ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced Maximus VIII Hero Alpha, an ATX Z170-based gaming motherboard packed with gamer-friendly features and the very latest connectivity. Maximus VIII Hero Alpha is upping the game with the two new four-pin headers for RGB strips, 2?2 (2T2R) 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO), USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C powered by an Intel USB 3.1 controller, and dual NVM Express (NVMe) U.2 sockets and M.2 for 32Gbit/s transfers and up to three-way RAID setups.

Based on the latest Intel Z170 Express chipset, Maximus VIII Hero Alpha is compatible with the Intel 6th-generation processors and DDR4 memory. Advance features include 5-Way Optimization auto-tuning for instant performance boosts, second-generation T-Topology for next-level DDR4 memory overclocking, and Pro Clock technology for turbo-charged base-clock (BCLK) frequencies.

Maximus VIII Hero Alpha also includes SupremeFX 2015 with Sonic Studio II, fast gaming networking with the latest Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LANGuard and GameFirst IVBeta technologies.

With two patented four-pin Aura RGB-Strip headers and included extension cables, it?s quick for users to cast colors across their gaming rigs and room. It takes a moment to slide a standard 12V RGB strip onto the Aura RGB-strip header, then the user is able to weave their lighting any way they like. Maximus VIII Hero Alpha also has the Aura lighting-control utility to command the motherboard?s built-in RGB LEDs or attached RGB strips, or both ? and in synchronization. Aura offers six different lighting schemes, controls for customized static, strobing and pulsating effects. Tempo-tracking and CPU-temperature-indication modes are also available.