Bundled Applications
Included Applications
- ASUS AI Suite 3
- ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 5 with 5-Way Optimization
- TPU (Turbo Processing Unit)
- EPU (Energy Processing Unit)
- DIGI+ Power Control
- Fan XPert 3
- Turbo App
- USB 3.1 Boost
- AI Charger+
- PC Streamer
- Disk Unlocker
- USB BIOS Flashback Wizard
- ASUS Wi-Fi GO!
- ROG GameFirst III
- ROG KeyBot II
- ROG RAMCache
- ROG RAMDisk
- ROG CPU-Z
- ROG Mem TweakIt
- DAEMON Tools Pro Standard
- ASUS WebStorage
- Kaspersky® Anti-Virus
AI Suite 3
The AI Suite 3 application is a bundling mechanism for all the included ASUS designed utilities, providing a centralized panel from which to access and run the applets. All applets can be accessed by clicking on the expansion button on the middle left side of the page. The applet list then slides out to the right in a frame along the inside left of the page. The PC Cleaner applet is a new addition to the suite, used to clean out extraneous system cache and temp files from the drive. The AI Charger+ applet configure the USB port for optimized fast-charging of Apple-specific or generic USB-based devices. The USB 3.1 Boost applet supercharges your USB 3.1 ports, allowing for enhanced read and write performance with the amount of performance gain based on the USB 3 device in use. The USB BIOS Flashback Wizard creates a BIOS file that can be used in conjunction with the BIOS Flashback functionality built into the board to re-flash the BIOS without the need for booting. This is functionality that I wish more motherboard vendors would embrace because it is easier than you think to corrupt a BIOS. Normally, the board is toast if you cannot boot into the BIOS or reset it successfully. This BIOS Flashback function gives you another option and has saved my bacon in at least one instance in the recent past.
The main app opens to the Dual Intelligent Processors 5 page, organized into separate sections for each of the five 5-Way Optimization features. The overclocking settings are housed in the TPU section. The EPU section houses power saving related settings. The DIGI+ VRM section houses settings specific to the board power circuitry, and the Fan Xpert3 section contains fan controls. The Turbo App section houses application specific performance, network priority, and audio settings. Along the top of the app are the current power saving settings enacted and the start button for the 5-Way Optimization wizard. Along the bottom of the app are real-time monitoring display settings.
5-Way Optimizations Wizard start page, TPU section
5-Way Optimizations Wizard start page, TPU, EPU, and Fan sections
5-Way Optimizations Wizard start page, Graphics Card section
5-Way Optimization Wizard warning message
5-Way Optimization Wizard in progress, TPU test continued
5-Way Optimization Wizard in progress, TPU test continued
5-Way Optimization Wizard in progress, Fan Xpert3 test
5-Way Optimization Wizard in progress, Graphics Card test
5-Way Optimization Report, TPU and EPU sections
5-Way Optimization Report, Fan section
5-Way Optimization Report, Graphic Card section
TPU, CPU Frequency settings page
TPU, Graphics Cards settings page
Fan Xpert3 page
Fan Xpert3, Fan details page
DIGI+ Power Control, CPU settings page
Turbo App page
EPU page
Am I reading the specs
Am I reading the specs correctly?
Multi-GPU Support :
– Supports NVIDIA® Quad-GPU SLI™ Technology
– Supports AMD Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Technology
How can you get Quad-GPU SLI when there’s only 2x PCIe slot?
I am surprised about the price which is about $100 less than the ASUS X99-M WS.
Two dual-GPU cards in SLI.
Two dual-GPU cards in SLI. Like an AMD Radeon 295 x2, nVidia GTX 690, or nVidia Titan Z.
When you SLI/XFire two of those dual-GPU cards together, it is seen as four GPU’s that are SLI’ed / XFire’d together.
I suppose if you put it that
I suppose if you put it that way. 🙂
Still brings some confusion because a lot don’t think about the Titan Z as a Dual-GPU card. Those are just little things that tend to be overlooked.
Oh. And the Asus X99-M WS
Oh. And the Asus X99-M WS ($280) is an X99-based chipset workstation board, while this ASUS Maximus VIII is Z170-based chipset.
X99 boards (Haswell-E) are almost always more expensive than Z170 motherboards (Skylake), because the X99 chipset is just more expensive to source from Intel.
I thought the manufacturing
I thought the manufacturing cost of the X99 would be very close to the Z170.
By the way, I’m comparing the cost in Canadian Dollars – X99 (379.99) vs. Z170 (294.99)
It’s a $50 difference. The
It’s a $50 difference. The same amount the 6700K costs more than the 5820K.
Thanks Morry, even though I
Thanks Morry, even though I am not in the market for a new mobo, I always enjoy reading your write-ups. I like that you included the NHD 15 cooler for spacing demonstrations, I think it is an excellent idea as it helps really understand the layout distances and challenges with placement of fan headers, USB 3.0, etc.for large coolers.
PCPer: I think you need to
PCPer: I think you need to get one of the VII Gene, and one of the VIII Impact, and build them both inside that Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL Dual System case down below.
Of course, I understand if you guys are too busy for that. You’re welcome to send all the parts to me and I’ll do it for you. 😀
Looks somewhat tempting,
Looks somewhat tempting, except for the lack of a DVI video port. Hopefully, Gigabyte can produce one with similar features: mATX Z170 board with Intel I219-V LAN, Realtek ALC1150 audio, USB 3.1 & these 3 video ports: DVI, DP & HDMI (no VGA). Or: wait a year for the “Kaby Lake” boards to appear.
While in general I would
While in general I would prefer a DVI port over a VGA port, chances are pretty good that the people ASUS is targeting with this board are going to have a discrete GPU (or maybe two) and won’t be using the onboard graphics ports to begin with.
I’d also think chances are pretty good that, since HDMI and DVI are electrically compatible, and HDMI-DVI converters are plentiful and cheap, they chose to keep the HDMI and include the VGA port for compatibility. Or perhaps the VGA port is required per Intel specifications. I don’t know for sure.
(oops, my bad. Doesn’t have a
(oops, my bad. Doesn’t have a VGA port. I’ll stick with my theory on HDMI-DVI converters, then. lol)
Another mATX Z170 board, with
Another mATX Z170 board, with features similar to the Asus Maximus Gene VIII:
Supermicro C7Z170-M – $299.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5EM3BS6230
Note: doesn’t show up via Newegg’s search engine, specifying “Intel motherboard – socket 1151” & “mATX”.
Currently OOS: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9873236
eBay has several listed as “New” for under $200:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371503778313
http://www.ebay.com/itm/391336978484
Includes:
Realtek ALC1150
Single Gigabit Ethernet LAN port (Intel i219V)
1 DVI-D, 1 DP (Display Port), 1 HDMI <--the only Intel 100 series chipset mATX board with those three IGP video port types, that I'm aware of. 6x SATA3 (6Gbps); RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 Expansion slots: 1 PCI-E 3.0 x16, 1 PCI-E 3.0 x4, and 1 PCI-E 3.0 x1 1 PCIe M.2 (PCIe x4 2260/2280/22110) 6x USB 3.0 (4 rear + 2 via header), 4x USB 2.0 (2 rear + 2 via headers), 2x USB 3.1 (10Gbps) ports (headers) UEFI BIOS support Side note: "2x USB 3.1 (10Gbps) ports (headers)" would seem to imply requiring adding your own USB 3.1 2x port bracket, unless it might be included in the motherboard package.
Hello guys!
If I am allowed I
Hello guys!
If I am allowed I would like to make a (possible) stupid question:
does this motherboard allow to boot into Windows (10) with a NVMe M.2 SSD? Like Samsung 950/960 Pro.
I am looking to upgrade my PC and I do not find this kind of information online.
Thank you in advance.
EDIT 1:
I just went to Samsung 950 Pro video review. According to Ryan Intel Z170 chipset by default supports boot from NVMe M.2, since this is a Z170 motherboard I guess I already have my answer.
Still if someone can confirm that would be nice!