ROG Maximus XII Hero is the perfect foundation to the Republic of Gamers. It's a gaming motherboard that packs substantial power, smart cooling and faster memory support under a stealthy skin. Loaded with renowned ROG features, from AI overclocking and AI cooling to attention-grabbing Aura Sync illumination, Maximus XII Hero is ready to perform and crafted for customization.

Intelligent Motherboard

Our ROG engineers developed and extensively-tested intelligent software solutions to ensure your system stays in optimal condition.     

AI Overclocking

Tuning is now faster and smarter than ever before. AI Overclocking profiles the CPU and cooling to predict the optimal configuration for each system.    

AI Cooling

AI Cooling automatically manages and controls motherboard connected fans, ensuring the most efficient settings depending on the current system load and temperature.    

AI Networking

GameFirst VI optimizes and organizes network bandwidth, effectively reducing jitter and eliminating spike lag to ensure smooth online gameplay.

Performance

The Intel Comet Lake processor features 10 cores and a peak single-core Turbo speed that exceeds 5.3 GHz right out of the box. To cope with this increased demand on the system, Maximus XII Hero takes advantage of its intelligent VRM design and uses quality components to ensure the best gaming and daily productive computing experience.

Teamed Power Architecture

Today’s CPU architectures place incredible demands on motherboard power design by transitioning from deep power saving modes , going from lower-power mode to full load in an instant. Our latest VRM architecture rises to the challenge by utilizing teamed power stages to rapidly swing current, while maintaining exemplary thermal performance.    

A brief history

We became the first manufacturer to implement phase-doublers when we shipped our A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard, back in 2005. The board's VRM was lauded for elegantly overcoming the power handling capabilities of components that were available at the time and also reducing voltage ripple. Those benefits led to phase-doublers becoming universally accepted in the industry, and they are still used for similar purposes today.    

A shift in CPU demands

While doublers help extend the number of effective phases, they do so at the cost of a processing delay.

However, today’s CPUs now pack more cores than their predecessors, and the latest instruction sets allow them to crunch computationally dense workloads at an incredible pace. In addition, they consume less power at idle and can transition between load states much more quickly. These improvements necessitate a re-evaluation of power-design priorities because phase-doublers add a propagation delay that hampers transient response.

While doublers help extend the number of effective phases, they do so at the cost of a processing delay.    

Bucking the trend

The teamed architecture allows two power stages to work in tandem to provide more power to the CPU.

Fortunately, the latest integrated power components can handle higher currents than the devices of yesteryear, making it possible to implement a simple circuit topology that isn't hamstrung by the processing lag of phase-doublers. That's why ROG Maximus XII Hero utilizes teamed power stages to deliver higher burst current per phase, while maintaining the thermal performance of phase-doubled designs.    

Thermal performance 

Each VRM component serves a specific purpose. PWM controllers and phase-doublers control the circuit, and the power stages do the heavy lifting from an electrical and thermal standpoint. That's why ROG Maximus XII Hero utilizes 16 power stages. The power stage sits at the top of Infineon's lineup and features a low RDSON to reduce switching and conduction losses, helping to improve overall thermal headroom.    

High quality components

Dual 8-pin ProCool II power connector

Two ProCool connectors ensure a snug and reliable connection to the EPS 12V power lines.

14+2 power stage

The VRM has 14+2 power stages, each rated to handle 60 amps.

MicroFine alloy chokes

Each Power stage is accompanied by a high-permeability alloy-core choke rated to handle 45 amps.

10K Japanese-made black metallic capacitors

Input and output filtering is provided by solid-polymer capacitors rated to last thousands of hours at high operating temperatures.    

ASUS OptiMem III

Boasting proprietary memory trace layout tweaks that improve signal integrity and mitigate noise, ASUS OptiMem III is more compatible with 3600 MHz+ memory kits, allowing them to run at higher frequencies. You can opt to optimize memory for high frequency settings, or low latency settings. With higher capacity memory kits, OptiMem III enables you to run at maximum frequency, whereas other motherboards will trade off frequency for capacity. Stack Maximus XII Hero with your favorite modules and maximize throughput of the new 10th Generation Intel® Core™ Comet Lake-S processor for applications that demand massive bandwidth.

Cooling

Maintaining system stability is paramount under high load, so Maximus XII Hero employs large VRM and chipset heatsinks that strike the right balance between surface area and mass. The extra-large armor heatsinks also cover multiple M.2 slots. Featuring premium components and multiple fan headers, Maximus XII Hero is fully armed to provide the best foundation for gaming systems – enabling higher performance at lower temperatures.

Cooling Heatsinks

VRM heatsink

A VRM heatsink is placed on the MOSFETs and chokes, and the embedded heatpipe connects to the aluminum I/O cover.

Large diameter heatpipe

The U-shaped design provides rapid and even heat transfer from the VRM to the extended VRM heatsink

M.2 heatsink

A dedicated heatsink keeps the triple M.2 SSDs at the optimum operating temperature for consistent performance and reliability.

High-conductivity thermal pad

The high-quality thermal pad improves overall heat transfer from the system by bridging the heat generated by the power stages to the heatsink.

Extended VRM heatsink

The extended heatsink at the end of heatpipe increases thermal mass to offset the additional heat generated by high power consumption.

Chipset heatsink

A dedicated chipset heatsink draws heat away to maintain optimum operating temperatures. 

Cooler by design

ROG Maximus XII Hero features the most comprehensive cooling options ever.

Multiple temperature sources

Each header can be set to monitor and react to three user-configurable thermal sensors for workload-based cooling. And all settings can be easily managed by Fan Xpert 4 or UEFI.

4-pin PWM/DC fan

Every onboard header supports auto-detection of PWM or DC fans.

AIO PUMP

A dedicated PWM/DC header for self-contained water-cooling setups.

ROG Water-Cooling Zone

Dual water-temperature headers and a flow-rate header feed information straight into the AI Suite utility, allowing you to track coolant temperatures and the flow rate of the entire loop.

Water pump+

A dedicated header can supply over 3 amps to high-performance PWM or DC water pumps.

Water in/out

A dedicated header enables monitoring of temperatures at the input/output points of any component.

Water flow

A dedicated header enables constant monitoring of flow rate throughout the entire loop.

Optimisation

Maximus XII Hero is packed with intuitive and flexible tools to allow customization across all system parameters to deliver the performance you want.

Performance Level Up

The dashboard-style control panel of AI Suite 3 lets you fine-tune almost every aspect of your ROG Maximus XII Hero system with ease. Get the best balance between performance, cooling, stability, and efficiency via one simple and intuitive interface.    

TPU

CPU-performance boost

The TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) is an intelligent onboard micro-controller that provides an array of system-tuning features, including the ability to fine-tune voltages, monitor system stats and adjust overclocking parameters.    

EPU

All-around energy efficiency

With the Energy Processing Unit (EPU) you'll enjoy system-wide power savings. The EPU automatically optimizes power consumption and maximizes savings with Away mode — a smart setting that creates an extreme energy-saving scenario by shutting down unused I/O controllers.    

Fan Xpert 4

Flexible cooling controls for air or liquid

Enjoy comprehensive control over fans, water pumps and all-in-one (AIO) coolers, via either Fan Expert 4 or our UEFI. Whether you're cooling with air or water, Auto-Tuning mode intelligently configures all parameters with a single click. There's also an Extreme Quiet mode, which reduces all fan speeds to below the default minimum — keeping your system whisper-quiet when performing light tasks.    

Digital power controls

Precise digital power control

The Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) delivers real-time control over voltage droop, switching frequency and power-efficiency settings, allowing you to fine-tune CPU voltage regulation for ultimate stability and performance.    

Turbo Core App

Intel processors feature per-core tuning, and the ASUS Turbo app makes use of this feature by letting you assign applications to specific processor cores, prioritizing computing power where it's needed most.

UEFI BIOS

The renowned ROG UEFI (BIOS) provides everything you need to configure, tweak, and tune your rig. It offers intelligently simplified options for newcomers to PC DIY, as well as comprehensive features for seasoned veterans.    

Advanced Mode

When you’re ready for a deeper dive, delve into the UEFI’s Advanced mode and take complete control. Advanced mode enables full control over every aspect of the motherboard, and a built-in search function helps you quickly find the setting you need.

• My Favorites - Quickly locate tuning options and add preferred tools to your favorites list.
• EZ Flash 3 - Flash the latest BIOS via the internet from within the BIOS.
• S.M.A.R.T. - Check your storage device Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) logs to gauge reliability or to identify potential failures.
• GPU POST - Automatically detect selected ASUS graphics cards to view detailed information
• Secure Erase - Restore your SSDs and NVMe storage to factory settings.
• Last Modified Log - Track the last change and save preferred profiles to a USB drive.
• SATA Port Renaming - Rename SATA ports for easy identification.
• ASUS User Profile - Port configuration settings between different BIOS versions or share them with friends.
• Q-Fan Control - Configure the fan's operating speed manually or use pre-configured Standard, Silent, Turbo or Full Speed modes. By default, system fans will automatically switch to full speed if the temperature reaches 75° C.    

EZ mode

Designed to simplify setup, EZ mode presents vital settings and stats on a single page. With guided wizards, drag-and-drop functionality, and one-click application of important settings, your rig will be up and running in no time.

• Intuitive graphical fan controls - Fine-tune individual fans simply by dragging a curve with the mouse.
• Storage information - View SATA port details for easy device recognition.
• Fast and easy clock adjustment - Use the mouse to quickly change time and date settings.
• Aura On/Off mode (Stealth) - Easily enable or disable Aura RGB lighting or every onboard LED, for a more subdued aesthetic.

Accurate Voltage Monitoring

Conventional motherboards use single-ended sensing tapped from a location that isn't ideal, leading to a large disparity between the actual voltage fed to the CPU and the value reported to software. Maximus XII Hero features a differential-sensing circuit and delicate IC that simplify overclocking and tuning by allowing you to track voltages more accurately.

Connectivity

ROG Maximus XII Hero offers advanced connectivity, including WiFi 6 (AX201) and dual Ethernet with intel® 1Gb and Marvell® 5Gb Ethernet port to eliminate bottlenecks so you can enjoy exceptionally smooth online and LAN play. Additionally, the M.2 supports Intel® Optane™ Memory technology to maximize the speed of your SSD for faster load times, and SupremeFX on-board audio provides superb sound, while saving a PCIe slot.

WiFi 6 (AX201)

Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) supports ultrafast wireless-networking speeds, improved capacity and better performance in dense WiFi environments, providing exceptional online gaming experiences.*

Pair your motherboard with ASUS WiFi 6 routers to fully experience the networking potential of WiFi 6. Find out more about ASUS WiFi 6 solutions: https://www.asus.com/wifi6/

Marvell® 5Gbps Ethernet 

With up to 5X the bandwidth of standard gigabit Ethernet, you'll enjoy streaming uncompressed 4K UHD videos, backups and file transfers that are faster than ever before. Hero supports intermediate 2.5Gbps connectivity, allowing you to step up to faster networks for maximum flexibility. Choose the bandwidth that meets your needs and enjoy ultra-low latency at any speed.**

Intel® 1Gbps Ethernet

ROG Maximus XI Hero features Intel® Gigabit Ethernet for faster, smoother gaming. Intel Ethernet controllers have a natural synergy with their processors and chipsets, reducing CPU overhead and offering exceptionally high TCP and UDP throughput, so there's more power for games and other tasks. 

*Actual speed varies, depending on networking conditions.
**Minimum Category 5e network cables required for 5 Gbps operation.    

Storage

Maximus XI Hero comes equipped with three M.2 slots to let you take full advantage of Intel IRST and NVMe RAID for ultimate SSD storage speeds. The drives can be found under the aluminum heatsink covers. Integrated PCIe support ensures compatibility with the latest NVMe SSDs to enable ultrafast transfer speeds.    

SupremeFX

ROG SupremeFX audio technology has levelled up, delivering an exceptional 113 dB signal-to-noise ratio on the line-in connection to provide best-ever recording quality. There’s also a low-dropout regulator for cleaner power delivery to the SupremeFX S1220 codec, an ESS® ES9023P digital-to-analog converter for superior front-panel output, and a Texas Instruments® RC4580 op amp for high gain with low distortion — all to deliver audio that envelops you as never before.

Audio Line Shielding

Blocks electromagnetic interference from the motherboard or add-ons to provide cleaner audio.

ESS® SABRES9023P 

The ESS® SABRES9023P digital-to-analog converter creates a perfect balance for top-tier audio clarity capable of 112 dB DNR/ -94 dB THD+N for superior front-panel output..

S1220 codec

10 DAC channels provide simultaneous 7.1-channel playback and independent 2.0-channel, multiple-stream stereo to front-panel outputs.

Switching MOSFETS

A unique design allows the codec's impedance-sensing function to be ported with either the front or rear headphone outputs.

Nichicon® CAPS

Fine-quality Japanese-made capacitors produce a warmer, natural sound with exceptional clarity and fidelity.

Personalise

In addition to extraordinary performance, Maximus XII Hero provides extensive styling and customization options to let you build a system that truly stands apart.

Aura Sync

Grow your gaming world

Gear up with ROG components, from graphics and monitors to mice and keyboards. And up your game with complementary aesthetics, control and compatibility. The ROG ecosystem is more extensive than any competing brand, so enjoy greater choice as your system expands.    

RGB Header

Addressable Gen 2 RGB header

The addressable Gen 2 RGB headers now feature software that can automatically tailor lighting effects to specific devices. The new headers also offer backward-compatibility with existing Aura RGB gear.    

Ramcache III

RAMCache lll software utility turns milliseconds into microseconds to boost game-load times. Fully compatible with the latest NVM Express® storage options, RAMCache lll utilizes uniquely intelligent technology to effectively cache any storage device, so favorite games and apps launch at breakneck speeds.    

Sonic Studio III

Sonic Studio supports HRTF-based (head-related transfer function*) virtual surround for headsets, casting an immersive aural landscape that draws you deeper into the action. The intuitive Sonic Studio interface also offers a range of EQ options and one-click presets, allowing you to tailor acoustics to suit personal preferences or the characteristics of your headset.

*A head-related transfer function is an audio algorithm derived from sound data recorded through a dummy head. Test tones are played from a spherical grid around the dummy head to obtain subtle changes in sounds that come from different directions. The results are combined into an algorithm that allows Sonic Studio's virtual surround to process sound true to life.

Sonic Studio Link

Easily apply Sonic Studio effects on all playback devices. Simply press the Sonic Studio Link button to enjoy the effect on any playback device. 

App-Specific profiles

Apply customized audio settings to different applications, so everything you do is perfectly tuned to the way you want to listen.

Sonic Studio virtual mixer

Combine audio output from selected apps with audio from the microphone input and stream the compiled mix.

DTS : Sound Unbound

ROG Maximus XII Hero includes a pre-loaded DTS Sound Unbound app that envelops you in audio as never before, conjuring whole new levels of immersion for extraordinary gaming and entertainment experiences. By exploiting Windows Sonic spatial technology, DTS Sound Unbound delivers audio in a virtual 3D space — putting you right in the middle of the soundscape, where you can sense the location and direction of every gunshot, footstep or other sound in your virtual environment.

* DTS Sound Unbound requires in-game support. Check with developers for titles that offer support.

Armoury Crate

Armoury Crate is a software utility designed to provide centralized control of supported ROG gaming products. From a single intuitive interface, Armoury Crate puts command of all your Aura gear at your fingertips with the new Aura Creator suite ready. The software also provides control of settings for a growing number of ROG products, making it easier to tune the look and feel of your system. Armoury Crate even offers dedicated product registration and ROG news feeds to help you stay in touch with the ROG gaming community.