DIMM.2 slot design for overclocking efficiency and 12 toolkits in the main body

ASUS announced the first launch of the new ROG series motherboard, the 'ROG MAXIMUS IX APEX (hereinafter APEX)' model.

This new product, which supports the 7th generation processor Kaby Lake, is equipped with the Intel Z270 chipset.


▲ ROG MAXIMUS IX APEX

Prior to its official launch, the product was designed by incorporating various feedback from tests conducted by renowned overclockers worldwide. As a result, it broke a total of 8 world records and achieved first place in 13 categories across global overclocking communities such as HWBOT. Notably, it set a record of 7.3GHz in an LN2 overclocking environment.

The newly introduced APEX features an exterior design inspired by aircraft models, featuring a heatsink and a PCB shape resembling the letter 'X'. You can also utilize Aura RGB lighting control and Aura Sync features.

The design of the 'DIMM.2 slot' features functions designed to enhance overclocking efficiency and suppress heat. The APEX model supports the installation of two DDR4 memory modules by default. By installing an expansion module in the additional DIMM.2 slot, a total of two M.2 SSDs can be utilized via the DDR4 interface, operating in PCIe 3.0 x4 mode. Furthermore, additional performance improvements can be expected by configuring RAID using separate storage installed via PCIe slots.

The product body is equipped with 12 toolkits designed to maximize overclocking efficiency. It features a total of four 'QLEDs' to check the boot status, an 'LN2 mode jumper' that optimizes LN2 hardware for overclocking, and a 'Slow mode switch' that temporarily reduces the CPU multiplier to x8 under LN2 mode. In addition, a total of 12 toolkits, including a Pause switch, PCIe switch, and DRAM jumper, assist with OC settings.