Asus’ ROG Maximus XIII Hero hits the motherboard scene offering users an extended features list, premium styling, and a price tag of $499.99. While that’s certainly expensive, it’s no longer flagship motherboard territory in terms of pricing. The latest Hero includes loads of USB ports (including ultra-fast Thunderbolt Type-C), high-quality VRMs and four M.2 sockets. All that, plus a high-end appearance and overall good performance help make this board worth the cost of admission.
Asus’ current Z590 product stack consists of 13 models. Starting from the top, the ROG Maximus XIII Extreme and its water-cooled counterpart, the Extreme Glacial, carve out the flagship SKUs, followed by the ROG Hero and the overclocking focused ROG Apex. There are four other ROG Gaming boards, Z590-E/-F/-A/-I(ITX), along with two TUF Gaming boards and three Prime boards on the budget end. Asus presents a well-rounded product stack with boards and price points for just about everyone from top to bottom.
Overall, performance on our Hero was the best out of the boards we’ve tested so far. Granted, the difference isn’t much between most of the higher-performing boards ( which bypass the Intel specification), but the Hero and its out-of-the-box settings lead the group. Overclocking went without a hitch, easily handling our 5.1 GHz clock speed along with the memory set to DDR4 4000. Of the several boards we’ve looked at, this and the MSI MEG Ace were some of the easier boards to overclock and get the memory to speed with little or no tweaking.
Generation after generation, the Asus ROG Maximus line has delivered (what this reviewer considers to be) devilishly good looks and a long list of features for the high-end segment. The Maximus XIII Hero continues this trend, tweaking the appearance a bit from the last generation and making other changes including adding PCIe 4.0 support for M.2 sockets and PCIe slots, Wi-Fi 6E, dual Thunderbolt USB Type-C ports and more. We’ll take a look at those and other features in detail. Below is the full specifications list from Asus.
Specifications - Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero
| Socket | LGA 1200 |
| Chipset | Z590 |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| Voltage Regulator | 16 Phase (14+2, 90A MOSFETs) |
| Video Ports | (1) HDMI |
| USB Ports | (2) Thunderbolt 4, Type-C (40 Gbps) |
| (6) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-A (10 Gbps) | |
| (2) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) | |
| Network Jacks | (2) 2.5 GbE |
| Audio Jacks | (5) Analog + SPDIF |
| Legacy Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| Other Ports/Jack | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (2) v4.0 x16, (x16/x0, x8/x8, x8/x4) |
| (1) v3.0 x4 | |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x1 | (1) v3.0 x4 |
| CrossFire/SLI | Nvidia 2-Way SLI |
| DIMM slots | (4) DDR4 5333(OC), 128GB Capacity |
| M.2 slots | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe (up to 110mm) |
| (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe (up to 80mm) | |
| (1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe (up to 80mm) | |
| (1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm) | |
| U.2 Ports | ✗ |
| SATA Ports | (6) SATA3 6 Gbps (RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10) |
| USB Headers | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2x2 (Front Panel Type-C) |
| (2) USB v3.2 Gen 1 | |
| (2) USB v2.0 | |
| Fan/Pump Headers | (8) 4-Pin |
| RGB Headers | (3) aRGB Gen 2 (3-pin) |
| (1) Aura RGB (4-pin) | |
| Legacy Interfaces | ✗ |
| Other Interfaces | FP-Audio, TPM |
| Diagnostics Panel | Yes, 2-character debug LED, and 4-LED 'Status LED' display |
| Internal Button/Switch | Start and Flex Key |
| SATA Controllers | ✗ |
| Ethernet Controller(s) | (2) Intel I225-V (2.5 GbE) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Intel WiFi-6E AX210 (802.11ax, 2x2, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, BT 5.2) |
| USB Controllers | ✗ |
| HD Audio Codec | SupremeFX ALC4082 |
| DDL/DTS Connect | ✗ / ✗ |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
Along with the motherboard, the box includes several accessories ranging from cables to graphic card holders and a support DVD. For the price, this isn’t the most inclusive accessory stack we’ve come across, but it will get you started (hopefully) without a trip to the store. Below is a complete list of all included accessories.
- Support DVD
- User’s Manual
- Q-connector
- ROG stickers / keychain / thank you card
- Graphics card holder
- Wi-Fi Moving Antenna
- (4) SATA cables
- (1) Screw package for M.2 sockets
- (1) ARGB extension cable
- (1) RGB extension cable
Handarbeit
Focusing on the top half of the board, we get a better look at the massive heatsinks/shrouds that cover a significant portion of the board. Wedged between the heatpipe-connected VRM heatsink are two reinforced 8-pin EPS connectors (one required) to send power to the CPU. To the right of the socket area and its gunmetal-colored capacitors are four DRAM slots capable of supporting up to 128GB of RAM. Asus lists supported speeds up to DDR4 5333(OC). But as always, your mileage may vary.
Just above the DRAM slots are the first three 4-pin fan/pump headers (of eight total). Six headers (CPU, Chassis, and AIO_Pump, support up to 1A/12W while the W_Pump and H_Amp headers support up to 3A/36W. The AIO and W_Pump headers run at full speed while the rest are Q-Fan controlled.
Continuing right is the 2-character Q-Code debug LED, and just below it are the four Q-LEDs (CPU, DRAM, VGA and Boot) that light up during the boot process. If there is an issue during POST, that specific LED remains lit and tells you, generally, where the problem is. You can use the Q-Code display for more details.
Moving down the right edge, we see the first two (of four) RGB headers. In this area are two 3-pin (ARGB) headers. You’ll find the other two headers, a 4-pin RGB and a third 3-pin ARGB, across the bottom edge. Just below this is a large Start button to power the PC on and a smaller multi-function FlexKey button. By default, this reboots the system, but you can configure this as a quick access feature to activate Safe Boot or turn Aura lighting on/off. Further down the right edge is the 24-pin ATX power connector and below that, a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C front-panel header.
Asus went with a 14-phase ‘teamed’ VRM configuration for the XIII Hero. Power is sent to a Renesas ISL69269 controller (7+2+1), where each channel feeds two phases (no doubler inline). After that, it’s on to the 14 Texas Instrument NexFET 90A Smart Power stages. This allows the CPU to use up to 1260A, one of the higher values we’ve seen. While the Hero isn’t the most robust solution at this price point, it will have no issues with ambient and even extreme overclocking. You’ll be limited by CPU thermals long before this VRM gets in the way.
Taking a closer look at the bottom half of the board, we’ll start with the audio section on the left side. Underneath the plastic shroud, Asus chose the premium Realtek ALC4082 codec along with Chemicon brand Japanese audio capacitors. The Hero also includes an ESS Sabre9018Q2C DAC/Amp for driving your headphones properly. The onboard audio solution provides more than sufficient quality for an overwhelming majority of users.
In the middle of the board we find the PCIe slots and M.2 sockets. On the PCIe front, the Hero has three full-length PCIe slots and one x1 size slot. The top two PCIe slots are wired to the CPU and support PCIe 4.0 when using an 11th generation Intel processor. These top two slots run at x16/x0, x8/x8 or x8/x4 (lane bifurcation) and support Nvidia 2-Way SLI (AMD Crossfire is not mentioned in the specifications). The bottom full-length slot is fed from the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x4. Out of the box, the bottom slot runs at PCIe 3.0 x2 mode and disables SATA ports 3/4. If you need to run the bottom slot at the full x4 mode, SATA ports 1/2/3/4 get disabled.
The Maximus XIII Hero has four M.2 sockets mixed in with the PCIe slots. The top two sockets are both wired PCIe 4.0 x4. Asus accomplishes this by sharing bandwidth with the CPU-fed PCIe slots. When M.2_2 is enabled, the top PCIe slot runs at x8 and the second slot drops to x4. These sockets support PCIe modules only, with the top slot able to handle 110mm modules and the second slot up to 80mm. The third M.2 socket, connected to the chipset, runs at PCIe 3.0 x4 mode, supporting up to 80mm modules. The bottom socket supports up to 110mm PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA-based M.2 devices. If M.2_4 (bottom right) is populated, SATA ports 5/6 are disabled. There’s a fair amount of lane sharing between the SATA ports, M.2 sockets and PCIe slots. So be sure to check out the manual for details on your specific configuration.
To the right of the PCIe area is the chipset heatsink, with the ROG symbol illuminated with RGB LEDs from underneath. On the right edge is another fan header, six SATA ports and two USB 3.2 Gen1 front panel headers that bookend the SATA ports.
Across the board’s bottom are several headers and buttons, including more USB ports, fan headers and more. If you’re into monitoring your custom water loop, there are headers for temperature and water flow as well. You can keep an eye on your entire cooling system, be it air or water. Below is the full list, from left to right:
- Front-panel audio
- RGB and ARGB headers
- Retry button
- Chassis fan and High Amp fan headers
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- (2) Chassis fan headers
- Temperature sensor, water flow headers
- Speaker
- Front panel header
The Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero comes with a pre-installed rear IO panel sporting a black background with white writing for all of the ports and buttons. There are a total of 10 USB ports: two USB 2.0 ports, six USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A and two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports for ultra-fast USB storage. Located above the Type-C ports are the two 2.5 GbE ports, while next to those are the two Wi-Fi 6E antenna sockets. A single HDMI port handles video output when using integrated graphics. The audio stack is the full 5-plug analog, plus SPDIF output. Finally, also here are the BIOS flashback button to flash without a CPU and a Clear CMOS button.
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Firmware
Asus’s BIOS for Z590 looks the same as found on previous-generation Z490-based motherboards. Asus uses a red background with white writing on these ROG boards -- a theme we’re all familiar with. Asus starts off in “EZ” mode where it presents some high-level information along with a couple of adjustable options such as enabling XMP and Boot priority. Advanced Mode has a slew of BIOS options, many of which most users will not touch. Asus organized the BIOS well and many of the common functions are easily accessible without drilling deep into the pages. Overall, Asus offers a user-friendly BIOS with enough options to keep the most-advanced user busy.
Software
On the software side, Asus includes a couple of applications designed for varying functions. This includes RGB lighting control, system monitoring and overclocking, audio and more. Below we’ve captured a few screenshots of Ai Suite, the Armory Crate and Aura Creator.
Test System
As of March 2021, we’ve updated our test system to Windows 10 64-bit OS (20H2) with all threat mitigations applied. On the hardware front, we’ve switched to all PCIe 4.0 components. We upgraded our video card to an Asus RTX 3070 TUF Gaming and the storage device to a 2TB Phison PS5-18-E18 M.2. Along with the hardware changes, we’ve also updated the games to F1 2020 and Far Cry: New Dawn. We use the latest non-beta motherboard BIOS available to the public unless otherwise noted (typically during new platform launches). The hardware used is as follows:
| CPU | Intel i9-11900K |
| Memory | GSkill Trident Z Neo 2x8GB DDR4 3600 (F4-3600C16Q-32GTZN) |
| GSkill Trident Z Royale 2x8GB DDR4 4000 (F4-4000C18Q-32GTRS) | |
| GPU | Asus TUF Gaming RTX 3070 |
| CPU Cooler | Corsair H150i |
| PSU | Corsair AX1200i |
| Software | Windows 10 64-bit 20H2 |
| Graphics Driver | NVIDIA Driver 461.40 |
| Sound | Integrated HD audio |
| Network | Integrated Networking (GbE or 2.5 GbE) |
Benchmark Settings
| Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings | |
| PCMark 10 | Version 2.1.2508 64 |
| Essentials, Productivity, Digital Content Creation, MS Office | |
| 3DMark | Version 2.17.7137 64 |
| Firestrike Extreme and Time Spy Default Presets | |
| Cinebench R20 | Version RBBENCHMARK271150 |
| Open GL Benchmark - Single and Multi-threaded | |
| Application Tests and Settings | |
| LAME MP3 | Version SSE2_2019 |
| Mixed 271MB WAV to mp3: Command: -b 160 --nores (160Kb/s) | |
| HandBrake CLI | Version: 1.2.2 |
| Sintel Open Movie Project: 4.19GB 4K mkv to x264 (light AVX) and x265 (heavy AVX) | |
| Corona 1.4 | Version 1.4 |
| Custom benchmark | |
| 7-Zip | Version 19.00 |
| Integrated benchmark | |
| Game Tests and Settings | |
| F1 2020 | Ultra Preset - 1920 x 1080, TAA, 16xAF (Australia, Clear, Dry) |
| Far Cry: New Dawn | Ultra Preset - 1920 x 1080 |
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Benchmark Results
Our standard benchmarks and power tests are performed using the CPU’s stock frequencies (including stock Thermal Velocity Boost), with all power-saving features enabled. Optimized defaults are set in the BIOS and the memory set using the XMP profiles. For this baseline testing, Windows is set to the balanced power plan.
Synthetic Benchmarks
Synthetics are a great tool to figure out if a board runs out of spec, as identical settings should produce similar performance results. Advanced memory timings are the one place where motherboard makers can still optimize for either stability or performance, though, and those settings can impact some testing.
Performance in the synthetic benchmarks was spot on compared to the boards we’ve tested so far. The Maximus XIII Hero, in general, ran as fast as or ever so slightly faster in these synthetic benchmarks than most boards we’ve tested. We didn’t see any performance anomalies here.
Timed Applications
In our timed applications, LAME testing was, surprisingly, on the slow side of average, running it in 11.6 seconds (most results are 11.3-11.4). Corona results came in at 82 seconds, a tie for the fastest result between the Gigabyte Aorus Master and MSI MEG Ace.
3D Games and 3DMark
We’ve recently updated our game tests to F1 2020 and Far Cry: New Dawn. The games run at 1920x1080 resolution using the Ultra preset. As the resolution goes up, the CPU tends to have less of an impact. The goal with these settings is to determine if there are differences in performance at the most commonly used resolution with settings most people use or at least strive for.
In our gaming/graphics testing, the Hero scored among all the other boards in 3DMark Time Spy and Fire Strike. The 16,220 result in Fire Strike and 13,549 in Time Spy are the highest we’ve seen (though negligibly) using this Rocket Lake CPU. Gaming results were also the fastest we’ve seen so far using this processor, if only by a small margin (almost 2%)—nothing out of the ordinary here.
Power Consumption / VRM Temperatures
We used AIDA64’s System Stability Test with Stress CPU, FPU and Cache enabled for power testing, using the peak power consumption value. With Rocket Lake, we need to disable AVX-512 instruction sets otherwise, temperatures are out of control at stock speeds on some boards. The wattage reading is from the wall via a Kill-A-Watt meter to capture the entire ecosystem. The only variable that changes is the motherboard; all other parts are the same.
Our Maximus XIII Hero ended up in the middle of the pack, averaging 162W between idle and load states. During idle, the Hero sipped on power running at 59W, the second most efficient result. Under our AIDA64 stress-test load, the system peaked at 265W, which is right around average when testing with the i9-11900K processor.
Asus’ 90A VRMs easily handled our CPU at stock and while overclocked. The VRMs ran well within specification during both sets of tests. In fact, of the boards that do not have active cooling (or water cooling), it was the coolest by a couple of degrees, peaking at just over 50 degrees Celsius. When overclocked, temperatures didn’t change much from stock because the voltage we use was close to what the Hero uses by default anyway. To that end, the Hero again peaked at 50 degrees Celsius. You don’t have to worry about stock operations or overclocking with this VRM and its cooling ability.
Overclocking
When overclocking the i9-11900K, we decided to do so by testing without AVX-512 instructions. When you unlock all of the power limits, you’re thermally limited, with the CPU reaching 100 degrees Celsius in several seconds. Since every board is different in terms of following (or don’t follow) Intel specifications, we’ve removed that variable. The bottom line is that if you need to use these instructions, you’ll need to set a significant offset compared to non-AVX-512 loads. To that end, we settled on a 5.1 GHz overclock at around 1.3V. Our CPU uses around 225W in this configuration, which lands between stock power use (195W) and AVX-512 power use (~265W) and is the end of the line due to thermal constraints.
Overclocking on the Maximus XIII Hero was as easy as any other motherboard so far. The BIOS puts all of the options you need at your fingertips so you don’t have to move to different sections to find the option you’re looking for. Vdroop was tolerable on Auto settings so we left it as is (default is level 4).
On the memory front, the Maximus XIII Hero DDR4 3600 sticks at a 1:1 ratio (Gear 1) and didn’t have any issues with the DDR4 4000 kit. AIDA results have the Hero comparable to some of the fastest results we have so far regarding bandwidth. Latency was 48.9ns which is the second-fastest result so far. We had no issues working with the memory on this board.
Final Thoughts
The latest Asus Hero motherboard hits the store shelves as a well-rounded, feature-laden solution in the upper-midrange tier of Z590 motherboards. From the more-than-capable 90A power phases and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports to the four PCIe 4.0 M.2 sockets and the premium audio bits, the board does its best to justify the $499.99 price.
Performance compared to the other Z590 models we’ve tested to this point was spot on, and often negligibly faster in many of our tests. Memory testing went without a hitch, with DDR4 3600 supported at 1:1 and easily handling the DDR4 4000 kit (at the expected 1:2 ratio). Performance and overclocking aren’t a concern.
If there is something I would like to see that needs improvement, I’d have to say the price. Due in part to tariffs and component shortages, plus the addition of PCIe 4.0, all of these Z590 based boards saw a more significant increase than we’re used to. Where we typically see $25-$50 increases generation over generation for the same board (this varies, of course), the Hero went up nearly 25% or $100. Outside of that, my only concern is more of a warning to keep an eye on lane sharing when using the M.2 sockets with PCIe/SATA-based devices. Since they use the PCIe slot’s bandwidth, you’ll want to pay attention to what is being slowed oe disabled as it isn’t just SATA ports.
As far as competition at this price point, ASRock has the Z590 Taichi ($459.99), MSI’s MEG Z590 Ace ($499.99), the Gigabyte Aorus Master ($409.99), and there’s the Biostar Valkyrie as well ($400-$450). If M.2 storage options, high-end audio and power delivery are your primary drivers for buying, the Asus has you covered. If you need the fastest wired networking available, the Gigabyte and its 10 GbE should be your weapon of choice. Gigabyte’s Aorus Master is the least-expensive option of all these listed and is the best bang for the buck in this class.
Overall, the Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero has the premium parts and looks to support its place at this price point. From its clean, high-end appearance to the robust power delivery, four M.2 sockets and premium audio solution, the Hero is a well-rounded motherboard. If you’re looking for an upper mid-range sub-$500 motherboard, the Maximus XIII Hero should be on your shortlist.
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