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Automatic CPU Overclocking:
As the Maximus VI Extreme was, the Formula variant is given pre-defined overclocking profiles that adjust the base clock and a number of voltage and power parameters. Where the M6E shipped with five profiles, the M6F features one less; the low – 82MHz – base clock profile is omitted.
We tested out the pre-defined overclocking profiles which feature base clock adjustment. We didn’t manage to achieve stability with any of the base clock adjustment profiles that resulted in a CPU frequency which was above our chip’s known perfectly-stable limit of 4500MHz. This was the same outcome from our tests with the same profiles on the Maximus VI Extreme.
The one profile that we did achieve a boot with was the 195MHz base clock configuration. Using a 23x CPU ratio, the processor frequency sat below our 4500MHz limit at 4487MHz. Memory was set at 1560MHz CL9 – a value that is very low for our 2,133MHz CL11 sticks.
The 195MHz BCLK overclock validation can be found here.
Manual CPU Overclocking:
To test the Asus Maximus VI Formula motherboard’s CPU overclocking potential, we first increased the CPU VCore to 1.350V, Cache voltage to 1.300V, and CPU Input Voltage to 1.900V.
PLL over-voltage was enabled, the Cache multiplier was maintained at 39x, and load-line calibration Level 1 was used (to provide a consistent voltage).
We booted straight into our known-stable overclocking configurations of 4.5GHz CPU frequency and 3.9GHz Cache speed. As with all of the other Z87 motherboards that we have tested, the Asus Maximus VI Formula was unable to keep our processor stable at 4.6GHz. It didn't achieve stability for as long as the ASRock Z87 OC Formula motherboard, either, but neither has any other Z87 motherboard, the Maximus VI Extreme included.
Our 4.5GHz validation can be viewed here.
High-speed Memory Compatibility:
While a system’s maximum memory frequency may be heavily swayed by the CPU’s individual memory controller, the motherboard’s performance can also help to obtain higher speeds, especially when XMP settings are taken into account.
We switched to a 3000MHz set of Avexir Core Extreme Series memory to test the Asus Maximus VI Formula motherboard’s support for high DRAM frequencies. These sticks feature an XMP profile for 3000MHz and are a great challenge for any Z87 motherboard to support.
The Maximus VI Formula managed to correctly boot and configure the Avexir memory kit for its 3000MHz XMP configuration.
Our validation running at 3000MHz DRAM frequency using the XMP profile can be view here.
Memory Overclocking:
We wanted to see how potent the Maximus VI Formula motherboard was as a memory overclocker, so we applied some BIOS tweaks and checked how far we could push the 3000MHz kit. From our individual review of the Avexir Core Extreme Series 3000MHz memory kit, we know that the sticks are capable of booting at 3240MHz with the Asus Maximus VI Extreme motherboard. ASRock's Z87 OC Formula managed to take them to 3288MHz.
The tweaks applied included a 1.70V DRAM voltage, various CPU voltage increases and setting changes for BCLK overclocking stability, and loosened memory timings at 14-15-15-40-2T. The DRAM Current Capability was set to 130%.
We managed to push the memory frequency up to 3264MHz using a 136MHz BCLK. Any further and the system was very reluctant to POST, instead deciding to loop indefinitely. Both the latest public release BIOS (0714) and Asus' pre-release BIOS garnered the same results.
The highest DRAM frequency overclock of 3264MHz is 24MHz higher than what we settled for with the Maximus VI Extreme (although we also wanted stability using that board due to conducting a memory review), and 24MHz short of what ASRock's Z87 OC Formula managed (though none of the overclocks were benchmark stable).
With some tweaking and the correct cooling, Asus' Maximus VI Formula can be used to deliver strong memory overclocks.
Our 3264MHz memory overclock validation can be viewed here.
