ASUS ROG Crosshair III Formula Motherboard For Phenom II CPUs

ASUS' latest motherboard for AMD Phenom II processors has been announced.  The ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers) Crosshair III Formula uses the AMD AM3 socket platform, together with CPU Level Up real-time overclocking and bundling a SupremeFX X-Fi sound card.

The Crosshair III Formula also includes ASUS' MemOK!, the company's memory upgrade tool.  This offers a set of failsafe settings said to work with even faulty RAM and allow the PC to at least boot:

"In the event of a boot failure after installing new RAM, all the user has to do is press an easily accessible button on the motherboard and MemOK! will automatically load the failsafe settings needed to ensure a successful system boot. MemOK! is able to rapidly detect and resolve memory issues—even if bad or unstable memory is used" ASUS 

Connections are five SATA-II 3.0Gbps, one eSATA and one UltraDMA 133, gigabit LAN, four DDR3 1600 channels supporting up to 16GB, dual firewire and 12 USB 2.0 connections.  The board is also ATI CrossFireX compatible, and will work with ASUS' ROG OC Station, a bay-mounted overclocking controller with 3-inch LCD.  No word on pricing or availability as yet.

Press Release:

Set Your Sights on Blazing Benchmarks with the ROG Crosshair III Formula

ASUS' New Socket AM3 Motherboard Unlocks the Full Potential of AMD Phenom II Processors

ASUS, the world's leading producer of motherboards, today put world record-breaking power into the hands of AMD Phenom II users with the launch of the ROG (Republic of Gamers) Crosshair III Formula. Based on the AMD Socket AM3 platform, the Crosshair III Formula harnesses its full arsenal of ROG-exclusive features and technologies to unleash the full overclocking potential of Phenom II processors—enabling budget-conscious enthusiasts and gamers to enjoy extreme levels of performance at an affordable mid-price point.

"The Crosshair III Formula motherboard will help users utilize the full potential of the AMD Phenom II processor. The motherboard is loaded with unique features like CPU Level Up to allow real-time overclocking and is a great board for enthusiasts looking for a mid range solution that is high on features and performance." Commented Mr. Vinay Shetty – Country Head – Component Products ASUS (India).

Poised for Chart-topping Overclocking Performance

AMD's Phenom II processors have proven capable of being pushed to incredible frequencies when backed by the right hardware—such as the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe—setting several 3DMark06 and CPU-Z world records in recent times. The Crosshair III Formula, with its comprehensive array of industry-leading ROG features, is set to take Phenom II overclocking a big step further—both in terms of benchmarks and simplicity. ASUS' exclusive CPU Level Up feature, for example, delivers the best of both worlds, enabling gamers without much overclocking knowledge to 'upgrade' their existing processor's performance to that of a better, more expensive processor with just a click or two.

MemOK! The World's Only One-click Memory Rescue Tool

Memory compatibility issues are often the bane of system upgraders and ASUS is the only motherboard manufacturer in the world that has devised an ingenious tool solely to tackle memory-related problems. Called MemOK!, ASUS' exclusive innovation takes the guesswork and anxiety out of memory upgrading, restoring user confidence and peace of mind. In the event of a boot failure after installing new RAM, all the user has to do is press an easily accessible button on the motherboard and MemOK! will automatically load the failsafe settings needed to ensure a successful system boot. MemOK! is able to rapidly detect and resolve memory issues—even if bad or unstable memory is used!

Supreme In-game Audio with SupremeFX X-Fi and Seamless OC Station Compatibility

The Crosshair III Formula is bundled with a SupremeFX X-Fi sound card that delivers crisp audio and incredibly realistic EAX in-game sound effects. X-Fi CMSS3D's groundbreaking positional audio gives gamers a distinct in-game advantage, while Crystalizer enhances overall audio quality dramatically.

The Crosshair III Formula is also fully compatible with the new ROG OC Station, a pure hardware-based, bay-mounted device with a large 3-inch display that takes overclocking to a whole new level of ease, accuracy and sophistication. When used in conjunction with the Crosshair III Formula, the futuristic-looking OC Station grants users on-the-fly access to overclocking parameters, fan speeds, system information and the Crosshair III Formula's ROG-exclusive features.

Specifications

Model

ROG Crosshair III Formula

CPU

AMD socket AM3 Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 processors

Chipset

AMD® 790FX Chipset

System Bus

Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0

Memory

4 x DIMM, Dual Channel, up to 16GB

DDR3 1600(O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz

Expansion slot

2 x PCIe2.0 x16 slot

3 x PCIe2.0 x1( the PCIEx1_1 (black) is compatible with audio slot)

1 x PCI 2.2

Multi-GPU

ATI CrossFireX™

Storage

5 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

1 x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s

1 x UltraDMA 133

LAN

Gigabit LAN

Audio

SupremeFX X-Fi 8-Ch. Audio with EAX4.0 support

Other I/O ports

1*PS/2, 1*eSATA, 1*IEEE1394a, 1*Clr CMOS, 1*LAN, 6*USB

USB / IEEE1394a

12 x USB2.0 / 2 x 1394a ports

Fan connector

8 (1 x CPU / 1 x PWR / 3 x Chassis / 3 x Optional)

Software (Full version)

Kaspersky anti-virus, Futuremark® 3DMark™06 Advanced Edition

Features

MemOK!, SupremeFX X-Fi, CPU Level Up, Keyboard-TweakIt, Extreme Tweaker, iROG, Loadline Calibration, LCD Poster, Voltiminder LED

Form Factor

ATX, 12"x 9.6" (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

Note: Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.