Overview: Rampage V Extreme Features - Keeping The Advantage
Extreme Engine DIGI+ IV
More Power Phases Doesn't Make For a Better VRM - Design is Everything!
It is important to keep in mind that a single component is just one stage within a complex system. Every Extreme Engine iteration is a power solution that combines hardware and software, together as a whole. This generation there have been changes throughout in response to the way Haswell-E LGA2011-3 processors with FIVR (fully integrated voltage regulation) work. ROG uses a high-performance 8+2+2 phase design (CPU and both memory banks) because at a certain point adding more phases offer limited benefit in respect to the FIVR, which requires a different approach to power provision on the motherboard side.
The 4th generation Extreme Engine comprises of ASUS' custom DIGI+ power controller, PowIRstage MOSFETS and MicroFine Alloy Chokes. The PowIRstage combines driver and MOSFETs into a single component, reducing size, improving efficiency and reducing operating temperature. Combined with the MicroFine chokes and 10K Black Metallic caps, each phase pumps up to 60 Amps each.
ROG approaches and invests in every generation of products with a bespoke power design, as it's the only way to guarantee the best results.
RDS On Sense
The PowIRstage MOSFETs allow for even further fine-grained current sensing thanks to its internal Current Sense Amplifier. This gives a 13% improvement in tolerance versus competitive designs, and overall reduction in component number and motherboard space used.
MicroFine Alloy Chokes
The MicroFine Alloy used in the Extreme Engine choke is detailed below. The small, uniform granules pack more densely into the given space and with a greater permeability they store more potential energy (through the electrical-magnetized-electrical mechanism). The end result is a choke design that's best suited for this environment, by a large margin.
DirectCU VRM Heatsink
Just like the DirectCU on ASUS graphics card's, the Rampage V Extreme has a copper heatpipe that connects directly to the heat source, which in this case is the MOSFETs of its Extreme Engine DIGI+ IV. The nickel plating is removed and the copper heatpipe is flattened to affix with maximum surface area. The large aluminum rear IO cover provides a huge thermal mass for the heat to travel into (as thermodynamics causes temperature to attempt to equalize over the entire heatsink), providing great performance with the addition of obvious great looks (just like the Rampage IV Black Edition).
X-Socket II
Both the LGA2011 (X79) and LGA2011-3 (X99) have socket holes with metal screw-threads pre-fitted, into which air or LCLC coolers can screw directly. The X-Socket II is specifically designed for ASUS’ exclusive X99 OC Socket, replacing the default backplate with one that removes the pre-fitted screw-threads, leaving the holes free so heatsinks, LN2/dry ice pots can bolt on the motherboard directly.
OC Zone
There are a couple of new buttons in the OC Zone: Safe Boot and ReTry.
Safe Boot
When the OC settings are pushed too far and the system doesn’t boot (and the BIOS settings haven’t been saved to an OC Profile to easily recall them), the Safe Boot button resets the system, enabling it to boot at stock settings. Then, when you go into the BIOS it re-applies the last known settings for you to simply adjust and try again without having to remember every detail.
It’s great for quickly finding the upper limits of where a system will POST, without having to key in every setting again, every time it fails.
ReTry
Sometimes a ‘hard’ shutdown is required to force the system to boot normally. Holding down the power button and/or turning off the PSU at its rear switch takes a long time, so the ReTry button easily and quickly forces a 'hard reset', allowing the system to POST normally.
M.2 - 32Gbit/s PCIE Gen3 x4
The M.2 slot is cunningly placed along the right-hand side of the board, with a max bandwidth of up to 32Gbit/s thanks to the PCIE Gen3 x4 link, with extra long '22110' (110mm) devices supported as well. For those who want to use multiple M.2 devices, the ASUS Hyper M.2 X4 PCIE add-in card will drop into any PCIE x4 or longer slot.
SATA Express - Two 10Gbit/s ports
The Rampage V Extreme features two 10Gbps SATA Express ports in addition to the SATA 6Gbps ports. The two SATA-E ports are backward compatible to provide an extra four SATA III ports, and are a combination powered by Intel X99 and ASMedia ASM106SE. Given our extensive SATA-E experience and the fact we have worked closely with both ASMedia and Intel, we have tuned the performance to be equal across them both, so you will always get the best SATA-E results.
SupremeFX 2014 Sound
This generation we've equipped the Extreme with SupremeFX 2014 – the same high quality audio featured in the Maximus VII Ranger, Hero and Gene motherboards. This has all the hardware advantages of EMI shielding and redline PCB isolation, ELNA capacitors, headphone AMPing and the full 2014 Sonic software suite as well.
WiFi - AC 1300 3T3R
Bundled into the rear IO is the fastest onboard WiFi to date. With 3x3 antennas (3T3R) the wireless reception potential is greater and performance is up to 1300Mbit/s with a compatible 802.11ac router (RT-AC66, RT-AC68, RT-AC87 or RT-AC3200 for example).
The best Gigabit Ethernet: Intel i218v + ROG GameFirst III + ROG LANGuard
Just like the Maximus VII series motherboards, the Rampage V Extreme gets the full complement of Gigabit Ethernet hardware, with the latest Intel i218v chipset, LANGuard socket and GameFirst III software that prioritizes game or app data, at your command. See our previous tests that articulate the proven benefit of Intel Gigabit Ethernet and LANGuard.
