The ASRock Z590 OC Formula Review: An Iconic Brand Revival
by Gavin Bonshor on September 10, 2021 9:00 AM ESTSystem Performance
Not all motherboards are created equal. On the face of it, they should all perform the same and differ only in the functionality they provide - however, this is not the case. The obvious pointers are power consumption, POST time and latency. This can come down to the manufacturing process and prowess, so these are tested.
For Z590 we are running using Windows 10 64-bit with the 20H2 update.
Power Consumption
Power consumption was tested on the system while in a single MSI GTX 1080 Gaming configuration with a wall meter connected to the power supply. Our power supply has ~75% efficiency > 50W, and 90%+ efficiency at 250W, suitable for both idle and multi-GPU loading. This method of power reading allows us to compare the power management of the UEFI and the board to supply components with power under load, and includes typical PSU losses due to efficiency. These are the real-world values that consumers may expect from a typical system (minus the monitor) using this motherboard.
While this method for power measurement may not be ideal, and you feel these numbers are not representative due to the high wattage power supply being used (we use the same PSU to remain consistent over a series of reviews, and the fact that some boards on our testbed get tested with three or four high powered GPUs), the important point to take away is the relationship between the numbers. These boards are all under the same conditions, and thus the differences between them should be easy to spot.
In our power testing, the ASRock Z590 OC Formula was quite power-hungry when both in long idle and idle power states, but performed competitively against other models when under full-load.
Non-UEFI POST Time
Different motherboards have different POST sequences before an operating system is initialized. A lot of this is dependent on the board itself, and POST boot time is determined by the controllers on board (and the sequence of how those extras are organized). As part of our testing, we look at the POST Boot Time using a stopwatch. This is the time from pressing the ON button on the computer to when Windows starts loading. (We discount Windows loading as it is highly variable given Windows-specific features.)
In our non-UEFI POST time testing, the OC Formula performed better than other ASRock Z590 models we've tested so far and it was competitive with other boards in our testing. We managed to shave off an additional one and a half seconds by disabled nonessential controllers such as networking and integrated audio.
DPC Latency
Deferred Procedure Call latency is a way in which Windows handles interrupt servicing. In order to wait for a processor to acknowledge the request, the system will queue all interrupt requests by priority. Critical interrupts will be handled as soon as possible, whereas lesser priority requests such as audio will be further down the line. If the audio device requires data, it will have to wait until the request is processed before the buffer is filled.
If the device drivers of higher priority components in a system are poorly implemented, this can cause delays in request scheduling and process time. This can lead to an empty audio buffer and characteristic audible pauses, pops and clicks. The DPC latency checker measures how much time is taken processing DPCs from driver invocation. The lower the value will result in better audio transfer at smaller buffer sizes. Results are measured in microseconds.
We test DPC latency out of the box at default settings, and the ASRock was one of the better performers in our testing with a good result of 96.6 microseconds.
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Kracken'm all - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
Frankly overpriced and useless if we are being scalped hard for higher end cpu and gpu.Actually mobo manufacturers should pay us on top using their board as nvidia and amd are fucking everything up so bad but just don't give a crap but fakers for money.
prophet001 - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
HPCs are like fishing lures... they're not made to catch fish they're made to catch fishermen.I feel embarrassed thinking about some of the stuff I bought and bought into when I was younger.
Wrs - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
Why would you blame or take out your anger on a mobo maker for a shortage of cpus/gpus caused by a biological virus?!The mobo is a beast and seems priced at a slight *discount* to the market. Let's hope it's dependable because I don't know about that warranty... probably explains the discount.
For those that don't appreciate on-board power buttons and resets/switches and metal backplates because its all covered by a computer case, get a cheaper board, this one isn't for you. It's a niche product painfully torn between mass-market usability and catering to a small community of hardcore overclockers. Because it includes features for two mutually exclusive audiences, it's always going to be at least somewhat overpriced to either group.
The only complaint I'd have is the placement of that on-board OLED display. It's likely to be obscured by insulation or high end air cooling. Probably should get rid of it, buff up the diagnostic display to a full time monitoring display.
TheinsanegamerN - Monday, September 13, 2021 - link
"Why would you blame or take out your anger on a mobo maker for a shortage of cpus/gpus caused by a biological virus?!"Still on that theory? That's cute. There's plenty of GPUs shipping out of china, they just are not coming to us.
" It's a niche product painfully torn between mass-market usability and catering to a small community of hardcore Suckers."
FTFY. All this money and design for another 50 MHz bin over a normal $180 Z series board. The days of hardcore OCingbeing entertaining ar ebehind us when CPUs hit 95% of that performance level on their own now.
Wrs - Monday, September 13, 2021 - link
What? It's generally accepted that Covid is the primary cause of the chip shortage, but far from the only cause. Covid produced quarantines and lockdowns, messed with factory production here and there, made a lotta people scramble for electronics to work from home - there's the impact on both supply and demand. There are some compounding factors like China tariffs, an island off China running out of water (I don't say that with a straight face), car industry cutting orders before a surprise sales boom, and other details I needn't list here.Overclocking is legit, but getting more niche these days - on that you are absolutely right. The mainstream has trended toward what formerly was entry level OC - big beefy ambient coolers. I don't particularly like the inefficient Rocket Lake to start - inefficiency is what necessitates expensive boards, after all - but this article isn't about a board built for mainstream cooling, and 50 MHz is certainly not all you're expected to get over a $180 board... though perhaps it is close to all you'll get using what this site did, an ambient AIO cooler. That's just not right to cool >300w in half a square inch, nor is it any good for reducing thermal and electrical resistivity in silicon. Rocket Lake runs so hot, the minimum you'd need to see real progress is ice water. This board, with all its slow boot switches, is clearly set up for phase change or LN2, and I am not prepared to ask Anandtech to cough up that kind of expertise...
Spunjji - Monday, September 13, 2021 - link
"Frankly overpriced and useless"Yes
*everything else you wrote*
No
svan1971 - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
AsRock before you buy check out their warranty info its a disaster.Slash3 - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
The first board in the series was the Z77 OC Formula, not the Z87. I've still got mine running in a secondary system. :)Slash3 - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
One other note, the testbed chart lists an 11900K with pricing of $374, which is clearly incorrect.AllMuscle1 - Friday, September 24, 2021 - link
Same here! I was about to laugh when I saw it clearly displayed in the photograph and yet, he stated Z87. The Z77 for Ivy Bridge was amazing! It's now in my daughter's system.