Positioned towards the upper end of the Z390 market, ASUS is targeting deep-pocketed enthusiast gamers with its most affordable ATX ROG Maximus offering. Sporting features you'd expect from a premium Z390 offering, including dual heatsink-cooled M.2 slots and an eye-catching design, ASUS takes the standard ROG Maximus XI Hero and adds a 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi adapter.
The aptly named ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) hits the shopping basket at around £280 – a territory that ensures stiff competition from ASRock's Z390 Phantom Gaming flagship in addition to well-equipped Gigabyte and MSI offerings.
There should be no reason to be deceived by the Hero (Wi-Fi) motherboard's bottom-rung position on ASUS premium ROG Maximus XI ladder. As one would expect, a variety of expansion and connectivity options are present through ASUS' provision of three full-length PCIe x16 slots, alongside the generous Z390 PCH inclusions.
And the fact that ASUS brands this motherboard as part of its Republic of Gamers line means that enhanced UEFI and software features are to be expected. Likewise, styling is depictive of what we have come to expect from premium Z390 offerings, with an integrated IO shield and splashes of RGB lighting complimenting the dark-black theme.
Durability and cooling performance are key points that ASUS highlights for the ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi). Rigid SafeSlot connectors tick the durability box while a hefty, somewhat finned (barely) VRM heatsink aims to alleviate power delivery over-temperature concerns. More on the topic of the VRM later in this review.
With the zippy 802.11ac Intel 9560 wireless adapter pushing the retail price anxiously close to £300, can the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) prove itself as a viable premium Z390 contender?
Features (information taken from the ASUS webpage):
- LGA1151 socket for 9th/8th -gen Intel® Core™ desktop processors
- Synchronised RGB lighting technology works with a vast portfolio of Aura Sync-capable PC gear and includes support for addressable light strips and Phillip Hue
- Perfected cooling with dedicated water header zones, M.2 heatsink and various fan control
- Gaming connectivity: Intel Gigabit Ethernet , LANGuard, dual M.2, USB 3.1 Gen 2, Wi-Fi with MU-MI-MO 802.11
- Extensive overclocking options with easy automated one-click overclock, to advanced finer control in the BIOS
- Gaming Audio: SupremeFX and Sonic Studio III – High fidelity audio that draws you deeper into the action
- Gaming durability: ASUS SafeSlot and premium components for maximum durability
The ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) ships in a premium black and red box. Details and specifications are outlined on the rear.
ASUS' bundle consists of:
- 4x SATA cables
- 1x Rigid 2-way SLI bridge
- ASUS Q-connector block
- M.2 mount screws
- Wi-Fi adapter and mount
- RGB LED extension cables
Alongside the instruction manual and driver CD, ASUS includes a variety of stickers (some of which are actually useful) and a discount for CableMod cables.
A deep-black appearance is contrasted by subtle elements of grey on neighbouring heatsinks. ASUS opts for this colour-neutral appearance so that the RGB LEDs housed within the integrated IO shield and PCH heatsink can add flare to a user's preferred shade. Consistent deviations in the form of silver-topped electronics and solder traces may offend styling purists. With that said, we do not see many areas where there can be complaint for ASUS' well-balanced styling approach.
Chunky SafeSlot connectors are used for the two primary full-length PCIe slots. Music to the ears of those battling the concern of GPU sag.
Two individual RGB LED zones create a discontinuous, contoured lighting appearance. The PCH heatsink is home to ASUS' iconic ROG logo while the rear IO zone sits beneath the non-illuminated Maximus XI product marking. Personally, I like the subtleness of ASUS' RGB lighting approach. However, others may prefer the more all-in LED offerings from competing vendors.
No less than four RGB headers are present on the Hero. Half are assigned as 4-pin RGB connections while the other two are 5V addressable alternatives. I like ASUS' decision to position two headers, one 4-pin and one addressable, close to the CPU socket and within reach of roof-mounted LED strips or fans.
Up to 64GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory can reside in the quartet of single-latch DIMM slots. ASUS quotes frequency support of up to 4400MHz. That number is heavily dependent on factors such as DRAM chip layout on the DIMM, CPU IMC strength, and BIOS stability.
Onboard power and reset buttons sit next to two-digit diagnostic LED. Both of these features continually prove their worth for early- and late-stage troubleshooting both inside and outside of a chassis.
All six SATA 6Gbps ports operate from the Z390 chipset. The inclusion of six ports is likely to be sufficient for most of this motherboard's audience. However, there's no denying that including the bare minimum number of ports from the Z390 chipset is measly by ASUS, especially on a close-to-£300 product.
Thankfully, only one SATA 6Gbps port is disabled when an M.2 SATA SSD is installed in the top M.2 slot. There is no disabling of SATA ports when an M.2 PCIe SSD is installed in either of the motherboard's two positions, which is positive.
A single USB 3.1 Gen 2 connector permits high-speed connectivity to supported front panel devices. There's no internal USB 3.0 header on the right edge. This will be less-than-ideal to users whose case forces them to stretch the thick cable down to ASUS' bottom-edge location.
ASUS opts to include two 32Gbps PCIe-capable M.2 slots. The top one also features support for SATA 6Gbps SSDs but its physical compatibility is reduced to a maximum of 80mm-long drives, as opposed to 110mm options that the bottom slot will handle. Positioning is the usual affair and shouldn't cause too many installation headaches unless you use a large CPU cooler in addition to a pair of dual-slot graphics cards.
While it's hard to argue with a pair of M.2 slots, many competing vendors' boards in this price range crank the slot count up to three. Only the most eager of storage enthusiasts will want triple PCIe SSDs in their build. However, there's no reason why enthusiast gamers won't want a couple of PCIe SSDs operating alongside an M.2 SATA offering. The Hero cannot provide such luxury and will instead force users to cable-up a standard 2.5″ SSD.
Provided the components on your SSD are aligned with the thermal pad on ASUS' heatsink, the sturdy slabs of metal should have no problems whipping a few Watts of heat away from even the most toasty of M.2 devices.
Up to two graphics cards can run in multi-GPU operation thanks to ASUS' bifurcation of the LGA 1151v2 CPU's sixteen PCIe 3.0 lanes. Spacing between the primary expansion slots is ideal. The open-ended design of all three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots is another nice feature for those who want to Frankenstein a physically larger expansion card into somewhere it shouldn't fit.
That bottom full-length PCIe slot runs at Gen 3.0 x2 mode by default, but can provide an additional two lanes of bandwidth if two SATA 6Gbps connectors are disabled. Its PCIe lanes are derived from the Z390 chipset and therefore will not steal precious links from the CPU. One caveat of ASUS' chosen lane distribution is that DMI-infused bandwidth headaches will quickly become prevalent if a high-speed network or RAID card is installed alongside multiple M.2 PCIe SSDs.
That situation is unlikely to be a problem for most of this motherboard's audience.
ASUS' ROG SupremeFX audio system is based around the Realtek ALC1220 codec. Alongside a bank of audio-grade capacitors is a premium ESS ES9023P DAC. The audio system is compatible with ASUS' OS-based software suites.
Compatibility with fans is one of the key strengths for the Hero. ASUS includes no less than eight (!) fan headers, all of which are 4-pin and UEFI controllable. All headers can output 12W (1A) of power, except for the W_PUMP+ and H_AMP connectors which are bolstered to 36W (3A).
Positioning of these headers is ideal, with distribution between the upper- and lower-halves of the board proving well-thought.
No major complaints to report for ASUS' choice of rear IO ports. A couple of USB 2.0 ports for keyboard and mouse support is ideal, and there's no harm in an added pair of 5Gbps USB 3.0 Type-A connections. Four 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports are present, one of which is supplied in Type-C form.
A single Intel I219-V Gigabit Ethernet port accompanies the Intel Wireless AC 9560 802.11ac chipset to form the motherboard's networking options. While the 1.73Gbps-capable 2×2 MU-MIMO WiFi card is undeniably slick, multi-NIC competitors exist at this price point, as do options with 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports.
Audio ports accompany the mandatory HDMI 1.4 and Displayport 1.2 connectors to round out the selection of rear IO ports.
ASUS supplements the 8-pin EPS connector with a 4-pin CPU power port. This is unlikely to be necessary for most scenarios but there's no harm in users being afforded the extra peace of mind.
The motherboard VRM features ten physical phases, eight of which are allocated for CPU duties. There is a caveat, however, as the Digi+ ASP1400CTB controller is a basic component in ASUS' arsenal that is commonly found on lower-end motherboards, as my colleague Ryan describes.
That basic controller is only capable of managing four phases for the CPU. Typically, this would not be a problem as phase doublers would be introduced to duplicate a single PWM signal from the master controller into two usable signals for the electronic components. This is not ASUS' approach, though.
Instead, four PWM phases are used to control eight sets of VRM hardware. ASUS doubles up the electronic components to a level that we would normally associate with an eight-phase design, but only four driving phases are present. As such, we can call this solution a ‘modified‘ or ‘unique‘ four-phase design (even though ASUS would argue that it is a ‘real‘ eight-phase system due to its eight sets of electronic components).
Despite the use of decent integrated MOSFET packages – Vishay SiC639 50A units – the four-phase system is severely limited in terms of control granularity due to the parallel configuration of the eight sets of electronic components. This is a setup that we would associate with lower-cost offerings, not a premium Z390 motherboard that could viably be partnered with Intel's power-hungry Core i9-9900K CPU.
A large pair of metal slabs are joined together using a flattened heatpipe to form ASUS' VRM heatsink. Mass is certainly on the side of ASUS' hefty unit, and there has been an attempt to create additional surface area by using slots (albeit that could be an aesthetic decision).
Comparing ASUS' heatsink to that of the similarly-priced Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master, it is clear to see the latter has been designed from the ground up for thermal performance.
Jumping back to the Hero's four-phase VRM topic, the limited control granularity could manifest itself as additional heat output by way of inefficient MOSFET operating currents. That's a far from ideal situation for ASUS' heatsink that has clearly been designed for aesthetics first and cooling second.
It is disappointing to see ASUS making questionable design choices on the power delivery solution of a premium Z390 motherboard. Subtle tweaks in the form of phase doublers or a better-designed MOSFET heatsink would have made little difference to the cost of a motherboard that's pushing close to £300 at retail.
The default entry page for ASUS’ UEFI is EZ Mode. On this page, basic settings relating to fan speeds and boot devices can be adjusted and other important information can be viewed. EZ Mode is simple enough for novice users to not be dissuaded from entering the UEFI.
Hitting F7 allows the Advanced mode to be accessed. The Main page outlines information relating to the system and motherboard. The My Favorites tab can be convenient if you are frequently searching for a setting buried deep within the UEFI.
Extreme Tweaker follows the standard layout that we have come to expect from recent ASUS motherboards, and that’s a good thing. Easy access is provided to ratio, frequency, and voltage settings, allowing users to adjust their system parameters with minimal effort. Different voltage operating modes are available for the CPU, allowing the user to adjust an overclock to their own preference. These modes are: Offset, Adaptive, and Manual, as well as Auto. No hybrid modes are provided; override + offset would have been useful.
I am glad to see ASUS include a pop-up warning screen highlighted when forced multi-core turbo speeds will be applied and giving the user the option to deactivate the ‘feature'.
Three subsections inside Extreme Tweaker provide users with additional overclocking abilities – External Digi+ Power Control, Internal CPU Power Management, and Tweaker’s Paradise.
Load-line calibration settings can be accessed through the External Digi+ Power Control page. ASUS provides options from level 1 to level 8 and gives a basic explanation of how the voltage changes with increasing levels. Visual interpretation using a graph would be a preferable mode of explanation.
Settings within the AI Features subsection are effectively used to bias the automated overclocking aggression when using AI OC Guide (accessed via F11). The cooler evaluation settings can also be used to give one's CPU cooler a points-based score which then feeds into the AI OC Guide algorithm.
The Advanced tab is where options relating to storage and onboard devices can be adjusted.
Under the Onboard Devices page, operation mode of the chipset-fed PCIe 3.0 full-length slot needs to be adjusted in order to get full PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth. This subsection also provides an option for the onboard RGB lighting to be enabled or disabled during sleep and power-off modes.
ASUS gives a wealth of information relating to voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds, as displayed in the Monitor UEFI page. Warnings relating to low fan speed can also be set to warn a user of a failed fan, for example.
Fan speed control in ASUS’ UEFI is very good. There are multiple methods of controlling the fan speed curve and several pre-determined modes are also available. Fans can also take temperature readings from different sources in order to better tune their operation to a user’ cooling preference.
Hitting F6 loads up ASUS’ Q-Fan Control GUI which is a graphical method of adjusting the fan speed curve. All fan headers are given control in Q-Fan by using a 3-point curve. The CPU fan header is given the greatest flexibility as the minimum fan speed it supports is 20%. The non-CPU headers can only go to 60% as their minimum fan speed setting in PWM control mode.
There is, however, a Fan Off setting for the non-CPU fans that allows them to power down when the relevant temperature conditions are met. While this is a useful feature in theory, I have previously seen fans succumbing to motor twitch in this mode, and the jump from 0% speed to 60% is generally audible.
Key boot settings can be easily accessed via the dedicated tab. The Tool section is home to ASUS' useful features, such as Secure Erase and EZ Flash 3 Utility.
EZ Flash 3 has the ability to update the BIOS using a storage device or over the web. Up to eight settings profiles can be saved and named in the UEFI. SSD Secure Erase is a useful tool for securely wiping the contents of an SSD if you are selling it on, for example. There is also the possibility that wiping the data will restore performance, though this was more prevalent with older SandForce drives.
Further profiles can be transferred through storage mediums such as a USB flash drive. GPU Post and ASUS SPD Information can be useful in troubleshooting scenarios such as identifying dead or disconnected hardware without tearing one's system apart.
The search function is useful for quickly jumping to specific sections. ASUS gives quick access to a toggle that allows the Aura LED mode to be adjusted.
EZ Tuning has been relegated to RAID setup and configuration duties, with AI OC Guide replacing it as the automated overclocking mode.
AI Overclocking Guide is ASUS' UEFI-led automated overclocking solution. Entered via a press of F11, the guide features a set of in-depth paragraphs relating to its function, the meaning of specific settings, and additional notes.
The algorithm that ASUS uses to adjust CPU clock speed is, at least in part, driven by a bias for CPU cooling performance. This ties back to an aforementioned section that allows for adjustment of the CPU cooler point scoring.
In our brief testing, setting the optimism value to ‘100' saw the AI Overclocking Guide set our Core i7-9700K CPU at 4.9GHz for AVX and non-AVX workloads. The column on the right side of the screen suggested that 1.25V would be required for non-AVX workloads at 4.9GHz and 1.309V for AVX workloads at the same frequency. These voltage levels are reasonable for running a Core i7-9700K with strong cooling.
Adjusting the optimism value to ‘150' saw the tool set our CPU to 5.2GHz. The suggested voltage was 1.337V for non-AVX and 1.375V for AVX workloads. This is in a voltage region where we would not necessarily feel comfortable running our system for long-term operation.
The information delivered by this unique tool is good. However, we cannot see enthusiasts favouring this approach over manual overclocking.
AI Suite 3 is the go-to point for any settings or information relating to system operations. Want to check temperatures and voltages or adjust multipliers for the CPU and speeds of fans? AI Suite 3. Want to speed up certain programs or reduce the amount of RAM-hogging operations on your system? AI Suite 3. Want to check for a BIOS update? AI Suite 3.
Automated system tuning conducted by the 5-way optimisation and AI Overclocking tools can also be selected inside AI Suite 3.
GameFirst V can be used to prioritise network traffic in a similar fashion to Killer’s Network Manager software, but whilst using an Intel I219V NIC. For example, higher priority can be set to Steam or a game than a web browser in order to prioritise traffic and minimise lag during gameplay.
Multi-Gate Teaming (a marketing term for adapter segregation) worked well in our testing, with a full Gigabit connection maintaining its saturation for file transfer whilst a speed test ran comfortably over Wi-Fi.
RAMCache III uses free system memory to act as a read/write cache on top of a storage drive (including NVMe SSD) that allows for faster access to frequently-used data. This can have a benefit of speeding up frequently-accessed programs. This is a smart tool which makes use of a user-determined amount of system memory that would otherwise be sat idle.
ASUS’ AURA RGB tool is a very comprehensive piece of software used for managing the colours and operating parameters of onboard and connected LEDs. LED operating modes can be synchronised with other compatible hardware, such as Patriot Viper DDR4 memory in our testing, or managed for the motherboard alone.
I particularly like the CPU temperature mode that changes the light colour based on processor thermals. The thresholds can be adjusted so that green stays present for longer or red is activated quicker. It was, however, noticeable how slow the LED colour would change when a load was applied. This is due to the lag in temperature readings through AI Suite 3 (the software tool that is used to drive AURA‘s temperature readings) and the hefty offset between it and third party tools such as HWiNFO64 and HWMonitor.
Integration with Philips Hue lighting is a particularly useful feature within AURA.
We will be outlining the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) motherboard’s performance with the Core i7 9700K CPU, 16GB of 3600MHz DDR4 memory, and an EVGA GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition graphics card.
The motherboard gives an option to apply a multi-core turbo (MCT) state and force all cores of the 9700K to the maximum turbo clocks when XMP is enabled. We disable this option and instead focus on default Intel Turbo behaviour for the CPU's performance. As this is the first motherboard tested on our new platform, we unfortunately do not have any comparison data in the charts.
Z390 Motherboard Test System:
- Processor: Intel Core i7 9700K with Default Intel Turbo Behaviour where supported (varies depending on thermal and power conditions).
- Memory: 16GB (2x8GB) Patriot Viper RGB 3600MHz 16-18-18-36 DDR4 @ 1.35V.
- Graphics Card: EVGA GTX 1080 Ti SC Black Edition GAMING (custom fan curve to eliminate thermal throttling).
- System Drive: 120GB Corsair Force LE SATA 6Gbps SSD.
- Games Drive: 480GB Corsair Neutron XT SATA 6Gbps SSD.
- CPU Cooler: Cryorig R1 Ultimate.
- Power Supply: Seasonic Prime Titanium 1000W.
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.
Drivers and UEFI:
- ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) UEFI 0805 (latest at the time of testing).
- GeForce 419.17 VGA drivers.
Tests:
- Cinebench R15 – All-core CPU benchmark (CPU)
- SiSoft Sandra 2018 – Processor Arithmetic Test (CPU) and Memory Bandwidth Test (Memory)
- 7-Zip x64 – Built-in 7-Zip benchmark test (CPU)
- AIDA64 Engineer – System cache & memory benchmark and stress test (Memory and Power Consumption)
- 3DMark TimeSpy – Time Spy (1440p) test (Gaming)
- Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation – Built-in benchmark tool CPU-Focused test, 1920 x 1080, Extreme quality preset, DX12 mode (Gaming)
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Built-in benchmark tool, 1920 x 1080, Ultra quality preset, DX12 mode (Gaming)
- ATTO – USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps transfer rates (Motherboard)
- Rightmark Audio Analyzer 6.4.5 – Record and playback test using a line-in to line-out loopback with a 3.5mm audio cable (Motherboard)
- HWiNFO – System sensor monitoring during stress test (Power Consumption)
Manual CPU Overclocking:
To test the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) motherboard’s CPU overclocking potential, we set the CPU VCore to 1.30V and applied the Level 8 LLC setting.
We maintained the DRAM frequency at 3600MHz to take its stability out of the overclocking equation. Cache frequency was maintained at its stock value of 4.3GHz.
We were able to hit a stable frequency of 5GHz using 1.30V. The ASUS motherboard forced us to apply the Level 8 load-line calibration setting in order to keep close to 1.3V under load. Lower LLC settings would cause a significant voltage drop to values that could potentially cause instability.
Motherboard Sensors
Despite the questionable VRM solution for a motherboard of this calibre, ASUS' ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) kept the voltage regulation system adequately cool when running with our dual-fan CPU cooler (not that the screenshot does not show load temperatures).
CPU temperatures remained in check, too, with the worrying point of 90°C not quite being touched during our testing.
System Power Consumption
We leave the system to idle on the Windows 10 desktop for 10 minutes before taking a reading. For CPU load results we run AIDA64 CPU, FPU, and Cache stress tests and take a reading. The power consumption of our entire test system (at the wall) is shown in the chart.
There's a hefty power increase assigned to the CPU when it is overclocked. We didn't hear any coil whine and VRM temperatures remained in check even when overclocked with our Core i7-9700K, though that's not to say i9-9900K users will deliver similar feedback.
7-Zip
7-Zip is an open source Windows utility for manipulating archives. We measure the Total Rating performance using the built-in benchmark tool. The test stresses all CPU cores to 100% and shows an affinity for memory bandwidth.
Cinebench R15
Cinebench is an application which renders a photorealistic 3D scene to benchmark a computer’s rendering performance, on one CPU core, all CPU cores or using the GPU. We run the test using the all core CPU mode.
Sandra Processor Arithmetic
SiSoft Sandra 2018 is a multi-function utility program that supports remote analysis, benchmarking and diagnostic features for PCs, servers, mobile devices and networks. We run the application’s processor arithmetic test to gauge the CPU performance on each tested motherboard.
Our initial bank of CPU-focused tests highlight the benefits of leveraging ASUS' excellent UEFI implementation in overclocking the Core i7-9700K to 5GHz. These charts will become more populated as I test further Z390 contenders.
AIDA64 Engineer
AIDA64 Engineer is a multi-featured software suite for diagnostics, stress testing, benchmarking, software auditing and various other measurement parameters. We use AIDA64 Engineer to benchmark memory throughput and latency.
Sandra Memory Bandwidth
SiSoft Sandra 2018 is a multi-function utility program that supports remote analysis, benchmarking and diagnostic features for PCs, servers, mobile devices and networks. We use the SiSoft Sandra memory bandwidth test to provide a set of memory bandwidth results.
Memory bandwidth and latency numbers are representative of our 3600MHz CL16 kit.
3DMark
3DMark is a multi-platform hardware benchmark designed to test varying resolutions and detail levels of 3D gaming performance. We run the Windows platform test and in particular the Time Spy benchmark, which is indicative of high-end 1440p PC Gaming.
Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation
Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is a Sci-Fi real-time strategy game built for the PC platform. The game includes a built-in benchmark tool and was one of the first available DirectX 12 benchmarks. We run the CPU-focused benchmark using DirectX 12, a 1080p resolution and the Extreme quality preset.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an action role-playing stealth video game released in August 2016. A built-in benchmark utility is included and we test using the Ultra quality preset and the DirectX 12 API at a 1080p resolution.
Slight increases in gaming performance can be obtained by way of overclocking. ASUS' ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) didn't miss a beat throughout our repeated gaming runs.
ATTO Disk Benchmark
The ATTO disk benchmark is a Windows-based utility for testing storage performance of any storage drive or controller. We use the default benchmark setup.
USB 3.0 Performance
We test USB 3.0 performance using a Corsair Neutron XT 480GB SSD connected by an ASMedia ASM2105 controller.
The Z390-fed USB 3.0 5Gbps ports operate as well as we would expect them to on our Windows 10 OS.
SATA 6Gbps Performance
For SATA 6Gbps testing we use a Corsair Neutron XT 480GB SSD.
Feeding the SATA 6Gbps ports from Intel's Z390 chipset allows our Corsair Neutron XT SSD to operate without shackles.
Wi-Fi Test
We ran a quick speed test using the included Wi-Fi solution when connected to our Ubiquiti Unifi AP-LR wireless access point. The access point was located in a room that is downstairs and across the hallway from our test position. This represents the challenging task of penetrating two internal walls and an internal floor.
We were able to hit just shy of 180Mbps when running an internet speed test using the Wi-Fi adapter. This is a very positive result when connected in the challenging test conditions and represents close to the highest speed we see from our wireless router.
Audio
Rightmark Audio Analyser is a freeware benchmarking utility designed to objectively test the performance characteristics of audio solutions. We setup a line-in line-out loop and execute the record/playback test before generating the results report you see below. A sampling mode of 24-bit, 192 kHz was tested.
Overall audio performance is Very Good, according to Rightmark Audio Analyser. Several of the categories also exhibit Excellent performance.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) is a premium Z390 offering that will tick the vast majority of boxes for enthusiast gamers and performance aficionados.
Performance proved to be solid throughout our testing and we were pleased to be able to take our Core i7-9700K to a stable 5GHz frequency without any cooling concerns.
The VRM solution chosen by ASUS is undeniably meagre for a premium motherboard with a price tag pushing £300. We did not run into any major problems that were driven by the limited control granularity between power phases. With that said, Core i9-9900K users that are pushing hard to extract additional performance from their power-hungry CPU are less likely to be as satisfied.
Backed up with the usual cohort of exceptional ROG features, software offerings and the UEFI implementation are key strengths for ASUS. The AI Overclocking tool seemed to do a decent job but we do not see it as a replacement for manual overclocking, especially to users who are passionate enough to drop £280 on a motherboard.
In terms of physical features, the ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) sees the same trend as for past Hero SKUs. ASUS offers two M.2 slots in a market segment where competitors offer three. Thankfully, both of the slots on the Hero are equipped with a solid heatsink, and ASUS' Z390 lane allocation is smart. The inclusion of a single Gigabit Ethernet port is also lacking compared to some high-speed alternatives from ASRock.
The included Intel Wireless-AC 9560 Wi-Fi solution proved to be speedy and ASUS' GameFirst V software did a good job at allocating traffic to both network connections. Users wanting to connect their high-speed fibre connections or local servers to upstairs games rooms are likely to be well-served by the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) motherboard's included wireless solution.
Where ASUS' Hero shines is in terms of fan headers, stability features, and RGB control. It is highly unlikely that users will need more fan connections than the Maximus XI Hero offers, and the onboard buttons and LEDs prove their worth in times of troubleshooting. ASUS' RGB LED implementation is minimal but AURA software control proves its value when controlling partnering hardware.
While many of the features provided by ASUS' ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) will please prospective buyers, the cost-cutting approach taken with respect to the 8-phase 4-phase VRM solution is likely to leave a sour taste to some users forking out £280 on a premium Z390 motheboard. At this end of the market, we would also appreciate a more performance-focused approach to the VRM heatsink design, as we have seen on the high-end Aorus offerings in particular.
Criticism surrounding the VRM solution and chosen cooling method may appear slightly harsh when the ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) performed well throughout our testing. However, with the fine margins existing between high-end motherboard offerings, those sticking points may make prospective buyers slightly less happy about dropping £280 on a product that has some overly-agressive cost-cutting measures.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) is priced at £295.99 at Overclockers UK. Stock is currently awaiting an ETA at the time of writing.
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Pros:
- Plenty of fan headers with excellent control.
- Conservative, neutral styling.
- Good RGB control and ample headers.
- Excellent UEFI.
- Smart AI Overclocking tool.
- Solid M.2 heatsinks.
- Strong Wi-Fi solution with Multi-Gate Teaming software.
- Onboard buttons and LEDs.
- High quality audio solution.
Cons:
- Cost-cutting with a 4-phase VRM solution.
- No 2.5 Gigabit NIC.
- Two M.2 slots when competitors have three.
KitGuru says: A premium Z390 offering with plenty of features to keep enthusiasts happy, even if they do have to pay for such priviledges.
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