1155 dilemma: ASRock vs Asus

[writhen]

Hmm it seems strange that the reliability between Asus and Asrock is so varied if they are essentially the same company.

Does Asrock cut corners to reach a lower price point or is its build quality equivalent to Asus'? The way i see it if build quality is equivalent your board might have just been a lemon.

[lowfat]

Originally Posted by writhen

Hmm it seems strange that the reliability between Asus and Asrock is so varied if they are essentially the same company.

Does Asrock cut corners to reach a lower price point or is its build quality equivalent to Asus'? The way i see it if build quality is equivalent your board might have just been a lemon.

Like I said, I don't think all of their boards are like that. It is just if you do get a board that has issues you are left pulling more money out of your pocket to fix it unless the issues happen within the first 30 days of ownership.

[martin_metal_88]

Why logitech product price have gone crazy last year? You pay for the brand. Asus add a lot of abysmal board in the past years, just look at the P5K, P5Q, P5QL etc. These board just put gigabyte on the map that was selling cheaper board that were killer like the UD3P. Most board manufacturer use the same Foxconn part, nippon caps, realtek chip etc.
It goes this way, most mobo have the same build quality. It's usually a line or a particular model that use a specifiq part that will suck.

[writhen]

Originally Posted by lowfat

Like I said, I don't think all of their boards are like that. It is just if you do get a board that has issues you are left pulling more money out of your pocket to fix it unless the issues happen within the first 30 days of ownership.

I understand that. However, having owned both brands what opinion do you have on the build quality of each? Similar or not?

[martin_metal_88]

Maybe this could help you. There is a lot of interesting pros and cons in all these review to see the good and the bad of the Asrock.
ASRock Extreme4 P67 and Fatal1ty Professional P67 vs X58 with Core i7-950 Review - Conclusion
ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Profess1onal Series Motherboard Review | KitGuru
ASRock P67 FATAL1TY Motherboard PROFESS1ONAL SERIES (INTEL P67) Full Review*|*OCWORKBENCH | ios 4.3.1 jailbreak | Android | Wp7 | DOW Jones
FATAL1TY P67 Profess1onal Series

Here are review for the Asus. There is a lot less review for the Asus...maybe I just cherched the wrong site?
Overclock3D :: Review :: ASUS Maximus 4 Extreme Review :: Conclusion
ASUS RoG Maximus IV Extreme (P67) Motherboard Review - Conclusion
Asus Maximus Extreme - Bjorn3D.com

[lowfat]

Originally Posted by writhen

I understand that. However, having owned both brands what opinion do you have on the build quality of each? Similar or not?

I have only owned one Asrock board and will never own another one because of the hassle of the warranty. And honestly my favourite X58 board I owned out of the 8 or so I had was the Rampage III Extreme.

Can't really comment on build quality though since the lack of Asrock boards I have owned.

[writhen]

Originally Posted by martin_metal_88

Maybe this could help you. There is a lot of interesting pros and cons in all these review to see the good and the bad of the Asrock.
ASRock Extreme4 P67 and Fatal1ty Professional P67 vs X58 with Core i7-950 Review - Conclusion
ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Profess1onal Series Motherboard Review | KitGuru
ASRock P67 FATAL1TY Motherboard PROFESS1ONAL SERIES (INTEL P67) Full Review*|*OCWORKBENCH | ios 4.3.1 jailbreak | Android | Wp7 | DOW Jones
FATAL1TY P67 Profess1onal Series

Here are review for the Asus. There is a lot less review for the Asus...maybe I just cherched the wrong site?
Overclock3D :: Review :: ASUS Maximus 4 Extreme Review :: Conclusion
ASUS RoG Maximus IV Extreme (P67) Motherboard Review - Conclusion
Asus Maximus Extreme - Bjorn3D.com

Thanks for the links, looks like the Fatal1ty isn't a bad gamble to take. I have read all the M4E reviews already, it is a greater demand board so a little strange to see fewer reviews.

[martin_metal_88]

Well the M4E don't offer lot of new feature...It's just a 1155 rog board so many site seems just not to care. While the fatality is a new line. This might explain the thing.

[Dead Things]

The one and only time I owned an Asrock, the VRMs melted and exploded, creating a ball of fire in my case that wrote off my PSU and heatsink fan. So anecdotally, I have definitely experienced whatever corners are being cut. Asrock is, after all, ASUS's entry-level/value-oriented brand.

[Soultribunal]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye_54

The big issue (or at least, it should be the big issue) is quality & reliability first and foremost. It has to perform and be serviceable when I want to use it. That is why I bought ASUS.

The reviewers might write glowing reviews about a specific board but you can bet they won't tell you brand A has a 30% failure rate & Brand B only has a 10%. (the percentages noted are for example purposes only). I wish that Consumers Magazine or similar non-profit outfit would cover computer products (other than the redi-built ones). However, I have read enough forum comments and talked to enough salespeople at big retail outlets to put two and two together. Heck, even the writers drop hints now and then if you read closely. It is clear that ASUS are far more reliable than other brands and I am sure that is the reason they outsell the other guys. As for specs and performance, all the comparable mobos offer very similar results and a few percentage points either way is meaningless anyway. As for features, the new P67 ASUS boards have a lot going for them and that includes the new BIOS interface. If it was available when I bought, I would have taken a P67 Sabretooth for it mil-spec components and higher level BIOS (I understand it is similar to the new high line P67 Maximus). As a point of interest, Memory Express has the Sabre on special (taking orders) for $219.99, which is $30 off.

Honestly though, its hit or miss, and situationally based.
Don't get me wrong I love ASUS, I really do. But I've had my failures with them, more so than GB and other manufacturers.
What does set ASUS apart from the others for me is a close RMA facility, and decent RMA Staff.
However depending on whom you ask in the industry you will get variying answers on longevity of products.
And RMA Rates.

My thoughts,

ST