Review: intel i7 3930k + asus rampage iv formula

Are you a demanding Gaming? Do you want the most of the most? Today is your lucky day! We bring you a severe analysis of the Asus Rampage IV Formula and the i7 3930K processor with different tests and comparison with other processors.

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ASUS RAMPAGE IV FORMULA FEATURES
CPU	Intel® Socket 2011 2nd Generation Core ™ i7 Processors Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2
CHIPSET	INTEL X79
Memory	4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3 2400 (OC) / 2200 (OC) / 2133 (OC) / 2000 (OC) / 1800 (OC) / 1600/1333/1066 MHz Memory Quad Channel Memory Architecture Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
COMPATIBLE MULTI-GPU	NVIDIA® 4-Way SLI ™ Technology Compatible * 1 Compatible with AMD 4-Way CrossFireX Technology
EXPANSION SLOTS	4 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (x16; x16 / x16; x16 / x8 / x16 and x16 / x8 / x8 / x8, red) * 2 2 x PCIe 2.0 x1
STORAGE	Intel® X79 chipset: 2 x SATA 6Gb / s port (s), red 4 x SATA 3Gb / s port (s), black Compatible with Raid 0, 1, 5, 10 ASMedia® ASM1061 Controller: 2 x SATA 6Gb / s port (s), red 2 x Power eSATA 6Gb / s port (s), red
NET	Intel®, 1 x Gigabit Network Controller
AUDIO	SupremeFX III built-in 8 channel HD Audio CODEC- Compatible with: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking - Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): 110 dB Audio Features: - SupremeFX Shielding ™ Technology - 1500 uF Audio Power Capacitor - Gold-plated jacks - X-Fi® Xtreme Fidelity ™ - EAX® Advanced ™ HD 5.0 - THX® TruStudio PRO ™ - Creative ALchemy - Blu-ray audio layer Content Protection - Optical S / PDIF output on rear panel - Output THD + N at 1kHz: 95 dB
USB ports	ASMedia® USB 3.0 Controller: 6 x USB 3.0 port (s) (4 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid- board) Intel® X79 chipset: 12 x USB 2.0 port (s) (6 at back panel, black + white, 6 on plate)
Overclocking functions	ROG Connect: - RC Diagram - RC Remote - RC Poster - GPU TweakIt Extreme Engine Digi + II: - 8 -PCu power design by phases. - 3 -phase VCCSA power design - 2 + 2 phase DRAM power design ROG Extreme OC kit: - Slow Mode - LN2 Mode - PCIe x16 Lane Switch - Q Reset - EZ Plug ProbeIt UEFI BIOS features: - ROG BIOS Print - GPU.DIMM Post GameFirst iROG Extreme tweaker Loadline Calibration USB BIOS Flashback Overclocking protection: - COP EX (Component Overheat Protection - EX) - ASUS CPR (CPU Parameter Recovery) - Voltiminder LED II
Special features	ASUS EPU: - EPU CPU Level Up ASUS Exclusive Features: - MemOK! - Integrated buttons: Power / Reset / Clr CMOS (on rear I / O) ASUS thermal solutions: - ASUS Fan Xpert ASUS EZ DIY: - ASUS OC Profile - ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 - ASUS EZ Flash 2 - ASUS MyLogo 2 ASUS Q-Design: - ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Device boot indicator LED) - ASUS Q-Slot - ASUS Q-DIMM - ASUS Q-Connector
Rear panel I / O	1 x PS / 2 keyboard / mouse combo port 2 x eSATA 6Gb / s 1 x Network (RJ45) 4 x USB 3.0 6 x USB 2.0 (White port can be used for ROG Connect) 1 x Optical S / PDIF Out 6 x Audio Jack (s) 1 x Clear CMOS button 1 x ROG Connect Switch
accessories	User Manual I / O Protection 4 x SATA 3Gb / s Cable 4 x SATA 6Gb / s Cable (s) 1 x 3-Way SLI bridge (s) 1 x CrossFire Cable (s) 1 x SLI bridge (s) 1 x Q-connector (s) (2 in 1) 1 x ROG Connect Cable (s) 1 x ROG sticker 1 x 12 in 1 ROG Cable Label (s) 1 x X-Socket pad (s) 1 x ROG Door Hanger (s)
BIOS	2 x 64Mb UEFI AMI BIOSs, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.5, ACPI2.0a multilingual BIOS
Factory format	ATX Factory Format 12 inches x 9.6 inches (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)
Note	* 1: The 4-way SLI Bridge not included. * 2: This motherboard supports PCIe 3.0 specifications. The functions will be available when using PCIe 3.0 devices.

This motherboard supports the 2nd generation Intel® Core ™ i7 processors for Socket 2011, includes a memory controller and PCI Express that support up to 8 DDR3 quad-channel memory DIMMs and 16 PCI Express 3.0 respectively, which ensures great potential. graphic. The 2nd Generation Intel® Core ™ i7 Processors for Socket 2011 are the world's most powerful and efficient processors.

The Intel® X79 chipset is the new design compatible with the second generation Intel® Core ™ i7 processors for Socket 2011. Thanks to the point-to-point serial link design, it improves performance, bandwidth and stability. In addition, it includes 2 SATA 6Gb / s ports and 4 SATA 3Gb / s for faster data recovery and twice the bandwidth of current bus systems.

SupremeFX III ™ technology offers 8 channels of HD audio equipped with a specially selected 1500uF capacitor to deliver the cleanest power supply and safe from the domino effect for sound components, making it ideal for reliable reproduction of the environments of the games. The metallic EMI housing, special PCB design and SupremeFX Shielding ™ technology isolate the analog audio signals from any possible interference while the gold plated connectors ensure minimal distortion. The result is a signal to noise ratio (SNR) that reached 110dB during the tests.

These motherboards also offer support for industry standards like EAX® Advanced HD 5.0, Creative® ALchemy, and THX® TruStudio ™ PRO, ensuring that users can enjoy sound the same way the creators designed it in the studio. The Sound Blaster® X-Fi MB2 card is an ideal choice to offer the most realistic effects alongside SupremeFX III ™.

It is not the first ROG motherboard that we touch and it is that the Rampage IV Formula has the same format, but the one sent by Asus is the Battlefield 3 edition. Which includes the gift set on a card.

The plate maintains the ROG Red / Black colors.

The layout is pretty good with 4 way SLI / CFX and PCI Express 1x / 4x.

Unlike the Asus Rampage IV Extreme, the south bridge does not include a fan for external cooling. I still think that a fan the only thing it offers us is unnecessary noise, since these chipsets are anything but warm.

The board supports up to 32GB of memory at 2400mhz with OC. Thanks to its 4 DDR3 banks in Quad Channel.

We continue with the cooling… the phases come well dissipated with efficient heatsinks, in other brands we have seen better dissipation in this area.

The Rampage IV Formula offers support for industry standards like EAX® Advanced HD 5.0, Creative® ALchemy, and THX® TruStudio ™ PRO, ensuring that users can enjoy sound the same way the creators designed it in the studio. The Sound Blaster® X-Fi MB2 card is an ideal choice to offer the most realistic effects alongside SupremeFX III ™.

Here we have the rear exit / entrance.

And the complete bundle with SLI bridges, manual, installation CD and various sata cables.

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel 3930K
Base plate:	Asus Rampage IV Formula
Memory:	Kingston Hyperx Predator
Heatsink	Corsair H100i
HDD	Kingston Hyperx 120gb
Graphic card	Gigabyte GTX560 Ti SOC
Power supply	Thermaltake TouchPower 1350W
Box	Dimastech Mini White Milk
Thermal paste	Arctic MX4

To check the actual performance of the processor we have carried out tests with several processors: Intel 3930K, Intel 2600K and AMD FX8350 at 4600 and 4800 mhz. Below are the results obtained:

Intel Sandy Bridge-E is the most powerful processor generation on the market and uses the 2011 LGA platform. Specially designed for the most enthusiastic user or highly reliable workstation. In our review we have used a 6 core i7 3930K, 12MB cache and a 130W TDP. Among the processors that currently exist on this platform is the most balanced price / performance / cores. Since we have the i7 3820 but they are only 4 cores (and for this I prefer a 3570K / 3770K) and the 3960X that differs in having 15MB of cache and a surcharge of € 1000.

Is the change from 1155 to 2011 really worth it? We begin to appreciate differences when we work with 2, 3 or 4 graphics cards. The improvements that we find are in the minimums and its greater number of LANES, which allows us to have all graphics cards at 16X.

In our tests we have bought it with a 2600k, AMD FX8120 with or without OC. The differences are important in some tests, but in reality, as we have commented, the games are more fluid, at least in minimums.

We have also analyzed the Asus Rampage IV Formula a motherboard that is around 300 € and for my taste it is the most level offered by ASUS. Good distribution on PCI ports, good phases, ROG technology and a very stable BIOS. Without forgetting that they include two important characteristics:

• Leader in USB 3.0 certification on your boards (we include the Asus Maximus V Extreme and the entire 7 series). This certification is acquired by successfully passing more than 180 tests. Ensuring a better user experience and product compatibility. TCO = Total Cost of Ownership . What does this mean? That your products reduce the operating costs of the equipment, saving energy, increasing the useful life of the equipment, enhancing the performance of the components and also reduces maintenance costs, thanks to protection against overvoltages, ESD, CrashFree BIOS, USB BIOS Flashback

In short, if you are thinking of changing your equipment and want to go to the best of the best on the market and forget about the outlay, your platform is 2011. High performance, reliability and unique features.

The Professional Review team awards you the platinum medal: