ASUS ROG Maximus VI Extreme Pro Reviews

ASUS has built a truly great motherboard with its Maximus VI Extreme. It is extremely feature rich, but has missed a couple of points that might impact the overall value for some users. At $399.99 it is certainly on the upper end of the pricing scale, and puts it in a position where some of the less expensive motherboards from ASUS’ own Republic of Gamers stack is giving it some competition.

The ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME just does not disappoint. As the base of a highly-clocked 24/7 rig running multiple videocards and high RAM speeds, few can compare, especially since it is ready and willing if you want to put your rig under LN2 to break some records. For memory overclocking, the large number of built-in profiles are sure to meet any user's needs, so much so that any overclocking difficulties have been removed for those with a little bit of overclocking experience, or none at all. Simply provide ample cooling and those records can be yours after a few clicks. But that sort of an experience is not for everyone, and while paying $400 for a motherboard is not exactly everyone's cup of tea, the ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME is just one of those boards one cannot ignore for those that do. The OC Panel is one great addition to the ROG platform I'd buy this board to have, as I see immediate use for in my day-to-day computing routine, and its ability to work with other Z87 ASUS ROG products makes it an invaluable tool in my arsenal. I do use this board as the base for my memory review rig, after all. I think that in and of itself says everything I want to say here.

At $400, the Maximus VI Extreme is pricey, there's no doubt about it. But when you look at the feature set and hardware options, it has the ability to back that price up with an incredible array of functionality, the inclusion of the OC Panel for the extreme enthusiast, and the same stunning good looks we have come to know oh so well over the past few generations of ASUS ROG hardware. If $400 is a bit too stiff a penalty, then you have the option of picking up a board a little lower in the product stack, which thankfully ASUS has infused with much of the same hardware capabilities found in this board. A three-year limited warranty is standard on this board in case something goes horribly wrong.

The Maximus VI Extreme is a very interesting board with plenty of performance potential just waiting for a good chip and sticks and the right user to push it up and beyond.

Before continuing with our final thoughts on this board, we would like to take this opportunity to give our friends at ASUS a hearty “Thank You” for giving us the pleasure of reviewing the Maximus VI Extreme motherboard. After seeing this board at an ASUS Z87 preview event earlier in the year, I could not wait to get it on the test bench. I was not disappointed to say the least. The board screams performance on initial un-boxing and keeps you busy with its plethora of add-ons. The OC Panel was one among many of the high points for me with this board. The interface is sleek and stylish, matching the looks of the Maximus VI Extreme to a tee. The board itself was designed and laid out almost perfected with a few minor questionable details. Its stock performance was also nothing short of stellar. One of the more questionable decisions with this board were the placement of the CMOS battery. The CMOS battery is located to the mid-left of the primary PCI-Express x16 slot, making its removable challenging with a video card seated in that slot. One other noticeable missed feature is the CMOS clear jumper. While not a large miss because of the integrated CMOS reset button integrated into the rear panel, it was something that is normally included in some form on the motherboard surface.