLL Voltage, V | 1,78 | 1,8 |
| PCI-e freq, MHz | 100 | 100 |
| VCore PWM | T.Probe | Extreme |
| VCore Phase | Standard | Extreme |
| VCore over-current protection, % | 100 | 100 |
| Vcore Load-Line Calibration | Auto | 100% |
| VRM Over Temperature Protection | enable | enable |
| VDRAM Switching Freq | Auto | 1.4x |
| VDRAM Full Phase Control | Auto | enable |
The test results are shown in the table:
| Tests without using 3D acceleration | Testing without overclocking (Intel Core i7-2600K, DDR3 1600 MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) | Testing with automatic overclocking (Intel Core [email protected].6GHz, DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) | Value with manual overclocking (Intel Core [email protected].2GHz, DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aida64 Memory Read, MB/s | 19105 | 19693 | 22487 |
| Aida64 Memory Write, MB/s | 19350 | 22534 | 24106 |
| Aida64 Memory Copy, Mbs | 20971 | 21370 | 23456 |
| Aida64 Memory Latency, ns | 46,1 | 44,2 | 43.8 |
| Aida64 CPU Queen, Score | 47758 | 57682 | 65177 |
| Aida64 Photo Worxx, Score | 63188 | 66738 | 68122 |
| Aida64 CPU Zlib, MB/s | 300,7 | 361,8 | 407,7 |
| Aida64 CPU AES, Score | 441266 | 440071 | 442958 |
| Aida64 CPU Hash, MB/s | 2338 | 2819 | 3230 |
| Aida64 FPU VP8 | 3784 | 4278 | 5011 |
| Aida64 FPU Julia, Score | 12715 | 15343 | 17556 |
| Aida64 FPU Mandel, score | 6487 | 7827 | 9319 |
| Aida64 FPU SinJulia, score | 5096 | 6149 | 6812 |
| 7-Zip x64, MIPS | 21143 | 25213 | 25213 |
| Cinebench R11.5 x64 CPU, CB | 6,89 | 8,55 | 9,87 |
| Fritz Chess Benchmark, Knodes | 14245 | 17177 | 18992 |
| Super Pi 1M XS, sec | 9,839 | 8,128 | 7,348 |
| WinRAR 3.9 x64, KB/s | 3907 | 4480 | 5793 |
| wPrime 32M, sec | 8,059 | 6,535 | 5,183 |
| wPrime 1024M, sec | 218,152 | 171,46 | 153,134 |
| X264 3.0 HD Benchmark (4 threads), FPS | 91,38 | 107,99 | 119,91 |
| X264 4.0 HD Benchmark (8 threads), FPS | 144,25 | 170,87 | 201,82 |
| 3D tests | Testing without overclocking (Intel Core i7 2600K, DDR3 1600 MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) | Testing with automatic overclocking (Intel Core i7 [email protected].6GHz, DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) | Value with manual overclocking (Intel Core i7 [email protected].2GHz, DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 dual) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Vantage (GPU/CPU/Overall), marks | 35374 | 25562 | 32277 | 37373 | 30110 | 35248 | 25322 | 30202 | 26388 | |||
| 3DMark 2011 (Graph/PHY/Overall), marks | 9571 | 9256 | 7488 | 9720 | 10447 | 7689 | 9722 | 11064 | 7761 | |||
| Resident Evil 5 (1280x1024; High; NoFSAA), avg FPS | 156,1 | 170,4 | 182,3 | |||||||||
| Resident Evil 5 (1920x1080; High; FSAA 16x), avg FPS | 141,2 | 145,7 | 160,4 | |||||||||
| Crysis(1280x1024; High; DX10; NoFSAA; TOD=12), avg FPS | 110,9 | 121,54 | 137,36 | |||||||||
| Crysis(1920x1080; Very High; DX10; FSAA 16x; TOD=12), avg FPS | 53,89 | 54,9 | 55,23 | |||||||||
| Dirt 2 (1280x1024; No FSAA; No AF), avg FPS | 158,84 | 168,07 | 175,64 | |||||||||
| Dirt 2 (1920x1080; FSAA 4x; AF 16x), avg FPS | 137,48 | 141 | 146,83 | |||||||||
| FarCry2 (1280x1024; Very High; No FSAA; DX10), min/avg FPS | 109,91 | 162,96 | 125,17 | 187,64 | 131,24 | 204,98 | ||||||
| FarCry2 (1920x1080; UltraHigh; FSAA8x), min/avg/max FPS | 90,29 | 127,5 | 112,43 | 150,59 | 118,34 | 160,52 | ||||||
The test results show that increasing the processor frequency leads to a fairly proportional increase in performance both in applications without using a 3D accelerator and in 3D applications. However, only in modes that are difficult for the video adapter, whether it be anti-aliasing, or a high resolution, performance gains don't increase as much with CPU overclocking, even a powerful graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 can become a limiting factor. However, for such modes it just makes sense to assemble tandems of several video cards, since the Maximus IV Extreme-Z motherboard allows this.
⇡ Conclusions
When choosing motherboards, many, mostly enthusiasts, seek to find the most “tricked out”, technologically advanced and advanced motherboard. All these zeal, of course, is understandable, since overclocking results often depend on the degree of "coolness" of the board. However, in our case, ASUS' latest ROG motherboard, the Maximus IV Extreme-Z, under the currently advanced LGA1155 processor socket, is not a sharp step forward from its predecessor. Of course, the board has excellent functionality, wide overclocking and system tuning options, as well as excellent workmanship, but the Maximus IV Extreme was all the same.
Therefore, the owners of the Maximus IV Extreme motherboard do not make any sense in urgently replacing their "motherboard" with a new one. However, for those who do not yet have such a board, it makes sense to take a look at the upgraded Maximus IV Extreme-Z, since the new product not only offers a slightly wider functionality, but also leaves no chance of running into the chipset of the "ill-fated" revision B2, which at the beginning of the year "became famous" possible problems with the degradation of the SATA controller. The new Intel Z68 system logic was originally released with a new revision B3. Now in retail Maximus IV Extreme-Z can be purchased for about 12,500 rubles, which is slightly more than the cost of Maximus IV Extreme - 11,500 rubles. For the most-most-most board for the LGA 1155 platform - not so much.
Information about Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80
| Manufacturer | Mac Audio |
|---|---|
| Model | Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 |
| Type of | 4 channel amplifier |
| Class | AB |
| Price | Out of stock. Last price 5047 rub. |
| May need | Amplifier Kits Capacitors Signal level converters Power wires Acoustic wires Interconnect cables Flasks and fuses |
| Characteristics | |
| Our assessment | |
| Average user rating | 5 (Number of ratings: 2) |
User reviews about Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80:
The 4-channel power amplifier is the most commonly used in automotive applications. It is connected, as a rule, to 4 speakers or 2 speakers + subwoofer, extremely rarely with two bridges to a subwoofer.
The choice of a 4-channel power amplifier in a car is quite a serious task in which it is difficult to decide personally, since this requires at least listening to several options, preferably in your system, which is quite problematic and, most often, not realistic to organize in practice. Therefore, when choosing an amplifier, you have to rely on the name and experience of the manufacturer, the advice of honest sellers or installers, and someone else's experience.
The most important and basic characteristic, which, as a rule, is relied upon when choosing an amplifier is power. However, it is worth noting that many companies deliberately overestimate it in order to mislead the consumer, and some, on the contrary, underestimate it in order to enter the lower classes of car audio competitions. The power of the Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 amplifier should be considered only nominal, maximum and peak is not a characteristic that you should rely on. At the same time, it is desirable to take into account that when indicating the rated power, all serious manufacturers always indicate THD (nonlinear distortion factor) and it is possible to compare the powers of different amplifiers only when it equal value. It is also worth considering the fuse rating on the amplifier, as a rule, current consumption is the main indicator that indicates power. In the case of choosing an amplifier for acoustics, the sound quality of the amplifier should be considered a more important criterion, power is important for the subwoofer in the system. You need to know that an indicator of the seriousness of the manufacturer's approach to the manufacture of the amplifier is a certificate with a serial number and a manual measurement of the power of the amplifier that comes with it.
The built-in crossover of the Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 power amplifier allows you to cut unwanted frequencies from channels. It is used to remove ultra-low frequencies from the subwoofer, as well as mid-bass and everything above it. When connected to acoustics - to cut off low frequencies that the speakers do not reproduce. As an addition, there is a bass boost at the selected frequency, a channel adder. As a rule, it is not enough to install the amplifier correctly in the system, in order for it to play, you still need to set it up and adjust it correctly, so the more built-in adjustments on the power amplifier, the better.
Class AB amplifiers are relatively low power but have very good sound quality. Class D amplifiers have high power with low sound quality, well suited for subwoofers. It is also worth saying that class D amplifiers are quite compact in size.
When choosing a 4-channel power amplifier in a car, you should pay special attention to the manufacturer, his experience in the manufacture of amplifiers, the workmanship of the amplifier itself, how the terminals for connecting wires are made, and the weight of the amplifier. And of course, buying such a thing that there is no way to check when buying, only from honest sellers with more than one year of experience in the field of car audio.
You can get the power declared in the characteristics of the Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 amplifier only by correctly installing it using the wires required by the cross section. Saving on wires usually results in the amplifier not producing what it could. Installation by yourself, without experience or by an electrician who seems to know everything, but has never installed amplifiers often leads to such sad consequences as clapping when turned on, backgrounds, poor sound quality.
New for 2016! Spinning Maximus Ultimatum - perfect choice for the angler looking for a versatile high performance rod for very little money. Ultra-fast action, medium stiffness, high-modulus IMSE graphite make it possible to use it as efficiently as possible for jig and twitching, as well as for fishing with wobblers and spinners. High sensitivity, long casting distance and confident performance when playing make the Maximus Ultimatum spinning rod suitable for catching a wide variety of fish species, different ways. The Maximus Ultimatum blank is equipped with South Korean-made Mini Guide Kigan Zirconia guides arranged according to the 3D Guide System concept. Ergonomic handle design, warm FUJI reel seat equipped with a SuperSensitive System carbon resonator for increased sensitivity in the “hand”, combined with a fast action high modulus graphite blank, makes Ultimatum spinning rods an incredibly informative tool for most types of fishing.
Form:
. Material - high modulus graphite IMSE
. Super Fast - Fast (Ex-Fast Action)
. Number of sections - 2
. Design - plug reinforced, reinforced (WXW-X)
Pass rings:
. Kigan Zirconia
. Anti-wisting tip design
. Ring frame design to prevent line overlap (Tangle Free)
. Lightweight, on one support
. Arrangement of rings according to the 3D Guide System
Lever:
. Ergonomic design, lightweight remote design
. EVA (neoprene)
Reel seat:
. FUJI
. Warm reel seat, ergonomic design
. Reel seat design that increases sensitivity (Super Sensitive System)
Accessories:
. Wire loop for attaching the Kigan hook
Today we're reviewing yet another Republic Of Gamers (ROG) motherboard from ASUS for overclockers and hardcore gamers based on the most feature-packed Intel Z68 Express chipset. The board considered today is able to intrigue in that, like any representative of the elite ROG series, it offers a maximum of functions for a demanding user, however, all this traditionally large set of functions and capabilities for the series is concentrated on a limited area of the MicroATX textolite sheet. In addition, the motherboard ASUSMaximus IV GENE-Z gives you the opportunity to enjoy the rich feature set of the ROG series at a more affordable price compared to full-size counterparts. As part of this review, we will find out how well this motherboard is able to meet the needs of the enthusiast of the computer world.
ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard specifications:
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Manufacturer |
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Maximus IV GENE-Z |
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Intel Z68 Express |
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Processor socket |
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Supported processors |
Intel Core i7/ Core i5 / Core i3 |
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Used memory |
DDR3 1333/1600*/1866*/2133*/2200*(OC) |
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Memory support |
4 x 240-pin dual-channel DIMMs up to 32 GB |
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Expansion slots |
2 x PCI-E 2.0 x16 (x16/x8) |
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Support for Multi-GPU technologies |
Supports NVIDIA 2-Way SLI |
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Disk subsystem |
Chipset: JMicron JMB362 controller: |
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Sound subsystem |
SupremeFX X-Fi 2, 8-channel High-Definition Audio codec |
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VIA VT6315N controller supports 1 external and 1 internal IEEE 1394a port |
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LAN support |
Intel WG82579V Gigabit Network Controller |
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24-pin ATX power connector |
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Cooling |
Aluminum heatsink on the chipset; |
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Fan Connectors |
2 x CPU |
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External I/O ports |
1 x PS/2 (keyboard/mouse) |
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Internal I/O ports |
2 x USB 2.0 |
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64Mb Flash ROM, EFI AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0a Multi-Language BIOS |
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Proprietary technologies |
ROG Connect |
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Equipment |
User's manual |
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Form Factor |
MicroATX |
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Products webpage |
The packaging of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard has a square shape and is made in a serious style characteristic of the ROG series - a red background with diverging rays from the lower right corner on the front side. The front side of the package does not have any unnecessary icons and flashy emblems - a board of this level does not need to lure the consumer with an abundance of colorful inscriptions. Only on the bottom side you can see icons indicating multi-GPU support AMD technologies CrossFireX, NVIDIA SLI and LucidLogix Virtu technology implemented with the Intel Z68 Express chipset.
The packaging of the motherboard in question has a hinged lid, although there is no viewing window, which is sometimes hidden by such a lid. Instead, the space is used to describe such features of this product as the presence of a UEFI BIOS and some overclocking features. The inside of the lid tells about the features of the functioning of LucidLogix Virtu technology, the presence of a high-quality audio codec and GameFirst network traffic management technology.
On the back of the package, the buyer can see the detailed specifications of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard.
Motherboard ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z has a decent bundle, especially for a board of such miniature dimensions:
- user's manual;
- disk with drivers and utilities;
- 2 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s cables;
- 1 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s cable;
- 1 x SLI bridge;
- 1 x ROG cable;
- 1 x ROG style sticker;
- 1 x set of marking "strings";
- 1 x set of cable ties;
- a set of Q-Connectors;
- interface panel cover.
Naturally, such a rather rich bundle is explained by the belonging of this board to the Republic Of Gamers series. The package contains everything you need to make the case with the board not only convenient, but also tidy.
The ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard has a MicroATX format, which determines the square dimensions, and the PCB design is quite successful in terms of ease of use. Despite the fact that, due to the compact size, the structural elements of the board are located quite tightly, most of the necessary ports and connectors have a rational arrangement at the edges. printed circuit board. The SATA ports are arranged horizontally, which is inevitable on a MicroATX board with several PCI Express x16 slots, and the RAM slots have static latches on the underside for easy removal of memory modules from the slots with a video card installed.
However, when installing two large-sized video cards, the convenience ASUS operation Maximus IV GENE-Z is significantly reduced. Firstly, in such a scenario, the air circulation inside the case is significantly worsened, since the video cards are located “back to back” with each other. Secondly, the second large video accelerator practically blocks all the connectors located on the bottom side of the printed circuit board with its case: connecting the front panel, additional USB ports, if possible, then with some wire skew is not very practical. True, installing two powerful video cards at once is not the most likely scenario for a board of this form factor, although it is quite possible.
Among other features of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard, it is worth noting the presence of such useful functions for overclockers as a special area with control points for measuring voltages, the “Go” button, which is designed to load a pre-created overclocking profile in real time directly into the OS. In addition, on the bottom side of the board are the Start, Reset buttons and the POST code indicator.
But that's not all - at the top of the board, next to the 8-pin ATX12V power connector, there is a button to activate ROG Connect technology, which allows you to connect a remote control system. Connection must be made using the included special cable to the white USB connector on the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z interface panel.
The organization of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z disk subsystem is determined by the capabilities of the Intel Z68 Express chipset, which provides support for four SATA 3 Gb / s and two SATA 6 Gb / s ports, which can organize RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 5 and 10. Optional disk space can be expanded with two eSATA 3.0 Gb / s ports, which are controlled by the JMicron JMB362 controller.
The motherboard in question supports a high-speed transfer interface USB data 3.0, for the implementation of which two ASMedia ASM1042 controllers are responsible, one serves to output two corresponding ports to the interface panel, the second allows you to connect up to two USB 3.0 ports using an internal connector. As for the number of USB 2.0 ports, the Intel Z68 Express chipset implemented twelve of them on the board in question: eight are connected to the interface panel, and four more can be connected using internal connectors on the printed circuit board.
ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z expansion options are represented by two PCI-Express x16 slots and a single PCI-E x4. Since the PCI-Express x16 2.0 slots are quite far apart, this arrangement allows you to create powerful gaming configurations from two large-sized video cards using NVIDIA SLI or ATI CrossFireX technologies, however, in this case, only 8 PCI-lanes will be allocated to each video card. E. To work with one video card in x16 full speed mode, you need to install it in the first PEG slot.
For temporary storage of executable code and data, the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard has four 240-pin dual-channel architecture DIMM sockets for DDR3 RAM. The maximum total RAM can be up to 32 GB when four 8 GB modules are installed. The maximum possible guaranteed frequency of RAM is an impressive 2200 MHz in overclocking mode. To organize memory operation in dual-channel mode, you must first fill the slots colored in red.
The processor power regulator on ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z is made according to the 10 + 2 phase scheme, and is controlled by a proprietary PWM controller with an integrated Extreme Engine Digi + power management system. All components that make up the processor power assembly are different a high degree reliability - solid-state capacitors are used, and chokes with a ferrite core. Such a fairly reliable and powerful power supply stabilizer is not found on every elite motherboard of the standard ATX format.
The ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard cooling system consists of an aluminum heatsink on the chipset and a bunch of MOSFET-cooling heatsinks connected by a heat pipe. Fastening of radiators is reliable, screw. The chipset heatsink uses thermal paste as a thermal interface, the rest use thermal pads.
According to the documents, the audio subsystem of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard is based on the SupremeFX X-Fi 2 8-channel HDA audio codec, which in practice is nothing more than the widely used Realtek ALC889 codec. For support network connections Gigabit LAN controller Intel WG82579V serves.
to the interface ASUS panel Maximus IV GENE-Z brought out the following ports:
- 1 x PS/2 (keyboard/mouse);
- 1 x LAN (RJ45);
- 2 x USB 3.0;
- 8 x USB 2.0;
- 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s;
- 1 x HDMI;
- 1 x optical SPDIF;
- 1 x BIOS reset button;
- 8-channel audio output.
The white-colored USB connector is designed to connect the system to a laptop or other PC using ROG Connect technology, with which you can easily overclock and monitor system parameters. To output a video signal, there is only one, but the most demanded HDMI connector today. Well, the button to reset the BIOS settings will come in handy during numerous experiments with the settings of the latter.
The ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard, in addition to two 4-pin connectors for CPU cooler fans, has three 3-pin connectors for case fans to organize additional cooling inside the system unit.
EFIBIOS
The ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard, like many other high-end solutions, uses EFI as a preloader, in which settings can be selected using only one mouse. Another positive moment use of EFI is the ability to select a language, including Russian.
Numerous overclocking settings are concentrated in the BIOS section "Extreme Tweaker", for ease of perception, we have summarized them in the following table:
|
Parameter |
Menu name |
Range |
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Processor technologies |
C1E, EIST, Virtualization Technology, |
||
|
System bus frequency |
BLCK/PCIE Frequency |
80 - 300 MHz |
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|
Turbo boost frequency multiplier |
Core Ratio Limit |
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Memory divider |
memory frequency |
8, 10.66, 13.33, 16.00, 18.66, 21.33, 2.4 |
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The maximum frequency of the graphics core |
iGPU Max. Frequency |
1100 - 3000 MHz |
|
|
RAM delays |
DRAM Timing Control |
CAS Latency, RAS to CAS, RAS PRE, RAS ACT, COMMAND Mode, RAS to RAS, REF, Cycle, DRAM Refresh, WRITE Recovery, READ to PRE, FOUR ACT WIN, WRITE to READ, CKE Minimum, CAS Write, RTL ( CHA), RTL (CHB), tWRDR, tRWDR, tRWSR, tRR, tRRSR, tWW(DD), tWW(DR), tWWSR |
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|
Processor multiplier |
|||
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Power limitation during continuous acceleration |
Long Duration Power Limit |
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Duration of long acceleration |
Long Duration Maintained |
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Power limitation during short-term acceleration |
Short Duration Power Limit |
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Maximum amount of additional CPU voltage during Turbo Boost |
Additional Turbo Voltage |
||
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Basic current limit |
Primary Plane Current Limit |
0.125 - 1023.875 V |
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Secondary current limit |
Secondary Plane Current Limit |
0.125 - 1023.875 V |
|
|
Fixed Frequency Power Circuit |
VRM Fixed Frequency Mode |
300 - 550 kHz |
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CPU Current Capability |
|||
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iGPU Current Capability |
|||
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Additional voltage on the processor, V |
CPU offset Voltage |
0.005 - 0.635 V |
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|
CPU Manual Voltage |
0.8 - 2.155 V |
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Additional voltage on the graphics core, V |
iGPU Offset Voltage |
-0.635 to +0.635 V |
|
|
Voltage on memory modules, V |
|||
|
Northbridge voltage |
0.8825 - 1.70925 V |
In this EFI section The BIOS of ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard has several settings modes. In addition to automatic and manual mode settings, it is possible to install X.M.P. profiles. RAM and activation of proprietary technology CPU Level Up.
Naturally, here you can adjust the value of the processor multiplier to overclock processors in which it is unlocked, as well as increase the performance of processors with a locked multiplier by increasing the turbo multiplier value.
The choice of the frequency of operation of the RAM can be carried out in a very wide range, if there are appropriate RAM modules.
All main timings (delays) and sub-timings (secondary delays) of RAM are also available for tuning in sufficient quantities.
In addition to overclocking the processor and RAM, the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard is capable of overclocking the graphics core built into the processor in 50 MHz increments from 1100 MHz to 3000 MHz.
The power management settings allow you to set voltages in fairly small steps over a fairly large range. There are also settings to compensate for voltage drops on the processor and graphics core.
In addition, of interest is the specialized information point, which contains information about installed devices PCI-Express and their modes of operation, as well as the filling of memory channels and the frequency at which the modules operate.
In addition to extensive overclocking capabilities, the EFI BIOS of the motherboard offers an equally deep monitoring of all system parameters. In the "Monitor" section, you can separately access the monitoring of voltages, temperatures, fan speeds - in a word, you can see all the parameters that are important during serious overclocking.
Besides, in this section you can enable the automatic control of the CPU cooler CPU Q Fan Control and case fans, which has different intensity modes.
Utilities
Overclocking the system and changing the supply voltage of various components can be done directly from the OS using the ASUS TurboV EVO multifunctional utility that comes with the motherboard.
The "GPU Boost" tab contains the settings necessary to increase maximum frequency built-in GPU and increase the supply voltage on it.
Processor cores are supposed to be overclocked by changing the maximum multiplier of Turbo Boost technology.
A unique feature, which is typical mainly for ASUS motherboards, is the ability to adjust the operating mode of the processor power stabilizer.
Overclocking options
In order to determine the overclocking potential of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard, we overclocked the processor with an unlocked multiplier by increasing the latter in the BIOS. As a result, by raising the multiplier to 47 points and slightly increasing its supply voltage to 1.44 V, we managed to reach a frequency of 4.7 GHz for the processor core. Quite a worthy result, which confirms the focus of this motherboard on overclockers and enthusiasts.
By the way, the EFI BIOS of the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard has more aggressive settings by default. Turbo mode Boost is designed to cater to high performance enthusiasts. So, on the test processor, the multipliers of all cores simultaneously accelerated them to 3.7 GHz, and not to 3.4 GHz, as happens with default settings Turbo Boost mode, if all the cores are accelerated at once.
In addition to the wide possibilities of manual overclocking, the ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboard allows you to overclock the processor and automatic mode by activating the CPU Level Up function. This technology provides the ability to choose between two stages of overclocking the processor: for the test Intel Core i5-2500K, these are 4.2 GHz and 4.6 GHz. Unfortunately, when choosing the upper stage, the system was unstable due to insufficient high voltage on the processor, which also increases automatically. Perhaps with the release of more fresh versions EFI BIOS will eliminate this shortcoming, and the voltage will be selected more correctly.
But the attempt to auto-overclock to 4.2 GHz was successful, and the system was able to successfully pass all the tests. At the same time, it should be noted that this technology does not provide for memory overclocking, so you can use standard modules without fear.
Testing
To test the capabilities of motherboards, the following equipment was used:
|
CPU |
Intel Core i5-2500K (LGA1155, 3.3GHz, L3 6MB) |
|
Scythe Kama Angle Rev.B |
|
|
RAM |
2x DDR3-2000 1024MB Kingston HyperX KHX16000D3T1K3/3GX |
|
video card |
MSI R4850-2D1G-OC (Radeon HD 4850, 1 GB GDDR3, PCIe 2.0) |
|
HDD |
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS, 500 GB, SATA-300, NCQ |
|
optical drive |
ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA |
|
Power Supply |
Seasonic SS-650JT Active PFC (650W, 120mm fan) |
|
CODEGEN M603 MidiTower (2x 120mm fans for intake / exhaust) |
Test results with a discrete video adapter:
When comparing results ASUS testing Maximus IV GENE-Z with the results of other motherboards based on the Intel Z68 Express logic set, you can see that in some cases the board considered today shows slightly higher performance, which indicates a well-tuned version of the EFI BIOS with additional optimization.
Test results with an integrated video adapter:
In the integrated video mode, the difference in performance between ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z and other solutions is even more noticeable. Obviously, such a rather significant difference is the result of a non-standardly configured Turbo Boost mode, including for the graphics core.
Testing sound path codec basedSupremeFXX- fi 2 (RealtekALC889)
Overall Results (RightMark Audio Analyzer)
Operating mode 16-bit, 44.1 kHz
|
Noise level, dB (A) |
Very well |
|
|
Dynamic range, dB (A) |
Very well |
|
|
Harmonic distortion, % |
Very well |
|
|
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % |
||
|
Overall score |
Very well |
Operating mode 24-bit, 192 kHz
|
Frequency response unevenness (in the range of 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB |
Very well |
|
|
Noise level, dB (A) |
||
|
Dynamic range, dB (A) |
||
|
Harmonic distortion, % |
Very well |
|
|
Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A) |
||
|
Intermodulation distortion + noise, % |
||
|
Interpenetration of channels, dB |
||
|
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % |
||
|
Overall score |
Very well |
The built-in SupremeFX X-Fi 2 audio codec (Realtek ALC889) provides very good quality sound reproduction, which indicates that its capabilities will be sufficient in most cases.
conclusions
Motherboard ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z is a very modern and functional solution, which is practically devoid of flaws. Being built on the "freshest" universal chipset Intel Z68 Express, this board combines the advantages Intel chipsets P67 and H67 Express, that is, it has ample opportunities for overclocking the system, and at the same time allows you to work with the integrated modern processors Intel graphics core.
The compact size of the MicroATX form factor, in which the motherboard tested today is made, did not affect the performance or functionality in any way - and this is one of the most important advantages of ASUS Maximus IV GENE-Z. In this case, on a smaller area of the textolite, such technical solutions are embodied that are not always found on motherboards of the standard ATX form factor. These are two PCI-Express x16 slots with support for AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI, a sufficiently high-quality processor power unit and the availability technical solutions, useful for overclockers - control points for measuring voltages, the "Go" button, which is designed to load a pre-created overclocking profile in real time directly into the OS, an indicator of POST codes and other amenities. All this and high overclocking potential make this board interesting for overclockers.
| Firm: | Mac Audio |
| Name (brand): | MAXIMUS 4.80 |
| A brief description of: | 4 channel |
| Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 price: | 5047 rub. | Order delivery | Install at a discount |
| Class: | AB |
| Specifications Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80: | |
| Points scored: | |
Customer reviews about Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80:
Reviews have not been added yet
| Write your review for Mac Audio MAXIMUS 4.80 | ||
Our tips to help you choose a car amplifier:
1. Never look at the declared power, whether it is maximum or nominal. Some firms (mostly cheap ones) sharply overestimate their characteristics, and some firms (mostly serious and expensive ones), on the contrary, underestimate them. This is done (lowered) in order to participate in competitions in a lower class, put more amplifiers, or more powerful ones and fit into a certain class. After all, classes in competitions are divided according to the total power declared by the manufacturer. Therefore, the lower the declared power (and the real one is more), the more powerful the car amplifier can be supplied. Consult with qualified sellers.
2. As with choosing car audio, try to take old, good and time-tested companies.
3. Do not think that if the car amplifier is expensive, then it is good. There are times when an amplifier twice as cheap will play better.
4. Also, do not choose this device by size and weight. It is not at all necessary that the larger and heavier the amplifier, the more powerful and better it is.
5. Choose car amplifiers for specific car acoustics, or a specific car subwoofer, or even better, take them all at once.
6. It is advisable to take very expensive devices (20,000 rubles and more) when you are going to participate in car sound quality competitions, when you have expensive car speakers, etc. For normal listening, an amplifier for 5000-10000 rubles is enough (for a four-channel model).
7. On the other hand, very cheap devices (2000-3500 rubles for a four-channel model) are also not worth taking. Not only do they play badly and are weakly powerful (regardless of what power is declared), they are also not reliable.
8. If you have a powerful car subwoofer, then take class D car amplifiers (digital). They are more powerful and consume less current, although their quality is slightly worse than that of class AB amplifiers, but this is not so important for a car subwoofer. On the contrary, it is better to take a class AB car amplifier for car acoustics.
9. Every year the power of these devices is growing. Therefore, newer models are more powerful than previous ones. But the quality of sound and performance, as a rule, does not grow, and sometimes for some companies it falls every year.
10. Take only branded units. They really play much better than the "Chinese", and are not much more expensive. Their reliability is also much higher.
11. When you choose this device, in most cases you won’t be able to listen to it, let alone compare it with others, unlike car radios (it takes a long time to connect, etc.). Many sellers have also heard not so many different amplifiers, so they cannot give good advice. Therefore, you need to find a seller or installer who constantly listens to various car power amplifiers and consult with him.
12. Now car amplifiers are constantly subject to various discounts and Special offers(especially on expensive models). It is worth looking for these, because taking them is quite profitable.
13. If your car radio does not have outputs for an additional power amplifier (for example, a regular car radio), but you still want to install it, then it does not matter. There are devices with a built-in signal level converter (i.e., you can apply a signal to it directly from car acoustics).
14. You should not pay special attention to the presence of all kinds of additional adjustments, except for the case when you need to make a channel or put a car amplifier on a car subwoofer. In the latter case, a filter is needed low frequencies, but it is usually found in any amplifiers.
15. If you are still deciding whether to install an amplifier or not, then you must remember that in addition to buying the amplifier itself, you also need to buy a full set of wires for it and then install it all, and the wiring to the car speakers must be completely pulled from the radio to the amplifier. On the service, such work costs 3000 - 4000 rubles for a four-channel version.
16. Do not look at the size of the amplifier, especially recently. Now, thanks to new technologies, quite small, but very powerful, and high-quality models have appeared. First of all, these are, of course, models for a subwoofer, but there are now quite a few car speakers of such models, and many make them. good firms like Alpine.
17. If your car radio there are no power amplifier outputs, there are models with a high-level input and you can send a signal to it directly from the speakers. If there is no such input, then there are converters that convert the speaker signal into an RCA (tulip) signal, and in this case, you can connect an amplification device through this converter.
18. As mentioned above, it is impossible to choose amps in terms of power - some firms overestimate the power, while others (usually more serious and high-quality ones), on the contrary, underestimate. So how do you determine honest power? This can be done using the built-in fuses, but you also need to look at the minimum resistance with which the amplifier can work (the lower the resistance, the more powerful the fuse is). If, for example, it can run at 1 ohm and the fuses are 60A, then the honest power rating will be about 600 watts into 1 ohm, about 300 watts into 2 ohms and about 180 watts into 4 ohms (this applies to class D digital mono blocks). In addition, if this mono block is not digital (class AB), then the nominal honest power may be somewhat lower. Similarly, you can calculate the power of two or four channel models.