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The ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) is a premium Z390 offering that will tick the vast majority of boxes for enthusiast gamers and performance aficionados.
Performance proved to be solid throughout our testing and we were pleased to be able to take our Core i7-9700K to a stable 5GHz frequency without any cooling concerns.
The VRM solution chosen by ASUS is undeniably meagre for a premium motherboard with a price tag pushing £300. We did not run into any major problems that were driven by the limited control granularity between power phases. With that said, Core i9-9900K users that are pushing hard to extract additional performance from their power-hungry CPU are less likely to be as satisfied.
Backed up with the usual cohort of exceptional ROG features, software offerings and the UEFI implementation are key strengths for ASUS. The AI Overclocking tool seemed to do a decent job but we do not see it as a replacement for manual overclocking, especially to users who are passionate enough to drop £280 on a motherboard.
In terms of physical features, the ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) sees the same trend as for past Hero SKUs. ASUS offers two M.2 slots in a market segment where competitors offer three. Thankfully, both of the slots on the Hero are equipped with a solid heatsink, and ASUS' Z390 lane allocation is smart. The inclusion of a single Gigabit Ethernet port is also lacking compared to some high-speed alternatives from ASRock.
The included Intel Wireless-AC 9560 Wi-Fi solution proved to be speedy and ASUS' GameFirst V software did a good job at allocating traffic to both network connections. Users wanting to connect their high-speed fibre connections or local servers to upstairs games rooms are likely to be well-served by the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) motherboard's included wireless solution.
Where ASUS' Hero shines is in terms of fan headers, stability features, and RGB control. It is highly unlikely that users will need more fan connections than the Maximus XI Hero offers, and the onboard buttons and LEDs prove their worth in times of troubleshooting. ASUS' RGB LED implementation is minimal but AURA software control proves its value when controlling partnering hardware.
While many of the features provided by ASUS' ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) will please prospective buyers, the cost-cutting approach taken with respect to the 8-phase 4-phase VRM solution is likely to leave a sour taste to some users forking out £280 on a premium Z390 motheboard. At this end of the market, we would also appreciate a more performance-focused approach to the VRM heatsink design, as we have seen on the high-end Aorus offerings in particular.
Criticism surrounding the VRM solution and chosen cooling method may appear slightly harsh when the ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) performed well throughout our testing. However, with the fine margins existing between high-end motherboard offerings, those sticking points may make prospective buyers slightly less happy about dropping £280 on a product that has some overly-agressive cost-cutting measures.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi) is priced at £295.99 at Overclockers UK. Stock is currently awaiting an ETA at the time of writing.
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Pros:
- Plenty of fan headers with excellent control.
- Conservative, neutral styling.
- Good RGB control and ample headers.
- Excellent UEFI.
- Smart AI Overclocking tool.
- Solid M.2 heatsinks.
- Strong Wi-Fi solution with Multi-Gate Teaming software.
- Onboard buttons and LEDs.
- High quality audio solution.
Cons:
- Cost-cutting with a 4-phase VRM solution.
- No 2.5 Gigabit NIC.
- Two M.2 slots when competitors have three.
KitGuru says: A premium Z390 offering with plenty of features to keep enthusiasts happy, even if they do have to pay for such priviledges.
