Sydney, Australia, October 31, 2008 – ASUS, manufacturer of world-leading motherboards, has announced the most advanced and highest performing enthusiast motherboard at present: the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Rampage II Extreme.

In keeping with ROG’s commitment to producing cutting-edge, boundary-breaking products for serious gamers and overclockers, the ROG Rampage II Extreme incorporates the latest innovations and components into its architecture. Elements including the latest Intel chipset and SLI/CrossFireX on Demand deliver blistering performance through its support for the new range of Intel processors and multi-GPU technologies such as 3-Way SLI and CrossFireX™. To enable users to push the new platform’s capabilities to the limit, the ROG Rampage II Extreme features ROG Extreme Engine, a true multi-phase power management system – 16 phases for the CPU and 3 phases each for QPI/DRAM, the Northbridge and memory – with premium Multilayer type Polymer Capacitors (ML Caps) that keep the power supply stable, even under the most demanding loads.

The ROG Rampage II Extreme helps overclockers build the fastest machines in the fastest time possible – innovative overclocking solutions, TweakIt and ProbeIt enable overclockers to adjust and monitor frequency and voltage settings directly from the motherboard itself, thus allowing maximum performance thrust from systems quickly and conveniently. TweakIt enables overclockers to make real-time changes to the system’s core frequency, voltage and other parameters using the joystick-like control on the motherboard itself – even while the benchmark utility is running. At no point does software come into play; the tweaking is completely hardware-based. ProbeIt, on the other hand, takes the guesswork out of locating the motherboard’s measurement points, distinguishing them clearly so that users will know exactly where they will be able to get quick yet accurate readings using a multitester. There are eight sets of detection points in total.

Supporting the new Intel CPU chipset, the ROG Rampage II Extreme enables users to reap the performance benefits of Intel’s latest processor microarchitecture including increased speed, superior multitasking, DDR3-1800(OC) memory support and greater energy efficiency. Overclockers can also push the new generation of CPUs to the max with the ROG Rampage II Extreme – ROG Extreme Engine – a next-generation, dynamic, multi-phase power management system equipped with high performance ML Caps that ensure a stable power supply during overvoltage by lowering ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) – keeping mission-critical components such as the processor, system memory and the Northbridge reliable. With support for the latest Intel chipset and additional overclocking headroom offered by ROG Extreme Engine, the ROG Rampage II Extreme is set to take system performance to a new level.

The ROG Rampage II Extreme also realises the overclocker’s dream – SLI graphics technology on an Intel chipset-based platform. Many users have risked ‘bricking’ their motherboards and voiding warranties by running cracked SLI drivers on unlicensed platforms. The ROG Rampage II Extreme features SLI/CrossFireX on Demand, providing support for 3-Way SLI. This means that users will be able to install up to three 3-Way SLI-capable graphics cards. Users do still have the flexibility though to run a CrossFireX setup instead of an SLI one. Users are guaranteed jaw-dropping graphics performance at a level previously unseen.

Rounding off the stellar package is the inclusion of a SupremeFX X-Fi sound card, precluding the need for users to purchase a separate audio device. SupremeFX X-Fi utilises established X-Fi technologies such as CMSS-3D and EAX to deliver immersive and crystal clear multichannel audio both during gaming and while enjoying other forms of multimedia entertainment.

The ASUS ROG Rampage II Extreme is available through computer resellers with a recommended retail price of AU$649 and NZ$699 (prices inclusive of GST).

Specifications

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