ASUS Maximus Formula (Non-SE): An Aircooling Delight

INTRODUCTION

Several months ago the first Intel® motherboards were released using their X38 chipset. At the time of their release ASUS® unveiled a full array of motherboards sporting this chipset including three new offerings in their Republic of Gamers Series (ROG) dubbed the Maximus. At the top of the heap was the Maximus Extreme which had all the bells and whistles and supported DDR-3 memory. Next was the Maximus Formula Special Edition which was essentially the same board as the Extreme, only supporting DDR-2 memory. Finally, came the Maximus Formula which mimicked the Special Edition with the exception of excluding ASUS's Fusion Block which allowed for water cooling of the northbridge.

When considering the prospect of reviewing the Maximus Formula we were initially reticent as we figured our review would be old news. A quick search of the NET revealed there wasn't a single review or article that we could find on this product. This immediately got our creative juices flowing at the thought of being one of the first to review a product that had been somewhat removed from the limelight yet had all the potential of being a real winner.

Today we intend to not only review the ASUS® Maximus Formula but perform the review using a somewhat different approach that we hope is a precursor to something really unique and exciting for our readers. We'll detail the changes we've made when we get to the "Testing Methodology" section of the review where the change actually are implemented. Up until then the format of our review of the Maximus formula will remain essentially the same. Please join us in our pursuit of presenting the Maximus Formula from a much broader and complete perspective.

ASUS:  The Company

ASUS, a technology-oriented company blessed with one of the world's top R&D teams, is well known for high-quality and innovative technology. As a leading provider of 3C (computers, communications and consumer electronics) total solutions, ASUS offers a complete product portfolio to compete in the new millennium.

In 2006, the company shipped 55 million motherboards, which means one in three desktop PCs sold last year was powered by an ASUS motherboard. Our 2006 revenues reached US$16.5 billion, and is expected to garner US$23 billion in 2007.

ASUS products' top quality stems from product development. It's like learning Chinese Kung-Fu; one must begin with cultivating the "Chi" and inner strength. Besides innovating cutting-edge features, ASUS engineers also pay special attention to EMI (electromagnetic interference), thermal, acoustics and details that usually go unnoticed to achieve complete customer satisfaction. ASUS notebooks are the first TCO'99-certified notebooks worldwide. The requirements for this honor include radiation emission control, energy (battery consumption), ecology (environment friendly) and ergonomics.

To succeed in this ultra-competitive industry, great products need to be complimented by speed-to-market, cost and service. That's why all 100,000 over employees of ASUS strive for the "ASUS Way of Total Quality Management" to offer the best quality without compromising cost and time-to-market while providing maximum value to all customers through world-class services.

With unyielding commitment to innovation and quality, ASUS won 2,168 awards in 2006, meaning on average, the company received over 5 awards everyday last year. BusinessWeek ranked ASUS amongst its “InfoTech 100” for the 9th straight year. The readers of Tom's Hardware Guide, the world's largest IT website, selected ASUS as the best maker of motherboards and graphics cards. Furthermore, the company is ranked as No.1 in quality products and services by the Wall Street Journal.