ASUS Maximus II GENE Pro Reviews

The only real complaints I have with the Maximus II GENE motherboard, One is the placement of the EPS CPU power plug, having it in the upper left hand corner of the motherboard makes getting access to this plug a complete headache when we are using large CPU coolers, and while the motherboard is in the chassis. Not all chassis have a rear CPU cut out to remove the CPU cooler while it is in the chassis. The last thing is really only minor, the placement of the PCI-E/PCI ports, I would prefer to have the PCI-E x1/4 up on top then put the PCI-E x16 as second, PCI as third finally putting the last PCI-E x16 port at the bottom of the motherboard, this would allow them users with a PCI-E x1/4 sounds cards use on this motherboard.

Overall, the ASUS Maximus II Gene motherboard impressed me with both its quality and capability. It's not likely to be a bargain piece, but its unique features and performance make a solid recommendation an easy one, as well.

The Gene is a nice little P45 board with plenty of grunt, a solid BIOS and decent overclocking but for the size it isn't cheap. The DFI P45 BloodIron JR for example supports loosely the same feature-set and even layout design, however it's a good £30 cheaper. At the end of the day the compromise is not that great, and depending on your sway to use less space, it's one worth making for the Gene.

Overall though, this motherboard is arguably a dream come true for those who like the mATX standard and who have been patiently waiting for a proper enthusiast-class LGA775 motherboard to hit the market. Sure, Intel is releasing a brand new mainstream platform very soon, but the Intel Core 2 / P45 chipset combo will be not disappearing anytime in the near future, and can still make a potent little configuration when centered around the MIIG. The Maximus II GENE does have one Achilles' Heel at the moment...availability. This model cannot be found in-stock, or even for sale, anywhere in North America. We also don't yet have a firm confirmation as to how much it will cost, and that will also obviously be a determining factor as to whether this model is a worthwhile purchase.

Asus has done a fine job with Maximus II Gene bringing performance and features aplenty to the Micro-ATX form factor. However, it is quite expensive and we have to wonder how many people will build a new Core 2 PC when Core i5 is just over the horizon.

The ASUS Maximus II Gene offers a lot of overclocking options and has the ability to run two ATI cards in CrossfireX mode, improving game performance while sacrificing little in terms of moving to a micro-ATX motherboard. The care that ASUS puts into each and every ROG motherboard is evident from the inclusion of 3DMark 06 Advanced to the LCD Poster. The ability to overclock by setting a different CPU in the BIOS is another plus. ASUS has succeeded in releasing a micro-ATX board with great features and decent performance and it shows.

Ultimately, we realize that the Maximus II Gene, as well as the other P45-based motherboards used in this review, are geared towards the mainstream. If pure power is your thing, then going with a Core i5 or i7 may be in your best interest. In fact, ASUS even has you covered there with their Rampage II Gene motherboard - another micro-ATX board that flies under the Republic of Gamers flag. But for those who still need or want to keep their Core 2 or other socket 775 processor and DDR2 RAM, and can't afford the full upgrade price of newer platforms, the Maximus II Gene is a perfect way to get good performance in a small form factor without much sacrifice.