Asus Maximus IX Formula Review

While some ROG boards have been demoted somewhat to the ROG Strix range, the premium end of things in the die-hard ROG fold is still busy with boards.

Two more have joined the fold - the Apex and Code, which add some flare in different departments as well as undercutting the Formula by a fair amount too. At the pinnacle, there's the Extreme, with its amazing water block and equally eye-popping price tag.

So where does the Formula fit in? In short, the place it always has - in systems that will be water-cooled, tweaked, tuned, overclocked, and also demand a certain aesthetic prowess from their hardware too. The good news is that the new Formula delivers in droves, for the most part. The bad news is that you'll be paying over £300 for the privilege.

There's a lot of plastic on show, but honestly, in person, the board looks fantastic. It has a chunky, weighty feel, and there's a feeling of integration from the water block through to the I/O shield, onboard buttons, and shrouds. It's a pleasing design, and there's some function to it as well.

It's a shame you have to spend so much to get useful tools such as power, reset, and CMOS clear switches these days - they used to be found at £130, even with Z170 boards, but now you need to spend close to double this. Thankfully, they're all present with the Formula, which offers overlaid buttons that are attached to the shroud too, all being illuminated by the extensive RGB LED lighting.