ASUS Maximus VIII Hero Motherboard Review

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Conclusion

Now that we’ve had a good chance to take a look at the ASUS Maximus VIII Hero, is it the board to go for at approx. £160? The Hero is the most popular motherboard in the ROG brand according to our sources, and the reason for that is because it was usually a board that fell in the medium budget range but offered a lot of bang for buck in terms of connectivity options as well as its performance. So, just how well did it do the third time round? Let’s gather our thoughts and see where it leads us.

For a change, let’s talk about its overclocking ability first. As with everything that came after Sandybridge, there are only a few things which you need to worry about on an air or water cooled system. The motherboard was perfectly capable of holding a 4.7 GHz overclock on our CPU with 1.4 volts, which is pretty much the maximum clock that the CPU can handle without going bananas with the voltages. The only thing I’d have changed in the BIOS is the placement of some of the voltages, as they are in submenus of the overclocking menu. On other samples, from other brands, they are all in the same menu which makes access really easy. Besides that small niggle, I cannot complain about its performance. It does what you ask, and that’s just how it should be.

As far as the Maximus VIII Hero’s looks go, I think it is a fantastic looking motherboard. As I said earlier in this review, I am glad that they’ve made the old red and black ROG theme disappear and that they’ve decided to go down a new route. Red and black is a very common combination which has been done one too many times. Just have a quick think; how many red and black builds have you seen recently? I’d bet it is a fair few (if you look at other people’s builds). Of course the red and black is still present, it isn’t completely gone, but it is far more subtle compared to the past. The IO cover and the bit that branches off over the VRM heatsinks is a very stylish way to cover up a bit of blank and boring looking PCB and metal building blocks. Besides all that, it also adds a block to the bright LED lights that are lining the sound isolating circuitry, which gives it more of a soft glow rather than a bright and in your face glare. The ICH heatsink also glows in a multitude of colours which is entirely programmable via the included software for that added customisation of your product.

One thing which did disappoint me somewhat with this motherboard is the fact that it only has one M.2 PCI-E port compared to the very similarly priced MSI Z170A GAMING M7 which has two. It’s also lacking the second USB 3.0 header that the M7 has. I know that the M7 is slightly more expensive, but those features could really do tip the scales in favour of the M7 in this case. However, when you take the reasoning into consideration, it does tend to make sense and you can definitely see why ASUS have gone down this road with the Maximus VIII Hero. Glancing over the motherboard, you can see that the board is actually loaded to the top with very little real estate left over, and the placement of the available connectivity options is both optimal and ideal too.

The performance of a product naturally makes up a key aspect and 33 per cent of our final score. The Hero has always been a strong contender in the performance field, and this one is no exception. While it may not score top in every benchmark, it is pretty close to being a top performer, outshining other motherboards both more and less expensive than itself. Performance between motherboards typically varies very little, but for those who are looking for every last drop of performance for their money, it is an important aspect. When overclocking was thrown into the mix, it just further enhanced the Hero’s lead as it produced the highest result we’ve seen thus far.

So where does this leave us? Well, the motherboard has the reliability that the ROG brand brings, and the looks that bring an entirely new look to the ROG brand. Its price point is reasonable and it slots in with the previous generations, even though there is a new addition in the name of the Ranger which is a slightly cheaper, a slightly cut down version of the Hero. We hope to get a look at this board in the future, but for now, let’s summarise the Hero and give it some awards … shall we?

Do your best to take the entire concept of the Maximus VIII Hero into consideration, and then think about all of the things which it has to offer (and perhaps a few which it doesn’t have). This motherboard, as far as I am concerned, is currently down as the performance king of the motherboards that I have tested thus far. More often than not, the Hero is at the top of the charts. While this is still a very early stage in Z170’s life, it does look promising for future ASUS products, and of course the Hero itself. The motherboard may not feature the extra M.2 PCI-E port or the additional USB 3.0 port, but it does feature a best-in-class audio set up which you really cannot take away from the motherboard. I’ve thought long and hard about this one, and I literally cannot find a fault with the motherboard  or something which I’d want to change. Some people may find a secondary M.2 port useful, but the majority of us will only ever require one as they are blisteringly fast in their own right. Given that the audio is a very expensive component, it is a wonder how ASUS can produce this motherboard with a relatively low resale price. The motherboard is a steal for £165, and should be on anyone’s short list if you are looking to jump aboard the Skylake choo choo.

As far as the awards go, there is little doubt in my mind that the motherboard deserves nothing other than an Editor’s Choice award as well as a Play3r Gold award.

Thank you very much to ASUS for providing us with a sample for today’s review.