Asus Maximus VIII Impact Z170 mini-ITX Motherboard Unleashed, See Features and Specs

Asus already introduced their three Asus ROG Maximus VIII Z170 gaming motherboards a few months ago. But they always announce their best hardware on a later date. Recently, the company announced and officially released several new products, including the ROG Maximus VIII Extreme motherboard, Asus ROG GX700 gaming laptop, and they also announced the so-called best mini-ITX motherboard in the market – the Asus Maximus VIII Impact. The new Maximus VIII Impact offers new features but, generally speaking, the overall layout looks very similar with its predecessors. Some of the noticeable changes in the new Maximus VIII Impact are: the sound card is already soldered onto the motherboard, WiFi too is already soldered, and I don’t see any M.2 slot anymore. Though the M.2 is gone, the Maximus VIII Impact features the new U.2 connection designed for high speed NVMe SSDs. See more details from the official news below.

Asus Maximus VIII Impact Features

Key Features:

• Best mini-ITX performance: Digitally-controlled Impact Power III, 5-Way Optimization auto-tuning, Fan Extension Card, Pro Clock, and 4133MHz DDR4
• Best mini-ITX audio: Champion-level SupremeFX Impact III with LED-illuminated audio jacks and Sonic SenseAmp to drive up to 600ohm headphones
• Best mini-ITX networking: Intel Gigabit Ethernet with ASUS-exclusive LANGuard and GameFirst technologies for low-ping gaming
• Best mini-ITX connectivity: Latest 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi with all-new MU-MIMO, plus U.2 and USB 3.1 connectivity

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced the Maximus VIII Impact, a mini-ITX motherboard with ATX-grade performance for enthusiast gamers, and engineered and tested for the best compatibility with both mini-ITX case designs and CPU coolers — giving users the confidence to build small to game big.

Based on the new Intel® Z170 Express chipset and LGA 1151 socket for the latest 6th-generation Intel processors, Maximus VIII Impact offers extreme performance and overclocking features in mini-ITX, with the vertically-mounted Impact Power III full-scale voltage-regulator module (VRM), 5-Way Optimization and bundled Fan Extension Card for easy tuning and cooling, Pro Clock technology to push base-clock frequencies beyond the limits, and compatibility with the latest DDR4 memory modules — for extreme overclocked-RAM speeds of 4133MHz and higher.

The Asus ROG Maximus VIII Impact also offers the best mini-ITX audio in the shape of SupremeFX Impact III, and the best lag-banishing networking technologies with Intel Gigabit Ethernet, plus ASUS LANGuard and GameFirst technologies to prioritize game traffic and minimize ping times.

For the best mini-ITX connectivity, Maximus VIII Impact boasts all-new Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) for maximum speed to every[1] connection, along with U.2 and USB 3.1 for lightning-speed transfers.

Best mini-ITX performance: Impact Power III, 5-Way Optimization, Pro Clock and 4133MHz DDR4
Impact Power III is Maximus VIII Impact’s completely-digital power architecture, engineered with premium components to provide precise power management and stable overclocking on mini-ITX. Dynamic speed adjustments and intricate manual controls enable the user to push the processor and memory further than ever — and that means the highest stability and precision.

The Asus Maximus VIII Impact also has exclusive 5-Way Optimization that sorts all the complex settings with a click, for instant, highly-controllable performance boosts. This exclusive technology dynamically optimizes essential aspects of Maximus VIII Impact-based builds by monitoring real-time use, delivering superb CPU performance, everyday energy savings, ultra-stable digital power, cool and quiet fans and even networking and audio settings that are tailored for the apps currently in use.

Pro Clock technology is an ASUS-exclusive dedicated base-clock (BCLK) generator designed for 6th-generation Intel processors. It allows Maximus VIII Impact users to overclock base-clock frequencies to 400MHz[2], or even beyond. This custom solution works in tandem with the ASUS-exclusive TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) to enhance voltage and base-clock overclocking control. Boot times can be reduced, jitter is lowered and stability is increased under heavy overclocking — providing an exciting new way to boost performance to extreme heights.

Maximus VIII Impact users are also able to go faster by fitting the very latest DDR4 memory, and push for extreme overclocked-RAM speeds of 4133MHz and higher.

Best mini-ITX audio: SupremeFX Impact III, illuminated audio jacks and 600ohm Sonic SenseAmp
SupremeFX Impact III represents the pinnacle of mini-ITX audio quality, featuring the best gaming-audio inputs and outputs, color-coded LEDs to guide to the right audio jacks, and a collection of carefully-selected professional-grade audio components, including an ESS® ES9023P digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with Hyperstream™ technology, ultra-low-jitter clock, Nichicon® capacitors, 2VRMS headphone amp, and Sonic SenseAmp that automatically detects and optimizes any headset between 32 and 600ohms for the purest sound quality.

SupremeFX Impact III also features intuitive Sonic Studio II, making it easy for the listener to apply and enjoy different audio effects for perfect entertainment — plus Perfect Voice noise-cancellation technology for team conversations with total clarity.

Best mini-ITX networking: Intel Gigabit Ethernet, plus exclusive LANGuard and GameFirst
The Asus Maximus VIII Impact has the best lag-banishing networking technologies, including the latest Intel Gigabit Ethernet to reduce CPU overhead and deliver exceptionally-high TCP and UDP throughput — freeing up more computing power for gameplay.

ASUS-exclusive LANGuard’s signal-coupling technology and premium surface-mounted components ensure reliable connections and better throughput.

New and improved GameFirst technology optimizes network traffic for faster, lag-free online gaming — and now we’ve added Multi-Gate Teaming, enabling Maximus VIII Impact users to team all their networks for maximum bandwidth and the smoothest-ever gameplay. It also includes all-new Intelligent mode, which automatically compiles a database by parsing new app data to ensure that every game is optimized for the best performance.

Best mini-ITX connectivity: 2×2 802.11ac MU-MIMO Wi-Fi, U.2 and USB 3.1
The Asus ROG Maximus VIII Impact delivers next-level 802.11ac Wi-Fi with 2×2 dual-band 2.4/5GHz antennas for up 867Mbit/s transfer speeds — and the very latest Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology to ensure that every connected user experiences the best wireless and online speeds.

Maximus VIII Impact also lets users unlock the full potential of the latest NVM Express (NVMe) technology to make SSDs scream at top speed. The new mini-ITX motherboard’s built-in U.2 connector serves up data-transfer speeds of up to 32Gbit/s, and the board includes both USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and reversible Type-C connectors for data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s — that’s twice as fast USB 3.0.

Price and Availability

The Asus Maximus VIII Impact is expected to hot store shelves in the following weeks or days to come.

Asus Maximus VIII Impact Specifications