Asus Maximus VI Extreme (Z87) Motherboard Review

Asus ships the Maximus VI Extreme (M6E) in bold red packaging which is typical for an ROG product. Key features and specifications are plastered over the box's rear side and the inside of its flap.

Supplied documentation includes an in-depth user guide, a quick start leaflet, a driver disk, stickers for the allocation of SATA cables, and a sizeable magnetic Republic Of Gamers case badge.

Asus provides a solid bundle with the Maximus VI Extreme motherboard. A 4-way SLI bridge is a good addition that is an improvement over MSI's and ASRock's three cable approach.

The magnetic two-stream, dual-band WiFi antenna allows for 802.11ac connections on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency ranges, with transfer rates of up to 867Mb/s. The all-in-one antenna's design gives it the ability to twist, allowing it to be positioned in the appropriate orientation that permits for the best signal reception.

The accessories bundle consists of:

• 10x latching SATA cables.
• 1x extended flexible CrossFire bridge.
• 1x extended flexible SLI bridge.
• 1x rigid 3-way SLI bridge.
• 1x rigid 4-way SLI bridge.
• 1x foam padded IO shield.
• 1x ROG connect USB cable.
• Q connectors.
• mPCIe Combo II.
• Magnetic WiFi antenna.

The OC Panel

New to Asus' list of overclocking tools for 2013 is the OC Panel. Asus bundles the OC Panel with its top-of-the-line LGA 1150 motherboard, the Maximus VI Extreme. The bundle consists of the OC Panel itself, a 5.25″ bay adapter, a connection cable, and mounting screws.

Situated above eight buttons is a 2.6″ LCD screen that is used to display information such as the base clock frequency, multiplier, fan speed, and CPU temperature. In the overclocking-geared mode, voltage readings can be displayed on the module's screen, as well as temperatures reported by the Subzero Sense headers.

A large arm opens out from the panel's rear side, allowing it to stand on a desk or flat surface.

The ROG_EXT connection is found on the OC Panel's bottom edge, alongside a SATA power connector. Power from the SATA port is only required when the fan headers are being used.

Removing the plastic cover reveals the OC Panel's ‘work' area. Found on the circuit board are two switches to change the POST activity, four 4-pin fan headers, VGA Hotwire connections, temperature sensors, boot LEDs, and additional electrical components.

Fitting the OC Panel into the 5.25″ bay adapter is as simple as sliding it into position before fastening it with two screws. The 2.6″ LCD screen and four surrounding buttons sit flush with the adapter's front face.

While it may difficult for hardcore gamers to find a worthwhile use for the OC Panel, it's extreme overclockers who will truly benefit from its functionality.

Onboard overclocking and power buttons located adjacent to DIMM slots aren't anywhere near as easy to use when they are frozen solid by LN2 or DICE pots. Instead, overclockers can connect the OC Panel, position it a few centimetres away from the board itself, and use it to control, adjust, and gather data from their system.

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