ASRock 990FX Extreme9 Motherboard Review

The main page of the ASRock 990FX Extreme9 motherboard's UEFI BIOS displays information such as the processor and memory frequencies.

The OC tweaker page features the system's main settings, and those that can be tweaked when overclocking.

We noticed that the board was highly over-compensating for our memory voltage. The ‘Auto' setting should configure the modules at 1.50V, but instead they were operating at 1.58V – a significant difference.

Many voltage and power settings can be heavily tweaked to allow for maximum performance to be obtained from a processor.

As the FX-8350 processor that we used is a ‘Black Edition' part, the ASRock 990FX Extreme9 can take advantage of the unlocked multiplier which can be used to achieve higher CPU overclocks, without sacrificing the system stability that exists with a 200MHz base clock.

The main memory dividers up to DDR3-2400MHz are supported by the 990FX Extreme9. A 2000MHz divider would be useful to many enthusiasts. XMP is supported by the 990FX Extreme9, but our 2133MHz Patriot Viper modules were getting wrongly configured by the board. Instead, we had to manually set the frequency and timings.

A good amount of timings and settings can be tweaked, but the options are certainly more confined than some other motherboards that we have used, such as the Asus P8Z77-V.

A maximum memory voltage of 1.800V can be set. This is a too conservative for an enthusiast-grade motherboard which could possibly be used to attempt record-breaking overclocks.

CPU settings can be tweaked without hassle.

Users can flash the BIOS version through the UEFI interface. A system browser indicates which components are installed, such as a graphics card and memory.

Up to three user-definable setting configurations can be saved. This isn't good enough for a board that is designed for overclocking. At least five should be provided to give users the flexibility to save a 24/7 setting, maximum speed setting, and multiple test settings when overclocking.

The H/W Monitor page provides accurate and believable readings, thanks to the Nuvoton NCT6776F hardware monitoring controller.

Fan speed settings can be edited to set the minimum speed. A target CPU temperature can also be set so that the fans have a level of performance to aim for, rather than operate at a constant speed.

SATA modes and boot devices can be changed to suit a user's individual requirements.

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