Overclocking: Asus Rampage IV Extreme Versus EVGA X79 FTW

[EzioAs]

I had been using the inboard sound (Realrek) for a few days and then got an Asus Xonar STX. Night and day. I will never pay attention to someone telling me that onboard sound is just as good as a discrete card. Night and Day...at least in the Xonar STX's case.

Funny thinking about it. Some people just buy crazy high-end headsets but won't even consider adding a sound card. I keep telling people if they are willing to spend over $3000 for a high-end build, might as well get a good soundcard but nope, they just spend excessive money on enthusiast motherboards but have no need for the extra features and crazy high wattage psu that they say they'll probably do SLI/crossfire later but we all know most of the time people just replace it with a new card.

 

[ibn gozzy]

Nice article!
I couldn't help but notice that almost no gaming improvement was made after OCing. I assume that the GPU was bottle neck here. It would be nice to know what it would look like if that were not the case. Other than that, great stuff-too bad I have to wait until my current rig dies to get anything else new.

 

[kitsunestarwind]

Mapesdhs
My cinebench scores were 14.33pts for CPU, 2.01pts for Single core, MP ratio was 7.13x

 

[monsta]

Great article , look forward to the Z77 mobo shoot out when Ivy Bridge shows up!

 

[CaedenV]

[citation][nom]Halcyon[/nom]I had been using the inboard sound (Realrek) for a few days and then got an Asus Xonar STX. Night and day. I will never pay attention to someone telling me that onboard sound is just as good as a discrete card. Night and Day...at least in the Xonar STX's case.[/citation]
Onboard audio is fine so long as you are using digital output, and pair it with decent audio supplementation software like Creative X-Fi MB2. But if running analog audio then yes, a sound card can help a lot.

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]master9716[/nom]You guys really need to start Testing @ 5760x1080 !!! , Monitors go for really cheap on craiglist now from wholesellers , you can buy 3 24" leds for like 300 bucks so a lot of people that I know have been runing 3 monitor setups for a while.[/citation]Thanks, my boss and I have been trying to make this notion presentable to his boss for two years. We want to upgrade everyone at the same time, and that's the sticky part.[citation][nom]jaquith[/nom]I have no doubts if you raised the EVGA's voltages vs a cloned ASUS optimized OC set that you'd have no problems obtaining the SAME 4.8GHz OC. Both boards offer voltage check points and I'd be very interesting how they compared.[/citation]Voltage levels were validated with a multimeter VCCSA was between 1.21 and 1.26V for both boards, and experience with these specific modules showed that they only "need" 1.20V VCCSA to run at XMP ratings.[citation][nom]CaedenV[/nom]Another thing of interest to me is that on the 1155 platform it is possible to get a higher efficiency by doing an OC (because you can get to 4.4GHz on some before changing any voltages which only gives a minor wattage increase). I wonder of the 2011 platform gets a little more efficient with a minor OC compared to these higher OCs.[/citation]Yes, I believe there's more evidence of this in the last SBM (but I could be mistaken).[citation][nom]EzioAs[/nom]Because in the article they wrote "We contacted that manufacturer (along with one of its closest competitors) to see how two of today’s top-rated enthusiast-oriented boards would compare to each other in terms of overclocking ease, stability, and features.", meaning they never contacted MSI(I'm assuming). I'm pretty sure MSI would be eager to put their flagship board to the test as well.Hope I clarify something here and I never meant to be rude in the first comment.[/citation]Probably. If memory serves, it wasn't on the market when this article was set up. This one has been on the "back burner" for over 3 months as time-sensitive stuff was covered instead.

 

[EzioAs]

Probably. If memory serves, it wasn't on the market when this article was set up. This one has been on the "back burner" for over 3 months as time-sensitive stuff was covered instead.

Thanks for clarifying that Crashman . Too bad we can't see how it performs compared to the rampage iv since other reviewers show the big bang xpower 2 overclocks really2 well

 

[Marcus52]

[citation][nom]EzioAs[/nom]Because in the article they wrote "We contacted that manufacturer (along with one of its closest competitors) to see how two of today’s top-rated enthusiast-oriented boards would compare to each other in terms of overclocking ease, stability, and features.", meaning they never contacted MSI(I'm assuming). I'm pretty sure MSI would be eager to put their flagship board to the test as well.Hope I clarify something here and I never meant to be rude in the first comment.[/citation]

"Where is" implied that the article was missing something; it is not. It wasn't a review of 3 boards that supplied data for only 2 of them, it was a review of the 2 boards Thomas decided to test.

I prefer to say something like "I would like to see the MSI Big Bang tested, too." (I would.) This doesn't imply any fault on the part of the author, which is better because Thomas isn't at fault here for not testing that board.

Most of the time, Tomshardware tests what companies will send them, and if they don't send them anything - well, it doesn't get tested. Tomshardware editors will invite all they can, and test what they get. This comparison seems to have been done a bit differently, as you pointed out.

My apologies if I over-reacted to the way you said what you did; I get a bit tired of reading people demanding things be done their way and trying to make other people responsible for their feelings. If it's an American, I can pretty much tell that they are acting like a petulant spoiled brat and not treating people with respect. I think Germans think similarly in that regard, having had some exposure to German culture, but I don't know how most non-native English people put their thoughts together in a socially polite way, and that does make a difference - direct translations, as you know, don't always carry the same meaning (it's hard enough to get your point across without the language and culture differences).

 

[EzioAs]

"Where is" implied that the article was missing something; it is not. It wasn't a review of 3 boards that supplied data for only 2 of them, it was a review of the 2 boards Thomas decided to test.

I prefer to say something like "I would like to see the MSI Big Bang tested, too." (I would.) This doesn't imply any fault on the part of the author, which is better because Thomas isn't at fault here for not testing that board.

Most of the time, Tomshardware tests what companies will send them, and if they don't send them anything - well, it doesn't get tested. Tomshardware editors will invite all they can, and test what they get. This comparison seems to have been done a bit differently, as you pointed out.

My apologies if I over-reacted to the way you said what you did; I get a bit tired of reading people demanding things be done their way and trying to make other people responsible for their feelings. If it's an American, I can pretty much tell that they are acting like a petulant spoiled brat and not treating people with respect. I think Germans think similarly in that regard, having had some exposure to German culture, but I don't know how most non-native English people put their thoughts together in a socially polite way, and that does make a difference - direct translations, as you know, don't always carry the same meaning (it's hard enough to get your point across without the language and culture differences).

As you may have guessed, I'm not a US citizen and english is not my primary language, I'm still learning it. I do found out my first comment may seem a bit inappropriate as well and thanks for pointing it out. I apologize for that. What I was trying to say was since I thought they were trying to find the best overclocking X79 board and the fact that they didn't test the MSI board came out as weird to me since it has some great reviews across the internet. I apologize again to you, forum members and Tom's staff.

 

[noobalert]

I've seen a deal sold directly from eVGA where I can get the x79 FTW mobo + an Intel Core i7 3930K for only $750. I'm thinking about getting it, what you guys think? Been holding out for the z77's, and Ivy Bridge, but the early info leaks on the upcoming gear has me considering other options. Of course I'm going to be only gaming on the system, looking for the best upgrade from my current Intel Core 2 Q9550 on a XFX 780I mobo.

Going to be handing this system down to my brother, my next rig weather its a x79, or z77 is only a temporary build. I will expect to replace what ever one I build as followed x79/Ivy Bridge-E, or z77/Haswell.

 

[dreadlokz]

Whats the point here?? How you get the 1st Asus mb againts the 2nd EVGA mb? Last articles here in Toms are, as always, very well made, BUT, just pointless... like the one testing Sandy processors on Ivy MB, since Intel itself said you only get improvement if you change the hole plataform... so you should be testing Ivy processors in both Ivy and Sandy MB, not the other way around! Ignore this test if you are smart... and wait for tests like:
EVGA X79 Classified vs ASUS Rampage IV EXTREME
and
EVGA X79 FTW vs ASUS P9X79 DELUXE
Makes a lot more sense... same price range, same specs!!!

 

[dreadlokz]

PS: AsRock now have the Overclock world record with a 3960x on a $250 MB with support up to 4-way gpus... tell me about $/performance ;p

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]CaedenV[/nom]Onboard audio is fine so long as you are using digital output, and pair it with decent audio supplementation software like Creative X-Fi MB2. But if running analog audio then yes, a sound card can help a lot.[/citation]
[citation][nom]EzioAs[/nom]Funny thinking about it. Some people just buy crazy high-end headsets but won't even consider adding a sound card. I keep telling people if they are willing to spend over $3000 for a high-end build, might as well get a good soundcard but nope, they just spend excessive money on enthusiast motherboards but have no need for the extra features and crazy high wattage psu that they say they'll probably do SLI/crossfire later but we all know most of the time people just replace it with a new card.[/citation]

The soundstage and clarity increased dramatically with the Xonar. I know this is going to sound over-the-top, but it's true: I kept taking off my Senn HD595s and looking around me for something in the house that could have been producing the sound I was hearing. I had been a supporter of Creative X-Fi's in the past (never had the driver issues many complained of with Vista, et. al.) ...but this Xonar STX with its built in headphone amp really really makes a difference. Not economical but well worth it for my budget-limited audiophile tastes.

...back on topic. I was just in Microcenter and got closer than I'm comfortable with to dropping for an Asus Rampage IV and i7 3820...I have absolutely no need for that. I'm told the 2500K is the best bang for the buck and the one I'm using is OC'd to 4Ghz. Hopefully, it will continue to ensure a tight gaming experience. Metro 2033 looks really neat with maxed settings @ 2560x1600. ...interesting game. I'd like to think my 2500K is contributing to the experience in some small way.

 

[g-unit1111]

EVGA makes some really amazing products but it still puzzles me why they went with 4 x DIMM slots on what is otherwise supposed to be their flagship board. If they had 8 like the Asus board I would go with the EVGA over anything else.

 

[zloginet]

[citation][nom]andboomer[/nom]Of course Asus wins. Asus is the boss hogg.[/citation]

Not true if eVGA still had their original MB team...

 

[halcyon]

The one thing I don't like about the Rampage 4 Extreme is the active cooling. Fans wear out. However, the Rampage 4 Formula has passive cooling and is cheaper...wish I had got that...it doesn't always pay to be impatient. . ...nothing wrong with my ASrock...but it doesn't look as nice as the Asus' (not that that's important)...but you know how us stupid Mac users are.

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]dreadlokz[/nom]just pointless... like the one testing Sandy processors on Ivy MB, since Intel itself said you only get improvement if you change the hole plataform...[/citation]Intel launched the Z77 chipset without Ivy-Bridge processors. Did you not expect a corresponding article? Also, please read this article again because EVGA was responsible for the substitution of FTW for Classified.
[citation][nom]Halcyon[/nom]The one thing I don't like about the Rampage 4 Extreme is the active cooling. Fans wear out. However, the Rampage 4 Formula has passive cooling and is cheaper...wish I had got that...it doesn't always pay to be impatient. . ...nothing wrong with my ASrock...but it doesn't look as nice as the Asus' (not that that's important)...but you know how us stupid Mac users are.[/citation]I probably should have mentioned that these are long-duty fans and, on top of that, are idled down when not needed. Asus said at its launch event that these will last at least seven years.

 

[mapesdhs]

kitsunestarwind writes:
> My cinebench scores were 14.33pts for CPU, 2.01pts for Single core, MP ratio was 7.13x

Wow!! That completely blows away my dual-XEON X5570 Dell T7500 (10.90). That's exactly the sort of performance
result I was looking for. Do you have a CPU-Z for your system?

Ian.

 

[Reynod]

Great article as usual crash ... nice work.

I'd really like to see you do an article on RAM specifically down the track and do some testing on different speeds etc ... value for money / performance.

I think you did something like that a few years back ... and explained things very well.

Keep up the good work mate.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]Crashman[/nom]....I probably should have mentioned that these are long-duty fans and, on top of that, are idled down when not needed. Asus said at its launch event that these will last at least seven years.[/citation]

Great, just great. I think if I OC my 2500K enough it'll break and I'll have a compelling reason to upgrade.

 

[res_3]

Not a bad review,

However i can't understand why in the review you would mention "The Rampage IV Extreme costs around $50 more" and then "While we’re hesitant to pay the extra money for this platform's exact feature set"

If your really and truly planning to buy any motherboard in this price range, $50 more or less is ultimately negligible.

99% of people who can afford this calibre of hardware and even the step don from this, really arn't going to quibble over $50 for the better hardware.

I would have to say id choose the ASUS over the EVGA for sure.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]res_3[/nom]Not a bad review,However i can't understand why in the review you would mention "The Rampage IV Extreme costs around $50 more" and then "While we’re hesitant to pay the extra money for this platform's exact feature set"If your really and truly planning to buy any motherboard in this price range, $50 more or less is ultimately negligible.99% of people who can afford this calibre of hardware and even the step don from this, really arn't going to quibble over $50 for the better hardware.I would have to say id choose the ASUS over the EVGA for sure.[/citation]
Its as if you pulled this straight from my brain. I love Asus' design, especially when it comes to motherboards and wouldn't give it a 2nd thought to pay the slightly more $50 increase. While I'm completely (and surprisingly, TBH) satisfied with the performance, stability, ease-of-use of my ASRock board this Asus kit is what I really wish I had. EVGA? ...when I need an nVidia graphics card that's where I'll go.

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]halcyon[/nom]Its as if you pulled this straight from my brain. I love Asus' design, especially when it comes to motherboards and wouldn't give it a 2nd thought to pay the slightly more $50 increase. While I'm completely (and surprisingly, TBH) satisfied with the performance, stability, ease-of-use of my ASRock board this Asus kit is what I really wish I had. EVGA? ...when I need an nVidia graphics card that's where I'll go.[/citation]I'm a cheapskate.

 

[halcyon]

...being cheap is wise.

 

[MrMakapuu]

Ive had about 5 Asus Boards through out my computer builds (from 300mhz AMD to present X58 system always worked great!, I tried 2 EVGA X-58 boards.. they work ok, but they always had these stupid little glitches like starting up twice or not reading memory... All my Asus boards never had problems what so ever!!!! GO ASUS!!!