An important update for ROG Maximus Z690 Formula owners

Feb 22, 2023 Written by:Aaronasher Su

The ROG Maximus Z690 Formula motherboard with the open CPU socket, RAM slots, and water cooled VRM heatsink visible.

The ROG Maximus Formula line of motherboards has a unique feature: if you run a liquid cooling loop in your system, you can include the motherboard’s CrossChill III VRM water block in your loop as an alternative to using it as an air-cooled heatsink. However, a problem has been identified on some ROG Maximus Z690 Formula motherboards — read on to see if you may have been affected, and how ASUS is dedicated to fixing the issue. 

Developed in partnership with EK, the CrossChill VRM thermal solution on the ROG Maximus Z690 Formula uses a new electroless nickel plating. In certain configurations, this plating can break down, leading to galvanic corrosion inside the block's water channel. At present, this issue only affects the Maximus Z690 Formula. 

If you’ve been affected by this issue, we recommend ceasing use of the Maximus Z690 Formula’s CrossChill III VRM solution and contacting ASUS customer support for your region. We’re doing everything we can to look after our loyal customers, so we’re currently offering a choice of two solutions to affected users: either you can return the board for a full refund or a replacement.  

ROG is committed to our customers. If you currently use or plan on using the ROG Maximus Z690 Formula’s CrossChill VRM block in a liquid cooling loop, contact our support team and we’ll take care of you.