▷ Asus maximus xi formula review in Spanish (full analysis)

Asus Maximus XI Formula technical characteristics

Asus Maximus XI Formula
Socket	LGA 1151.
Chipset	Z390
Compatible processors	8th and 9th Generation Intel Coffe Lake. Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron
RAM	4 DIMM sockets with a maximum of 64 GB. Speed up to 4400 MHz Non-ECC in Dual Channel.
Graphic support	Compatible with 2 way SLI and 3 Way AMD CrossfireX
Expansion slots	2 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8). 1 x PCIe 3.0 x163 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x1.
Storage	Intel Z390 chipset: 6 x SATA Express Compatible port. 2 x M.2 x4 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 SATA or NVMe.
LAN / Networks	2 x 10/100/1000 + Wifi AC 9560
Sound card	ROG SupremeFX 8 channels
BIOS	UEFI BIOS.
Format	ATX 30.5 x 24.4 cm.

Unboxing and design

Asus Maximus XI Formula comes with a gala presentation, since the base lacquer is offered in a large cardboard box, being a sample of the large number of accessories it will include. The box follows the usual design of the series, with a predominance of black and red gaming.

We open the box and find the motherboard inside an anti-static bag for perfect protection. Beneath the motherboard is a second section, where all the accessories are.

Asus Maximus XI Formula has an LGA 1151 socket and the Z390 chipset, thus becoming the most advanced mainstream platform from Intel, and with full support for all its eighth and ninth generation processors. The PCB is manufactured in dark tones, and has an armor that protects all the components.

Rear view of the motherboard, for the most curious. As we can see, it incorporates its classic armor, which became so famous in the TUF series. Reinforces the PCB and improves the aesthetics of the motherboard.

The Asus Maximus XI Formula motherboard features a metallic finish that makes the armor translucent in dark environments, but reflective when light is directed directly at the surface, giving it the ability to swap finishes. To accentuate the reflective finish, you can use white LED strips to illuminate the chassis, or keep it dark, select colors and effects with Aura. And watch the appearance of RGB colors.

Asus has assembled a powerful 8 + 2 phase VRM power supply, with Digi + technology to make it work as well as possible. Two large aluminum heatsinks are placed on this VRM to optimize its cooling. Digi + implies the use of the best components on the market, with which we have the guarantee that it is a very high quality power system. This VRM draws power from a 24-pin ATX connector and an 8-pin EPS connector.

For video game lovers, we found three PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots with the Asus Safeslot steel reinforcement. This will allow us to mount an Nvidia SLI 2-way or AMD CrossFireX 3-way configuration, with which the most leading games will go full speed in 4K resolution.

To help show aesthetics, how components are connected to the board has also been examined. The previous model had an M.2 slot oriented for vertical mounting. While it's good at dissipating heat in a restricted chassis, a unit mounted this way stands out.

This time, the two slots have been laid flat and are carefully covered by a large heat sink that keeps temperatures under control. These two M.2 slots are compatible with NVMe and Optane. Asus has also placed six SATA III ports with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, and Intel Rapid Storage Technology.

With Intel ramping up the cores for its LGA 1151 platform, it also makes sense to upgrade Asus Maximus XI Formula's VRM and hybrid heatsink capabilities. It now features a wider copper plate and water channel, which promises more effective heat transfer and less restriction. Dissipation is assisted by strategically placed thermal pads, which discharge some of the VRM heat to the back plate of the full cover.

Cooling capabilities are enhanced by water inlet and outlet headers to connect the motherboard to a custom liquid cooling circuit, all in the service of Fan Xpert software.

This allows control curves to reference coolant temperatures, allowing fan speeds to respond more gradually to system workloads.

The Formula's thermal management features provide a solid foundation to unlock the performance potential of the latest Intel CPUs. To facilitate overclocking, new tuning utilities have been developed. Users can opt for two types of automatic timing, or reference the predicted frequencies and voltages for an initial advantage in manual tuning.

Users who prefer manual overclocking will find more intuitive adjustments due to a differential detection circuitry that reports CPU voltages more accurately to the software.

High-quality memory kits are often used in the Asus Maximus XI Formula range, so support has been enhanced by employing a revamped routing scheme that reduces tracks and takes advantage of effective terrain.

The four DDR4 memory slots in this Asus Maximus XI Formula include a shield to reduce interference. This allows the speeds validated to DDR4-4400 to be increased, more than in the previous generation for better performance.

Searching for those frequencies is made easier by a new automated retrieval feature called MemOK! II. When a memory related POST error occurs, the firmware iteratively applies different profiles so you can go back to UEFI without clearing the CMOS or opening the chassis.

Cutting-edge specifications are a stringent requirement for enthusiastic platforms, which is why Asus Maximus XI Formula has added the Aquantia AQC-111C 5G Ethernet NIC for connected networks, and the Intel AC9560 Wi-Fi 1.73 Gbps controller for full speed browsing. in wireless networks.

All this with the reinforcement of Asus GameFirst, a technology that improves the performance of the network in games by prioritizing the packages related to them. We continue with Sonic Studio, GameFirst and RamCache technologies that deliver innovative enhancements that make smart use of the ROG ecosystem and choice of connected hardware.

Ingenious enhancements include a new APO injection feature, which channels HRTF virtual surround sound to any connected audio device, and the integration of the ROG router's QoS settings into the GameFirst user interface to simplify the profile.

The core of this generation's audio system remains the multi-channel SupremeFX S1220, which features an unprecedented 113dB SNR input input and a 120dB SNR line output allowing users to stream and record with minimal noise. The codec also features a headphone amplifier that provides a 2.1Vrms output, a drive capacity of up to 600 ohms, and the ability to perform impedance detection.

The Formula's front panel output is controlled by the SABER 9023P, leveraging the ESS Hyperstream DAC architecture to provide precise positioning and authoritative dynamics.

The 2 ” OLED LiveDash panel offers users a customizable platform to monitor vital system statistics or create custom logos. A cover has been added that perfectly complements the armor. Along with LiveDash software, the OLED panel adds a subtle touch, whether you want to display CPU frequency with overclocking, custom animations, and logos, or display water cooling zone data. For convenience, the panel also displays POST codes and related information during startup.

At the back we find the following connections:

1 x Clear CMOS button 1 x BIOS Flashback button 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports 4 USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports (1 x Type-C and 3 x Type-A) 1 x HDMI 1.4b 1 x AQC-111C 5G LAN port 1 x Anti port -Surge LAN (RJ45) 1 x 2 x 2 Wi-Fi module 1 x S / PDIF optical output 5 x Gold plated audio connectors

Test bench and tests

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i7-8700K
Base plate:	Asus Maximus XI Formula
Memory:	Corsair Vengeance PRO RGB 16GB DDR4
Heatsink	Cryorig A40
HDD	Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB.
Graphic card	Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti
Power supply	Corsair AX860i.

To check the stability of the Intel Core i7-8700K processor at stock values and the motherboard we have stressed with Prime 95 Custom and air cooling. The graphics we have used is an Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti, without further delay, let's see the results obtained in our tests with a 1920 x 1080 monitor.

BIOS

The design of the BIOS is traced to that of the Asus ROG and PRO series. Like its sisters, it allows us to control the speed of the fans, overclock and carry out advanced monitoring of the entire system. A 10 for Asus!

Final words and conclusion about Asus Maximus XI Formula

Asus has done a great job with its new Asus Maximus XI Formula motherboard. Its 8 + 2 power phases, bestial design, overclocking capacity, cooling in all its components (phases, chipset, M.2.) And RGB AURA lighting make it one of the most TOP boards we have analyzed.

In our tests we have had to use an i7-8700k processor, since at the moment we are still under NDA of the ninth generation processors (at the moment we do not skip the NDA). The performance we have seen is identical to that of the Z370 boards. We have to wait to see if this ninth generation of processors is worth it.

We recommend reading the best motherboards on the market

One of the great improvements is found in its new BIOS. With a processor overclocking capacity prediction system. As we spoke with Asus engineers they confirmed that it uses various algorithms to know the overclocking capacity. At no time do we have to pass a test test to speed up this process, it is fully automatic.

At the moment we do not have its official sale price. But if you maintain the price line of the Z370 series, it will fluctuate 450 euros. If this is the case, we believe that the price is somewhat high and we should rethink choosing the HERO model or the top of the range: Extreme.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ DESIGN	- POSSIBLE HIGH PRICE
+ IDEAL PERFORMANCE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE GAMING AND PROCESSORS
+ GOOD LAYOUT PCI EXPRESS AND OVERCLOCK CAPABILITY
+ NEW BIOS AND INCORPORATES HIGH QUALITY WIFI
+ RGB AURA LIGHTING.