ASUS Maximus VI HERO motherboard review - Product Showcase

Product Showcase

The Z87 Maximus VI Hero is what I consider to be a high-end grade and class product, though priced in the upper range of mainstream. The Hero will fill the gap between the Formula and the Gene series, giving standard form factor users the ROG experience and quality without the price of the Formula and Extreme. The board is aimed and paired with Haswell processors (fourth-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Part of the ASUS Republic of Gamers brand, the Maximus VI HERO is targeted for users who like to build a gaming system. 

The Maximus VI HERO has been updated to support Intel Haswell 1150 socket and has a Z87 chipset.

Included with the motherboard are the standards like SATA cables, manual, driver CD, IO rear back-plate and then some more gear like an NVIDIA SLI Bridge, ASUS Q-Connect adapters, oh and there is a "Do Not Disturb" sign for your door knob.

When we take a closer look at the rear I/O back panel it reveals four USB 2.0 ports with another four USB 3.0 ports. The motherboard features three 16x PCI-E 3.0 slots (Max two at x8, three 8x, one 4x) and then has three mini PCI-E.

A Realtek ALC1150 high definition audio codec is the source for audio and we spot fast Ethernet (Intel I217-V). There is a PS/2 combo port that can be used for either a keyboard or a mouse. You'll see one optical SPDIF in/out port and six audio jacks. The one HDMI connector, no DisplayPort though? Then there's a clear BIOS switch button can be spotted.

The motherboard is following the previous design schema of the Maximus V Z87 fairly closely in looks, feel and design. The Z87 Maximus VI Hero is the more affordable mobo within the ROG series. If you look at the CPU area heatsinks, you'll noticed that they have changed in terms of shape. You'll immediately recognize the distinct ROG black and red color scheme across the board. Overall a nice looking board design.