Asus Maximus VII Ranger & Hero Motherboard Review

1. Introduction2. Asus Maximus VII Ranger3. Asus Maximus VII Hero4. Z97 ROG BIOS5. Z97 ROG Software6. Testing Methodology7. Tests: System-related8. Tests: Processor-related9. Tests: Gaming-related10. Tests: Motherboard-related11. Overclocking: Frequencies12. Overclocking: Performance13. Technical: Power Consumption14. Closing Thoughts15. View All Pages

Asus has done a lot of things right with the Maximus VII Ranger and Maximus VII Hero Z97 motherboards.

Both motherboards offer the features that gamers desire, while cutting down on the high-end functions that do little more than add cost to a gaming system.

Firstly concentrating on the Maximus VII Ranger, Asus made a bold move to introduce a new SKU that undercut the Hero's price point, but it is a move that has paid off.

From a performance point of view, the Maximus VII Ranger certainly isn't lacking. Its overclocking capability is strong, even if it is slightly out-shined by higher priced parts in terms of simplicity. And there's no question that the board's lip-licking appearance is one of the key factors that makes it a smart purchase.

The Ranger is embedded with Asus' excellent UEFI in the ROG flavour and accompanied by a host of useful software. And as far as hardware goes, SLI and CrossFire capability, a 10Gbps M.2 connector, SupremeFX audio, and an Intel I218-V NIC should keep most gamers happy.

If there's one gripe we have with the Ranger, it is the lack of SATA Express connector. Whether SATA Express or M.2 will become predominant in the market is still unclear, so we would have preferred Asus to include both options as standard.

Priced at £129.95 from OverclockersUK, we think that the Asus Maximus VII Ranger offers a great deal of bang for its very affordable buck and is clearly worthy of our highest – Must Have – award.

Pros:

• Plenty of gaming features.
• Good software bundle.
• Excellent UEFI.
• Solid overclocking capability, albeit after tweaking.
• Attractive colour scheme.

Cons:

• Overclocking requires additional patience and practice.
• No SATA Express connector.

KitGuru says: Packing a strong array of gamer-orientated features into its attractive form, the affordable Maximus VII Ranger is worthy of our highest award.

Now moving onto the Maximus VII Hero, Asus' extremely competitive SKU from Z87 still manages to prove itself as a strong option in the upper-mid range segment of the Z97 gaming motherboard market.

Performance of the Hero is competitive with that of other Z97-based motherboards. Overclocking-wise, the Hero is actually slightly stronger than its lower-priced sibling. However, the added complexities of overclocking Asus' part, as opposed to those from competing vendors, may go down as a negative with some users. And if the Ranger's appearance was excellent, the Maximus VII Hero and its streamlined LEDs is an even more attractive motherboard.

Utilising the same software suite as the cheaper Ranger and sporting a largely identical (except for a few power settings) UEFI, one does wonder what that extra £30 over the Ranger buys. For a start, there's an extra pair of SATA 6Gbps ports from ASMedia's ASM1061 chipset. The power delivery system is enhanced, and does seem to offer better overclocking performance. And of course, the added lighting adds something to the cost.

With that said, I do not think that the Hero is worth an extra £30 over the Ranger, unless you are in need of those extra two speed-handicapped SATA ports. Of course, the added lights and potentially enhanced overclocking performance may seal the deal for some gamers, but I personally think that the brilliance of Asus' Maximus VII Ranger has stolen much of the Hero's limelight.

Available for £159.95 from OverclockersUK, the Maximus VII Hero is a very good motherboard that is worth purchasing. But if you don't require the extra two SATA ports, added LEDs, or slightly stronger power delivery system, saving £30 and opting for the Ranger would be a sensible move.

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Pros:

• Plenty of gaming features.
• Good software bundle.
• Excellent UEFI.
• Strong overclocking capacity for those who can make use of it.
• Attractive colour scheme and lighting effects.

Cons:

• Overclocking requires additional patience and practice.
• No SATA Express connector.
• £30 price increase over the Ranger may be hard to justify for some gamers.

KitGuru says: A well-balanced motherboard filled with gaming features and additional appearance enhancements, the Maximus VII Hero is worth buying if the Ranger doesn't quite fit your bill.

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