The ASUS Extreme Striker II is the first nForce 790i Ultra SLI-based board we review this month. The board is targeted at the extreme high-end perform¬ance demanding enthusiast.

ASUS has implemented several design changes. There are loads of copper heat blocks and pipes. To stop the heat sink fins from scratching, there are small strips of flat metal on each of heat sink, which also gives them a very eye-catching look. There's even a glowing Republic of Garners logo on the board. The main heat sink also has a provision to attach a water cooling kit-all the necessary connectors and washers are provided.

The focus on overclockers and enthusiasts is visible in the CMOS. The first menu that opens has all the over clocking features and menus right there. Overclockers will love this board. Other than a minor bump in the memory bench¬marks, there is no other real improvement in the board. Game benchmarks also showed a 1 or 2 per cent improvement in Doom 3.



ASUS' energy saving EPU is built into the board, but there isn't the Express Gate features that allowed users to use the computer and the Internet, without booting into an OS. SupremeFX II is provided as an add-on module for sound that goes on to your motherboard. The box comes with Company of Heroes: Opposing Force and Kaspersky Antivirus.

The 790i doesn't offer anything special today and with DDR3 prices still not affordable for the masses, even the cheapest 790i boards don't impress large numbers. The ASUS Extreme Striker II doesn't give a bonus performance boost, but it does give you a whole flexibility. The features and quality of the board is top notch, but at Rs 27,000, it is ridiculously expensive.

Specifications

LGA 775 socket,
Chipset: nForce 790i Ultra SU,
Up to 1600 MHz FSB,
Supports up to 2000 MHz DDR3 RAM Oc.