So far the ASUS Maximus IX line-up consists of five motherboards and two of them are completely new models. Apparently the Maximus IX Formula is the successor of the Maximus VIII Formula and therefore not a new but an upgraded model. At a first glance not much has changed, so we have to look for details to see what has happened.


The Maximus IX Formula has been equipped with ASUS' "armor", which is a plastic cover on the front and a sturdy metal plate on the back. Apart from that there is the Aura RGB backlight, which allows to change the illumination of the board from within Windows. The layout is the same that we can find on the "Code". There are also three full-sized and metal-strengthened PCIe slots, which have been wired with 16/8/8 lanes top to bottom.

On the storage side we see two M.2 slots, one is hidden underneath a removable cover of ASUS Armor and the other one can be vertically mounted in the bottom right corner of the motherboard. There is a total of six SATA ports and no SATA Express connectors anymore. With Z270 it’s interesting to see that unsuccessful SATA Express is finally going away. What’s practical for overclockers or people who used their system on an open bench table is the USB 3.1 port, which is close to the 24-pin connector.

Like with the predecessor the VRM received water cooling from EK Water Blocks and several fan headers for pumps, AIO water blocks and fans. Apparently the Maximus IX Formula is the right motherboard for water cooling lovers. Since the Formula belongs to high-end series is not a surprise to find features like onboard buttons and debug display.

Like the old model this is certainly a good looking motherboard, although we don't really appreciate all this plastic covers on motherboards. We believe it would be about time somebody comes up with a design that looks fresh.