14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that the ROG G73Jh laptop isn't the only Republic of Gamers product that ASUS is releasing and showcasing during the Consumer Electronics Show. The hardware manufacturer has unveiled yet another X58 motherboard, which not only supports high-performance LGA 1366 central processing units (CPUs), but has enough expansion and connectivity possibilities for any hard-core gamer or overclocking enthusiast. The motherboard is dubbed the ROG Rampage III Extreme and is built on the X58 core logic.
The motherboard not only has support for the aforementioned CPUs, but is even designed with as many as six DDR3 memory slots, setting the stage for enough memory to push any processor over the top. RAM isn't the only area in which the board excels, however. Four PCI Express x 16 expansion slots will enable end-users to set up CrossFireX or SLI multi GPU configurations using up to four identical graphics cards. The PCI Express lanes are supported by an NVIDIA nForce 200 bridge chip.
Among the storage capabilities, connectivity options and I/O that the Rampage III Extreme is designed with are eSATA, seven SATA 3.0 ports, two SATA 6.0 Gbps ports and even two USB 3.0 connectors. The product also boasts a PLX chip (which provides extra PCIe lanes), FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 channel audio and a host of buttons and features meant for overclocking, even allowing for settings to be tweaked via Bluetooth.
In addition to its overall performance capabilities, the Republic of Gamers Rampage III Extreme motherboard from ASUS uses lower-profile cooling on the chipset itself, which allows for the employment of bulky but highly capable CPU coolers.
There is no information on the exact pricing and availability, but the board is set to debut sometime during the first quarter of the ongoing year. The product's price will most likely be as high-end as the motherboard itself.