ASRock X99M Extreme4 And Fatal1ty X99M Killer Review
ASRock X99M Firmware
The difference between ASRock’s standard (X99M Extreme4) and Killer (Fatal1ty X99M Killer) firmware? Colors!
Both boards offer the same factory-programed overclocks and the same overclock settings. I preferred two of my red screen shots over the blue, but have included both in our photo album.
Like most motherboards, ASRock’s X99M series can read our memory’s XMP-3000 settings. But the processor’s maximum DRAM data rate of 26.66x requires that any X99 motherboard use a higher base clock to get there. A higher “boot strap” of 1.25x keeps system frequencies in check at a 125MHz BCLK, pairing it with a 24x multiplier to reach DDR4-3000. My final overclock yielded stability at DDR4-2975 by reducing the BCLK to 124MHz.
Both motherboards reached the same 4.45GHz at 101MHz BCLK and 1.28V, and neither was able to push this CPU to 4.5GHz at 1.30V. That makes sense because they have the same voltage regulator.
ASRock splits adjustments across separate menus for internal and external voltage controllers. Our DRAM reached 1.35V at both boards' 1.33V setting. The XMP default 1.35V resulted in too-high a voltage level (over 1.37V) to maintain high-frequency stability with this particular processor’s memory controller.
Useful firmware utilities include the five overclocking profiles from ASRock’s OC Tweaker menu, System Browser to show device connections, several utilities for extracting or downloading drivers to a thumb drive, firmware flashing and oddball functions like Dehumidifier, which heats the system up periodically to reduce condensation in damp environments.
Chipset for all X99 boards is listed as Z97
Fixed, thanks. In case you're wondering, that type of error occurs from continuously recycling tables.
Anyways, good writeup and keep em coming. Now to find someone crazy enough to shell out on a X99 platform inside an N200 ... hmmm.
It takes a couple weeks to get stuff published, unless there's an NDA and everyone puts everything else to the side. These would be among the stuff put to the side though
At least you knew it was coming
Onya Crash. Nice review as well.
And you're experienced enough to know that some boards offer voltage-level fan speed control on 3-pin.
Yes, and I've set those on my board to keep the other fans as quiet as practical. But those are static settings. I'd much rather have a thermal controlled fan that can throttle up and down as needed. I'm fortunate enough to have a case with a built-in fan controller ( Raven 3, ) but that's only for the two bottom intakes. And they stay on low 99% of the time. But the top fan is the one that's more audible since it's closer to my ears. I'd love that one to be on a PWM header, but to do that I'd need to get a splitter for my two CPU cooler fans. It's not a big expense or trouble, but I'd rather not have to deal with it.
Really...I hate to add fan controller tests, but it appears that some onboard fan controllers are capable of dynamic voltage adjustment while others are not. And then there are those that are not controlled at all (wide open all the time).
RedJaron,
You could perhaps look into the 8 way PWM splitter by Swiftech... ?
Honestly speaking, I must agree with matx boards as they offer better flexibility than an atx board and is a step up from a mitx pcb.
Just try the Swiftech splitter, I think its under 10 bucks
The Rampage IV Gene is one of my favorite all time boards.
I hope they make an Asus Rampage V Gene!
The IV Gene came out two years after the ATX version, so hopefully they'll move faster on LGA2011-3 than they did on LGA2011.
My old-ish board does not support dynamic voltage on the 3-pin headers. It simply gives a static level option. The 4-pin of course allows me to set target speed and temp. I didn't extensively look at the fan levels on the H97 rig I just built since we were using a 4460 with all stock fans so PWM on the CPU and chassis fan was good enough. I may have my buddy poke around and tell me what he finds. I'd love it if that became a standard-ish feature on most current and new boards.
I wasn't aware of that splitter, but I will look into it. Their site currently says it's out of stock. Yes, it's inexpensive, but my whole point is that other manufacturers offer more PWM headers for comparable prices already, thus not needing fan splitters in the first place.
I think like you said before reused table.. maybe you can make you tables have references (cpu) so you type it in once and it will be correct on all the pages. so you don't have to reread every digit/char 3 times over.