CPU Frequency, Power, and Temperatures
The information below is taken from HWInfo64, which takes the information from motherboard and CPU sensors. A 10 minutes loop of Cinebench R23 was used to load the system.
In this test, the Intel defaults limit our power consumption to right around the 246w mark. This is roughly the same thing we’ve seen with previous motherboards we’ve tested. When the ASUS defaults are used, the gloves come off so to speak but the CPU doesn’t pull all that much more power. About 11w give or take. As we saw in the testing above, this doesn’t really make a huge difference in real world performance. In some cases it even negatively impacts that performance.
We never saw the CPU break 5100MHz running on Intel or ASUS default settings. Obviously, this was the case on a manual overclock as well. This is simply the most our cooling would allow us to achieve. An AIO, even a good one is barely enough when you are pushing a 12900K super hard. With custom water you can do a bit better as seen in the tests using the MAXIMUS Z690 EXTREME. That being said, the average clocks of the APEX were a little higher than that of the Biostar Z690 GTA Racing we tested a while back. It clocked around 4400MHz on average if memory serves. This undoubtedly comes from a couple of things. Primarily, a more mature UEFI and secondly a much better VRM implementation.
In this test, the temperatures were on the high side. It would show 100c to 101c and was at the edge of throttling constantly. In some cases, I’d have to let the system cool and then run the test to get through it without throttling. As I said, you can really push the envelope of an AIO with the 12900K. It puts out an incredible amount of heat, make no mistake about that. Again, ASUS’ defaults are slightly more aggressive and pushes the power envelope just a bit more.
Discussion (4 replies)
Join Discussion →Comment number one. Armoury crate sucks. It sucks big hairy old man testies. Seriously just take a look at the driver versions on offer in the app. And then go online and check with the driver vendors. Armoury is at least two revisions behind. Then go look at the Bios available from Asus directly. Yep... Armoury crate doesn't even see an update but you also won't know how many revisions behind you are because armoury crate doesn't even report on that. Armoury crate is just poorly done and needs to be retired.
I have an Asus TUF laptop and would have to agree with the Armory crate. I hated it so much on my Z690-E board that I regulated it to my back up PC that hardly gets used. Asus basically forces you to use it unfortunately.
I've not owned an Asus laptop, but at least with the motherboards, I've never felt required to use it. I usually try it once after a new build - remember why I hated it, then fresh install Windows again without it.
It is pretty useless in my opinion - all flash and no substance.
It's good to see more Z690 boards reviewed here, thanks.